Kyna Treacy: A-Rod's Flirting Exploits Show He Can't Handle Playing in New York

Come October, Alex Rodriguez should be making headlines for bashing home runs and winning playoff games, not mingling with bikini model Kyna Treacy.

The struggling New York Yankees third baseman made headlines when, according to Emily Smith of the New York Post, he openly flirted with the bikini model—who was sitting behind the dugout—after getting pulled from Game 1 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers.

It's bad enough that Rodriguez, who is the highest paid player on the team, was so bad at the plate that he had to be pulled from the game, but his lack of awareness is very troubling.

Playing in New York means playing under the microscope. Every move a high-profile athlete makes in New York gets blown up. After spending nine years playing in the Big Apple, you'd think A-Rod would know that by now.

Instead, Rodriguez drew attention on himself by reportedly throwing a ball to Treacy late in the game, asking for her phone number. According to another report from USA Today (via the Daily Telegraph) Rodriguez and Treacy went on a date after Game 1.

However, the issue here isn't that Rodriguez went on a date with Treacy. Athletes are certainly entitled to their own private lives. Plenty of New York athletes, in particular, have been wildly successful while dating supermodels and A-list celebrities.

The issue here is that A-Rod, in the midst of a horrific playoff slump, chose to openly flirt in the middle of a game. At this point in his career, it's clear that he no longer belongs on the New York Yankees roster. The Yankees have always been an organization that puts winning above all else, even if that means having the league's largest payroll.

Rodriguez's attitude reflects poorly on the culture of the Yankees. After getting swept in the ALCS, A-Rod should have played his last game in pinstripes. It's time for New York to unload Rodriguez, regardless of the cost.