Alex Rodriguez Vs. Dallas Braden: Who Can Be the King of the Hill?

Alex Rodriguez: Age 34, 585 career home runs, .305 career batting average, three-time MVP

Dallas Braden: Age 26, 14-21 career, 4.68 career ERA

Rodriguez off Braden career: 3-for-6, HR

On Thursday, Alex Rodriguez hit a single off Dallas Braden. Robinson Cano followed and fouled off a ball during the at-bat. On the foul ball, Rodriguez went from first to third and was forced to turn around and head back to first. Apparently (I wasn’t watching live), Alex crossed over back the of the pitcher's mound on his shortcut back to first.

Well, this more than pissed off Dallas Braden, as you can see here.

Braden said after the game and his little girly rant on the field:

“He should probably take a note from his captain over there and realize you don’t cross the pitcher’s mound in between an inning or during the game. I was just dumbfounded that he would let that slip his mind—being someone of such status.

“I don’t care if I’m Cy Young or the 25th man on the roster, if I’ve got the ball in my hand and I’m on that mound, that’s my mound. ... He ran across the pitcher’s mound foot on my rubber. No, not happening. We’re not the door mat anymore.”

Said a confused and casual Alex Rodriguez:

“He just told me to get off his mound. I was a little surprised. I’d never quite heard that. Especially from a guy that has a handful of wins in his career. ... I thought it was pretty funny actually.”

Now, being a pitcher myself, I’d understand if Braden got slightly upset. But for him to scream at Alex and proceed to throw a Carlos Zambrano-like tantrum in the dugout is a little much in my opinion.

But what do you think? Is Braden right, or was it a huge overreaction?

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