# Did A-Rod just take disguised family leave? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 24, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756 "2008-04-24T22:46:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/1 "2008-04-24T22:46:17Z")
I’d heard that he had a minor injury but I didn’t know his wife had just given birth, until I came across this at [espn.com](http://espn.com): > [@](#): > > The AL MVP, Rodriguez left Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with a strained right quadriceps and had treatment in New York the following day. He then headed to Miami, where his wife gave birth Monday night. And then I read that he might play tonight. It just seems oddly coincidental but I can’t think of any reason for subterfuge. Why not miss a game if your wife is in labor? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/2 "2008-04-24T22:50:36Z")
The Yankees would have given A-Rod the time without blinking. He’s not the first to have a child during the season. There is absolutely no subterfuge. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/3 "2008-04-24T23:28:47Z")
He’s on my fantasy team and it’s been in his player notes for weeks that his wife is due and he’d be taking a few days off when she delivers. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/4 "2008-04-24T23:30:45Z")
It was legitimately both. Slight quad strain **and** new baby. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/5 "2008-04-24T23:44:34Z")
I was at that game, sitting pretty close to first base. It was sort of weird–he’s just standing on the base, no sign of anything wrong with him, and all of a sudden he asks for time out and calls the trainer over to feel his leg, and then he leaves the game. The guy sitting behind us said “A-Rod has a four o’clock date!” ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/6 "2008-04-25T01:09:51Z")
Would there be any roster advantage to pretending it was a minor injury? Do players get paid for taking a few days off for family reasons? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/7 "2008-04-25T02:36:51Z")
[QUOTE=Blank Slate] Would there be any roster advantage to pretending it was a minor injury? Do players get paid for taking a few days off for family reasons? [/QUOTE] There might be, but I doubt it. At this point in the season players are very sensitive to small injuries that can become worse without rest and treatment. It’s a legit muscle tweak, that happened to coincide with his wife giving birth. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/8 "2008-04-25T02:50:36Z")
[QUOTE=WF Tomba] I was at that game, sitting pretty close to first base. It was sort of weird–he’s just standing on the base, no sign of anything wrong with him, and all of a sudden he asks for time out and calls the trainer over to feel his leg, and then he leaves the game. [/QUOTE] Supposedly the first base coach insisted he get it looked at. And in replays, Rodriguez did look uncomfortable running to first. Besides, he’s back with the team now, but not expected to play until, perhaps, tomorrow. If it was family leave he would have been in the lineup tonight and they wouldn’t be hedging their bets about tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-a-rod-just-take-disguised-family-leave/446756/9 "2008-04-25T15:00:19Z")
Most, if not all, players at A-Rod’s level _want_ to play. They hate taking time off for injury, even if they need it. That he has returned to the team, but is sitting on the bench is telling. Many professional athletes are like the Black Knight - their arm will be cut off and they’ll consider it just a scratch.