A-Rod: "I'm a good receiver."

Do not adjust your monitors or television screens, A-Rod really is that orange. Tint aside, I have one observation about the latest on Alex Rodriguez.

You'll see enough of the clips regarding his admission to taking steroids, making a stupid mistake, and apologizing to the fans in Texas. But if you missed the full interview, there was an interesting moment when Gammons asked him about "A-Fraud" and clubhouse banter.

"I'm a good receiver" A-Rod explained when questioned about whether or not players called him A-Fraud in the clubhouse or to his face. He went on to say how he took insults, from Larry Bowa and the like, all in stride and could never dish them out as well as he received them.

With everything you've ever heard about A-Rod, or the perceptions about him from teammates through the media, I don't know how that characteristic helps his clubhouse chemistry. I can agree it probably builds a stronger character to ignore the media's petty comments and just not care about what anyone thinks of you. Obviously, there's not much you could do anyway. But how does that type of non-response work in a clubhouse, when the star player gets dumped on in good fun and doesn't reply in kind. Is it because he really doesn't care what they think, or does he really just lack that type of quick wit response. Clubhouse banter is never meant to be serious, but I do wonder if he takes at least some of it to heart.