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A-Rod drops wild Michael Kay comparison ahead of ‘KayRod Cast’ debut

By Adam Weinrib

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 21: Former professional baseball player and cast member of Shark Tank Alex Rodriguez speaks with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center on March 21, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 21: Former professional baseball player and cast member of Shark Tank Alex Rodriguez speaks with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center on March 21, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /
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If extremely confusing comparisons were home runs, New York Yankees icon Alex Rodriguez would’ve passed the 700 threshold a long, long time ago.

In the five-plus years since his forced retirement, Rodriguez has completely redefined himself, shape-shifting from baseball pariah to the face of the game on FOX pre-and-postgame coverage, ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, and, yes, Shark Tank.

In the next step on his media journey/redemption tour, ESPN has opted to focus on A-Rod for their much-ballyhooed Baseball ManningCast — and, considering they neutered the actual ManningCast for 2022 by poaching Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for the main feed, it might soon become the only one on the network.

Rodriguez will be partnered with Michael Kay, the current Yankees play-by-play man who hadn’t previously gone national, in a bit of a surprising move. After all, isn’t the ManningCast’s best attribute the affability of the brothers and the clear comfort with each other that stems from their long-term relationship? Has anyone ever mentally paired A-Rod and Kay before?

Prior to their debut, Rodriguez spoke with The New York Post to hype up the new addition to his television portfolio, and attempted to describe why Kay was the one for him.

Unfortunately, his comparison between Kay and Pedro Martinez only muddied the waters.

A-Rod compared Yankees announcer Michael Kay to Pedro Martinez. Of course!

Pedro?!

According to Rodriguez…

"“The reason why is because every time I faced Pedro Martinez it was like he can read your mind, and whatever I was thinking he would throw me the opposite pitch and I would never hit it,” Rodriguez said. “What I mean by that is Michael has this kind of savant way about him that he knows exactly what to talk about next or what question to ask.”"

And also, the Yankees are most certainly Michael Kay’s daddy.

Rodriguez continued to gush about his new partner in the interview, citing their work together on a Yankees-Dodgers broadcast from mid-2019, a moment that clearly stuck in the All-Star’s craw.

Sunday Night Baseball certainly needed a shakeup, and while we’re not sure yet if this is the right fit, it’s certainly a better idea than the other things baseball media has tried this offseason — namely, restricting viewers and locking them away on Peacock.

The KayRod Cast is free to all viewers and the Futures Game is hidden on a streamer. But, hey, only one of those two is guaranteed to have the next Pedro Martinez, so … there you go.

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