Alex Rodriguez OK with ban on cousin

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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Alex Rodriguez briefly addressed questions concerning the presence of his cousin, Yuri Sucart, in the lobby of the team hotel in San Francisco this week despite being banned from all team-related locations by the New York Yankees for his role in helping A-Rod procure steroids a few years back.

"There's no rules that are being broken," Rodriguez said Friday. "The team is fully aware. He stays at his own place, he's not on the team bus, he's not on team planes, he's not in the clubhouse, he's not in the stadiums, so we're complying with all the rules. One thing I learned a few years ago is my responsibilities, and they're very clear."

Asked if he had been contacted by Major League Baseball or by team officials to explain his relationship with Sucart, whose presence in the team hotel was first reported by the New York Daily News, Rodriguez said, "No, there's nothing to talk about. Everyone's kosher with everything. There's nothing to investigate. Very kosher."

Rodriguez acknowledged that Sucart works for him -- a team source told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday that Sucart chauffeurs A-Rod's family members to and from games -- but refused to specify what his duties are. "Uh, he watches Miami Heat games with me," Rodriguez joked. "Really, I don't want to get into all that. He's been with me since I was born and I love him very much and he'll be around for many many years, long after I'm done playing baseball. At the end of the day, my family is very important to me. I'm very loyal to my family. I love my family, all my family very much, and I'm very, very good with where I stand today."

Asked for his opinion on the A-Rod/Yuri matter, manager Joe Girardi said, "I don't really have much of one. His cousin showed up and I know there's history there, but I think it's important that as people that we don't turn our back on family. I mean, we've all had family members or it could even been us that have done things that haven't necessarily been the right thing to do but I don't think you turn your back on family."

Wallace Matthews covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com.

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Wallace Matthews

ESPNNewYork.com

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Wallace Matthews has covered New York sports since 1983 as a reporter, columnist, radio host and TV commentator. He covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com after working for Newsday, the New York Post, the New York Sun and ESPN New York 98.7 FM.
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