Is Kate Hudson Responsible for A-Rod's Boost at the Plate?

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 9th 2009 04:30PM

UPDATE: A-Rod Drives in 3 Runs in the ALDS Game Two, Including a Game-Tying, Two-Run Homer in the 9th

The New York Yankees came out looking strong against the Minnesota Twins in their first game of the ALDS with a 7-2 victory. A major factor in the win was the performance of Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez, who broke a postseason slump of 0 for 19 with runners in scoring positiom, with two hits and 2 RBIs. He looked calm and determined, not pressing like in failed playoff runs past and one must wonder what caused the difference.The protection he's getting from Mark Teixeira batting in front of him? The admission to steroid use before this season that cleared his conscience? Many would argue that the real cause was sitting in the stands cheering him on: girlfriend Kate Hudson.

Of course, this isn't the first time A-Rod's dated entertainment royalty. After all, his relationship with Madonna rocked tabloids last spring -- a year that the Yanks didn't make the playoffs. So does a different star make the difference?

"The funny thing for A-Rod is what a difference there's been between his time with Madonna and his time with Kate Hudson. And, really, the way that he's shifted in public persona to match the relationship," says New York Daily News sports writer Jesse Spector. "The whole Madonna thing for him was fraught with tales of late-night sneaking around and Kabbalah, as Madonna is always in the headlines for doing crazy stuff, while when you see Kate Hudson, it's usually something innocent like, "Look! Kate Hudson's buying an ice cream cone!"

"For the first time since he got to New York in 2004, A-Rod seems happy to just be a ballplayer who's playing well and dating a pretty actress," Spector tells PopEater. "For someone like A-Rod, who's struggled so much to find himself and deal with his own stardom, maybe that's just what he needed."

"She's certainly not hurting his game," says Jesse Derris of Sunshine, Sachs & Associates, which has a fast-growing sports practice. "He looks relaxed at the plate and ready to go. Hell, the Yankees should retire her number if he keeps hitting in the clutch."

So how does the relationship between K-Hud and A-Rod compare to the pairing of another famed sports couple, Jessica Simpson and Cowboys QB Tony Romo?

"So far, Kate Hudson has definitely been a better good-luck charm for A-Rod than Jessica Simpson was for Tony Romo, but anything happening with A-Rod short of breaking his leg would be an improvement over Romo's time with Jessica," claims Spector who compares Simpson to Kim Basinger's jinx-happy diva in 'The Natural.'

Game By Game: Madonna vs. Kate

We wanted to take an honest apples-to-apples look at the impact on Madonna and Kate on A-Rod's performance. This is why man invented stats.

Trying to track down an official start date for the Hudson A-Rod fling was difficult, so we decided to go with a Page Six item linking the two on May 19th. From there, we crunched numbers with help from Elias Sports Bureau stats on ESPN, looking at his hits, RBIs and home runs.

We looked at his first twenty games since that "dinner date" and here's how it broke down:

Getty Images

For a game-by-game analysis of A-Rod through the Hudson era, look here:

ESPN/Elias

Now, what does it say about Hudson's overall power when root-root-rooting for the Yankees? Well, we had to then compare this stretch to a twenty game span from last summer when Madonna and A-Rod were linked together.

We took a look at the 10 games prior to and following Cynthia Rodriguez filing for divorce from A-Rod, citing their union was "irretrievably broken because of the husband's extramarital affairs and other marital misconduct." Madonna told PEOPLE at the time "I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage" and she was not named in the petition, but her "friendship" with A-Rod was said to be a factor.

So, from June 27 to through July 20 of 2008, here's the impact of Madge on the slugger.

Getty Images

Game-by-game breakdown during that time? We've got you covered:

ESPN/Elias

OK, pretty much a wash, right? We'll go extra innings for the tiebreaker. Madonna attended a Yankees game on June 22, 2008 when the Yankees played the Reds. A-Rod had no hits and one strikeout. Kate Hudson was in the stands on June 6 when the Yanks and the Rays clashed. A-Rod had a home run. Bonus points for Hudson for A-Rod surging to 30 HRs and 100 RBIS in a shortened season due to hip surgery and his best playoff game in four years on Wednesday night.

Bottom Line: Best girl to have cheering you on: KATE HUDSON

(Additional Reporting by Jo Piazza)

Tags: alex rodriguez, AlexRodriguez, arod, Kate Hudson, KateHudson, khud, madonna, madonna a-rod, MadonnaA-rod, New York Yankees, NewYorkYankees

Comments

(23)

Friday 09 October

By Sue

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Punished for WHAT????
HE was single at the time , she was single at the time, no one threatened the other to force sex, they are both over 18, and they both probably got what they wanted. She wanted fame and maybe the perks of datng a famous person and he wanted to do a much younger girl.
I hate when people have low morals, but low morals are not a crime.
It seems to me that he handled the idiot trying to get money the perfect way. Put them out on front street and let the media take it from there.
Like Letterman, I would be very concerned about my family especially his son, who I believe has been the target of an extortionist.
So why punish something that is not a crime???

Sunday 11 October

By dudemalls52

http://ta.gg/3mu

fr ee sh i pp ing

(jordan shoes) $32

(air max) $34

(handbags) $35

(nike shox) $34

(true religion jeans) $30

(okely sunglass)$ 16

By ellieswenson

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why does A-Rod need a 'muse' to get him to play well in the post season? If his psyche is that fragile, then he's a big baby.

By twogolfcats

I would warn Kate, the after A-rods fling with Madonna- his "bat" is probably infested with every disease known to man!!!!

Saturday 10 October

By Trizone

I would warn A-Rod of the same...

By freak4fishing

she,s a whore

By John

Why does A-Rod like these bimbos? He can do so much better. First he's hanging out with strippers, then he's hanging out with old hag Modanna, now he's hanging out with this bimbo who's like a door knob, cause everyone takes a turn! What's wrong with A-Rod? He should be dating some gorgeous model instead of these hasbeens!!

By Kevin

Just in case, could she date some Mets?

By RedBaron

.....she must have helped him hold the needle on his last steroid injection!!!

By wulfgang13

What is the big deal? Do you all know who and what
this woman is? I do not think A-Rod is stupid.
Maybe, just maybe, he does not want someone that he
will have to commit to. I think everyone should just
let him alone.

By dave

That little beaver is full of mojo.

By bob florida

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

a rod is a creep. kate is MY girlfriend.

By Tina

FOR ALL THE DALLAS FANS WHO BLAMED JESSICA LAST YEAR for Romo's bad play. WHO ARE YOU BLAMING THIS YEAR. i feel sorry for her. ROMO suks without her just an excuse DALLAS WILL never be what it was in the good old days,

By HEIDI

Kate goes thru men faster than anyone in hollywood.
she sure gets around....
she and A rod..look like they have one thing in common..they are both horndogs..

By ralphgmiami

What is attractive about Kate Hudson anyway? I saw her in the movie Almost Famous. Hershey's kisses are bigger than her boobs. Why did the one blond hair actor try to slash his wrists when she left him? There are other women nicer looking than Kate Hudson. At least A-Rod now is not going after masculinely built strippers(they looked like body builders). It's probably that he's not going out to strip clubs and hotels with strippers and staying out all night but getting sleep.

By yankfan

Whatever she's doing for him... she can keep doing it until we win the World Series!!! He's a better player, better teammate and better person and if it is because of her - so be it!!!!

By antiroids

more likely it is the steroids fueling his play. just like barry bonds, mark maquire etc.

By peaceman

He is palying well because he is good ballplayer not because of the skank he is dating.

By mike

I don't care who he's with,she's a fool to even be with him.NO,she's not doing anything, he can only hit off relievers in the late innings.I'am even tired of seeing her during the games,who cares.The media and reporters,really do need to get a life. This celb junk has really gone to far and gott'in out of hand.This whole country,is like one big tabloid now.

By Dan

NO,thats why they call him Steroidregues,hes still on them,others call him Sterod,think about it,they should be checked before each game like they do with horses,the Yankees are a bunch of steroid taking fools...

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