Scott Boras on XM re Arod--sees SI article mainly Giambi's comments

Dibs: "Scott, you told us 11 teams are interested in Arod."

• Boras: I don't see another major league team wanting to give up as much as it would take to get Alex, or the Yankees wanting to give him up for too little in return. Plus, Arod is happy there as the Yanks are with him.

Kevin: Scott, what did you think about the SI article that came out late in the season?

• Boras: It seems remarks in the article were largely attributed to Giambi and Giambi trying to do the best for Alex who was in a temporary slump, telling him how much the team needed him. The reporter wrote it it June and by the time it came out it wasn't timely as Alex was no longer in a slump.

Dibs: After the season ending losses in Detroit, an article said the friction is "Jeter's fault," not Arod's. How do you react to that?

• Boras: They related very well when they were young players, could go places and be seen as they weren't big superstars yet. What's changed is that Alex is married now, so he and Derek aren't going to be out and about as before. Derek gives Alex everything he needs on the field, they both want to win. Alex goes home after games as he's married. The rest of it is just writers' concoction.

Dibs: (Tries again). Well, what do you think about Jeter's role?

• Boras: "Public perception" is not the issue. The private relationship in the clubhouse is another thing. When the Yankees don't win, for example running into the pitchers in Detroit as they did, those pitchers took a great lineup to a place no one anticipated, so now the media want to concoct problems.

Kevin: Alex is still young, do you think he'd like to be a shortstop again?

• Boras: He enjoys the challenge of 3rd base, but shortstop is easier for him, is what he's used to. He knows it's tough to win, he'll take a few days off, then start working out again.

(I didn't use quotation marks in much of this, but it's as close to what was said without quotation marks as you can get. The whole point is to be as accurate as possible).

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