Alex Rodriguez is happy he is wearing pinstripes

A-Rod is expected to be a key player in the Red Sox-Yankees rematch.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez almost ended up wearing a Boston uniform. Instead, he's the proudest player in pinstripes.
Funny how it happened. Baseball's best all-around player appeared headed to the Red Sox before a trade fell through in December. The New York Yankees swooped in and pulled off a blockbuster deal with Texas, acquiring him for All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano.
A-Rod shifted from shortstop to third base so he could play alongside Derek Jeter, and has been at the center of the Yankees-Red Sox storm ever since.
Now he's just glad he landed on this side of the rivalry.
"Without a question, it was a huge blessing in disguise," Rodriguez said Monday. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be in pinstripes."
Key to rematch
His most important moments are yet to come, beginning tonight at Yankee Stadium. After watching from home as New York beat Boston on Aaron Boone's homer in a seven-game classic last fall, Rodriguez is a key to the rematch.
He's probably playing his best ball of the year. He went 8-for-19 (.421) with a home run, three doubles and three RBIs to lead the Yankees past the Minnesota Twins in the first round.
Best of all, he excelled in clutch situations after batting only .248 with runners in scoring position during the regular season.
"He can make so many things happen, because he possesses so much ability in every aspect of the game," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "Not everybody can do what he does. I mean, every dimension."
Came through in clutch
With the Yankees in danger of going down 0-2, Rodriguez hit a tying double in the 12th inning last Wednesday, sparking New York to a comeback victory.
He manufactured the go-ahead run all by himself in the 11th inning of Game 4, when he doubled down the left-field line, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. The Yankees advanced with a 6-5 victory.
"You could see just when he went up to the box to hit ... there was that look in his eye," Torre said. "When he got on base, it just looked like he had a determination that something was going to happen."
In one stellar series, Rodriguez flashed all his dazzling skills and answered questions about how he would respond to October pressure in New York.
"What makes him tough is he's the ultimate baseball player," Boston pitcher Derek Lowe said. "There's nothing he can't do."
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