Rodriguez's routine: Carrying Yankees

CLEVELAND - Mr. October hung around the batting cage yesterday chatting with Alex Rodriguez about - what else? - October.

How Alex Rodriguez would love for Reggie Jackson's words to stroke him with stardust and make his postseason woes vanish in the blink of an eye.

Oh, how he'd love to shut up the critics, who despite a huge season will pounce on him with vengeance should he dare have another 0-fer and the Yankees lose.

Think about it, he's the greatest player in the game and everything he does has to be better than everyone. The way he runs. The way he hits. The way he fields. The way he conducts himself.

By late yesterday, watching Rodriguez had become an exhausting exercise. He started the day hitting. Then he did drills in the outfield simulating a receiver catching passes over his shoulder. Then he lifted weights. Then he took infield practice. Then he took his rotation in batting practice. Then he practiced running from first to third with perfect form. Then he went back to third to take grounders. Then he spent some time at second base with Robinson Cano and third base coach Larry Bowa to work on footwork. Then he came into the clubhouse and went to the weight room for a half-hour.

When he came back he grabbed a bat and started heading toward the batting cage.

That's when he talked - while he walked.

How much would he like to shut up his critics with a big postseason?

"If I haven't shut them up by now, it'll never happen," he said. "When you and I talked in spring training, it was all about the season. Now, it's all about the playoffs.

"This was by far the best regular season I've had only because I've had other years where we've been in second and third place and last place. For us in winning 21 out of 29, we feel we've been in the postseason for two months. We were staring going home square in the face. It was very realistic. For a long time. That's why making it here was very fulfilling to us. We feel we've been in the playoffs for a month just to get here. We had to fight every day. Every day seemed like a life and death game and we rose to the occasion."

That's why Rodriguez figures he's already been through the pressure cooker. He's already been through having to produce in a big situation because there were so many big situations in which he did come through, not only the final month, but throughout a season in which he hit .314 with 54 homers and 156 RBIs.

Yet nobody is more aware of what he needs to do than Rodriguez. He turns on the television and hears of "what if he chokes again?" He picks up the newspaper and reads about his past woes in the playoffs.

Rodriguez is 3 for 29 in his last two Division Series against the Angels in '05 and Detroit (1 for 14) in '06. Overall, he's hitting .256 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in the Division Series, .315 with 4 homers and 10 RBIs in League Championship Series play.

He is blamed for the Mariners not winning. He is blamed for the Rangers not getting very far.

There's a never-ending buzz around him, good or bad, happy or sad.

It's certainly something Jackson can relate to. If you've watched "The Bronx is Burning," the series centers around Jackson. The modern-day version is A-Rod, with all of his trials and tribulations.

Teammates are well aware of the scrutiny he's under. Which is why Derek Jeter asked the media to "just leave him alone and let him play." The support for Rodriguez is off the charts. Many thought Rodriguez wasn't well-liked by his teammates. He wasn't a true Yankee because he has not led his team to a World Series championship.

His teammates know what nonsense that sentiment is.

Which is why most Yankees veterans go out of their way to make sure Rodriguez breaks away from his vigorous daily routine, which might wipe out the average ballplayer. They want him to be loose.

"Keep him laughing and enjoying himself," said first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who grew up with Rodriguez in Miami. "It is important to all of us. He's been so serious since he was 15 years old. I couldn't be much happier for anyone than I am for Alex for what he's accomplished this year. And it's not over. As a friend, I wish nothing but the best for him. I wish and hope he can truly enjoy the incredible season he's had. He's come through for us again and again. He's picked all of us up and carried us on his shoulders and we would love nothing more than to return the favor."

Mientkiewicz watched the Yankees play the Tigers last postseason and said, "He had 11 at-bats and he hit four balls right on the screws. He couldn't have hit those balls any better than he did. Nothing to show for it. I remember in '04 in Boston he destroyed us [early in the series]."

All around the room teammates spoke more about what the team needs to do rather than what A-Rod needs to do.

"It's not all about A-Rod," said Johnny Damon. "It's about all of us. He can't do it alone. He couldn't do it alone last year. We all contributed to losing against the Tigers. What we all want more than anything is to be able to win this for our team first, but for Alex, too.

"He's a great teammate. I can't tell you the time he spends with our younger players and the teaching he does. When the best player in the game takes the time to suggest something to you, you listen. He's amazing that way. He does things that absolutely never get any press and that's the way he wants it."

Rodriguez has also been very good defensively.

"I think my all-around game has been good overall leading up to this," he said.

On top of this, he can opt out of his contract at the end of the season and become a free agent. Right now, A-Rod won't discuss the future.

There's an October to conquer.

If he does, he and Peyton Manning will have one interesting conversation.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com.