Alex Rodriguez must bribe his friends with a lot of cash or favors, because they are constantly doing his bidding. They’re like cheap, half-assed PR reps. By most accounts it was A-Rod’s friends who started the rumor that soon-to-be ex-wife Cynthia was having an affair with Lenny Kravitz after Alex suggested she spend some time in Paris at Kravitz’s pad.

Now they’re saying Cynthia is responsible for the end of the marriage, and each friend has a different reason: she kept him “caged” (I think by that they mean married); “got into his head;” and alternately wouldn’t give him a divorce but told him he could have affairs.

While soon-to-be-divorced Alex Rodriguez is still in the hot seat thanks to his mysterious Madonna meetings and the various adultery allegations that swirl around him, A-Rod’s friends say he’s the injured party. According to various sources who spoke to the New York Daily News, Alex’s wife, Cynthia, emotionally manipulated the third baseman and refused to let him out of their troubled marriage.

One friend described Alex as psychologically vulnerable, and said Cynthia “got into his head.” As for claims that Alex put Cynthia through a lot, too, with the alleged extramarital relations, sources defended him, rather than denying the affairs. “When you keep a man caged, he’s going to go crazy when you let him out,” an insider explained.

Another source stated that Alex wanted a divorce, but rather than agreeing to it, Cynthia told her husband he had her permission to pursue other women. “He said, ‘I hate this. I want out,’ but she kept insisting they could work it out,” the source told the paper. “After about six months of him asking for a divorce, she said it was okay for him to see other people, but she wouldn’t agree to a separation.” The friend failed to explain Cynthia’s later change of heart.

[From MSNBC’s The Scoop]

I love the “When you keep a man caged, he’s going to go crazy when you let him out,” line. Exactly what the hell does that mean? Did Cynthia Rodriguez have some giant, serial killer-esq cage specially constructed for the basement where she kept A-Rod whenever he came home? If so, I can understand how he’d go hog wild whenever he got out. Otherwise, what I suspect this “friend” is referring to is a closed marriage. I.e. no having sex with other women, probably no strip clubs, and probably no porn if she could stop it. Sounds like a lot of marriages. If you’re not into that, that’s fine. That’s a great reason not to get married.

I’m surprised A-Rod has thought it so beneficial to smear his wife and try to blame her for all of this. What ego. It seems like most celebrities are smart enough to heed the advice of a good PR rep and take responsibility, act like they feel a ton of remorse, and then battle it out in court. Rodriguez has found it much more important to try to make his wife look bad and like she forced him into Madonna’s arms. And I’ve got to say, if he’s looking for arms like that, then he’s probably just looking for a dude.

Here’s Alex Rodriguez hosting an MLB All Star party at the 40/40 Club in New York City on July 14th. Photographer: L. Gallo. Header photo of Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez on December 30th. Images thanks to WENN.