What’s the best perk about being a famous athlete? Why, celebrity booty of course. Sure, you get hundreds of millions of dollars, lots of attention, and little cards with your picture on them. Directors make inspirational movies about your sport that even people that hate sports (me) for some reason love. But really, it all comes down to the tail – and what celebrity’s is nicer than Kate Hudson?

Unfortunately for Alex Rodriguez, while his Yankee teammates may agree that Kate’s nice to look it, it seems their affection for her ends there. Kate is practically everywhere A-Rod is – she’s not exactly known for giving men space in her relationships, and this current on – barely a month old – is no exception.

It doesn’t take long for Kate Hudson to play the part of doting girlfriend. Although Hudson has only recently begun spending time with Yankee Alex Rodriguez, she’s becoming a regular at games and has introduced her son Ryder to the slugger. Not all of A-Rod’s teammates are happy about the development.

“First we dealt with all the Madonna mayhem, now we’re on to Kate. It’s distracting,” says one person connected with the team. “And they haven’t even been together that long.”

Hudson and Rodriguez have been linked since May (with the exception of a “just friends” sighting in January). People magazine reported she and Ryder went to Dallas for a three-game series with the Texas Rangers. Most recently, the New York Post reported that Hudson cheered on A-Rod at Bar 108 in New York when the team was away, she attended a game at Yankee stadium June 2, and attended another game with Ryder Sunday.

“It’s not like there’s a problem with wives or girlfriends going to games,” said the source. “But a lot of us agree that this is a little much. They’re barely dating, and it’s all about ate.”

[From MSNBC]

Complaints about girlfriends ruining athletes’ performances are nothing new. Jessica Simpson has long been said to be a jinx on Tony Romo’s football career with the Dallas Cowboys. Waaaay back in 1997, Derek Jeter dated Mariah Carey in 1997, who was often said to be a distraction.

As clingy as Kate Hudson appears to be in relationships, it doesn’t sound like there are any accusations amongst the players that she’s affecting Rodriguez’s game. They just think they’re moving too fast and Kate is around too much, given the brevity of the relationship. And while they’re allowed to have their opinion, if there’s no reason to believe Kate’s actually affecting his game – and hell, I’ll even give some leeway for sports superstitions and jinxes and such – it’s really a moot point.

Now Madonna, she knew how to be a baseball player’s girlfriend. Those ripped biceps of hers? She got them coaching A-Rod at batting practice.

Here’s are Alex and Kate spotted leaving the 40/40 club in Manhattan last night. Although they were together, as soon as they emerged, they separated. Images thanks to BauerGriffinOnline.