Bat Dog, Alex Rodriguez Share Spotlight
 

Alex Rodriguez took the field with the Double-A Trenton Thunder this week as he recovered from a right hamstring injury suffered in early May. But those in attendance soon learned that the three-time American League MVP wasn't the only star at Arm and Hammer Field.

The Thunder team uses dogs to retrieve players' bats as opposed to traditional bat boys in the first inning of its home games, and as you can see in the YouTube video below, the team's current bat dog, Derby, is a total fan favorite:

Derby is no stranger to the spotlight, having been featured alongside his family in this E:60 video, and A-Rod's rehab appearances only added a new layer of fame to minor league baseball's most prominent pup.

Rodriguez was a very good sport about the situation, joking about Derby on his Twitter account Wednesday:


Even if Rodriguez got overshadowed by Derby, his trip to Trenton was unquestionably a success on the field. In two games, Rodriguez finished 3-for-6 with a home run, and his performance was enough for him to be called back up to the majors for Thursday's showdown with the Blue Jays.

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