MIAMI (July 7) - Alex Rodriguez's wife filed for divorce Monday,
calling her husband an adulterer who "emotionally abandoned his
wife and children."
"The marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken because of
the husband's extramarital affairs and other marital misconduct,"
according to Cynthia Rodriguez's petition for dissolution of
marriage, filed Monday in the family division of Miami-Dade County
Circuit Court.
Nasty Divorces
David Cannon, Getty ImagesGreg Norman and Laura Andrassy: The golf legend, who split with his wife of 26 years to marry tennis great Chris Evert, coughed up $103 million to split. Click through to see some nasty public divorces.
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In an interview published by the
New York Post on Sunday, Dodd Romero, Rodriguez's former trainer and godfather to his two daughters, said he and Cynthia believe the Yankee superstar has been drawn away by Madonna's allure.
"Alex, God bless him, is lost," Romero told the Post. "I think he got pulled in by the dark side, if you can say that nicely. He's totally brainwashed."
Houston attorney Earle Lilly, who said he was hired by Cynthia Rodriguez last week to launch the divorce case, told KTRK the star's "relationship with Madonna was the final straw for Mrs. Rodriguez."
The New York Yankees third baseman, who earned his 12th All-Star
selection Sunday, has refused to comment on his relationship with
the pop singer Madonna, who denied any romantic involvement with
the slugger in a statement posted Sunday on people.com.
New York Yankees Derek Jeter holds the ball up, as umpire Mike Winters calls Oakland Athletics Ryan Sweeney out, as Robinson Cano (C) and Alex Rodriguez watch, during the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, July 20, 2008. REUTERS/Joshua Lott (UNITED STATES)
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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez beats the throw to first on an infield hit as Oakland Athletics' Wilson Betemit drops the ball in the eighth inning of their MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, July 20, 2008. REUTERS/Joshua Lott (UNITED STATES)
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Both New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, left, and Oakland Athletics' Ryan Sweeney, right, look to an umpire for a call while Rodriguez holds up the ball during the ninth inning of the Major League Baseball game Sunday, July 20, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Sweeney was called out at second base. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez celebrates with Richie Sexson (39) after Rodriguez hit a home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 18, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Yankees won 7-1. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Branden (51) during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday night, July 18, 2008, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, left, is tagged out by Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki as he tries to touch home plate during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 18, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez offers to help up Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki after knocking him over twice attempting to score during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, July 18, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Rodriguez was out at the plate. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki, right, loses his helmet after tagging out New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, July 18, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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NEW YORK - JULY 15: American League All-Stars Alex Rodriguez #13 and Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees walk off the field during the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - JULY 15: American League All-Stars Derek Jeter #2 and Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees walk off the field during the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Getty Images
"The petitioner has exhausted every effort to salvage the
marriage of the parties," Cynthia Rodriguez said in the filing.
"However, Alex has emotionally abandoned his wife and children and
has left her with no choice but to divorce him."
The couple, who married in November 2002, have a $12 million,
six-bedroom house in the upscale Miami suburb of Coral Gables. A
company run by a corporation controlled by Rodriguez bought an
apartment at Trump Park Avenue in Manhattan for $7.4 million in
July 2005.
Cynthia Rodriguez has asked for primary custody of their two
children, as well as child support and alimony.
Their two daughters are Natasha Alexander, 3, and 2-month-old
Ella Alexander.
The filing comes just days after the third baseman was linked to
Madonna in various media outlets. Cynthia Rodriguez later visited
the Paris home of rocker Lenny Kravitz, who said she came to France
to escape the media frenzy in New York and denied anything
improper.
Cynthia Rodriguez's lawyer, Maurice Kutner, declined to
elaborate on the filing, which does not mention Madonna or any
other alleged paramours by name.
"Cynthia has made it very clear to me that she wants to take
the high road and protect her children and herself. There's no
vindictiveness here," Kutner said. "She wants to resolve the
issues between Alex and herself in an amicable fashion."
The divorce petition was filed the day after Rodriguez hit his
536th homer, tying Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle for 13th.
Fans hold Madonna photos as New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (L) waits to bat against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto, July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
Reuters
Fans hold Madonna photos as New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (L) waits to bat against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto, July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
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Fans hold up pictures of Madonna as New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez (13) makes his way onto the field to bat in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 11, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld)
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Fans hold up pictures of Madonna for New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez, bottom left, as he waits to bat during AL baseball action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Friday, July 11, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld)
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Fans hold up pictures of Madonna as New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez strikes out during the first inning of baseball action in Toronto, Friday, July 11, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld)
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A fan holds a Madonna photo as New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (13) waits to bat against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
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Fans hold Madonna photos as New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (L) waits to bat against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
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Fans hold Madonna photos as New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez bats against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
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A fan wears a Madonna photo as a mask as New York Yankees batter Alex Rodriguez bats against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto July 11, 2008. . REUTERS/ Mike Cassese (CANADA)
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Mark Schlingerman, a director general of the Catholic group Madonna House, holds an Order of Canada medal that was awarded to the group's late founder, Catherine Doherty, outside the front gates of Rideau Hall in Ottawa July 8, 2008. The group returned the medal to protest the naming of Henry Morgentaler, the doctor who led the fight to legalize abortion in Canada two decades ago, to the country's highest civilian award. REUTERS/Chris Wattie (CANADA)
Reuters
Rodriguez is in the first season of a $275 million, 10-year
contract with the Yankees, a deal that allows him to earn up to
$305 million. He made $185.45 million from 2001-7 from his contract
with the Texas Rangers and Yankees.
Information from the Associated Press and New York Post was used in this report.
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