BOSTON -- In perhaps his most engaging session with the media in his nine years as the manager of the New York Yankees, Joe Girardi said it is not in his job description to run a farewell tour, apologized for his comments Sunday in which he said he would play Alex Rodriguez as much as A-Rod wanted in his final week with the team, and said the media has taken both sides of the "to play or not play A-Rod" question during the season.

Girardi also said he thought his relationship with Rodriguez may have been strained. A-Rod responded by declining to say if there is a difference in their relationship.

Rodriguez is scheduled to start on Thursday at Fenway Park against Eduardo Rodriguez and Friday in his final home game as a Yankee in the Bronx. After the game, Rodriguez will be unconditionally released. He has accepted a position as a special adviser with the organization, reporting to owner Hal Steinbrenner.

Let's go over the highlights of Girardi’s media session, with some comments. The answers to each question have been cut for brevity and clarity.

Question: You understand you have become the bad guy in this situation?

Girardi: There’s a lot of relationships involved here, and it bothered me sometimes because people say one thing to do, and then when it becomes controversial they say another -- it’s just difficult. When we look at this decision, we’re basing it on a substantial amount of at-bats, and it’s not what we want.

My comment: The Yankees ended up agreeing with media members who first wrote that A-Rod should have fewer at-bats and then wrote he had no place on the team if he wasn't playing. Now, he is having a farewell tour so it makes some sense to play him. They are two different things.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi accuses the media of "playing both sides" of the A-Rod debate in order to create stories. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Question: Who do you mean by taking both sides -- people in the organization, the fans, the media?

Girardi: No, not the organization and not the fans. ... I think [the media] are playing both sides of this. Because I think it creates a story, and that’s obviously -- and I get it is your job to create stories.

My Comment: Yes, it is the media's job to write interesting stories. Girardi is correct on that point. However...

Question: Isn't there a difference between a month ago and this being A-Rod's farewell week?

Girardi: But I believe that you have a responsibility to the organization, to the team, to the players in that room, to put out what you feel is the best lineup and try to win every game. Also, you have a responsibility to baseball because there are teams fighting for spots here, and you have to do what you feel is the best, and that becomes difficult.

My Comment: But how about Thursday and Friday when you are playing A-Rod. Is there a responsibility then?

Question: Has this week or the last few weeks changed your relationship at all with A-Rod?

Girardi: Oh, I think maybe in the long run it won't, but I think in the short term it’s been difficult. I said it yesterday, when you’re the guy that's telling someone 'no,’ you’re usually the guy people vent their anger at, whether you’re the little boy getting your hand slapped by your mom or dad, or you’re the player like I was that was cut from the [high school] basketball team and told to go practice baseball. I wasn’t happy about it. ... So yeah, it’s difficult, and that’s why I get partially angry here because I believe people are playing both sides of the fence because it creates news. That doesn’t help our situation, that doesn’t help our clubhouse, it doesn’t help our relationship that we built over so many years; that’s what angers me."

A-Rod: I'm just going to keep it about the game.

My comment: A-Rod continues to take the high road. Good for him, but it is pretty clear this has been torture for him. Yes, he makes a lot of money, but torture nonetheless.

Question: To be fair, you did say Sunday that you’d play him every day if he wanted, right?

Girardi: Yes, and I corrected myself yesterday. I got caught up in my emotions, and I apologize for that, OK? I made a mistake. I’m human. But I told you what I was trying to do. And when I was asked the other questions, I'm aware of what my quotes were, that there would be conversations and I would try to get him in every game. I said that. But what I’m saying is, I made a mistake! And I’m admitting that. And I’m admitting that to everyone who’s watching because I have a responsibility, and I’m trying to take care of my responsibility.

My comment: Credit to Girardi for admitting a mistake and apologizing.

Question: A-Rod told us he was "surprised" and "shocked" about that. What do you think of that?

Girardi: I know he didn’t like it, but again, I have a responsibility to the game of baseball, and no one individual is bigger than this game. No one. No one, no one, no one.

My comment: Fair point, but in this case, it seems that A-Rod's farewell tour was designed to celebrate him. This has diminished him further.

Any similarities between this and 2014, when you kept a struggling Derek Jeter during his farewell tour hitting second?

Girardi: Part of that is, when you talk about moving people, we didn’t have anybody hitting that year. I didn’t really have a replacement. So this year we have people that we want to try, we have replacements, and that’s the biggest difference.

My comment: Somewhat true, but Jeter batted second with the fifth-worst OPS in baseball.

Question: The fans' biggest problem has been with Aaron Hicks. Why do you play him over A-Rod? Do you feel like that gives you that better of a chance to win?

Girardi: I’m not saying that I don’t think I can win with Alex in the lineup. What I’m saying is that I’m putting out what I feel is the best lineup. As we sit around and talk about it as coaches, that’s my job. That is in my job description. My job description does not entail a farewell tour. My job description is to try and win every game and put everyone in the best possible position, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

My Comment: It would've been easier to just play A-Rod in all the games here. It also may have given the Yankees a better chance to win, as he does have a flair for the dramatic and ... Aaron Hicks.