“We take this very seriously and have been investigating this matter since the initial allegation,” MLB said Wednesday in a statement. “As part of the investigation, the commissioner’s office will interview Mr. Rodríguez.”

So Alex like to gamble.

That was no secret.

Rodríguez also faced questions about his gambling habits in 2005, when a New York newspaper, The Daily News, reported that he went to games at an underground poker club in New York.

And A-Rod actually admitted it was true, and said (at the time), ”it wasn’t the right thing to do.”

Meanwhile, Star magazine (that paragon of journalism)  wrote  last month that several people saw A-Rod playing at one of the star-studded games that were hosted at Hollywood hotels and private residences.

Allegedly, A-Rod was seen at one time playing in a separate high-stakes game recently that had a $40,000 buy-in.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire reportedly participated in the games.

A spokesman for the Yankees declined comment when asked about Rodríguez on Wednesday. A message was left seeking comment from Richard Rubenstein, Rodríguez’s publicist.

The 36-year-old Rodríguez had right knee surgery on July 14 but is expected to resume baseball activities on Thursday at the Yankees’ facility in Florida. The three-time AL MVP is hitting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs this season.

Rodríguez ranks sixth on the career homer list with 626.

Orel Hershiser, winner of the 1988 Cy Young and the World Series MVP, who in that year set a major league record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, now has another record to boast about.  This one, however, is in poker.   As reported in the Las Vegas Sun, Hershiser got to the quarterfinals of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and he did this by defeating three superstars in poker: Ted Forrest, Allen Cunningham, and Freddy Deeb.  Hershiser takes home a cool $75,000 for making it as far as he did in the tournament. 

Hey Orel – after this amazing poker-playing accomplishment, would you ever be so kind as to give PokerMoments an interview?  Just a few questions for my fans, many of which are baseball enthusiasts.   Pleeeeeese