A-Rod cut from an animated movie about a boy battling cancer

There is an animated movie called “Henry and Me” which has been in production for several years now. It’s about a boy battling cancer who, over the course of the film, meets several Yankees legends who provide inspiration. It’s star studded, not only with ballplayers and members of the Yankees organization but also actors like Richard Gere and singers like Paul Simon.

But it doesn’t have A-Rod. At least not anymore, reports the New York Post:

Rodriguez, who did his own voice work while appearing in the upcoming animated film “Henry & Me,” will be removed from the film’s final version due to fears from investors that the Yankees third baseman, who is currently appealing a 211-game suspension for his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, will hurt the marketability and profitability of the picture.

The movie went into production and Rodriguez did his voice work for it after his 2009 admission that he used PEDs, but apparently this latest stuff is too much. The producers had originally cut out Hideki Matsui when he left the Yankees but will now be re-inserting his portion to cover for A-Rod at, apparently, some considerable offense.

Good to know that Matsui’s off-field interests aren’t considered a problem.