Special to RealGM.com by Graham Flashner During the rain delay that ultimately wiped out Game 4 of the World Series on Wednesday night, Derek Jeter turned a question by reporters about how he could better support Alex Rodriguez back on them. ?What would you like me to do?? he said. ?Maybe I'm not that smart; maybe you can help me out.? OK, Derek. I'm going to try. Because there are things that can be done. 1. Hug It Out Jeter never said it with words, but his body language towards Rodriguez all season was frostier than a beer mug in the Arctic. As Captain, it's Jeter's responsibility to reach out to A-Rod and show him the love. He could call a Terrel Owens-like news conference on his lawn, invite his bi-racial brother-in-arms over, and give him a very public display of affection that would silence all doubters. A big slobbering kiss on the cheek, a manly hug, and a good old fashioned cranial noogie are all acceptable ways of saying, I love ya, ya big insecure lug. Now hit with men on base. 2. Move To The Outfield A true leader does what's best for the team. And face it, A-Rod gave up his natural position - shortstop - to appease Jeter. Now it's time for Jeter to hand over the position that A-Rod's better at, and move to left field, where he can practice hitting his former infield mate with relays. 3. Bat 9th In The Order Jeter could show great leadership here by showing that even Captains can bat last. This would be a great way of telling A-Rod, ?see, it's nothing personal. Look - Joe's batting me ninth. It can happen to anybody. Well, maybe not in Game 4 of the divisional series? more like the second game of a doubleheader in Kansas City in August - when I'm nursing a pulled hamstring and in a 1-20 slump - and Bernie Williams is managing because Joe got tossed - but it can still happen.? 4. Strike Out With Men On Base In 1-Run Games This could be the master stroke. If Jeter spent the first month or two of next season failing in the clutch and stranding runners, a natural bond would form with Rodriguez. Out of empathy, A-Rod might even hit another walk-off home run in his Yankee lifetime, just to deflect some pressure off his teammate. 5. Share The $25 Mil There'd be a lot less pressure on A-Rod if he were only the $17 million man, or the $15 million man. Everyone makes $15 mil these days. If Jeter took on $8-10 mil of A-Rod's salary, Rodriguez would no longer have to put up with signs like, ?22 Errors. $25 Million. WTF?? Instead, he would be just another handsomely paid Yankee, while Jeter, who already earns $18.9M a year, would become the new $25M man, and fans would feel they're getting their money's worth. 6. Tell The Fans: Boo Me Jeter is idolized by so many fans that if he told them to bungee jump off the Statue of Liberty, they'd probably do it. And if he told them all to boo him, not A-Rod, they'd probably do that too. Imagine how much more relaxed A-Rod would feel knowing that, every time he looked at strike three, or threw a ground ball toward Connecticut, that boos would rain down on Jeter. Always on Jeter, never him. This is the kind of brave sacrifice that Captains have to make. 7. Admit He's Jealous of A-Rod How long must A-Rod put up with the perception that he envies Jeter, covets him for the adoration he gets from fans, the clutch hits in October, the way Jeter always manages to crash-land into an outfield seat chasing a fly ball when the game is nationally televised. It'd be a mighty boost to A-Rod's self-esteem if Jeter were to suddenly come out and express envy for his third baseman's perfectly-coiffed hair, his family, the time he saved that kid's life on a Boston street, his walk-off home run against the Braves way back in July, his ability never to reveal himself to reporters even when they're begging for it. ?Imagine that,? A-Rod might think. ?Derek Jeter, jealous of me. Of me, Alex. I must not be so bad.? 8. Tell The Press: I'm Gay OK, it's a little extreme, but if you HAVE to divert attention from a teammate, there are few better ways to get the media swarming your locker. As a responsible Captain, it's Jeter's job to do whatever he can to shield A-Rod from nosy reporters snooping into his private life. If Jeter came out of the closet on the eve of the regular season, A-Rod could go 0-for-April and barely get noticed. Sure, it'd be a complete fiction, and the revelation would put a major crimp in Jeter's extracurricular activities?not mention drawing some unwarranted attentions from teammates just waiting for someone of Jeter's stature to come out - but if it means A-Rod driving in an extra run or two in a tight ballgame in September, the consequences are well worth it. 9. Break His Leg Sometimes, when a guy's going bad, he needs some time off. Rather than watch A-Rod wilt under the pressure of another season of unmet expectations, he could put A-Rod on the DL with a well-placed baseball bat to his kneecaps. With A-Rod sidelined for months, fans couldn't blame him for another first-round playoff ticket, and, with him out of the lineup, they'd gain a new appreciation for their tormented third-baseman. Ultimately, A-Rod could become a sympathetic figure, and what better gift could Jeter give the man? 10. Get Him Traded Though A-Rod is too proud to admit it, the best thing Jeter could do is send him out of town. Publicly, both Rodriguez and GM Brian Cashman have implied that there's a better chance of the war ending in Iraq than of A-Rod getting dealt, but let's face it: he needs to go, and no one quite knows how to end the marriage. This is where Captain Jeter could gently remind A-Rod how much simpler life was when he played for his favorite manager, Sweet Lou Piniella, who never batted his sensitive star lower than cleanup. Before he'd knew what him, A-Rod would be off to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where he could go back to hitting 55 home runs in peace and solitude, and would never have to worry about playing in October. The preceding article was a piece of satirical fiction.