Last weekend, the New York Yankees made their second trip of the season to Southern California for a three-game set vs. the Angels. Per usual, the team set up shop at The Island Hotel in Newport Beach, California. The ritzy Orange County hotel is located 17 miles southwest of Angel Stadium of Anaheim.   

Friday, five hours prior to the Yankees opening game of the series, 3B Alex Rodriguez was seen, ever briefly, making his way through the lobby towards a waiting Cadillac Escalade. AROD walked briskly from the elevator to the front door, wearing both headphones and sunglasses. He clearly had no interest in risking interaction with anybody along the way. The headphone approach to privacy is employed by many high profile athletes such as fellow Miami resident LeBron James.

Rodriguez’s rapid pace was the polar opposite of teammate Nick Swisher, who stopped to say hello to every person along his path, just a few minutes prior. The contrast between Rodriguez and Swisher was similar to their different choices of transportation at the 2010 All-Star game, also in Anaheim.

While the rest of the American League All-Stars, including the always smiling Swisher, boarded the team charter bus, Rodriguez and Yankee icon Derek Jeter were transported to the ballpark via a $500,000 Maybach.

Take a look at the photos of this occurrence, which took place a little more than a year ago.