updated 7:48 p.m. ET July 2, 2007

NEW YORK - While the Yankees were tanking on the field, general manager Brian Cashman had an additional headache — the tank top worn by Alex Rodriguez’s wife.

Cashman talked to both Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez about the shirt with foul language on the back she wore during New York’s 11-5 loss to Oakland on Sunday.

“I did speak to Cynthia, and she’s part of the family and obviously we just keep that in house,” Cashman said Monday. “I wouldn’t really comment any further than that.”

Asked if he talked to A-Rod about the issue as well, Cashman said yes. He also acknowledged that the team has a policy prohibiting profane language on clothing and banners in Yankee Stadium.

“Other than that it stays in house and within this family, and nobody else is invited in,” the GM said.

Rodriguez wouldn’t comment Monday before New York played the Minnesota Twins. Yankees manager Joe Torre also declined to comment.

The slugger’s wife wore a white tank top to the game against the Athletics. A common, two-word obscenity ending with “you” was clearly visible when she and her 2-year-old daughter, along with an unidentified older woman, took their seats in the players’ family section at Yankee Stadium.

A front-page photograph Monday in the New York Post showed the back of the tank top with the obscenity printed in Old English lettering between the shoulder blades. The first letter of the first word is visible; the three other letters are intentionally blurred. The second word is ’You.’ The paper’s headline read: “F-Rod.”

In late May, A-Rod’s marriage was front-page news when the Post published a photograph of him and a woman — later reported to be a Las Vegas stripper — at a Toronto hotel. The Post said the pair entered an elevator in the hotel and later went to a strip club.

The Yankees have struggled all season, but Rodriguez is having an outstanding year at the plate. He was elected to start at third base for the American League in the All-Star game July 10 at San Francisco.

A-Rod also was chosen AL player of the month for April and June. He entered Monday night’s game batting .327 with a major league-best 28 home runs and 79 RBIs.

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