Alex Rodriguez failed to hit for the New York Yankees in the ALchampionship series.He wasn’t alone.None of his teammates produced at the plate, and now New York’sseason is over.The slugging Yankees, who set a team record for homers andfinished second in baseball in runs scored, were swept by theDetroit Tigers in the AL championship series, losing 8-1 in Game 4on Thursday.”You never expect this,” Rodriguez said. ”It’s a terrible wayfor the season to end.”A-Rod got all the attention, being benched three times in thispostseason, but New York did not get it done up and down the lineup– Raul Ibanez being an exception – during a series in which itfailed to lead once.”The one thing I don’t want to focus on is Alex, in a sense,because it wasn’t just him that didn’t hit,” Yankees manager JoeGirardi said. ”You know, if the other guys hit, one guy’sstruggles aren’t going to show as much.”Rodriguez batted .120 (3 for 25) with no RBIs in the postseason,including 0 for 18 with 12 strikeouts against right-handers and 1for 9 against the Tigers.He has $114 million and five years remaining on his contract –and a no-trade clause – and said he expects to be back with theYankees…