Alex Rodriguez has had a crush on his rumored new girlfriend — actress Kate Hudson — for nearly nine years.

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez – previously romantically-linked to Madonna — fell for the blonde actress after seeing her breakout performance in the 2000 film Almost Famous.

“It’s his favorite movie. Alex has seen it dozens of times, and he fell for Kate the first time he saw it,” a source tattles in the new issue of The National Enquirer.

Alex and Kate first met at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau hotel last November, and kept in touch via text message. They reportedly started dating in April.