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Before long, A-Rod will escape from New York
I authored a column around the notion that Alex Rodriguez was destined to end up with the Yankees. "Put it in the books," I wrote. "Theirs will be a marriage of necessity over convenience, a union colored by a player's desperate bid for his first ring and an owner's obsessive bid for his seventh."
The piece in The Journal News of New York inspired a roundtable segment on Madison Square Garden TV, featuring a couple of nationally renowned baseball columnists (Joel Sherman and Jack Curry) swinging heavy lumber at the pinata disguised as me.
On one level, the prediction made little sense. The Yankees would never ask Derek Jeter to vacate the shortstop position, A-Rod was nobody's idea of a second baseman, third baseman Aaron Boone had just delivered one of the most dramatic home runs in franchise history, and Joe Torre had won four championships with a selfless approach that Rodriguez didn't exactly personify.
On another level, A-Rod clearly wanted to leave Texas, the hated Red Sox were reportedly interested in acquiring him, and the spend-crazy Yanks hadn't won it all in three long years.
Two months later, there was Jeter at the news conference to introduce A-Rod as his teammate. Even though Rodriguez had agreed to change positions, Jeter looked as if someone had stolen his bike, his supermodel girlfriend, or both.
Sure, a strange set of circumstances was needed to put the deal in place. The Rodriguez-to-Boston trade had to unravel in a hard-to-believe way, Boone had to wreck his knee in a pickup basketball game, and one of the greatest shortstops of all time had to agree to move to third.
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| Alex Rodriguez has been prolific as a Yankee, but it's hard to say he's been a success. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images) |
Yet this context is offered as a way of pumping some much-needed credibility into this next absurd prediction:
Alex Rodriguez will be a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by the start of the 2011 season.
OK, maybe not the Angels, and maybe not 2011. But the point is, he won't be a Yankee for the duration of his 10-year, $275 million contract, not even close.
A-Rod has nine years to go on a deal that could clear $300 million if he breaks the career home-run record, a milestone he'll need about five healthy seasons to own. At the time the Steinbrenners forgave Rodriguez for his embarrassing cop-out of an opt-out in the middle of the World Series, they were quite interested in finally getting the Babe's old record back in pinstripes.
But the Yankees missed the playoffs this year for the first time since 1993, and Sunday night sure sounded like the beginning of A-Rod's end in the Bronx. During Yankee Stadium's closing ceremony, a moment for players past and present to be celebrated like never before, Rodriguez was the one Yank to draw some boos from the crowd.
No, it wasn't a full-throttle boo; the cheers slightly beat out the jeers. Only on this night, a night reserved for those who contributed to the 26 World Series titles, Rodriguez was cast as an outsider. If A-Rod has more talent in his non-throwing pinky finger than Scott Brosius has in his entire body, Brosius — a three-time champion — was still the third baseman showered with unmitigated love.
And no matter what he does, A-Rod can't win any public debate with Jeter. The shortstop went 0-for-5 in the historic victory over the Orioles and twice struck out looking, including once with the bases loaded, and yet the fans couldn't stop chanting his name. Jeter was the one picked by Joe Girardi to leave the game with two outs in the ninth. Jeter was the one chosen to follow in the steps of Lou Gehrig and speak directly to the fans.
For Rodriguez, the fit just isn't right. The dynamic is all out of whack.
The man drove the Yanks to the playoffs last year, and he has put up megastar regular-season numbers since his arrival. A-Rod even had a hell of a postseason run going for himself in 2004, when he hit .421 against the Twins in the Division Series and saved the Yanks from an 0-2 deficit with a 12th-inning double. In fact, Rodriguez would've stood among the heroes of a League Championship Series sweep of Boston had Mariano Rivera put away Game 4.
Rivera failed, the Red Sox managed their own deferred sweep, Rodriguez was widely mocked for slapping at Bronson Arroyo's glove on a putout, and the rest is history.
In the 2005 Division Series loss to the Angels, A-Rod hit .133 and then announced he had "played like a dog." In the 2006 Division Series loss to the Tigers, A-Rod hit .071 and compelled Torre to bat him eighth in the order. In last year's Division Series loss to the Indians, A-Rod managed a .267 batting average and his first postseason RBI since the calamitous Boston series of '04.
In between, Rodriguez hardened his status as the game's leading drama queen. The World Baseball Classic waffling, the World Series opt-out, the poker clubs, Madonna and so much more.
A-Rod carries too much baggage to the plate in critical, must-hit situations, and the process is wearing out a fan base still hopelessly in love with the Jeter-led team that built a dynasty around pitching, chemistry, clutch hitting and a commitment to treating little things as big things.
Nobody doubts A-Rod's otherworldly talent, but everybody questions whether he'll ever get it. At the All-Star Game in July, another goodbye event for Yankee Stadium, Jeter understood it was important to stay for all 15 innings, while Rodriguez had checked out hours earlier.
So amazingly enough, Yankee fans talk about being "stuck" with A-Rod for another nine years, all the way through 2017, despite the fact he might finish his career with more than 800 homers and 4,000 hits.
"We can win three World Series," Rodriguez said after winning the 2005 American League MVP award, "(and) with me it's never going to be over. My benchmark is so high that no matter what I do, it's never going to be enough."
That's what happens when you sign two contracts worth more than half a billion dollars combined. Fair or not, Yankees fans hold A-Rod largely responsible for the postseason failures of the last five years. They care far more about Jeter's one World Series MVP award than they do about A-Rod's two Yankee regular-season MVP awards.
A new building isn't likely to bring a new day in the relationship between megastar and crowd, either. Figure two more title-free seasons across the street will convince the Steinbrenners to do for another team what Texas owner Tom Hicks once did for them.
They'll need to persuade Rodriguez to waive his veto power for the good of all concerned, and they'll need to convince themselves that eating tens upon tens of millions of dollars — and trading away the home-run record to boot — makes sound business sense.
If the Yankees assume enough of the contract's burden, maybe they'll even persuade a team to trade them a worthy successor to Jeter at short.
Right now, this much is clear: Rodriguez isn't making it through 2017, not like this, not if the fans have anything to say about it.
He arrived in the Bronx about eight years too late. So sooner rather than later, A-Rod will get his escape from New York.
Only this time the Yankees will opt out on him.
Member Comments
A lot of great players have gone a career without a ring.<br /><br />A-Rod has never been about a ring, he's ALWAYS been about the $.<br /><br />When the tide turns and A-Rod becomes a "team" player, he'll take a pay cut and move to his entourage to the (name team).<br /><br />Everyone can change. But money changes people more. <br /><br />Sorry, Yank fans, you're STUCK with A-Rod.
cbcd10/15/2008 12:02:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
I don't know which team ailems pulls for, but he's right about this much--the Yanks are better off without A-Clod.
beacon9210/1/2008 12:11:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
he's never going to be #1 in New York.that's Jeter's place.<br /> he'll never like it.<br /> he's got to and he will go
ailems9/29/2008 12:14:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Before you advise people not to cry over stuff, you might want to avoid doing so yourself...toughen your own self up before the tough talk, and you'll be a much more effective trash talker.
poeticadam9/28/2008 20:40:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
A-rod is the best player out there. The Yankees would be stupid to let him go. If he could just learn to be patient in the clutch. And to all yo Red sox fans. We put a hurtin on ya this weekend. You were lucky to win game 3. You all say they suck but we are only 5.5 behind you and we are even in league play 9-9. And if we had good pitching all year you would not even be 20 games close. Next year we will get what we need and you will be crying again, well after you get booted out of the playoffs. Remember 26 rings to 7. You have a long way to go to be in are class.
yankswillwin9/28/2008 20:05:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
This is a STUPID article by a STUPID person!
ctgary9/28/2008 17:18:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
A Rod is cursed. He got a quarter of a billion dollars but he won't even get a sniff of a World Championship. Ever! Every team A Rod has been on he's drove in to the ground. He's a team buster not a team mate.
HawkBacker9/28/2008 16:33:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Ok MSN, you really blanked out the word m o r o n? really? Ok Angree4x's, I see why you spelled it that way.
yankeesox9/28/2008 8:03:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Angree4x's, I usually dont criticize people on spelling too much but really? Did you really spell moron like more on? If you dont know or arent sure on how to spell a word, I would try and use another word that means the same, like idiot. The only one looking like a moron after that comment was you. <br /><br />And as a Yankee fan, I really cant stand AROD for numerous reasons. <br />1. He brings negative attention to the team with all his off the field antics.<br />2. He isnt clutch what so ever, when he hits homeruns, he hits them when the Yankees are ahead when they are being pumbled by the other team. And usually hits into a double play or grounds out to third when men are on base with the game on the line. <br />and 3. Isnt a team player but rather a money hog that is only in for money and not the game itself.
yankeesox9/28/2008 8:01:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Look. A-Rod is a Yankee. Period. He signed a ten year contract. Does he have an opt out clause? I'm not sure but, he obviously wants to be a Yankee otherwise he would not have given that money grubbing agent of his, Scott Bor-ASS, the boot during negotiations! I for one am happy to have a guy who has hit 35 or, more home runs in 11 straight seasons along with all those R.B.I's on my team. Why does everyone hate him? Because they are jealous they don't make the $$ he makes? Or, because he really is one of the greatest hitters the sport has ever seen, and they wish he was on their team! Come on people! Do you all hate Tiger Woods because he makes more money than Oprah?? Or, because he is possibly the best golfer ever? I think it's because you all love to hate!
DinoSammyCat9/27/2008 21:14:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Honestly, as much as it would be easy to say otherwise, I really can't blame Yankee fans a whole lot in regards to Alex Rodriguez. <br /><br />That kind of contract is so massive and, like maitai said, a monstrosity, so it's only natural that the bearer of such an immeasurable amount of money has to be held accountable when things don't go as expectations are automatically going to dictate.<br /><br />And when someone such as Rodriguez can't seem to avoid the back pages of those New York papers, he simply is going to make a difficult enough scenario even more of his own burden to bear.<br /><br />Fair or foul, right or wrong, those who contribute so thoroughly to that money really do have cause to expect some type of variation on the term, "perfection". <br /><br />Not an easy concept, especially considering how imperfect this sport is...<br /><br />But, just the same, he has this coming to him, and no matter how people may perceive otherwise, I do believe that Alex Rodriguez isn't a real big favorite of those who watch him on a regular basis.<br /><br />Of course, those who already figure the latter are gonna say, "well...DUH!", but, hey, at least I'm making nice to everyone else. :)
poeticadam9/27/2008 9:09:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I am one happy Yankee. Joe Torre did what<br />old prune face Joe Girardi could not do. Girardi has no enthusiasm for the game or players. He and Hank need to show the fans and the team that they just don't do a lousy job of ownership and poor managing.
tavone9/26/2008 12:23:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Yankee60, I hate to break the bad news to you, but the greater majority of Yankee fans can't stand A-Rod. And your theory that everyone who subscribes to this is a sheep is just plain ridiculous. I've been a fan since the 80's, when the Yanks really stunk up the place and I could sit 3 rows behind home plate for less than I pay for tier reserve seats now, because no one else wanted to go. I went to at least 18 games this year, and he was pretty much booed every game. I didn't boo myself, but I didn't need to since so many others did. After he opted out, I didn't want him back, and was actually quite disappointed when they did resign him to that monstrosity of a contract. Honestly, his nickname should be Mr. April, since he does nothing of consequence the rest of the year.
maitai0079/26/2008 8:22:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
"By the way redsux fans wow not much of a year for you either. Playoffs but series "NO WAY"<br /><br />Typical Spankee fan comment...have fun scratching your bawls while watching 'King of Queens' re-runs more on.<br />Just like the Sox...looks like I have the last word over you dipp scheet
9/26/2008 7:43:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
A-Rod has jinxed every team he has ever been on ..It was a shame he brought the Rangers to last place and won the MVP that year..How insane is that...So the theory that Ryan Howard should win MVP because of whee he has brought the Phillies this year is craxy..A-Rod won it and the Rangers were last place..And again a farce last year he won it too and it clearing should have gone to someone else..He didn't even bat 300 last year or this year.
rmbuster129/26/2008 7:42:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I hope i can be the last word. This article is crap and means nothing. Arod is loved by MOST Yankee fans, It is the media that creates this hatred for Arod. Any yankee fans that fall for the ESPN, Fox Sports ect . hype is not a real fan and just a sheep<br />Go Yanks 09<br />By the way redsux fans wow not much of a year for you either. Playoffs but series "NO WAY"
yankee609/26/2008 2:20:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
This has got to be the dumbest article I've wasted my time reading in quite some time! So much that I signed up for this board to post my thoughts on it! LOL!<br />Alex Rodriguez is the best all around ball player to ever put on a uniform! Hands down! It doesn't take rocket science to figure that one out! He's not even my favorite player & I'll still defend him because I've played baseball all my life & know first hand how hard it is to do what he does year after year after year. On the other hand, this Ian O'Connor waste of life who sits at a computer year after year after year and most likely never hit a ball past the infield in little league growing up has nothing beter to do with the nerve to bash this guy 4 being the best. It's guys like this who make bad guys out of hero's of the game who make me sick! That is why people (especially the kids) boo A-Rod! BECAUSE OF THE MEDIA RUINING AMERICAS GAME WITH TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS WITH A COMPUTER KEYBOARD!!!<br />Alex Rodriguez is breaking every record in the books & then some & it is no secret that New York is building their future around him & Jeter!<br />And as far as A-Rod not producing in the playoffs, this goofball forgot to mention the fact that none of the Yankees have really done anything in that catagory in the past few years since A-Rod's been in pinstripes!<br />This guy needs to get a clue & find something better to write about!<br />Oh I forgot! Nobody likes to read anything unless it's about the Yankees & Yankee articles get the most hits on the web!<br />So lets write something!<br />Even if it's complete inacurate garbage for the kids to read about a good role model putting up unbelievable numbers for the greatest team in history every year because he didn't succeed in carring the Yankees to the playoffs like he did last year!<br />TOO FUNNY!!!<br />If anybody is to believe this article holds any credibilty, I feel sorry for them???
Darthdomm139/25/2008 23:45:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
A-Rod's a choker, but Jeter would just be a good shortstop if he played for anybody but the Yankees. Check his stats, and his clutch play is a myth. Do you think so too?? Let's chat at the hot club ** "M u l t i R a c i a l L o v e . c o m" ** where all Men can find real black or white beauties online... who enjoying chatting sports and stars..
MzTory2309/25/2008 19:39:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
c'mon yankee fans... you have been around for 100 years.. 26 rings... so... when was the last time? that's like bragging that you got laid 8 years ago...
burningsun729/25/2008 19:01:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Hey Splendidsprinter41, sprint this, 26 Time World Champions, Team Of The Century.
9/25/2008 16:54:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
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