Controversy-Rod
Filed Under: MLB General
By: Jon Morrill
The Gajillion dollar contract. The fight with Varitek. The Ball Slap. Not being a “true” Yankee. His Image. The signing yet not really with Boston, then ending up in New York. The A-Rod Curse. Controversy and brouhaha has seemed to follow Alex Rodriguez around the past 5 years like stink on a dog.
First, he signed a contract with the (at the time) lowest tier Texas Rangers for an annual paycheck that would make the Monopoly Man blush. He said it wasn’t for the money, but c’mon… I may be dumb, deaf and ignorant, but I’m not stupid. Then things didn’t work out in Arlington: Rangers owner Tom Hicks discovered that you can’t win consistently if you’re spending $22 million a year on just one player, even if that player is supposedly considered the best in the game. So after a few years of futility in Texas, trade talks arose about a proposed deal to Boston, but without getting into all the frivolous detail about why that deal didn’t go through, I’ll just fast forward and say that A-Rod obviously never ended up in Beantown and was scooped up by the hated Yankees in deal for Alfonso Soriano. The signing with the Yankees was only the tip of the controversy iceberg for the S.S. Rodriguez, as he found himself sinking amidst the perfect storm of pressure that is the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry.
Lots of people care about the Red Sox and the Yankees, and a lot of people don’t. It doesn’t dominate the imagination of the country as ESPN and Fox Sports would have you believe. But for those of us that do care: July 24th, 2004 was huge. Why? The best boxing match since Mike Tyson was good took place right at home plate in Fenway Park that night. Our protagonist A-Rod takes offense to a Bronson Arroyo-thrown fastball drilled right into his back. Mr. Rodriguez voices his displeasure with Mr. Arroyo’s seemingly poor pitch control and starts heading towards the mound–it is well documented that the acoustics in Fenway Park are terrible, so it is possible that Alex merely just going closer to Bronson in order to have his complaints better heard… or something. Anyway, Sox catcher Jason Varitek steps in front of A-Rod, pleasantries are exchanged, and much to the chagrin of Yankee fans and to the delight of Red Sox fans, somehow Varitek’s catcher’s mitt ends up lodged deep into A-Rod’s face. The benches cleared, order was eventually restored and the Red Sox ended up winning the game in dramatic fashion on a Bill Mueller base hit up the middle off of Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera.
Bench-clearing brawls aren’t all that uncommon in Major League Baseball, but this one is of particular importance in that not only did the incident put a stop to a mid-summer malaise for the Red Sox and lead to them winning the game, but that incident–combined with the subtraction of Nomar Garciaparra and the additions of Orlando Cabrera, Doug Mientkiewicz, and Dave Roberts a week later at the trading deadline–put a stop to a mid-summer malaise for the Red Sox and lead to them winning just about every game in August and September, and later the World Series.
It wouldn’t be the only time that Alex Rodriguez found himself on the short end of the Sawks/Yanks stick in 2004. In a critical point in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS; a series in which the Yankees were trying to prevent becoming the first team in MLB history to be up 3 games to none in a playoff series only to go on to lose said series; Rodriguez runs out an infield hit back to the pitcher. The pitcher, again Bronson Arroyo, runs over to first base in an effort to tag Rodriguez; and as Arroyo does so, A-Rod slaps the ball out of his hand. The umpires confer and end up making the correct call–calling Rodriguez out on interference. The call saves a run and helps the Red Sox further mount their historic comeback. The play also takes another shot at Rodriguez’s carefully crafted image, and further hurts his campaign to endear himself to not just Yankee fans, but baseball fans alike.
Rodriguez didn’t let his low moments in 2004 affect his play in 2005. As Anti-A-Rod as some of you may be, one would be hard pressed to not at least acknowledge the fact that he made some major improvements in his game between ‘04 and ‘05: hitting .321 with 48 round-trippers and batting 130 while playing in all 162 games of the season. While his numbers during the regular season garnered A-Rod his second MVP title, it was his typical poor postseason play as a Yankee that contributed to his team getting knocked out by the Angels in the first round.
So, as you can tell, Alex Rodriguez’s approval rating in New York may not be sky high. The past week’s events couldn’t have helped either.
Oh, you didn’t hear? He’s come out publicly and stated that he will sit out the much anticipated World Baseball Classic in March, an Olympic-style tournament consisting of 16 countries with about 30-40% of all Major Leaguers participating. Why is he sitting out? Because he was torn between playing for America, the country in which he was born and makes his ridiculously large salary, or for the Dominican Republic, the country where his parents are from and reportedly where Alex lived from a young age until about 13 during the time of his parents divorce. There’s no doubt Rodriguez was feeling immense pressure from both sides, but from this writer’s point of view it seems as if A-Rod did what he has always done, and that’s cop out.
To put it in less biased fashion, I feel this was a missed opportunity for Rodriguez. If he plays for America, he could finally have happen what he’s been trying to have happen since he signed that ludicrously lucrative contract in 2001: have people root for him again. If he plays for America and does well and they go on to win the WBC, it would be a huge step in the right direction for having people like Alex Rodriguez again. On the other hand, if he plays for the Dominican, he’ll represent a country where people already love him and he’s an even bigger icon than he is here. But to just pass off playing in the WBC, to just cop out in typical A-Rod fashion, is to just reinforce the common fan’s qualms and dislikes about Alex Rodriguez. The discussion regarding who he should play for is too convoluted and endless for me to even want to get into–I’m not going to touch that one with a ten foot pole. But to just sit out because the pressure and tension got too high just further proves to me that Alex Rodriguez will never be the person; not just the player; that baseball wants him to be.
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Dcappello | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
Oh come on now Ok I get it you are either from Boston or just hate the fact that A-Rod is arguably the best player in baseball.
Who cares about the World Baseball Classic, I know what it is, but last week I went out to a bar and was talking to people about the upcoming season and I brought up the WBC and almost everyone there didn’t even know what it was. The people that did know only knew about it because it has recently been on the news because Barry Bonds is going to play.
Who cares if A-Rod doesn’t want to play he is not obligated too. Whether you like him or not he is on pace to break so many of baseballs most conveted batting records. He may not be playing because he doesn’t want to risk injury. The WBC is a pretty meaningless thing. Fans in America are not going to watch it and the ones that do are only watching it to see how Barry Bonds does. I could probably guarantee that Bonds wouldn’t even consider playing if he didn’t have a reputation to restore.
A-Rod isn’t being accused of using steriods or anything of that serious nature. His biggest worry is making Yankee fans happy and that only happens if he plays well for the Yankees and not the WBC.
On the subject of money I believe when he signed the contract with Texas it was for the money, but I think he realized afterwards his mistake. We saw his desire to win when he gave up his number and his position to go to New York. This is something hard for any player to do, especially for the best player in the game.
I think your jumping on his back for no reason. There are so many more important things to worry about than A-Rod playing in the WBC.
jmorrill16 | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
alright man first off, i’m gonna preface all of this by saying that i don’t come on here to be “right”. i really just write on here as an outlet and it gives me a reason to try and write about baseball everyday. i don’t need you to agree with me or anything, and i completely welcome differing opinions.
but the fact that just because you haven’t talked to anybody who cares or knows about the WBC does in no way mean that all of america won’t watch it. there are plenty of baseball dorks like me in the world that will watch it for the very fact that its baseball and it’ll give us something to talk about other than college basketball. i’m not hating on march madness, but it just isn’t my thing.
second off, i probably got TOO editorial when i wrote the bit about “supposedly considered the best in the game.” alex rodriguez is a supremely talented baseball player. i dont like getting into the who’s the best in the game nonsense, but he’s certainly up there.
and you’re right, he’s not obligated to do a thing. and i dont think i wrote anywhere in my piece that he was. you’re absolutely correct, he can do whatever he wants. i was merely stating my opinion that the WBC would have been a great shot at him reclaiming some of the fans he’s lost over the years by showing up and playing hard.
i dislike a-rod because i think he’s too worried about his image. not because i’m from boston (cause i’m not, though i am a sox fan), or cause i’m jealous or something that he’s one of the best in the game. i just wish he’d get the stick out of his ass and act like a human being. but, again, that’s just my opinion. and i know what they say about those, everyone’s got ‘em.
tom garland | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
i totally agree with this article and yes I’m from Boston and i hate A-rod
cernig | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
a-rod wants the ring he came out last year and said he worked harder then anyone out there in the off-season, and it paid off with another MVP. but he wants that ring and he knows he is the money player on the Yankees who can lead them to a championship. if he doesn’t want to play at the WBC then i say let it be… there are enough great players playing already and it’s not THAT BIG of a deal.
i don’t think he has lost any fans over the years, if anything he has gained half of the country for playing for the Yankees.
and how can you say he’s got a stick up his ass? i’d just like to hear your thoughts on that comment if you wouldn’t mind.
Seatown37 | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
he’s a cop-out I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. We witnessed A-rod as a 19 year old comming up in time when baseball was be re-born in the Northwest. A-rod was a stud, did everything above average, fans loved him,and the coaches loved him. But the year that his contract was up, he told fans he was going to stay in Seattle. Well Seattle offered him a great offer, and BAM instead of signing it then and there, he copped-out and waited a while, and then was offered that huge contract to play in Texas. I am a A-rod Hater! He has great talent, but all this guy wants is $$$! Good story by the way.
jmorrill16 | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
;kj;lk to me he just seems really contrived and worried about how the world views him. i dont know the guy or anything, it was probably a crass way of putting it, but its how i feel
cernig | Dec 17, 2005 | Reply
i dont know… if hes worried so much about his world image. i think why he is the way he is, is because he IS the best player in the game, but he has everything associated with being A-Rod… all starting with the contract. he doesn’t have that ring and i think he wants it so bad he will go to any height to get it because once he wins that ring, all of those side issues, from the brawl, the almost redsox, the thing with jeter, the ballslap, and his history of being bad in the postseason, will be put to rest, once and for all… and he can finally relax and enjoy being a-rod, and not have to worry.
alexferguson60 | Dec 18, 2005 | Reply
A-Rod haters If A-Rod is truly torn between playing for the USA or Dominican Republic, and said that he didn’t want to anger either the USA or the DR, then why not leave it up to him?
Sure, baseball fans pay the bills, but isn’t it his decision?
Also, why hate A-Rod so much? His charity work is amazing….
IUfan62 | Dec 18, 2005 | Reply
why hate a pretty boy, fake and cheat? I dunno.
JaxDeuce | Dec 19, 2005 | Reply
A-Rod, I understand 1st, if a team OFFERED your 250 million you would be a damn fool not to take it. I do not understand people “blaming” A-rod for taking money that was offered to him. If tomorrow, another job offered you a substainal increase in pay to do the same thing in a different place, would you take it?
2nd, I totally understand A-Rod being conflicted. He was born and raised in one country, but he is a decendant and has strong ties to another. I assume he loves both countries equally and would not want to upset one or the other. Try picking between kids, or parents. So instead of playing for one or the other, he has decided to sit out and root for both teams. I personnally think this was 100% the correct decision.
Now I am not going to come out here and say I am an A-Rod fan, or that I do not like A-Rod, but I see no problem in getting money while his abilities allow, and I see no problem sitting out the WBC. A-Rod is a stand up guy that brings it everyday. He is a great role model that eats, and sleeps baseball. He produces in one of the most pressure filed markets. He agreed to change positions and numbers to play (something that Soriano, who is not 1/2 as talented will not do). Yet he is still bashed in the media…I just do not understand it. Baseball needs more A-Rod’s!
alexferguson60 | Dec 19, 2005 | Reply
I’m with you!! I think you’re right. Although the “World Cup of baseball” is certainly going to lack something if arguably the best player in the game doesn’t come to play, I think A-Rod was in the right.
As for Texas Rangers fans who were angry- I didn’t see a whole lot of them looking upset when A-Rod SIGNED for them as a free agent. Is he worth $252mn? Unfortunately, that was the market value at the time. Unfortunately, he brings a “curse” with him, like Peyton Manning, of having no championships to his name thus far.
And as for Red Sox fans, even though they won the Series in 2004, they still seem a little bitter that A-Rod decided to play in NYC rather than Boston.
IUfan62 | Dec 19, 2005 | Reply
JAXDeuce Picking which team to play for is nothing like picking between parents or kids. It’s like picking between your son and your son’s friend that you think is a good kid. Even though your son’s friend maybe a better kid you still have to pick your son. And that’s why he’s has to pick America. He was born here, that’s all there is to it.