More A-Rod Sorriness
Alex Rodriguez is not a bad guy. He's never beaten his wife or got caught doing drugs. He's never been arrested for drunk driving or threatened to run over kids with his car. He's never been a clubhouse cancer on the level of TO in Philly. He's never sucker punched a manager or body slammed a teammate over music.
In fact, he takes great pains in being a good guy. In fact, some people will tell you that he is too scripted, too polished. It might be better for him if he would ever do those things. As it is, the worst things he's done off the field are be seen around town with a manly looking woman who was not his wife and play poker in one of the illegal underground poker games that are all over New York. Oh, and he's been completely unable to hit in the post season.
I want to hate A-Rod and blame him for the catastrophe that has been the Rangers since 2000 when they shocked the baseball world with giving A-Rod what is still the largest contract in sports history. He forced his way out, hoping to gravy train to a ring in New York. It never worked out that well in New York as he never accepted as a "real Yankee" (whatever that means). I've said over and over the people I blame for the Ranger debacle are the Rangers' management, Tom Hicks, John Hart, and Buck Showalter.
Despite all this A-Rod isn't a bad guy. But events yesterday prove that he is either really sorry or he listens to terrible advice. First of all, not showing up for a presentation of the Hank Aaron award was sorry. But that could happen anytime. But to follow it up with the announcement that he was going to opt out during what was probably going to be the last game of the World Series is the epitome of sorriness. He had ten days to make that announcement. I'm no fan of the Red Sox and I don't at all feel sorry for the Yankees. In fact, I'm glad he opted out because it saves the Rangers money over the next few years (don't even get me started on that). But did it have to be announced last night?
As I've said, I want to hate A-Rod but I can't do it. But he just comes across a total jerk way too often.
PS. Peter Gammons keeps saying that the Rangers are possible landing spot for the A-Rod. Now I thought there was a snowball's chance in hell of that happening in 2000 when they really did sign him. Now? There is no scenario I can see that actually happening. A-Rod has a better chance of signing with the Nippon Ham Fighters than of signing with the Rangers.
ADDED on October 31 at 1:24pm. Maybe I'm ahead of the curve on this A-Rod to Japan thing:
Celest (The desert): Nate nicely handicapped the A-Rod sweepstakes earlier today. Where do you see A-Rod ending up?
Jim Baker: I like the lonely-guy-by-the-fence thing I described earlier. How about Japan? Wouldn't that be a Criss Angel mindfreak?
1 comment:
I wonder if A-Rod sits at home wondering why people hate him when his agent is the one who has put a negative spin on what he's done. I will do my best to never begrudge someone for accepting the most they get offered. I'm pretty sure that if I were offered a $70K a year salary and a $100K a year salary for what I do, and the situations were basically equal, I'd take the $100K. And my ability to do what I do won't go away by the time I'm 40, so the salary talks just drive me insane.
With that said, Boras is a moron and he must think we are all more brain-dead than he if we are expected to believe that this wasn't a calculated announcement to draw more attention to his client. Unfortunately, now it's all negative attention, and while I'm sure that A-Rod will get paid, I hope it's not as much as he would have had otherwise. Seems a shame to punish the player because of the agent, but you are judged by the company you keep. Especially the ones you could avoid.
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