Of course it's egotistical to make this A-Rod situation all about me, but really it's about all of us. The time we all lost to this ridiculous saga, because adults couldn't figure out a way to peacefully reach agreement on a marriage that, ultimately, made too much sense not to continue.
You can spread the blame every which way. I understand that most of you will be inclined to put the onus on A-Rod and Scott Boras, and that's your prerogative. Certainly, this is Boras' darkest hour as an agent, and have no doubt that people around the industry are absolutely reveling in it.
So we move forward now, and it looks like the Yankees could have essentially the same team as 2007. Mariano Rivera should come back, eventually, and I don't see how Andy Pettitte turns down the opportunity to pitch for such a talented team. Although I'm the same genius who was blogging here, just yesterday, that A-Rod wouldn't be a Yankee again.
Are any of you so bitter at A-Rod that you would have preferred he went elsewhere? Or are you willing to forgive him for costing you this month and move forward? You'd have to think that A-Rod will get that World Series ring over the next 10 years. The Yankees spend too much money not to win one by accident over that long a period.
Comments (14)
It just came down to economics. Although Boras' persona was tarnished, he will be crying all the way to the bank.
I'm not bitter. I've never liked the greedy jerk and so wanted him to go elsewhere so that this could get back to being the New York Yankees, rather than the New York A-Rod and 24 Other Guys.
I want it to get back to being about the team and the sport, not about one player who's proven time and again that he's all about the money and thinks he's bigger than the game. When the Yankees were winning, they didn't have these overpriced superstars putting up gaudy numbers. They had good players who only cared about winning.
And no, Ken, you don't have to think they'll win a ring over the next 10 years because of all the money they spend. How'd that work out for them since they started the spending frenzy in 2002 with the roidhead?
Ask me 10 years from now. A lot depends on the other 24 players, managers, opponents and luck. But I am happier Rodriguez is back than I would be if they sent a whole bunch of young players to Florida for Cabrera.
The Yankees may not have won with A Rod but the Mets, Mariners and Rangers haven't won without him either. People like to point out hoe Seattle and Texas got better the first year after A Rod left but forget those teams collapsed the second year after.
Sorry Ken, but no sympathy here. You and the rest of the media spent the past month salivating over this guy. Even when there was no news to report there were 4-5 stories a day about him. It was annoying and ridiculous. You've only got yourself to blame.
The A-Rod story has been covered ad nauseum...the New York media has completely forgotten that there's another team in town, the Mets...covering Yorvit Torrealba's possible signing is hardly headline news.
Could you please join me and thousands of others in getting Matthew fired from NEWSDAY! ? The guy seems to write nothing but negative articles and his writing in general is just awful, how did this guy get hired?
Jon, if I came off asking for sympathy, then I am a poor communicator. The point I was attempting to make that there was no reason for all of this drama, when it was clear that A-Rod and the Yankees were a good fit for each other.
Nancy, I hear ya (and I continue to admire your Giambi hatred), but I do think the Yankees' renewed focus on drafting and developing young talent will pay off with a World Series ring in the next 10 years. They are running things smarter now, so that there won't be another Giambi signing.
OK, conspiracy theory time:
1) A-Rod is hated around the baseball world. Boras knows that he's going to have go for more money than the last contract, and that will have A-Rod despised even more.
2) Instead of playing nice, Boras goes way beyond the pale, deciding to do that which will only make A-Rod hated even more: opt-out early, refusing to sit-down with Yankee management before the opt-out, letting loose with a demand for $350mil, and interrupting the World Series. You seriously think that the mother of all agents did not realize that this would make A-Rod the most despised player in all of baseball, and tank his marketability?
3) A-Rod plays the savior, calling the Steinbrenners and falls on the sword, accepting responsibility for all the vulgar behavior of the big bad agent.
4) BORAS ISN'T FIRED. A-Rod accepts responsibility for his agent's alleged missteps, but Boras is in Tampa, and will collect a commission in the millions.
5) A-Rod returns to NY with a better reputation - and marketability - than he had at the end of the season before all of the contrived moves by Boras.
Hmm...
>Nancy, I hear ya (and I continue to admire your Giambi hatred), but I do think the Yankees' renewed focus on drafting and developing young talent will pay off with a World Series ring in the next 10 years. They are running things smarter now, so that there won't be another Giambi signing.
I can't see how you can say they're running things smarter when they've been played for such fools in this whole saga. They're paying A-Fraud MORE now than they were originally going to pay. They made themselves look like fools who can't be taken at their word. No, this is no smarter than it was.
Bora$$ has been in Miami for days, it's been reported. A-Fraud and Mrs. A-Fraud met with the Yankees yesterday. So why all this talk about A-Fraud going over Bora$$'s head or taking control of his career? Bora$$ was with him for days before this all happened and is still with him. Is anyone really gullible enough to believe that Bora$$ didn't know about this or wasn't pulling all the strings?
Bringing A-Rod back makes complete sense, plus the economics of the reported deal are not bad at all, especially for the Yankees who get to keep the game's best player and who have the bucks to pay him what no one else can. Boras finally overplayed his hand, which is nice to see because he gives all agents a bad rap. It's good the Yanks get to keep the young kids so they are well-positioned to make a run at Santana, who they really covet.
But Nancy, that stuff is inconsequential, IMHO. They're still developing Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy et al. And now they've retained the best player in all of baseball.
>And now they've retained the best player in all of baseball.
I didn't know they retained Albert Pujols...
(And yes, for three years now, I've said Pujols is the best player in baseball)
LOL. The second-best? I'll say this: Pujols would HATE playing in New York. He has very little interest in being a public figure.
Ah Ken...if only A-Fraud had little interest in being a public figure LOL!