September 6, 2007
AN MVP SEASON STILL DOESN’T MAKE A-ROD A YANKEE
Go ahead…picture him. That’s right, it’s an exercise in imagination for you baseball fans…go ahead and picture whomever you believe to be—a Yankee. Maybe you are one of the lucky few still around and able to say that they lived to see Lou Gehrig play…or maybe saw Babe Ruth. Maybe you’re close to or have already moved into retirement and you can remember Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Joltin’ Joe. Or maybe you’re like me and grew up watching Reggie Jackson battle Billy Martin. The younger crowd likely looks at Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera as Yankees. Despite the astronomical season he is putting forth Alex Rodriguez, like Roger Clemens before him, will never be looked upon as a Yankee, but as a mercenary in Yankee clothing.
Alex Rodriguez is arguably the best player in baseball. He has reached the 500 home run plateau at such a young age that the all-time record may be held by Barry Bonds for only as long as it takes A-rod to get there. Rodriguez is finishing up his eighth 40 home run season this year, as well as his 11th season of 100 RBI’s or more, and his twelfth successive 100 run scored year. He is a two-time Most Valuable Player—and likely to win a third this year—a 10 time all-star and a two time gold glove winner. He has probably, along with Albert Pujols, the best right-handed power hitter swing in baseball. He has been to the playoffs six times, and to the League Championship series three times. But as great as Alex Rodriguez clearly is—he has not made an appearance in a World Series game.
He may be arguably the best player in baseball, but he has never performed on baseball’s grandest stage. Memorable Yankees not only appear in World Series games—they win, and win plenty. Until Alex Rodriguez leads the New York Yankees to a World Series title, and then stays for the remainder of his career to make many more attempts he will never, ever be able to utter the descriptive word Yankee after his name.
Contrary to the opinions of a certain faction of baseball fan not being a Yankee is not a terrible, life-altering event. There are thousands of baseball players and millions of baseball fans that really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about being a Yankee. To them, and to me, being a Yankee means you are arrogant and myopic, greedy, self-involved and aggressive—where winning by a little isn’t nearly as exciting as winning by a lot. Winning is everything to the Yankees. Having a bunch of nice numbers is…well…nice…but winning is the only determination as to whether you belong with the hallowed greats of the past.
This year it seems that Alex Rodriguez suddenly cares about his legacy as a Yankee. Until now he has been the fair-weather boy, succeeding when there wasn’t pressure, and failing when there was. But with the opportunity to change his contract status and either opt up—a spectacular year could actually net him even more than he presently nets—or, if the pressures of trying to be a Yankee become too much, he can opt out and sign to play in a less vicious atmosphere. Rodriguez has already proven that he works magic when playing in the much more tempered atmospheres of Seattle and Arlington. And nothing would please him more than finally taking the Yankees to the title; winning the glory of the fans he spent four years trying extremely hard to get on his side—and, in the end, say… thanks for the invitation, but I’m going to play in Anaheim for the next five years.
And wouldn’t it be ironic if—after decades of sticking their fingers into the air at any who dared oppose them—Yankee fans watched in horror as the now accepted superstar stuck his finger into the air at them and walked away.