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**TonyStarks** · 02-20-2006, 05:47 PM

Amen.

ARod for President '08!!

**TonyStarks** · 02-20-2006, 06:08 PM

Speaking of.....

A-Rod not happy with MLB, WBC organizers
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TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez is unhappy with organizers of the World Baseball Classic for the way they handled his decision to play for the United States instead of the Dominican Republic.

The New York Yankees third baseman took issue with reports that he vacillated between playing for the Americans and the Dominicans.

"Just to make it clear, I only spoke once and then I spoke again three months later," Rodriguez said Monday after reporting to spring training. "All the garbage in between was major league baseball. I didn't go back and forth. I said once I wasn't playing, and then at the end I said, 'So OK, I am playing.'"

Rodriguez wouldn't identify any officials he spoke with, opting to say only "central baseball."

"I told him I was disappointed with all the stuff going back and forth, the leaking of information," Rodriguez said, "especially with me not being involved in any way, shape or form."

Rodriguez downplayed comments made by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who criticized A-Rod's WBC decision.

"I already heard what he had to say, he apologized," Rodriguez said. "The apology has been accepted. We've move on from there. Ozzie and I have always been friendly. It's not really that big of a deal."

( http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldc...ory?id=2337484 )

**DoubleX** · 02-20-2006, 06:40 PM

Amuses me thinking back to this time last year. I was having some discussions on here with some people who believed that A-Rod had peaked and, was declining, and would never be a top-flight player again. Part of me thought that too. But the way A-Rod played last year, the numbers he put up, show that he's still got a ton of good baseball in him and that he can hack it in New York.

**Edgartohof** · 02-20-2006, 06:47 PM

Originally posted by DoubleX

Amuses me thinking back to this time last year. I was having some discussions on here with some people who believed that A-Rod had peaked and, was declining, and would never be a top-flight player again. Part of me thought that too. But the way A-Rod played last year, the numbers he put up, show that he's still got a ton of good baseball in him and that he can hack it in New York.

Yeah, that was going around a lot last year, but 48 Home Runs later, much of that has been quelched (sp?).

**Yankee Legend** · 02-20-2006, 07:12 PM

i couldn't agree with you more double x. A-ROD is worth every penny of that $25 Million. Besides we all know that professional baseball is not just a sport. It's a career too. If I was the best lawyer in the country, I would get paid millions more than any other lawyer. Same thing with A-ROD. People hate him for the same reason they hate the yankees. jealousy.

btw, im not a lawyer but plan to be one.

**DoubleX** · 02-20-2006, 08:03 PM

Originally posted by Yankee Legend

i couldn't agree with you more double x. A-ROD is worth every penny of that $25 Million. Besides we all know that professional baseball is not just a sport. It's a career too. If I was the best lawyer in the country, I would get paid millions more than any other lawyer. Same thing with A-ROD. People hate him for the same reason they hate the yankees. jealousy.

btw, im not a lawyer but plan to be one.

I think you hit the nail on the head - jealousy. Though I don't know if any player is worth $25 mil. I suppose if someone is to make the most money in the game, A-Rod is just as deserving as anyone else based purely on talent and not named Bonds. I think if was a free agent just a year or two later, he wouldn't have made so much money. Some semblance of fiscal sanity seems to have kicked in since all those absurd contracts were being doled out in the late 90s and early 00s; but I'm sure A-Rod would still receive a huge payday (I'm thinking more in the 18-20 mil range). Tejada got 12 mil per year two years ago, as did Vladimir Guerrero; had they been free agents a few years earlier, he probably could have milked an 18-20 mil contract from someone, if not more.

**Ontarioguy** · 02-20-2006, 08:47 PM

You know, its been quite the 360 I've pulled. In 2004 (when I still had my Expos) I despised the Yankees. This teams spending policy single-handedly guaranteed that my club would fail year in and year out. I cheered for the Twins and BoSox viruently in the 2004 playoffs.

With the loss of my team, I've had to find a new one, and thanks to a local WCBS affiliate just south of the border, I began listening to Yankees games. As 2005 went on, I listened casually, but not with a deep attatchement. I learned not to hate the Yankees anymore, and gained alot of respect for them.

Now A-Rod was the central focus of my hate. I suppose it's because he represents everything 'bad' about the Yankees in one neat, explosive package. He's has a massive salary, just like NY. He's always in contention for awards, just as the Yanks are perrenial World Series contenders.

I suppose my hate for A-Rod was completely illogical, but I know exactly how all fans of the other 29 teams feel. I remember taking great pleasure seeing his face in the dugout after Game 7 in 2004. I remember thinking 'he looks like the spoiled little rich kid who didn't get his way'.

Now that I've reluctantly and casually adopted the Yankees, I appreciate A-Rod. 48 HRs for a righty playing in Yankee Stadium is mind-boggling, and I get to listen to his exploits on a daily basis.

I'm not sure if my post really says anything, but it's been my experience with the Yankees and ARod over the last 2 1/2 years. I'll reflect on this more and see if I can come up with something more to add.

On a side note, I never hated Jeter, which makes no sense whatsoever. I wonder why that is...

**Evangelion** · 02-20-2006, 10:48 PM

DoubleX, don't forget about the ridiculous amount of money that free agent pitchers are receive these days in baseball. IMO, Fiscal sanity will not return to baseball until a salary cap is in place in MLB.

C) You play for the most hated team

You also play for most loved team at the same time. With that love, come critical fans, that when you don't produce, will be extremely critical of your performance on the field.

I'm not an A-Rod hater. Honestly, he has talent. Why hate him, because of that? That would just make me jealous, which I'm not. Why hate he's getting paid that amount of money. If anything, blame that fool that signed him to such an absurd amount of money. Anybody, I mean anybody, would take such a contract if offer to them in a heart beat, no?

A-Rod's hate obviously came once he moved to New York. He was just know as the highest paid player in MLB until his move to New York. This hate is what comes with you when you come to New York. Like I said in previous topics, I think he tries to hard to be nice or he tries to act like another Jeter, which he's obviously not. If he became a post season hero, think a lot of slack would be removed? Probably, outside the hate on being the Yankees.

**DoubleX** · 02-20-2006, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by Evangelion

DoubleX, don't forget about the ridiculous amount of money that free agent pitchers are receive these days in baseball. IMO, Fiscal sanity will not return to baseball until a salary cap is in place in MLB.

You also play for most loved team at the same time. With that love, come critical fans, that when you don't produce, will be extremely critical of your performance on the field.

I'm not an A-Rod hater. Honestly, he has talent. Why hate him, because of that? That would just make me jealous, which I'm not. Why hate he's getting paid that amount of money. If anything, blame that fool that signed him to such an absurd amount of money. Anybody, I mean anybody, would take such a contract if offer to them in a heart beat, no?

A-Rod's hate obviously came once he moved to New York. He was just know as the highest paid player in MLB until his move to New York. This hate is what comes with you when you come to New York. Like I said in previous topics, I think he tries to hard to be nice or he tries to act like another Jeter, which he's obviously not. If he became a post season hero, think a lot of slack would be removed? Probably, outside the hate on being the Yankees.

I think becoming a post-season hero is about the only way A-Rod can be cut some slack and finally accepted into Yankee lore.

As an aside to your comment about pitchers, your right, certain pitchers are being paid more than they're worth, but it's nothing like a few years ago when Kevin Brown and Mike Mussina pulled down their contracts, or even when Darren Dreifort was given a 12 mil per contract. Prices went off the looney end again this year (such as Rafael Furcal, and I think the Yanks overpaid for Damon), but it still pales to what was going on 4-8 years ago.

**Evangelion** · 02-20-2006, 11:55 PM

Brown was a number 1 starter back then, but far too injury prone to deserve a contract he signed. Mussina was floating between being a number 1 and being a number 2 starter back then. Pitchers are still being paid an absurd amount of money, even compare to 4-8 years ago. While the position players contracts have gone down in some regards, but they're still high. Like you point out, this season it was Furcal and Damon.

**TonyStarks** · 02-21-2006, 09:32 AM

Originally posted by DoubleX

I think becoming a post-season hero is about the only way A-Rod can be cut some slack and finally accepted into Yankee lore.

DX,
I don't believe that even if ARod had some kind of amazing post season play ala Bucky Dent...that he would still get that respect. Although ARod is a player that I've always respected and still do.

There are a few reasons for it:

1) He plays with Jeter
2) He has a $252M contract
3) He's ARod

I'm surprised someone hasn't hated him for wearing Mike Pagliarulo's old number.

**Evangelion** · 02-21-2006, 10:03 AM

Of course he'll never have all the slack off him since he's the highest paid player in MLB and plays for the Yankees. Though, becoming a post season hero would still take some, not all, the slack off A-Rod's shoulders. If A-Rod was to struggle during the season like Giambi did when he first came to New York, I won't be too shocked if he was boo'ed by even Yankee fans.

I doubt he'll get the slack cut off of him to level of Jeter ever. Remember, Jeter can struggle without getting boo'ed by Yankee fans. xD

**DoubleX** · 02-21-2006, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by Evangelion

Of course he'll never have all the slack off him since he's the highest paid player in MLB and plays for the Yankees. Though, becoming a post season hero would still take some, not all, the slack off A-Rod's shoulders. If A-Rod was to struggle during the season like Giambi did when he first came to New York, I won't be too shocked if he was boo'ed by even Yankee fans.

I doubt he'll get the slack cut off of him to level of Jeter ever. Remember, Jeter can struggle without getting boo'ed by Yankee fans. xD

There have been times when A-Rod has been booed as a Yankee. Though, going to Yankee Stadium the past two seasons, he actually tends to get the loudest ovation when the players are introduced.

**Yankees4ever** · 04-06-2006, 08:49 PM

A-Rod is the best!!!

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