I had a rough time sleeping last night - and it had nothing to do with the Yankees. Somebody rang my doorbell at 3 a.m. to let me know that my car alarm had accidentally gone off. Oh joy. So excuse me if I'm a little out of sorts. It took me hours to get back to bed.
Anyhow, maybe the Yanks are the ones who need a wakeup call of sorts. One thing Yankee fans have noticed as of late is how listless this team is. The Bombers seem to sleepwalk through games, like they did Sunday and Monday (although at least CC Sabathia looked sharper last night.)
After all, isn't the audacity of Jacoby Ellsbury getting away with stealing home evidence of a listless team? I heard Orel Hersheiser on Michael Kay yesterday basically accuse the Yanks of sleepwalking, and nobody disagreed with him.
But the question is, who is to blame? I'm getting a little tired of hearing about how the newer guys are at fault (that's basically the theme of Joe Torre's "The Yankee Years" - that and blaming A-Rod for everything!) Shouldn't the fault lay with the "leaders" in this clubhouse who still have not melded this team together?
One of the most destructive things, I think, is the whole so-called True Yankee notion. Do you ever hear Red Sox fans - or players - separate the current team into one-ring, two-ring, or no-rings guys? Or call certain players "True Red Sox"? Never.
Alex Rodriguez, of course, has gotten much of the blame for the Yankees' reversal of fortune in recent years, as well as for the clubhouse devolving into cliques. Interestingly enough, though, former Boston Globe writer Gordon Edes wrote a What-If on Alex Rodriguez for Big League Stew, over what would have happened if that Red Sox trade had gone through.
The big surprise is this: Edes suggests that not only would the Sox have still won two rings, but A-Rod would have been a beloved figure in Boston!
This year, for once, you can't blame A-Rod for this team looking so listless. Alex should be back within two weeks or so. And I think it's glaringly obvious that, goofy photo shoots and breaktaking lack of common sense aside, this team will be better off with him, contrary to what some sportswriters wrote this spring.
Like the writer who suggested the Yanks should have simply cut A-Rod. Yeah, that would have been a good move, for the Bombers to pay $300 million for Alex to play for somebody else!
Anyhow, the Yanks have done the whole gutty/gritty role player thing at third since Alex has been out. Hasn't exactly worked out too well, has it?
But there are a lot of Yankee fans - including many of our readers - who still don't like A-Rod.
So, I just want to know what Squawker readers think. Is this team better off with or without A-Rod? Leave us a comment!
10 comments:
I agree with your post Lisa. I think it is very likely that a different A-Rod era will begin in NY when he returns. Damn! Now get some rest!
You don't have to like the man but you have to respect the player steroids nonwithstanding. Let's see ...Cody or Alex, Alex or Cody...decisions, decisions ..yeah right. Any fan who thinks this team is better WITHOUT Alex is delusional. Sideshow and all this lineup will get a lot longer once Alex shows up ..even if he's only 75%. Cody is a nice guy but Alex is better even if he had only one arm and one leg.
The only problem we will have is how much Alex can do and if the fans can give him a break till he literally gets back into the "swing" of things. The immaturity of fans in this day and age really is tiresome with the booing and name calling toward players.
We have only played 18 games with over a 140 to go...if the Yankees win 7 in a row all the whiners will be singing a different tune. Yankee fans are some of the most fickled fans in the world of sports and they prove it on a daily basis.
I stand by my team in good times and bad times with the expectation that many good times are on the way.
Peggy
Go Yankees 2009 !!
Peggy, you're the best!
Thanks Rob ... :o). When I say I stand by my team ..trust me...I mean it. I was there in the late 60's & early 70's ...all through the horrible 80's and I NEVER booed a player not even an opposing player. The lack of respect by fans today ..people in general just amazes me.
I have cheered the Yankees on for over 45 years even in the most difficult time because just like with your child ...if you are a real fan...you love them no matter what..
As far as Alex ....I can't wait for him to return ...we NEED him !!!
Peggy
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
Now playing third base for the NY Yankees, Ramiro Pena, Cody Ransom, Angel Berroa--who the hell wouldn't want A-Rod back. Is he going to single handedly fix the lack of hitting with RISP--no way but he sure is a big improvement over those 3. This team has many problems but the biggest by far is the uptight, stress filed attitude of the manager. Many players look to the manager and coaches for direction when time get tough but Girardi, Eiland and Long look like the are ready to explode, then the player go to bat and try to hit a 5 run hr to make everything better.
Eiland and Long are AAA coaches at best, Girardi is a solid bench coach but not a major league manager. 2009 is looking more and more like 2008.
Would the Yankees be better with Arod???? Maybe, but for the sake of argument I'll say yes, they'll be better. So, instead of losing to the Red Sox 16-11 they lose 16-14. Instead of 22-4 to Cleveland how about 22-7, etc, etc. See my point?
One other thing, I've been watching the Yanks since 1959. Two weeks after Thurman died I went to the stadium, got great box seats for $7.50!!!! How much would they cost now? And for what? To support salaries of players and coaches who can't play and can't motivate? So yeah, I see nothing wrong with booing or criticizing a player or coach. Did I also mention the cost of suds and a hot dog or to bring a family?
The costs are so high to receive such mediocrity in return that criticism is justified no matter if the criticism is constructive or vulgar. This pathetic team deserves to get that in return for such a high of cost to support.
I am one who has called for the Yankees to cut A-Rod on My Blog
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Sunday March 22
Another Reason to Cut A-***
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Sunday Feb 8
Thoughts about A-**** and Other Thoughts
>(So what do I think overall. As far as I am concerned the Yankees should just cut A-**** and Pay off his entire contract and allow him to sign anywhere including Boston.)
So now my thoughts now. I still wish that the Yankees>So what do I think overall. As far as I am concerned the Yankees should just cut A-**** and Pay off his entire contract and allow him to sign anywhere including Boston. would have let him walk after 2007, But the yankees now need a healthy A-Rod if they have any chance of playing October Baseball
A-Rod is really in a no lose situation now, If he comes back plays well he will be regarded as a Hero and if the Yankees are still losing when he comes back all will say is that this Yankee team stinks anyway, As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he really cannot lose.
You make a good point, Nutball - he really can't lose. However, what are the odds that your last thought holds true?
"As long as he doesn't do anything stupid..."
Love him, hate him, or whatever sits in between he is a magnet for stuff. Although so much happened in the offseason, maybe this will finally be the time he comes back and just plays.
Cheers
Yeah, A-Rod can't lose. Except... that is what he does. He loses, and he makes his team lose. He is a contagion.
Gordon Edes is a Boston Globe writer. Do you really think he would write a "What If?" story that had the Red Sox ending up worse off?
Here's what would have happened:
2004: To replace Aaron Boone, the Yankees wave money and Alfonso Soriano in front of Billy Beane's nose, and he gives the Yanks Eric Chavez. A-Rod disappears in the ALCS, except for when he slaps the ball out of Mariano's glove in Game 2, and the Yanks sweep the Red Sox on the way to beating the Cardinals in the World Series.
2005: No change, the Yanks still fall to the Angels, the Red Sox still fall to the White Sox.
2006: With Chavez hitting 2 homers, the Yanks beat the Tigers in the Division Series, but (as he actually did in that year's ALCS) Chavez starts swinging at high fastballs, and the Twins lose the World Series to the Cardinals. Having A-Rod helps the Red Sox finish 2nd instead of 3rd, but no Wild Card, as that 5-game sweep at Fenway knocks them out as in real life.
2007: Chavez's key hits in Games 2 and 4 lead the Yanks to beat the Indians in the ALDS, and Melky becomes this year's October hero, taking Papelbon deep in the bottom of the 12th of Game 7 at The Stadium. The Yanks beat the Rockies, who beat the Mets in the NLCS, as the Mets won the Division due to having picked up a pitcher other than Pedro Martinez -- who, of course, doesn't have a ring now.
2008: The Yanks still don't make the Playoffs, as Chavez has tailed off a bit. But A-Rod's 1-for-24 performance dooms the Sox against the Rays in the ALCS.
Yanks: 28 rings. Sox: 91 years and counting. Mets: An additional division title and that awful 2007 choke doesn't happen. See, both New York teams benefit.
A-Rod doesn't win. Unless something's changed since last October, which I doubt.
Check that: 29 titles. But we'll never get to 27 with A-Rod, will we?
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