Mailbag about A-Rod on Steven Goldman's Pinstriped Blog
2: AAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGHHH!
You are right about one thing, you can't compare A-Rod with Ortiz. Since your last post on this subject Ortiz has won two more games with a single in the 11th and a HR in the 9th, while A-Rod has been flailing away helplessly. Ortiz is today's standard for the clutch hitter and A-Rod is the anti-Ortiz. We would love to see A-Rod come somewhere close to the Ortiz standard. You know so that teams won't keep walking Giambi to get to A-Rod in close games, or pitch to A-Rod in situations that would normally
dictate he be walked. Maybe the other managers are not "objective" about A-Rod either. Mike Mussina even suggested that he might need to step it up a bit, say to the Melky Cabrera level. I'd honestly rather see Cabrera up in a clutch situation than A-Rod. No Heart! — Tony
Why doesn't anyone want to compare David Ortiz to Jason Giambi? That would make a lot more sense than continually saying A-Rod isn't Ortiz. If Ortiz were a third baseman, there would be a point. If anyone were arguing that A-Rod should be the 2006 MVP over Ortiz there would be a point, but no one is. If the Yankees had signed A-Rod instead of Ortiz, there would be a point, but that didn't happen either. How about, A-Rod isn't Albert Pujols, or A-Rod isn't Lou Gehrig, or A-Rod isn't Ted Williams, or
A-Rod isn't a steak dinner at a four-star restaurant? You would be right on all counts and completely, totally irrelevant, because ain't none of 'em going to play third base for the 2006 New York Yankees.
If you want to debate A-Rod's failings, I'm open to that. My disapproval of the fans who act out against him doesn't mean that I think he's perfect. However, as with every other player on the Yankees, that discussion must begin with these questions: How does he compare to his peers at his position? Is there another player out there that would make the Yankees better? What is he actually doing for the Yankees?
Let's say A-Rod really has no heart. He's heartless. He's the Tin Man. Now that we've all agreed on that, where do we go from here? The players who presumably have hearts and are good are locked up. That leaves guys with hearts who can't hit or field even as well as a heartless A-Rod can.
After the season, the Yankees won't have much to trade, not that they could get Scott Rolen, Miguel Cabrera, or David Wright even if they do part with Phil Hughes and Jose' Ta'bata. Hot corner free agents will include David Bell, Pedro Feliz, Aubrey Huff, and Joe Randa. If you prefer those players to A-Rod you really are nuts. If you're not nuts, then what do you want?
I remember Dave Winfield getting a little of this after going 1-for-22 in the 1981 World Series. As I wrote in today's New York Sun (about Abreu, not A-Rod), just a couple of years after leaving the Yankees, Winnie had the game-winning hit in the World Series. As with Winfield, given more opportunities Rodri'guez may prove to have heart after all.
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 61.62.94.64