A-Rod Cashing In On A Big Night

Bob Raissman and Michael Kay have been going at each other for a while. It’s to the point now where: a) it’s really annoying and b) you have to wonder if they actually do like each other and just do this so the two of them have something to talk/write about.

In any event, in the latest shot fired from Raissman, we have this bit of news:

No sooner had Kay advised listeners not to hold the $25 million per against A-Rod, ESPN-1050 aired a commercial for a Rodriguez autographed ball commemorating his three-homer, 10-RBI night.

Yes, less than 24 hours after he hit the three homers a company called “A-Rod Authenticated” was selling this “once in a lifetime” autographed baseball, complete with Rodriguez’s Tuesday night stat line, for $399. Order quickly. Only “113″ basballs are available.

Does A-Rod really need the $45,000 that this is going to generate? Actually, he probably gets less than that - as the outfit pitching these balls gets a cut too. Why not just pass on the offer and avoid the possibility of being painted as a memorabilia-whore?

I have a friend who likes to refer to A-Rod as “Me-Rod” - and, I’m starting to think that my friend might be right.

This saddens me since A-Rod was once one of my favorite non-Yankee players (before he came to NY). Among all the Yankee pictures on the wall in my personal office, I even have a 16×20 of Alex, batting, in an M’s uniform. Other than Ripken and Aaron, A-Rod is the only non-Yankee to share the walls with Bucky, Reggie, Thurman, Boone, Bernie, Torre, Mickey, Matsui, and Paulie. So, you can imagine how excited I was when he joined the Yankees. Now, I read stuff about him like this and it’s a huge turn-off.

I would expect this stuff from someone like Jim Leyritz. A-Rod has 25 million reasons to be above it.

April 29, 2005 | Filed Under Embarrassing The Stripes

Comments

8 Responses to “A-Rod Cashing In On A Big Night”

Jen on April 29th, 2005 4:17 pm

A caller brought this up on Steven A. Smith’s show earlier in the day. Smith refused to talk about it claiming he hadn’t heard the promo yet so he couldn’t comment on it.

I’m just holding out hope that this money is also going to charity. I checked his website but it still has a promo for the Bonds thing.
Steve Lombardi on April 29th, 2005 4:28 pm

Thanks Jen. That was my hope out of the chute too - that the money would go to charity. Nada on that yet. I was hard on A-Rod, and Bonds, back when they did that show together - and then reversed on Alex when I heard it was going to charity. Let’s hope this turns out the same way.
Clay on April 29th, 2005 5:44 pm

On a thread at baseballprimer.com:

Ok, so M&M are blasting arod and steiner sports for selling $300 balls signed regarding the 10 RBI game.

Sweeney Murti calls in and says Arod didn’t sign anything.

AROD is all outraged and stuff.

Sounds like Steiner signed some balls at some point and Steiner is cheating a bit.

Apparently, its already off the website.

this should be good
Clay on April 29th, 2005 5:48 pm

I haven’t verified any of this, but if so it’s just creepy marketing by Steiner Collectibles and nothing to do with A-Rod.
Steve Lombardi on April 29th, 2005 9:34 pm

Thanks Clay. Steiner is supposed to be 1st rate - and, they have a partnership now with the Yankees. It would be incredibly stupid for them to pull a stunt like this.
Jen on April 29th, 2005 11:40 pm

Steiner had nothing to do with it. It’s A-Rod Authenticated that put it out. Alex has since disbanded the company.

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050429&content_id=1032560&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy

The Steiner guy was on Michael Kay’s show as I was driving to the stadium. He was basically explaining how his company deals with its players and that they approach them first before they do anything.
Clay on April 29th, 2005 11:47 pm

Yeah, I just now got back home and read the same article on mlb.com that you linked to. Guilty party is ARod Authenticated, not Steiner.
Steve Lombardi on April 30th, 2005 8:37 am

Thanks guys. It didn’t sound right that it was Steiner….like I said, too much at risk for them to pull this stunt.