Brattain: A-Rod Should Shut Up Or Move
From The Hardball Times:
I do think he needs a change of scenery. He looked like a deer in the headlights during the LDS. He’ll always be under a microscope but maybe he can find one with a less penetrating lens. Until then the less he says and the more he plays like Alex Rodriguez the better off he’ll be.
I think Alex has too much Red Light Fever to be able to stop talking. But, maybe, if he could do it, it would help?
Moving him is a mistake, in my opinion. He has talent – the kind that doesn’t come along that often. The post-season thing will come around. Remember Barry Bonds? He used to get killed for being a playoff choker. Then, one big World Series in 2002 shut that all down. This is what Rodriguez needs – just one post-season series where he is the man. You can live off that. Make it a World Series, and it’s even better.
Reggie, Mr. October, hit .227 in 11 ALCS series (in 163 ABs!). No one talks about that thanks to the 1977 World Series.
WOW. Thanks, Steve – I never knew Jackson was that bad in LCS play.
That got me curious as to how good Reggie was in the World Series. So I looked it up:
Overall: .357/.457/.755
Year by year:
’73 vs NYM: .310/.355/.586
’74 vs LAD: .286/.474/.571
’77 vs LAD: .450/.542/1.250
’78 vs LAD: .391/.500/.696
’81 vs LAD: .333/.429/.667
Even if you take out ’77, damn. Why the drop off in LCS play, I wonder?
A-Rod has had two great postseason series: 2000 ALCS (.409/.480/.773) – but Seattle lost! – and 2004 ALDS (.421/.476/.737) – which most forget because of what happened next.
I think he needs to do it for the Yanks in the World Series, and like with Bonds, this crap will disappear.
Her’s a post over at nyyfans:
“Originally Posted by Little Big Sheff
You probably missed this :
Here are the stats of four major players on the Yankees in the 2004 and 2005 fiascos :
Player A : 19-70 3 HR 8 BB .271 / .342 / .428 / .770
Player B : 25-71 4 HR 7 BB .352 / .403 / .662 / 1.065
Player C : 18-65 3 HR 12 BB .277 / .420 / .508 / .928
Player D : 20-69 2 HR 8 BB .290 / .377 / .435 / .812
Who is who?
Player B is the target of all the scorn that you speak of. Rmemeber the ALDS last year when he DID cayy the team??
Guess not.
Remember how he was non clutch last year when he didn’t hit w/ risp in crucial times in the game. HE seems to have remedied that this year and now Jeter (9 or 10 last AB’s of a game w/ risp where he failed this year) does a worse job and gets no flack
I really don’t understand where all the ankle biting is coming from
Re: Jax, I had looked up the stats a while back.
Jeter’s postseason numbers line up with his career numbers.
Anyway, I don’t take too much stock in what the public thinks. No matter which way you cut it, the Yanks would be stupid to get rid of ARod.
He should do whatever he wants. He wants to talk, let him. He wants to clam up, let him. I’m not going to hammer him for postseason numbers when he put up the numbers he put up this season.
It’s all overblown/sensationalizing. It’d be stupid to move him. We have the best third baseman in baseball – by far – and we’d be nuts to try shipping him.
Piling on here, but I agree that it would be nuts to move Rodriguez. As much as the egg he laid in the ALDS this year stank to high heaven, if it weren’t for his consistent excellence during the regular-season grind, there wouldn’t have been any ALDS for the Yankees.
Wait, does the “it would be crazy to move him” discussion even have to be had? Isn’t that like saying “it’s foolish to hack your arm off with a chainsaw” or “it’s a dumb idea to lick the third rail.” I can’t believe that you guys are even dignifying Brittain’s ludicrous “change of scenery” comments.
I can’t believe that you guys are even dignifying Brittain’s ludicrous “change of scenery” comments.
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Brattain’s a good writer. You have to read the article for context.
He brings a hell of a lot more to the table than much of the crap that I’ve been seeing from area columnists.
I did read the article.
I agree with you on the chainsaw. lol