Is A-Rod The First?
Posted by Steve L. on October 29th, 2007 · Comments (2)
I know that “Free Agency” in baseball, as we know it today, has “only” been around for 32 years. Still, thinking about it today, I believe that Alex Rodriguez is the first “mega-star” in his “prime” to walk away from the Yankees, clean, as a Free Agent. Can anyone think of another?
Reggie Jackson was 35 when he left – and on the back-end of his career. Is Mike Torrez considered a “mega-star”? How about Oscar Gamble? No one really comes to mind. Goose Gossage may be the closest one. But, he’s not in the A-Rod class, in my opinion.
Having someone like A-Rod, at his current age and production level, just walking away from the Yankees just does not happen very often – or, maybe even never before, no?
Pettitte, perhaps? I know that supposedly he wasn’t pursued hard enough by the Yankees, but he *was* only 31 when he left…
I thought about him – but, even as much as I love Andy, he’s not in the HOF class that A-Rod’s in.