Via Richard Griffin –
What’s most important to Yankee fans is that A-Rod has had a stunning season on the field and deserves serious consideration for AL MVP. After missing the first 28 games while recovering from hip surgery, he returned on May 8 as New York sat third in the AL East with a record of 13-15. The rest of the way the Bombers went 90-44.
Consider that in the sixth inning of the season’s final game, he hit a three-run homer and a grand slam to finish with 30 homers and 100 RBIs for the 12th straight season. In the dugout as the inning was unfolding, he told teammates he would need a slam in order to do it. Then he went out and hit one.
A-Rod hit 15 homers and had 50 RBIs that either tied a game or put the Yankees in the lead. He has had six walk-off homers in his Yankee career. While A-Rod was out of action rehabbing his hip, prized free-agent acquisition Mark Teixeira struggled. As soon as Rodriguez returned, Teixeira took off and ended the season tied for the AL lead in homers with 39 and leading the league in RBIs with 122.
A-Rod’s image turnaround started with his mea culpa press conference at the start of spring training in which he confessed to limited steroid use, much as Andy Pettitte had the spring before. If fans forgave Pettitte, and they did, it would have been hypocritical not to cut A-Rod some slack, even though his confession was full of holes.
The exclamation point to his personal reclamation came in Game 1 against the Twins. Riding a 29-at-bat hitless streak with runners on base and with just one post-season RBI in 13 games since 2004, Rodriguez lined a two-out single into the gap in left-centre. As he rounded first, he gave a huge fist-pump of relief and the crowd, in turn, gave him a thunderous ovation.
“The only person who can change you is you,” Mr. October said in wrapping up his evaluation of A-Rod’s turnaround. “He’s signed up. If you evolve in New York, you become a hero. The people want him to be a hero – it’s that simple.”
Here’s what I don’t get…
In 2007, his “opt-out” season, A-Rod had one of the best seasons that a big league batter could hope to ever post. And, that season, he was huge in the clutch, winning games with big hits, left and right…
And, in Game 1 of the 2007 ALDS, Rodriguez wasn’t terrible – walking twice in four plate appearances…
So, to date, what’s the difference between 2007 and 2009 for A-Rod. Both clutch seasons, both decent starts in the ALDS, etc. And, this leads to this question: Should we have been saying, after Game 1 of the 2007 ALDS, that Alex had “evolved” and had become a “hero”?
If “no,” then why are we hearing it now? If “yes,” then, why are we saying it again now? This is either a non-story or a repeated story, when you consider 2007, etc., and do the compare…
8 Responses to “A-Rod’s A Hero, But, Haven’t We Heard That Before?”
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October 9th, 2009 at 9:38 am
This is a story, plain and simple. It’s one of the fluff pieces that fill column inches because every sports page has to have at least two or three stories about the Yankees in October.
The only significance to A-Rod’s performance in Game 1 of this year’s ALDS was that he got two RBI and broke a streak of AB’s where he hadn’t driven in any runners that were on base. It doesn’t mean he’s an MVP and it doesn’t mean he’ll perform in Game 2 or any other game. It only means he broke a personal slump and gives people hope that maybe the statistical anomaly he endured is now behind him and he can now use the law of averages to his advantage. He’s due…and if he goes on a roll, look out Twins, Angels/Red Sox.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Question: So, to date, what’s the difference between 2007 and 2009 for A-Rod?
Answer: Perception
There is no difference. It is also not possible to judge a player based upon one game (or series).
A-Rod could hypothetically go 8 for his next 8 with 8 hrs and 32 RBI against the Twins….giving him 10 for 12 with 34 RBI’s…..and be a hero
Next series: 0 for 12…..and be a goat.
Together he bats .500 with 34 RBI’s in 2 series………hero??
It is all about perception.
October 9th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Yep, it’s a repeated non story, page filler, as MJ said.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Well, for starters, don’t you think a couple of hits producing some runs is much better than a couple of walks? What am I missing here? This seems too obvious, given his situation of “not producing” in the post season and then, well, coming up big…
October 9th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Maybe the HR he hit tonight is the reason.
Hero THAT.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Yes, tonight, the blue lips beat the blowing lips, A-Rod over Nathan, huh?
October 10th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Evan3457 Says:
October 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
(from the thread In October, The Pen Is Mightier Than All?)
I wish I was as smart everyday as I was 3 days ago.
October 10th, 2009 at 12:49 am
Oh, and then there was this…
Evan3457 Says:
October 5th, 2009 at 10:19 p.m.
(from the thread More Of Less From A-Rod In This LDS?)
…with an outside shot of having a very good ALDS against the weaker starters both teams offer outside of Verlander. Perhaps one big hit in each series that has a large positive impact on a game.