Not All Juiced For A-Rod’s 600th?
Ken Rosenthal, today, writes “A-Rod’s suddenly an afterthought” – and here’s a snip from that:
[Alex Rodriguez is] no longer is the best all-around player on his team; second baseman Robinson Cano holds that distinction. Nor is he even the best third baseman in his division; the Rays’ Evan Longoria has surpassed A-Rod and the Red Sox’s Adrian Beltre is having a better year.
Longoria, in only his third season, has beaten A-Rod to two straight All-Star elections. He also is more visible than Rodriguez as a commercial pitchman.
In fact, A-Rod ranks only ninth among baseball’s most marketable players according to a new survey by SportsBusiness Daily. Derek Jeter — surprise! — tops the list. David Wright, the other third baseman in New York, also ranks ahead of Rodriguez, in eighth place.
A-Rod’s 600th homer will not alter that dynamic.
The Yankees did not know that A-Rod had used steroids when they re-signed him in Dec. 2007. But, considering the excesses of the Steroid Era, they should have suspected that his place in history might not be secure.
Some marketing bonanza.
A-Rod is two homers shy of 600, and if fans are clapping at all, they’re clapping with one hand.
I’m starting to get the feeling that, when Rodriguez does hit #600, not all of the press coverage on this event is going to be favorable to Alex…
…and, in fact, maybe most of it is going to be negative. And, if so, I wonder if A-Rod will have any reaction to that?
If Alex does comment on the coverage, I just hope he carefully chooses his words…and doesn’t flame the whole thing into something worse.
Well, obviously, no press coverage of A-Rod is ever all favorable. It’s A-Rod, after all, right?
But I don’t buy the whole “clapping with one hand” bit. That’s Ken being a douche, as usual.
Rosenthal is looking at this with his usual “glass half empty” when it comes to A-Rod. I was surprised A-Rod made the top 10 of that marketable list at all, given the steroid issue. And he’s another one who assumes all Yankee fans hate A-Rod. He needs to get out more.
Lately when asked about #600 Arod has deferred to the team and just wanting to win games. I have no doubt he’ll continue to respond in this way. The Yanks have the best record in baseball. I honestly feel hes content with that.
@ lisaswan:
Absolutely right.
Not many have had more practice answering to negative articles about them so he’ll do fine with it if he sticks to the same answer he’s been giving. He’ll let other people be the judge and jury if they want to be and he’ll just focus on playing baseball.
One positive- There might be almost 600 people who sat in the cheap seats who would never have gotten a souvenir ball if not for Alex.
@ lisaswan:
I should add, this is typical of most writers in the mainstream media who simply project their own feelings onto their audience. They figure “well, if I hate A-Rod then surely most of my readers do too.” It’s the one thing about Peter Abraham that I really didn’t like back when he was with LoHud (he did an otherwise exceptional job).
I’m sure Alex will just be relieved to get another milestone behind him. I’ll be happy for him, I know that.
I’m not so sure that he has fallen behind Cano as the best on the team…..or Longoria for that matter.
Rosenthal is a very lame reporter and I wish MLB Network would quit using him on their nightly show.
I think Alex hits 2 tonight and the crowd will go crazy.
UNC Tarheel wrote:
Could be…you know how he gets when there’s a Halo on the hat of the pitcher.
Not to mention a newbie Halo pitcher
By the way, in the thread at River Ave. Blues on A-Rod’s upcoming 600th, the writer pointed out something I didn’t even think of…
A-Rod is already the all-time HR leader among players who were not outfielders, including all first-basemen in baseball history.
Oh, he just broke the tie with McGwire with his 1st HR this year.
I suppose Thome has a very tiny chance of overtaking him, if A-Rod’s career were to come to a sudden, very unfortunate end. Nobody else within 150 of him. If Pujols’ age is correct, he’s a good bet to get to 600.
I read that Kyle Davies, who gave up A-Rod’s 500th, will be the Royals starter on Saturday. Wouldn’t that be something if Alex is on 599 going into that one?
77yankees wrote:
That would be pretty sweet!