• Yanks Brass Worried About A-Rod?

    Posted by on May 17th, 2011 · Comments (16)

    Heyman tweets this AM on A-Rod:

    Wasn’t it just like six weeks ago where everyone thought his monster Spring was leading to another MVP type season?

    Filed under Possible Bad News · ·

    Comments on Yanks Brass Worried About A-Rod?

    1. MJ Recanati
      May 17th, 2011 | 9:05 am

      He’s probably not healed from the oblique strain. You don’t go from raking in Spring Training and April to looking 40 without a reason.

      Classic Heyman. Light a match, ignore context or further investigation, just watch the slow burn. Media is only paid to start trouble, not try to find answers.
    2. Steve Lombardi
      May 17th, 2011 | 9:24 am

      MJ Recanati wrote:

      He’s probably not healed from the oblique strain. You don’t go from raking in Spring Training and April to looking 40 without a reason.

      Jeter hit .304 this spring compared to A-Rod’s .388 this spring. Sometimes, with older players, Spring Training stats are just a matter of feasting on fastballs, rusty pitchers, and rookies.

      There’s a reason why people say we should ignore Spring Training and September stats. It’s not always an indication of a player’s ability to perform in more competitive conditions.
    3. Raf
      May 17th, 2011 | 9:34 am

      As hot as he was last month, is as cold as he is this month. Peaks and valleys of the season and all. Rodriguez should be fine.
    4. Steve Lombardi
      May 17th, 2011 | 9:41 am

      Raf wrote:

      As hot as he was last month, is as cold as he is this month. Peaks and valleys of the season and all. Rodriguez should be fine.

      Then again, look at A-Rod’s BA as a Yankee:

                         
Year   Age  PA   BA
2005    29 715 .321
2006    30 674 .290
2007    31 708 .314
2008    32 594 .302
2009    33 535 .286
2010    34 595 .270
2011    35 149 .242

      This could just be part of his migration from .320 hitter to .300 hitter to .290 hitter to .270 hitter to .250 hitter.
    5. MJ Recanati
      May 17th, 2011 | 10:14 am

      Steve Lombardi wrote:

      Jeter hit .304 this spring compared to A-Rod’s .388 this spring.

      Have it your way, let’s keep Spring Training out of it.

      How did Rodriguez do in April when the games counted?

      If you want to believe that Rodriguez just woke up one day and “turned 40″, you’re entitled to believe it. That’s not a particularly realistic scenario but if it works for you, go with it.
    6. antone
      May 17th, 2011 | 10:30 am

      His BABIP (.263 is over 50 points lower than his career BABIP (.317) However, it was low last year also (.274)

      The low BABIP seems to be driven by his obscenely low LD% of 10.9%. You would think this would come up, but last year it was only 13.8%, which is also low.

      It seems like he’s having trouble squaring the ball up with a level swing the past two seasons. Last year he hit more GB than usual (46% vs 42%) and this year he’s hitting more FB (46% vs 40%), but they aren’t leaving the park at his usual rate (12.8% vs 22.8%).

      I don’t think he stinks, but it’s possible he’s losing some power and is probably not a .300 hitter anymore. I still think he’ll come close to the same numbers he had last year. I’m not worried about him and if anyone expected better than something like .275 avg 30 HR coming into the season then they are nuts.
    7. MJ Recanati
      May 17th, 2011 | 12:33 pm

      @ antone:
      Agree with everything you wrote.
    8. agsf
      May 17th, 2011 | 3:25 pm

      @ MJ Recanati: “He’s probably not healed from the oblique strain. You don’t go from raking in Spring Training and April to looking 40 without a reason.”

      But that’s part of getting older: not being able to stay healthy over a long season. Working out and being in great shape and feeling great in spring is one thing. Playing day after day and keeping that feeling is quite another.

      To ignore his production by saying ‘it’s an injury’ is missing the forrest for the trees.
    9. Evan3457
      May 17th, 2011 | 4:56 pm

      A-Rod’s lost in time and space.

      He come out it, sooner or later.
    10. Steve Lombardi
      May 17th, 2011 | 5:46 pm

      agsf wrote:

      But that’s part of getting older: not being able to stay healthy over a long season. Working out and being in great shape and feeling great in spring is one thing. Playing day after day and keeping that feeling is quite another. To ignore his production by saying ‘it’s an injury’ is missing the forrest for the trees.

      Excellent point.
    11. Raf
      May 17th, 2011 | 7:19 pm

      Evan3457 wrote:

      A-Rod’s lost in time and space.
      He come out it, sooner or later.

      Maybe today?
    12. 77yankees
      May 17th, 2011 | 7:49 pm

      Jon Heyman tweets the earth is flat……

      A-Rod proves it’s still round.

      That is all.
    13. Evan3457
      May 17th, 2011 | 8:54 pm

      Raf wrote:

      Evan3457 wrote:
      A-Rod’s lost in time and space.
      He come out it, sooner or later.
      Maybe today?

      Sooner, rather than later.
    14. ken
      May 17th, 2011 | 9:52 pm

      “brass worried”??? It was the same ‘brass’ (aka Hankenstein) who signed the guy to the crazy contract he has now. Even if he has a couple of good years left, there will be many to follow at 40+++. Can’t wait.
    15. MJ Recanati
      May 17th, 2011 | 10:15 pm

      agsf wrote:

      To ignore his production by saying ‘it’s an injury’ is missing the forrest for the trees.

      Actually, no. Sometimes an injury — and not being fully healed — is just an injury.
    16. Raf
      May 18th, 2011 | 7:16 am

      Slumps happen. It’s the nature of the game.

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