A-Rod Earns His Pinstripes (1 Viewer)

[Louis Badolato]

I have been down on A-Rod since he disappeared in the series against the Red Sox in 2004, the nadir of Yankee fans' existence.

It did not surprise me that he was on steroids, or that he couldn't tell the truth about it (none of them ever do).

I was convinced that he had all the physical talent, but none of the mental toughness necessary to be a true Yankee. We have always preferred the Lou Gehrigs, Thurman Munsons and Paul O'Neals of the world to the big name prima donnas our present GM Cashman keeps wasting money on (beginning with Giambi, the other steriod disgrace).

But, as I was watching the best pitched game I have ever personally witnessed, and A-Rod kept coming to the plate in walk off situations while staring down the longest homerless streak of his career and the ghost of Harmon Killebrew, I thought, you know, if he could somehow come through and win this game against the Red Sox, proving we could pitch with them as welll as hit with them, A-Rod would finally earn his pinstripes, and I would stop calling him A-Fraud.

And he did it. In the single most important game of the season, in the opportunity to kick the Red Sox while they were down (they are terribly beat up with injuries) like they had kicked us while we were down early in the season, he did it. In a classic game, which may very well decide the very close AL East Division, he did it. When the pressure was as high for the Yankees and the Red Sox as it can ever be outside of October, he did it. When he had never been able to do it before, he did it.

Welcome to the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez. I am pulling my number 2 home jersey out of the closet, where it has sat all summer, and I am putting it on tomorrow, to watch the next big game in the best rivalry in sports, and for the first time I will actually be pulling for, and cheering for, our clean up hitter.

What a game. I nearly had a heart attack about 10 different times.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Louis,

I was at my sons coach pitch game hoping it would not drag on till the end of the game tonight but unfortunately that wasnt the case I just hope the Sunday Evening Game will be as good we dont get a lot of them out in the western market unless of course they are in Seattle. So consider yourself blessed that you can watch the games live. I just hope that the Yankees will be able to keep it together to make it through the playoff and into the Series. However I have to disagree with the assessment of old A-rod. Until he shows up in the Post season he will not be a true Yankee like Munson or Mercer or Bucky Dent and Reggie and the host of others who were the big heros for me when I was growing up in Western Mass and listening to the Games on the Am Radio in the kitchen with Dad or when they were on the TV from NYC on WPIX, oh the good old days!

Sure looks like the American League East is heating up and will turn into a real show for us in the fall.

Dave

 

[Louis Badolato]

Dave,

You did not get a chance to watch last nights game, but it was a playoff. That first win was kind of a fluke, with the great John Smoltz (a player and a person I have always respected) demonstrating that at 42, and post major shoulder surgery, he just didn't have it any more. We needed last nights game to really establish that we could beat the Red Sox. The better both teams pitchers were, the more desperately both teams needed to win that game. By the time it went to extras, everyone watching realized that the team that lost this game was going to be terribly deflated.

With all of the great plays and missed chances in extra innings, the need to win grew to epic proportions. In the 7th inning, a walk and a catcher's interference put Red Sox on 1st and 2nd with nobody out, but Burnett (who gave up only one hit all night, a lead off bloop single that a good right fielder would have caught), pitched out of it. In the 8th inning, the Red Sox's rookie left fielder missed a second deck home run by about a foot fowl. In the 13th inning, Victor Martinez hit one to the wall that looked like a home run off the bat, but Hinske made the catch. Later in the inning, A-Rod robbed Big Poppie of a line drive double down the line on a great running stab.

It seemed like every inning, my favorite player, Derek Jeter came to the plate with runners in scoring position and two out, but failed to get the clutch hit. Then in the 14th inning, with one out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Hinske was robbed of a game winning walk off RBI hit by an amazing play by J.D. Drew. In the next at bat, Melky Cabrera missed a walk off hit down the right field line by less than two inches fowl (the replay showed it was about 1/3 of the width of the ball away from the chalk line) before making out.

The whole season (and indeed, domination of the AL East since 2004) changed last night, and Yankees passed the Red Sox as the best team, restoring order to the universe. I am going to make a bold prediction: if the Yankees can complete a sweep of this 4 game series, not only are the going to win the East, they are going to win it all. And, last night A-Rod showed mental toughness and earned a part in it.

 

[4th Hussar]

I will be going to next Saturday's game -NYY vs Seattle. ARod always wusses out in Seattle. evidently the lack of love from the crowd hurts his self esteem. Hopefully his pouting won't bring down the rest of the team. I was not a ARod fan when he was a Mariner and was sorry to see him become a Yankee

 

[Louis Badolato]

As an aside on this thread, I mentioned that they all lie about using performance enhancing drugs, but David Ortiz has reached a new level of B.S.

Yesterday, before disappearing again in a game where his team got shut out, Mr. Ortiz claimed he never bought or used steroids, and that the positive test in 2003 resulted from his careless use of supplements.

Lets have a quick glance at Mr. Ortiz's statistics from the years surrounding his 2003 positive test:

Minesota:

2000 10 HR, .282 Batting Average 130 Games
2001 18 HR .234 Batting Average 89 Games
2002 20 HR .272 Batting Average 125 Games

Boston:

2003 31 HR .288 Batting Average 129 Games
2004 41 HR .301 Batting Average 150 Games
2005 47 HR .300 Batting Average 159 Games
2006 54 HR .287 Batting Average 151 Games

Gee, prior to 2003 he was a light hitting approximately .260 hitter, who never hit more than 20 homers in a season (in a pitchers park against weak American league central pitching - all of the best pitchers in the central in those seasons were on the Twins), but from 2003 (when he tested positive) until 2006 he averaged .293 and 43 homers a year (against far better American League East pitching). And look at his numbers this year, a season after two Red Sox trainers were caught with bags of steroids in their cars in the players parking lot, and an investigation was launched into the Red Sox steroid use. He's batting in the .219 on a pace to hit 22 homers. Quite a monumental raise in power production from 2003 through 2006, and quite a precipitous drop off in batting average and power production since.

I think Mr. Ortiz is mistaken about using steroids . . . he's mistaken through his teeth.

 

[jazzeum]

You can dissect this that way and this way but let's face it the whole game was tainted so everything and everybody is suspect. Maybe Ortiz became juiced after he left the Twins, maybe not. Who is to know.

All I can hope that is that the use of the word "was" is correct but I doubt it.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

It was great seeing the Yankees thump the Sox this weekend it makes up for a really poor showing earlier in the season. I was tempted to go to a Game at Safeco but the prices were ridiculas they raise the prices for these games because they always sell out and it will be 80% Yankee Fans in the seats I saw them play here two season ago and the game was great.

Now on to the hot topic of roids and who used them. I thought it was amazing that the Red Sox seemed to be the only team in all of baseball that didnt have a single player make the list that was the big story not so long ago, of course it helps if the guy making the list works for the Red Sox so imagine my surprise when it turns out the Manny and Big Pappi and I am sure a few others have made the hall of shame. I had many heated discussions with my friends from Home who are sox fans and now I get to say I told you so... It makes me feel better but still I think the whole thing has made the Commissioner and Baseball in general look stupid.

They need to change the rules and make the punishment for use over the top like they did with Pete Rose for his gambling issues, who should be in the Hall for his achievements on the field. I think these guys all owe the fans an apology and maybe they need to be excluded from the Hall for this or perhaps have an * by their records, it difficult to say one way or the other but the folks who have tested positive really are heels and have tainted a beautiful game.

Sorry if I seem so angry by this but its hard to teach the game to my 7 year old and tell him to do the right things and not take drugs etc and you will be a great player some day. Maybe not, but a dad can dream right? I want my son to have his heros like I did when I was a kid. I just hope the guy he likes right now never has a positive test because I sure dont want to try and explain that. Big Papi and A-rod and the others should have to tell all the kids who are their fans sorry I was stupid for money... maybe after they look into the eyes of a disappointed kid they will come to realize just how really bad it was that they took Steroids.

Dave

 

[jazzeum]

Dave,

What's amazing is that I now hear fans wanting to just drop the issue, saying they all did it and let's forget about it. It's a stain on the game. Interestingly, one of the WFAN hosts note that this happens in football but no one seems to get all perturbed about it. Maybe, it's because baseball is embedded in our national consciousness and reminds us of a gentler time. There was a comic who just passed away (and it's killing me that I can't remember his name) but he said that you play baseball on a field while football is on a gridiron, ultimately drawing the parallel between a more serene game and a more military type of game.

 

[lancer]

Dave,

What's amazing is that I now hear fans wanting to just drop the issue, saying they all did it and let's forget about it. It's a stain on the game. Interestingly, one of the WFAN hosts note that this happens in football but no one seems to get all perturbed about it. Maybe, it's because baseball is embedded in our national consciousness and reminds us of a gentler time. There was a comic who just passed away (and it's killing me that I can't remember his name) but he said that you play baseball on a field while football is on a gridiron, ultimately drawing the parallel between a more serene game and a more military type of game.

Brad, that comedian was George Carlin. It was a great bit. -- Al

 

[lancer]

It would seem a few NYY players earned their money this weekend. Still a long way to go but the Sox need to get a grip if they want to make the post-season. I'm sure it will still be NYY vs. Red Sox when it comes down to it, though.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Dave,

I completely agree with you about the steroids. Bans from the hall of fame, asterisks in the record book, season long suspensions for the first offense and permanent bans for any further offenses are necessary. If they could find a test for Human Growth Hormone, and instituted mandatory testing of all players every month 12 months a year, I bet you would find that 90% of the hitters who hit 25+ homers in a season since 1990, and 90% of the pitchers throwing 95+ MPH since 1990 are all on the juice.

All I have heard on talk radio this morning is how Boston is dead, they can't hit, their bullpen and rotation stink, etc. And all I can respond is are you out of your minds?!! Did you watch the same series I did? Three of the four games could have gone either way, and were very well pitched by the Red Sox starters and relievers. Their lineup was severely injured, and, without the benefit of steroids David Ortiz has returned to his pre-2003 lack of prowess, but if you take Ortiz out of the lineup, when Bay gets healthy, the lineup of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Yukelis, Victor Martinez, and Bay is still one of the best in the majors. The one weakness in the Red Sox is the fact that due to injuries, they really have no 4th or 5th starters right now. The Yankees were fortunate to catch this team while it was down, and had to play awesome to beat it up they way they did.

That being said, what a historic weekend!! The first 4 game sweep of the Red Sox in the Bronx since 1985. Only the 6th walkoff homerun ending a 0-0 game in 15 innings or later in the history of basball, and the first since 1975 (bringing comparisons to the game where Juan Marichel and Warren Spaun locked up in a 16th inning thriller in 1967 won by a Willie Mays walkoff homer). The longest streak of shutout innings by the Yankees against the Red Sox (31 innings) since 1953. And what a comeback last night! The 6th (most ever in a single season by Yankees team mates) set of back to back homeruns by Damon and Teixiera, and a huge clutch hit by Nick Swisher to tack on 2 more runs, all with two outs in the 8th inning, against Bard, a terrific young reliever who throws 98 to 100 MPH. I have not enjoyed a weekend of baseball this much outside of October in my life!

 

[lancer]

It was a great weekend for NYY fans. As to the Marichal-Spahn duel, it was July 2, 1963, in San Fran. Mays hit a first pitch screwball for a HR to left field with one out in the bottom of the 16th inning. Marichal and Spahn both went the distance in this 1-0 SF win. IMO this is easily the best pitched game in modern baseball history. -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

It was a great weekend for NYY fans. As to the Marichal-Spahn duel, it was July 2, 1963, in San Fran. Mays hit a first pitch screwball for a HR to left field with one out in the bottom of the 16th inning. Marichal and Spahn both went the distance in this 1-0 SF win. IMO this is easily the best pitched game in modern baseball history. -- Al

Thanks for correcting me on the spelling and the date, it was before I was born, and I didn't remember the date correctly. And I agree that the Marichal-Spahn game was the best pitched in modern history, they are both Hall of Famers, and deservedly so. It took Mays, the second best player in baseball history (after Babe Ruth) to finally beat one of them.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I would be remiss in failing to mention two things:

1. Mark Teixiera is the best first basemen the Yankees have had since Henry Louis Gehrig, and that includes Don Mattingly, one of my all time favorite players. His defense is flawless, and he is leading the American League in Homeruns and is second in RBI's. He saves at least 2 throwing errors on the rest of the infield every game. He is the only possible candidate for American League MVP this season.

2. A-Rod continued his clutch hitting Sunday night, becoming the first player in Major League History to hit home runs to break a zero-zero tie in the 7th inning of later in two consecutive games.

 

[lancer]

I first became "baseball aware" as a 7 year old in 1960, the summer of the M&M boys. I have been a baseball fan ever since and a NYY fan in particular. Mantle was my biggest hero but I loved Mays and Marichal out in SF, too. In general baseball has been a life long passion with only a few bumps in the road such as free-agency, strikes, and steroids. All these afflictions came post 1970 after my interest had been cemented by the players of the 50's and 60's. I will always be a fan of baseball and the NYY along with the Orioles and now the Nationals but I sure wish I could have the baseball of the 60's back again. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Not sure I'm ready to say he's better than Mattingly who was the best overall first baseman of his era. Not exactly comparable because it was a different age but Bill Skowron was a hell of a first baseman.

 

[Louis Badolato]

If Mantle had healthy legs (and Billy Martin had not been on the team so Mantle was not hung over every day), he might have been as good or even better than Mays.

Brad,

I love Mattingly, and would consider him as very nearly on a par with Big Tex, but Tex is one of only a hand full of players (all present or future hall of famers) who hit at least 25 home runs in each of their first 9 seasons, and he plays the best defense at first base I have ever seen.

However, as you are a Mets fan, I am surprised you think Mattingly was the best first basemen of his era, as he played at the same time as Keith Hernandez, who was, in my opinion, just as good as Mattingly, except in power numbers.

Moose Skowron was also a great player, but years before my time. Like Lou Gehrig, I can only rely on statistics and a few black and white clips to judge them as players.

Statistically, Lou Gehrig is the greatest Yankee First basemen, way better than Teixiera, with a career .335 batting average, and, in a tragically shortened career, 490+ home runs. Moose Skowron's stats are pretty darn good too, but not better than Teixiera's.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi louis,

The Moose was awesome according to my old man who saw him live at the Stadium several times over the years. I was a pretty big fan of Chris Chambliss and I liked Blomberg too but he was off again on again and a DH or Outfielder so it was a rollercoaster for good defensive players at 1st. Not like some of the other positions to be sure I often think it is an over looked position for many teams since the larger % of hits go to 3rd and Short. Still its always good to see Moose mentioned.


All the best

Dave

 

[Rutledge]

For any White Sox fans:

Gordon Beckham Sr grew up in Atlanta. He played quarterback at our arch rival high school, Westminster, which went on to win the state championship in '79, his senior year.

I did not know Gordon, but many of my friends did. His son, also named Gordon Beckham, grew up here too and went on to play baseball at the Univ of Ga. He is now the starting 3rd baseman for the White Sox and doing quite well - over .300 ba, and even dating Ms Illinois, I understand.

Man, good genes in that family.

 

[jazzeum]

Louis,

I think overall Mattingly was the best. However, defensively, Keith was better (but not by much) but obviously not as good a hitter as Donnie. It's a shame neither are in the Hall.