What happened Alex?

 

   Sunday came, Sunday went. What happened Sunday? Olympics in Rio were happening, baseball was being played, and football season was in reach. O Yea. . . Alex Rodriguez announced he will be playing his last game for the Yankees (and maybe baseball) this coming Friday. With all of the transition the Yankees are going thru, I find it only fit that this happened. Even though this was right to happen, why is his last come on Friday? Why not take the Mark Teixeria path and wait until the end of the season? There are so many questions to ponder. Let’s get some popcorn and dig into this topic.

   We all know that A-Rod is not the player he was 5 years ago, or even 3 years ago. He has had 2 hip surgeries (thanks to PEDs), which limited him to the DH role. There was a whole debacle that happened 3 years ago when everything with Biogenesis occurred. He was on a mission at that time. He was suing the Yankees, their doctors, and MLB. When he realized there was no fluidity, the suspension was finally accepted. Come spring training of last season, he said and did all the right things. He had a monster come back year hitting .250 with 33 home runs. During the World Series, he had critical acclaim while being an analyst for Fox. What a comeback of a season right?

  Now let’s fast forward to the 2016 season. He comes into spring training assuming the DH role. He starts out the season not really hitting so well. If you had someone of A-Rod’s caliber on your team, wouldn’t you give him a chance regardless of age and health? I certainly would. Carlos Beltran gets injured and is limited in the field, so after his DL stint he starts at the DH role. Beltran becomes red hot and Joe keeps him there. The question then became, “What happens to Alex?” Joe was trying to put the best team on the field in order to contend. Something like that is very understandable.

   Coming out of the All Star Break, Yankees seemed like they were still on fire. Then they played the lowly Rays and got swept. This is when Hal gave Brian Cashman the go ahead to start selling before the trade deadline. First came Chapman, Miller and then Beltran. It was obvious the team was in transition. Even after trading Beltran, Joe still did not start Alex. What is going on here?? Rumors started circulating that maybe the Yankees would release him.

  After all of this, we find out this past Friday that Mark Texeira is going to retire at the end of the season. He felt like his body betrayed him. As much as he loved baseball, he could not handle it. I remember putting my son to sleep on Saturday night and a report comes out that there will be a press conference with A-Rod on Sunday. The speculation really began to fly around the media. Low and behold, we find out on Sunday that Friday against Tampa will be his last game and he will become a “Special Advisor” to the Yankees. This is when all the questions started flying.

  Here’s my first and most important question, why not wait until the end of the season? Why now? I understand that he has not been playing much, but the rosters expand on September 1^st. Wouldn’t it be beneficial for the younger players if he was on the roster until of the end of the season. He can continue to mentor Didi, Starlin Castro, and Gary Sanchez. More importantly, what is the FREAKIN difference between A-Rod and Tex taking up a roster spot? When Tex announced his retirement, how come they didn’t ask him to step away now? They could have brought up 2 players to the Majors instead of 1.

   Yesterday, I was listening to the Michael Kay Show and Hal Steinbrenner was on the show. He said that it was mutual and gave A-Rod as many as 4 or 5 days to make a decision. He said if A-Rod came back and said no, he would go to Cashman and Girardi and go to the drawing board again. I know A-Rod has been a headache for the Yankees over the years, even though he won 2 MVPS and a World Series ring, but wouldn’t you be doing him and your team an injustice with this release now?

   I don’t agree with everything that A-Rod has done to enhance his career, but if you’re going to this to him why not everyone else? I am a huge Yankees fan and overall I love the direction they are going in with the team. My only issue is that management needs to be on the same page on how to execute everything. After seeing everything unravel, the Yankees should have let A-Rod play the season out, like Tex, and then do this at the end of the season. As well, if they are doing this with Alex, Tex is retiring, I will not be shocked to CC next on the chopping block! Can we say officially say the New Young Yankees and not New York Yankees? Let us see if this works.