For all my problems with him, I can't say I'm disappointed to have Arod back in pinstripes. While he has yet to prove himself in the playoffs, and perhaps never will, at least he'll provide the offensive production needed to get to the playoffs consistently. It's pitching that wins once you are there anyway. As has been well documented throughout the baseball world, Scott Boras (Arod's agent) misread the market in a profound way, but it goes much deeper than that. Scott Boras the 'super-agent' with the super-ego has been dealt the first major blow of his career. I won't go into great detail
because you can read about this reality in any number of places, but it brings a certain amount of joy to my heart that Dr. Evil has finally been served a fair serving of humble pie. As I already mentioned, he misread the market, he humiliated his star client, and in the end lost money for Arod (and himself). Since the Yankees lost the help they previously had from the Texas Rangers in paying Arod's contract they refused to go as high as they were offering Arod before he opted out. So in addition to the fact that it solidified him even further as one of the most hated players in all of sports, it also cost him millions of dollars when all is said and done. Fortunately for Arod, his image will be helped by the reality that he bypassed Boras to get word to the Yankees that he wanted to stay in the Bronx and never flinched at the idea of taking less money than was originally offered. I don't envy Arod should he slump at any point early in the year, this certainly didn't help a player whose relationship, whether it is fair or not, has never been particularly solid with his hometown fans. Hopefully, for the Yankees sake, Girardi can be as effective as Torre was in minimizing the negative effect Arod might continue to have on the clubhouse.
It makes sense for Arod to come back. I was pretty surprised to begin with when Arod opted out without even negotiating with the Yankees. For a man who has a tremendous amount of ego and understands his place in history as a ballplayer he must have some idea of the legacy he would leave as a player without any true team. To retire as a member of the Angels, having played on 3 other major league clubs, as he enters the Hall of Fame with an A on his cap is certainly impressive, but not as impressive as staying with the Yankees. Now he will be the best player on the team as the Yankees open their new stadium, he will break every record imaginable in pinstripes, and whether the fans warm to him or not, will be remembered along with the plethora of other players who played for the Yankees and must be mentioned in the conversation of 'The Best Ever'. The fans have been fickle regarding Arod thus far, but what it really comes down to is the post-season. If Arod can start playing well in October all will be forgiven and Arod will be a hero. Yet, if he continues to leave runners on base, strike out like it's his job, and turn from a regular season offensive powerhouse into a gaping hole in the lineup once the leaves turn he will continue to suffer the tension of restless fans. Either way, he'll be getting paid well for his effort, if not quite as well as he might have.
because you can read about this reality in any number of places, but it brings a certain amount of joy to my heart that Dr. Evil has finally been served a fair serving of humble pie. As I already mentioned, he misread the market, he humiliated his star client, and in the end lost money for Arod (and himself). Since the Yankees lost the help they previously had from the Texas Rangers in paying Arod's contract they refused to go as high as they were offering Arod before he opted out. So in addition to the fact that it solidified him even further as one of the most hated players in all of sports, it also cost him millions of dollars when all is said and done. Fortunately for Arod, his image will be helped by the reality that he bypassed Boras to get word to the Yankees that he wanted to stay in the Bronx and never flinched at the idea of taking less money than was originally offered. I don't envy Arod should he slump at any point early in the year, this certainly didn't help a player whose relationship, whether it is fair or not, has never been particularly solid with his hometown fans. Hopefully, for the Yankees sake, Girardi can be as effective as Torre was in minimizing the negative effect Arod might continue to have on the clubhouse.
It makes sense for Arod to come back. I was pretty surprised to begin with when Arod opted out without even negotiating with the Yankees. For a man who has a tremendous amount of ego and understands his place in history as a ballplayer he must have some idea of the legacy he would leave as a player without any true team. To retire as a member of the Angels, having played on 3 other major league clubs, as he enters the Hall of Fame with an A on his cap is certainly impressive, but not as impressive as staying with the Yankees. Now he will be the best player on the team as the Yankees open their new stadium, he will break every record imaginable in pinstripes, and whether the fans warm to him or not, will be remembered along with the plethora of other players who played for the Yankees and must be mentioned in the conversation of 'The Best Ever'. The fans have been fickle regarding Arod thus far, but what it really comes down to is the post-season. If Arod can start playing well in October all will be forgiven and Arod will be a hero. Yet, if he continues to leave runners on base, strike out like it's his job, and turn from a regular season offensive powerhouse into a gaping hole in the lineup once the leaves turn he will continue to suffer the tension of restless fans. Either way, he'll be getting paid well for his effort, if not quite as well as he might have.
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