BREAKING NEWS: A-ROD IS REALLY ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Friends,
As you probably have heard, Alex Rodriguez hasbeen humbled by a $275 10-year deal to remain a NY Yankee. The ESPN.com article reporting this news is a fascinating read on multiple levels, I strongly suggest you all read it. And by fascinating, I mean bewildering. Almost comical, in fact.
Friends, we now live in a world where the heads of Goldman Sachs are concerning themselves with the fortunes and futures of baseball players. And we also are told by the Yankees de facto head cheese that Alex Rodriguez is actually making a "sacrifice" by accepting this record-breaking deal.
As a baseball fan, I'm turned off by all of this information. As a closet populist, I am actually depressed that the pastoral game of baseball (although let's be honest, the game hasn't been true to itself for quite a few years) has become the plaything of billionaires. Alex Rodriguez will be worth a billion dollars one day, if it hasn't happened yet. I'm sorry, I refuse to call the guy "A-Rod" any longer. That nickname is a cover-up for his true nature. His real name is "Alex Rodriguez, Inc." And both parties are sorting out language on how to give Alex Rodriguez a bonus for breaking Barry Bonds' all-time home run record? What further incentive does a guy who makes $27 million a year need? This game is losing me, people.
As you probably have heard, Alex Rodriguez hasbeen humbled by a $275 10-year deal to remain a NY Yankee. The ESPN.com article reporting this news is a fascinating read on multiple levels, I strongly suggest you all read it. And by fascinating, I mean bewildering. Almost comical, in fact.
Friends, we now live in a world where the heads of Goldman Sachs are concerning themselves with the fortunes and futures of baseball players. And we also are told by the Yankees de facto head cheese that Alex Rodriguez is actually making a "sacrifice" by accepting this record-breaking deal.
As a baseball fan, I'm turned off by all of this information. As a closet populist, I am actually depressed that the pastoral game of baseball (although let's be honest, the game hasn't been true to itself for quite a few years) has become the plaything of billionaires. Alex Rodriguez will be worth a billion dollars one day, if it hasn't happened yet. I'm sorry, I refuse to call the guy "A-Rod" any longer. That nickname is a cover-up for his true nature. His real name is "Alex Rodriguez, Inc." And both parties are sorting out language on how to give Alex Rodriguez a bonus for breaking Barry Bonds' all-time home run record? What further incentive does a guy who makes $27 million a year need? This game is losing me, people.
posted by TheJackSack at 10:37 PM
9 Comments:
And let's not forget Bonds was indicted today...
It's a gray day for baseball.
Watermelon head. Ask and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find.
A friend of mine made a good point...actually, he used to be a member of this blog, we call him D-Bax. He explained in this obscene contract in terms of the money that will be made by the Yankees during A-Rod's breaking of Bonds record, should he remain healthy. That makes good sense from a marketing perspective.
But how many World Series will we win during that time? It seems crazy to think that A-Rod hinders that quest, but I'm not so certain.
Alex Rodriguez (formerly known as "A-Rod") helped get the Yankees to the postseason this past year. He is, without question, the MVP.
But D-Bax's point goes a little deeper if you think about it-- the Yankees will always be a financial success with a guy like Alex Rodriguez on their team. I wonder if Hal and Hank will lose much sleep over whether or not they win a World Series if the money keeps rolling in. Probably not much, if at all.
Geez, I just read what I've written above, and I'm getting way too cynical.
Maybe the Yankees should buy the Red Sox organization while they're at it. Shit, there I go again!
It gets even better; apparently A-Rod's old buddy warren buffett set the whole process in motion by getting the GS execs involved. What's the deal with buffett? Friends with bron-bron and A-Rod. Talk about 2 overated hacks. They're unbelievable talents, but not demi-gods, like an MJ.
I LOVE that boras got bitch slapped BTW.
Adam, I just want to say up front that I fully support the sentiment and spirit behind your "Alex Rodriguez" initiative, but as a very lazy man I might occasionally slip into the old vernacular.
But you raise an interesting question--one that will probably define the Yankees for the rest of our productive lives:
Do the new Steinbrenners care about winning as much as their old man?
Steiner, as long as you support my cause emotionally, I am content.
Let's talk about the old man for a bit...
Before he was banned from controlling the organization, I think a very different George Steinbrenner was running the show. This "commitment to excellence" theme that The Boss has been shouting is really something that became prevalent when they started winning post-94 strike. Gene Michael basically took control of the team while George was "away" and made some valuable baseball decisions that directly contributed to the championships from 96-00. I'm not slamming George here, but I sense that his desire to win and his ability to make decisions to that end are not entirely consistent (see the FA acquisitions from the late 80s and early 90s as well as the guys brought in post 2001). If George's sons are less dedicated to championships but better at allowing baseball people make those critical decisions, then I'll take that tradeoff any day.
I can't get over the quote at the end of the article by Hank.
"There are a few cynics who say, Well, he really couldn't get this there. Trust me, he would have gotten probably more. He is making a sacrifice to be a Yankee, there's no question. ... He showed what was really in his heart and what he really wanted."
I'm calling shenanigans. There is no other team that could afford $275 million+. He's just trying to calm everyone after Alex opted out. If this is any indication of how the new Steinbrenner Regime is going to run things. Then that's it.
Idiotic. Especially when you consider that he'll make much, much more than that with incentives.
And Adam, you're right. Which is why I thought the fact that they held Joe Torre to an impossible standard year after year was silly, in light of how much losing the Steinbrenners did before he showed up (hat tip to Stick and Buck and co. that turned the tide in 1993).
Post a Comment
<< Home