I Don't Like Alex Rodriguez

8 Thoughts on Steroids in Baseball for 2/11/2009 #2

I could give a million reasons why I don't feel the least bit sorry for Alex Rodriguez, even though he was most certainly wronged by the revelation of his steroid use. I haven't liked him since he signed that obscene contract with the Rangers before the 2001 season, and pretended it was about more than the money. Sorry dude, nobody with a brain ever bought that.

I can remember in the run up to the 2001 season the clearly bitter comments from A-Rod about the Mets's GM at the time, Steve Phillips. Clearly, Rodriguez was upset that the Mets didn't want to go into hock for him. Neither did the Mariners, who also left A-Rod bitter.

When he arrived in New York, he was in the press every day and his real personality was on display. He was sour. He was moody. Worst of all, especially for Yankee fans, he had a tendency to come up short in the division series. Yes, when his team has made it to the ALCS, he hit .315, but in the division series he's only managed to hit .258 which helps explain the four times his team failed to make it to the ALCS. He was expected to lead the Rangers and then the Yankess to the World Series, instead, his Yankess have fallen in three straight division series, and last year missed the playoffs. All of this can't be blamed on A-Rod, but he has played his part.

Yes, I don't like A-Rod, but I'm going to defend him a bit today. You see, with or without steroids, he is clearly one of the greatest players in the history of the game. More later.