Better off without A-Rod? Not likely
by Ed Valentine on Mar 9, 2009 8:28 AM EDT
in New York Yankees News
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PrintIan O'Connor recently voiced the opinion that Alex Rodriguez' injury and absence for a few weeks might actually be a good thing for the New York Yankees.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports scoffs at that notion. Here is part of his argument.
Let's put to immediate rest this ridiculous notion that the Yankees will somehow be better off without Alex Rodriguez.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Rodriguez could get re-married and divorced again, simultaneously date J-Lo, Britney and Pink and admit to using steroids from the age of 5, and he still would be one of the best players in the game.
The Yankees need him — badly. They can find a stopgap at third base and patch together a lineup while he misses the first part of the season. But if Rodriguez does not return from hip surgery as the A-Rod of old — or something close to it — then the team will be in trouble.
Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu — all posted on-base percentages of .370 or better last season while combining for 87 homers and 299 RBIs. Giambi and Abreu left as free agents. Rodriguez is now questionable. Mark Teixeira cannot replace all three.
The offense already had offensive issues; the Yankees finished only seventh in the American League in runs last season. Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui are coming off surgeries. Either Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera will likely be a below-average producer in center field. And Teixeira, for all his gifts, is a .259 career hitter in April. ...
The Yankees need A-Rod. They need him healthy. And they need him soon.
Is this 'we won't miss A-Rod' sentiment the same kind of wishful thinking New York Giants' fans used last season when they brushed off the loss of Plaxico Burress after his self-inflicted gunshot? I know I was guilty of that, and the Giants missed the star wideout big-time as the season unfolded. I think there is no denying the Yankees will miss A-Rod, even if we know he is an idiot and wish the team had let him walk before the 2008 season.
Cody Ransom is a 33-year-old guy with less than 200 major-league at-bats, which means nobody has ever thought he was very good. Even if they bring in an experienced guy like Mark Teahan via trade, that will cost them a prospect or two they would really rather hang onto.
Other than the fact that we might get a break from the A-Rod soap opera for a while, there is nothing else good for the Yankees about his being out of the lineup.
- A quick note about Mark Melancon, my adopted Yankee for the spring. He has now pitched four scoreless innings (in four appearances) this spring. He has given up just two hits and struck out four. When do we start thinking the young right-hander might have a shot at making the big club out of spring training?
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We can always hope
…that our new rotation can dominate and lessen the blow of losing A-rod. Anyone who thinks the Yanks are better without him is an idiot.
Agreed
We have to hope pitching and defense win for this team. W/out A-Rod the middle of the lineup is filled w/question marks. The only sure thing is Teixeira.
by Ed Valentine on Mar 9, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Well the other sure thing is that Tex usually sucks in April, so that may
not be much of a consolation.
Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin
Better Off
without the interminable soap opera that is A-Rod—YES. Better off without his Offensive numbers—as we say down South, not only No but Hell NO!
"I don't want one of those guys who'll drive in two but let in three every game." Casey Stengel
by tnredneckyankeesfan on Mar 9, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions
Don't write off Gardner ...
I watched Gardner this past weekend in Tampa, and he looks like he’s getting it. Last season he appeared over-matched, timid and even scared at the plate. No more. It appears Long has gotten Gardner to slash down at the ball ala Damon, and rely on his speed. He had two solid hits in the game he played, and made an absolutely incredible catch in cf.
I have little doubt he’s our cf’der, and I suspect we are all in for a pleasant surprise come April.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
I've been pretty impressed
by Gardner this ST as well. His seems to have made good progress with his approach at the plate and his speed has always been an asset. Plus he scored that walk-off against Boston last season, giving him even more clout.
Regards A-Rod, drama aside he brings alot to the table, both defensivley and offensively. Recall how the offense floundered when was on the DL last season, even though there were other contributing factors as well. Given A-Rod’s work ethic, I expect him to come back strong from this surgery and I’m looking forward to him having a great season. It’s also going us a chance to see what Ransom is made from. He’s another one who is making a positive impression this ST.
Regardless of wether thy are better or not
they will have to win without him by making things happen. Stealing bases, hit and run, manufacture runs with guile and hard work.
Win with strong pitching and smart at bats, that was how the yanks did it in the 90’s and how it will have to be done this year.
They won 110+ games and had no one with more than 30 homers… that my friends is how to win baseball games.
Replacing Arod, Giambi, Abreu...
Hopefully, a healthy Posada and Matsui make up for part of that loss. Also, to ilBRutto’s point, a strong rotation with a healthy CMW improves over last year.
Also, I was doing the math in my head on the following: If Arod misses 20 games:
- if the yankees play .600 ball: 12-8
- if the yankees play .500 ball: 10-10
So that’s a four game swing in the standings. While it doesn’t seem like much, at the end of the season I’d take those four games
"No matter where you go, there you are"
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