Alex Rodriguez: Legend in Our Lifetime

Thirteen.  The unlucky number.  A curse, a jinx.  A harsh slap in the face of a sport that lives and dies by the numbers, breeds superstition.  Don't wash those socks, flip a rally cap, tap your bat on homeplate twice, tighten your batting gloves, don't step on the foul line. 

Alex Rodriguez had to take the number.  The now highest-paid player in baseball history arrived in New York, a city notorious for melting its athletes and celebrities under the glare of the media spotlight, and already was at a disadvantage.  His lifelong number, 3, was long ago retired by the Yankees' great Babe Ruth, in devout homage to the household name who substituted steroids and a bad attitude with hotdogs, beers, and homeruns-- still not fashionable even in today's game. 

Two MVP awards later, A-Rod still deals with the turmoil of stark contrasts: three homerun games followed by a Golden Sombrero performance.  Just like the number 13 sticking out on the back of a jersey where the interlocking NY and midnight blue pinstripes conjure up all the ghosts of victories, championships, and successes past.

Despite all his successes, record-setting homerun pace, even switching positions from shortstop to third base, A-Rod continues to be a target of many MLB fans, even those who follow the Yankees.  Maybe it is jealousy for his talent.  Perhaps a sense of betrayal from fans in Seattle or Texas.  Whatever the case may be, A-Rod has taken teammate Derek Jeter's previously dubious distinction of being the Yankee most-booed on the road, and sometimes in Yankee Stadium too.

First, the baseball basics--hitting, fielding, baserunning, and the like.  Nobody does it better than Alex Rodriguez.  There may be someone with a better swing or a better eye.  Maybe someone is quicker on the basepaths, gets better jumps, reads a pitcher better from first base.  Maybe someone has a quicker glove at the hot corner, or tracks down a bunt better.  But this is a fact: not one single player can perform the wide-range of baseball skills at the high level with the thoroughness that A-Rod does.  Basically the principle is this: Jose Reyes may be quicker, but his Rocket-Cannon-Arm only equals that of A-Rod's, and A-Rod's power is much more potent.  Prince Fielder could hit towering shots himself, but good luck with him running around the bases without two cheeseburgers, a diet coke, and a large side of CPR.

The notion that Rodriguez is not a clutch player is simply wrong.  Helped out by the fact that the entire network are homers (not a bad thing in New York), the YES Network--created by the Yankees and broadcasting most Yankee games-- determined that during many points last season, A-Rod was either the best, or in the top five in categories like hits in the 7th-9th innings, game winning hits/homeruns, hits with RISP and two outs... and the like.  Alright, I'll buy for a second maybe Alex Rodriguez isn't the best postseason hitter in the playoffs with the Yankees so far.  But consider this:

A) The entire Yankee lineup has hit badly enough in the playoffs over the past six or seven years to make Jim Mora proclaim, "We couldn't do didley-poo offensively."

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?