Yankee Star Finally at Peace

He came to the Yankees as the highest paid fee agent in history, he signed a ten year contract that would insure his grandchildren’s grandchildren would be wealthy. He was a future Hall of Famer to be sure and baseball’s premier shortstop, well maybe not “premier.” There was one other shortstop who may have been a higher marquee name, Derek Jeter, and by the way he played for the Yankee’s also. When Alex Rodriguez came to the Yankees there was only one thing expected, win a World Series, anything else would be considered a failure. So they moved Alex to third base, in deference to the Captain Jeter, and though it never seemed they were close friends both Jeter and Rodriguez were too professional to ever show any outward animosity. And the Yankees won, they won divisions, they won playoff series, they won league championships, what they didn’t win was a World Series, and what Rodriguez didn’t do was hit when it counted, in the playoffs. When it counted, Rodriguez disappeared, not a good thing in New York, as Dave Winfield can attest too when he was dubbed Mr. May by George Steinbrenner for his failures in the playoffs. The Yankees didn’t win with Rodriguez, then his agent made a terrible mistake opting out of his Yankee contract when he had the chance figuring the Yankees would never let him go and pay him even more money. They were wrong, the Yankees drew the line, and baseball’s arguably best player was without a job and no one even offering close to what the Yankees were willing to pay for his services. So Rodriguez ate humble pie, sidestepped his agent and personally called the Yankees and asked them to resign him. His reputation took a hit, but that was only the beginning, as if it couldn’t get worse for Rodriguez, baseball’s biggest stigma was being attached to him. He was a cheater, but worse than a cheater he was a liar, he had denied ever using steroids for years,going so far as to deny it on an interview with 60 minutes, but it turns out he tested positive in a 2003 test that was supposed to remain a secret. And as most people do when they get caught, he owned up to it, apologized and wanted to move forward. That’s what most people want but in New York there is only one way to be forgiven, win a World Series.

The 2009 season began for the Yankees with Alex Rodriguez on injured reserve with a hip injury. In retrospect that might have been the best thing that ever happened to him. He missed Spring Training and the beginning of the season but it gave him a chance to lay low and avoid any more of the steroid controversy. And when he returned in May and hit a home run in his first at bat it seemed that his destiny was written on the wall, he would help bring a World Championship back to the Yankees for the the 27th time in their illustrious history, which he did with outstanding play during the season and both the Playoffs and World Series.

Now it is Spring Training 2010 and the Yankees are the defending World Series Champs and there seems to be a whole new attitude in Yankee land. One of peaceand happiness. Before yesterdays game Jeter and Rodriguez drove to the stadium together, played catch and warmed up together, and left together. Two of baseballs greatest players have found harmony together by winning and continuing the great Yankee tradition. In the steroid era of baseball many players will not be forgiven, but Rodriguez will be. First, he is undeniably one of the great players of the game with or without using steroids, and more important when you win in New York, all is forgiven.

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