October 17, 2006
Sweet Lou to Take A-Rod Off Yankee Hands?
Perhaps the best news so far this off-season for the Yankees is the hiring of Lou Piniella by the Chicago Cubs. While that has no direct consequence on the Yankees right now, there are reports that Piniella wants the Cubbies to "aggressively pursue" the beleaguered Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. While A-Rod has a no trade clause and says he wants to remain with the Yankees, moving to the Cubs (who are accustomed to losing), would put Rodriguez in a less pressure laden situation for the $25-million man. Plus moving to the friendly confines of Wrigley would help the future hall of framer's numbers and Rodriguez could probably move back to shortstop.
There are four years and $95 million left on Rodriguez's contract with the Yankees responsible for $66.6 million and the Texas Rangers picking up the balance. Assuming Rodriguez wants to be traded and labeled a failure in New York, what should the Yankees ask for return? Pitching is the obvious answer, but with all the headaches that A-Rod has caused, the armchair general managers would probably just give him away.
Photograph by f.trainer on Flickr
|
good riddance (LETS GO METS!)
There are also rumors, as heard on ESPN radio, that the White Sox have already made an offer involving a pitcher (Buerhle/McCarthy) and a third baseman (Crede/Fields).
Guess they could use a SS, since Juan Uribe might not be playing anytime soon.
I'm glad to see that your idea of good news for Yankee fans involves trading the All Star third baseman who, in a down year, still hit .280/.390/.523 with 35 HR and 121 RBI. But lets judge him on 14 at bats in October when NO ONE ELSE ON THE TEAM hit either. Brilliant analysis, Tien.
You're the only armchair GM willing to "just give [A-Rod] away." I wouldn't ship him out of here without getting major pitching and another bat in exhcange, and that you will not find anywhere.
i'd like to think i was being sarcastic. and i'm perfectly okay with a-rod staying here so yankee fans can boo him. makes for great entertainment.
good lord, please dont let them trade for marc prior or kerry wood. carlos zambrano, now that would be interesting... but why would the cubs want to give up their only good pitcher? anyway, i dont like nl pitchers. they come over to the al and they fall apart. they cant deal with having four less automatic outs in the lineup.
^ Curt Schilling being a prime example
>>>with all the headaches that A-Rod has caused, the armchair general managers would probably just give him away.
I wouldn't. Where will the Yanks replace A-Rod's (and Sheffield's) 115-125 RBIs apiece per year?
www.forgotten-ny.com
lets just remember that a-rod has been 2-32 in the post season
^^ josh beckett being a prime example ;)
It won't. It's time for aRod to tst his inner self.
He has to prove to himself and show the world that he is an +A plus kind of guy. Everybody tends to forget that He was 2005 AL MVP. Geoffrey
Gothamist - my spanish beisbol site www.1800beisbol.com
Arod numbers are very misleading.
How many HR,RBI, hits did Arod get in big situations/late in the game
When the Yankees are losing big or winning big Arod is an MVP when the Yankees need him he's no better than say some rookie.
I've read rumors that if the Yanks move A-Rod, the share of the contract that Texas is responsible for is shifted to New York. That would change the calculus somewhat, even for our deep-pocketed overlord down in Tampa.
If the White Sox offered Buehrle and Crede and the Yankees said no, they're idiotic. I would call Shenanigans. From what I read, trading Crede from the White Sox would be like trading David Wright or Derek Jeter to Sox fans.
Mark Prior, Aramis Ramirez, Prospects... pick two.