No Crying in Baseball!!
by Travis
published 6/7/07
Well the latest brewhaha in baseball is another attack on the poor little rich kid. Is it just me or is everyone expecting a lot more from A-Rod than they do pretty much every other player in the game?
Now I will be one of the first to jump on the guy if he is not batting well or his fielding percentage falls below say .985, because lets face it he is very well paid, but as long as he is producing, I've got no problems. No matter how well he seems to be doing at any given time, if he does something that is the slightest bit out of the ordinary he gets ripped. A couple of examples before the "ha" or "hey" or "mine" incident include:
The slapping the glove of Bronson Arroyo
The elbow he gave Pedroia to break up the double play
Are any of these examples any different than bulldozing a catcher at home plate to try and score? Speaking of which do you think if A-Rod was to plow over Jason Phillips or Jason Varitek the media would be up in arms? And further, the reaction from their respective teams on the incidents involving their actions, one could assume Varitek would take it in stride as did Pedroia while Phillips would probably whine about how "bush league" it as the Blue Jays have been doing for the last few days.
Really, Toronto, I think you should sit and watch Tom Hank’s fine performance in A League of Their Own when he chides the ladies with "ARE YOU CRYING? THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!"
Remember gentlemen: while you are being paid to play a kid's game, you are grown men, so act like it. Next time the Blue Jays play they have the option to drill A-Rod one time to even the score and we all move on, but the whining and crying needs to stop.
I am quite sure the media will continue holding a microscope over him and maybe that’s the price he pays for accepting Tom Hicks ridiculous offer 7 years ago. But I am o just as sure none of them would have turned down that kind of scratch, so they cannot fault him for taking it.
One last note to those who read this and think I am an A-Rod apologist: I do not think he is any better or worse a person than most of the rest of pro athletes. My image of him is more tarnished now than ever NOT due to his on the field actions, but rather due to his off the field indiscretions. A-Rod you're a married man and have to know the media is constantly watching what were you thinking? It's not like you just came up from the bus leagues two weeks ago.
