They’ll be damned if they’re gonna pay him that money and let him walk, even though they clearly don’t want him. Like he somehow wins if he just goes away.
It’s the sunk-cost fallacy yet again. It isn’t about money, since they’re committed to paying him no matter what (unless they somehow convince him to retire, which if it hasn’t happened yet, isn’t going to). It’s about protecting their own foolish pride, nothing more. If the Yankees cut him, it looks like they’re admitting a mistake in having given him the contract (as if there was any doubt left). If they cut him, he signs elsewhere (doubtful but possible), and he somehow does something to beat them even once, they look stupid for cutting him. And pretty much any front office in any sport would see it the same way. Get over it, people.
We all shouldn’t have to wait because the pitcher and catcher are meatheads. And it’s completely unfair to the hitter that you could have 2 strikes on him and he has to wait at the plate while you strategize the precise pitch and location you’re going to throw. If they screw up the signs, they should have to wait till the next batter comes to the plate before conferencing.
This is rather odd.
You start by noting the sunk-cost fallacy and “foolish pride,” suggesting that you agree with the previous posters’ arguments, but then you say that every front office would do the same thing, and that people just need to get over it, suggesting that the previous posters’ arguments are misguided or silly.
It sounds like your argument is, “Baseball management does stupid stuff, but because they all do it equally stupidly, we shouldn’t bother pointing out or criticizing their stupidity.”
I’m criticizing front offices in general for having too much foolish pride, leading them not to recognize their thinking is fallacious. I did so clearly enough for most native English speakers.
So you were telling front offices to get over it? Fair enough. It seemed that you were telling critics of front offices to get over it.
And there it is. I would have been disappointed if you managed to make a post without acting like a petulant five year old.
I have a better solution to the A-Rod problem: spike his coffee with steroids. One failed test means a lifetime ban. Bye bye contract.
I suspect this sort of thing has always happened but in the past they’d just tell the guy to rest and put ice on it for awhile, then be puzzled as to why he sucked.
Interesting follow up:
So its the MLB who doesn’t want to acknowledge A-Rod, apparently?
I wouldn’t imagine that the Yankees care too much one way or the other about A-Rod. They aren’t going to do anything this year, so why not have A-Rod play 3B/DH?
It’s DH, maybe exclusively, for him this year, AIUI. They re-signed Chase Headley to play 3B.
Even better.
Send him down to Tampa. Or Staten Island.
Why? To get the rust off? They should know by the end of March if he can still contribute to the big club. But if the most competitive roster they can put on the field, both now and for the next few years, does not include him, there is absolutely no reason to make space for him. His contract is *not *a reason. If he’s done, or even if the bullshit outweighs whatever value he may have left, the right decision is to just cut his ass.
Not for the rust, for the pain. Make him finish out his career playing Single A ball as a lesson to future generations.
Veterans of five year cannot be sent to the minors without their consent so the Yankees could not stash ARod in the minors. They would have to offer him his release. They would still be stuck with his salary (above the minimum) even if another club then picked him up.
Then trade him to Japan. Or Cuba. Or Mars.
Carlos Beltran should be the every day DH, if he’s healthy this year. The Yanks should get someone else to play right field and release A-Rod. It’s just not worth keeping him around.
Beltran is neve healthy and A-Rod can hit a little, after all.
Yes and if he can contribute, there is really no reason NOT to include him on the roster. Why wouldn’t they? Because people may dislike the Yankees? Yeah, I’m sure that has never happened before.
There’s also the clubhouse stuff to consider, most of which never comes out so we don’t really know. If the guy’s poisonous enough there, the negative effect on his teammates and the coaching staff can outweigh whatever marginal contribution he might make to a team that has only an outside chance at playing in October anyway. He might also have an effect on YES subscriptions and ticket sales, but probably not, since any publicity is good publicity in that regard.
It is not at all certain he can still hit MLB pitching, btw. Spring ball doesn’t tell you anything. This is a guy coming off over a year away, injuries, PED detox, and the march of time.