They can always cut him April 25. It’s financially irrelevant, since they pay him anyway. The Yankees are not exactly overrun by first rate ballplayers anymore. Rodriguez is in good shape. Who knows, maybe he’ll hit 30 homers. If he’s batting .170 with 2 homers three weeks in, they can get rid of him and have lost nothing. No great prospects are knocking the door down; if he was holding an grade A prospect back that’s one thing, but do the Yankees have any grade A prospects?
Is he a problem in the clubhouse? I don’t know, nor do you. He sure seems like a big asshole from here, but I’ve no idea what he’s like to work with.
Beltran averaged 148 games in 2012-2013. The biggest problem he had last year with his elbow was throwing. Why risk it for below-average fielding? Yeah, A-Rod can hit a little. Beltran can hit a lot more.
Well, it’s no secret that his relationship with Jeter deteriorated after they started playing together. Being that Jeter was universally well-liked in the clubhouse, we can draw conclusions about ARod’s reputation as a teammate. Not to mention ARod sued his own union. Right, wrong or otherwise, some teammates don’t like that.
I got another idea - just ignore him. The story is almost over anyway, if it isn’t already, and as it should have been years ago.
More spring training stuff:
The Grapefruit League is contracting geographically, just like the Cactus League already did. The Astros and Nats are moving to West Palm after next year, resulting in 3 clusters around there, Tampa Bay, and Fort Myers. Pressure will then be on the Braves and Tigers to move closer to their competitors.
They’re in Lakeland, which is further than you think. It doesn’t look far on a map but this time of year traffic in the Tampa metro area can be infamously horrible, and the spring training parks for some teams aren’t easily accessed from a freeway. The drive from Lakeland to, say, where the Phillies are in Clearwater cannot be done in less than an hour and at the wrong time of day it’s more than two.
Great! My fantasy team down a man before the season even starts.
In other news, substance abuser Josh Hamilton’s most recent relapse will not result in a fine or suspension, leaving the Angels on the hook for his $23 million salary this year.