Difference Maker

When Alex Rodriguez opted out of his Yankee contract last fall I was one of the New Yorkers who thought to himself "Good, we won 4 World Series with Scott Brosius at 3rd, I'm sure we'd be fine with someone else". The list of replacements in-house (Wilson Betamit) as well as those on the free-agent market (Morgan Ensberg) or available via trade (Joe Crede or Josh Fields) wasn't very strong. I still held to my guns, we'd be better off.

Then the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was crazy. There were huge chunks of last season where ARod simply carried the Yanks. ARod had a remarkable April (an amazing June as well), he had the most homeruns in the 8th and 9th inning last year, he had 150 RBI's. They couldn't all be useless homers and RBI's. Could they.

Then the inexplicable happened. Rodriguez blamed the opting out on Scott Boras over a miscommunication and he announced he wanted to end his career as a Yankee. I quickly reversed field and became of the mind, that the New York Yankees were the only place for the best player in baseball (sorry Pujols, but ARod is better with the glove and running the bases). As if we needed more evidence that the team is better with him in the lineup than not all we have to do is look at this season.

Alex started the season a bit slowly, than quickly injured his quadriceps and had an almost month-long stay on the DL. During the 17 games he missed, the Yanks were 6-11. They averaged barely more than 3 runs a game. Since his return they are 5-1 and hitting the ball much better. Someone like ARod has a trickle down effect on the whole lineup. All of a sudden you start worrying about how to pitch to Abreu before him, or if Matsui will damage you after him. It's the fear that only the best players put in opposing teams. So I must apologize to Mr. Rodriguez, I'm happy he is still a Yankee. Id rather have him hitting homers for us than against us. I also understand that our best chance at winning comes when he is in the number 4 hole causing havok.