A-Rod Archives - Jane Heller

You Be the Judge

August 14, 2016

The big guy, Aaron Judge, made his Yankees debut with a bang over the weekend. Two bangs. The day after A-Rod’s farewell on Friday night against the Rays, which I’ll get back to in a minute, rookie outfielder Judge hit a homer, right after his rookie teammate Tyler Austin hit his, and history was made. Judge’s homer in today’s losing finale only cemented his reputation as The One to Watch. Throw in Gary Sanchez, and the Baby Bombers are an exciting crew. Didi and Starlin are dynamic players too. If only Severino knew how to pitch the way he did in his rookie season last year.

Celebrating Mo’s installation in Monument Park with all the greats in attendance was sweet, the way dipping into the Yankees’ glory days of the past is always sweet, but my eyes are looking toward the future now and I like what I see.

That future was made possible in large part because of A-Rod’s release. After all the drama of the past week during which Girardi was castigated for not playing him in Boston in every game, Friday night’s goodbye at the Stadium went smoothly, not counting Mother Nature raining down on the pre-game ceremony. Say what you will about A-Rod, but he looked genuinely thrilled to have his daughters etc. there to honor the occasion. And when he not only hit an RBI double and played third base before being lifted, he was over the moon. I was moved when he tipped his cap to the crowd. I really was. The guy seems to have made peace with his past and it’ll be interesting to see if he lands somewhere else or sticks around to mentor the young players next season. I do expect to find him in the broadcast booth during FOX’s coverage of the playoffs.

A Series Win at Fenway…and More A-Rod Drama

August 11, 2016

After saying A-Rod could have as many at-bats as he wanted during the countdown to tomorrow’s last hurrah as a Yankee player, Girardi backtracked and held A-Rod out of the lineup for the series opener at Fenway. While many (including me) thought the Yankees were being petty and spiteful, Girardi said he was merely trying to win games – reasoning that rang hollow when he seemed to have no problem using Romine, Tex and McCann, none of whom are exactly tearing it up with their offense. The Yankees lost that one. A-Rod pinch hit last night (a win) and finally batted cleanup in tonight’s game (another win). The Sox fans, predictably, gave A-Rod a rousing chorus of boos.

Which brings us to tomorrow at home against Tampa, A-Rod’s last game in pinstripes. The Yankees have said they plan to “recognize” their polarizing star with some sort of ceremony. Does he get a gold watch? A plaque? A gift card to NYY Steak? We shall see. Bets are also being made regarding the likelihood of A-Rod landing with another team, the Marlins being the number one contender for many. Again, we shall see.

Meanwhile, Gary Sanchez = superstar. How impressive has he been since getting called up! He is our future for sure. He can DH when either McCann or Romine is catching (although I think McCann is the next to pack his bags) or be behind the plate as he was tonight – very capably.

On the negative side, I couldn’t believe that Evo came out of last night’s game with more elbow problems. The kid already had Tommy John surgery early in his career. Does he need a redo? And who will slide into the rotation to replace him?

Questions. Always questions.

First Tex, Now A-Rod

August 7, 2016

Well, this caught me by surprise when I woke up today. I heard there was a press conference called for 11am and sat glued to the TV while A-Rod announced his retirement/release, his new status with the team, his “reporting to Hal,” and his freedom to do whatever he wants after his last game as a player on Friday.

Since Alex has been such a polarizing figure throughout his career, it’s not surprising that today’s announcement has generated such intense discussion on Twitter and Facebook. Some are in the “Good riddance” camp. Others are in the “Oh no” camp. I’m somewhere in the middle.

While I have found his actions to be genuinely despicable over the years, both on and off the field, I can’t seem to summon up the hatred and scorn that many are heaping on him. Maybe it’s because he’s a Yankee and contributed to the team. Maybe it’s because I try to figure out flawed characters rather than condemn them. Maybe it’s because he’s an athlete, not a presidential candidate. Or maybe – just maybe – when he was at his non-cheating best, it’s because he was so gifted.

With today’s announcement, the Yankees not only paid him well and insured that he gets every insane penny owed him, but they managed to release him “with dignity,” free up a roster spot and continue their efforts to rebuild with younger players. A win-win for all concerned.

Now if Cashman would retire, I’d really be happy.

Post Subway Series, Now What?

August 5, 2016

We saw Gary Sanchez get his first major league hit and serve as DH. We saw the successful return of Luis Severino out of the bullpen. But the Yankees held fast to their tendency to play .500 baseball with a series split against the Mets. They’re a different team but their results are the same. And so be it.

The big question everyone’s asking going forward – and Girardi is getting peeved about being asked day after day, can’t blame him – is what’s to be done with A-Rod? He gets no playing time. He’s just….there. I read an article in the NYT the other day about what a great mentor he’s been to the younger players and how baseball-smart he is (we could see that from watching his commentary on the TV playoff coverage). So what happens to him?

My guess is the Yankees organization will retain him for the duration of this season and then release him (unless the Marlins are willing to take him). And then he’ll either play for another year (again, for the Marlins most likely) to reach his milestones, or settle into the broadcast booth. As I said, he’s good in front of the camera when talking about the game as opposed to himself.

Meanwhile, the Yanks take on the now-powerhouse Cleveland Indians this weekend and that means facing Andrew Miller. It’ll make me sad to see him in their uniform.

Drowning

June 26, 2016

Despite winning the first two games against the lowly Twins at the Stadium this weekend, the Yankees are slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, thanks to a piss-poor showing today. What an ugly loss. Wasn’t Evo supposed to be getting good? Like really good? He hasn’t been good for awhile now, and our offense – well – it’s not even worth talking about.

What the Yankees have is a very effective one-two-three in the bullpen and that’s about it.

So here it is: my suggestion to Cashman. Unload A-Rod and Teixeira. Somehow. Just give them to another team. Have a garage sale. And while you’re at it, throw Chase Headley into the pile of merchandise. Brian McCann too. Unload the salaries or eat the salaries or whatever you have to do to clean house and be able to start fresh with new starting pitchers and maybe even a power hitter or two that’s under the age of 30.

In the meantime, the season is fading away and so is my interest in the Yankees. It’s hard to root for a team that loses to the Twins in such a wimpy fashion.

On a brighter note, Wimbledon starts tomorrow so I’ll be turning my attention to tennis where the best players rise to the top and compete like champions. Right now, the Yankees are as far from champions as you can get.

(I know. This post was harsh. Forgive me.)

A Sweep – For Our Side!

May 23, 2016

It’s been a long time since I posted the laughing lady, but it seemed appropriate after the Yankees finished off the A’s with a four-game sweep. I wish we could play at the Oakland Coliseum everyday.

Just about everybody contributed to the four wins, even Teixeira, who finally looked like he wasn’t toast. Ditto: CC. But the resurgence of Beltran, the old war horse, has been a sight to behold. He was meant to be a DH at his age and has thrived in the role. I don’t understand Girardi’s thinking when he insists to the media that he’ll slot A-Rod in as DH when he’s off the DL because “A-Rod is our DH, period.” Whatever happened to going with the hot hand?

Ellsbury, too, is proving that when healthy he can be an effective player. He can go on a tear and be a real catalyst for us. And then there’s McCann. When he’s hitting homers and doubles and driving in runs, he’s dangerous.

I was glad to see Pineda have a good game yesterday. I feared for him in the first inning. I worried he’d get shelled. He didn’t. He hung in and pitched better than he has all season. Was it a fluke or a sign of things to come? We’ll have to wait and see.

And, of course, our bullpen is just crazy good.

It goes without saying that I really like when the Yankees win consistently, not just every now and then, and this weekend in Oakland made me a laughing lady.

Another Broom

May 2, 2016

It would be easy to say that Betances blew two of the three games in Boston over the weekend – he did, thanks to serving up homers on both Saturday and Sunday – but he had plenty of company in the loser department.

Until last night, the Yankees hadn’t scored many runs and at least they managed a few more, mostly due to A-Rod’s sudden resurgence following his oblique injury. And the starting pitching, while not atrocious (well, Pineda and Severino would qualify as atrocious), hasn’t exactly been mowing down the opposition.

So here we are at the beginning of May, over a month into the 2016 season, and the Yanks are in last place. They’ve been slow starters before (my She-Fan book documented the 2007 season during which they were in last place at the end of May), but I’m getting the feeling there are changes in the air. It would be easy to fire the new hitting coach, but I actually think Girardi’s job might be in jeopardy. I do. He hasn’t had a winning team since 2009. If the Steinbrenners cared about such things, they could have gotten a new GM, I suppose, but how long will they be patient with Girardi? How long can they subsidize empty seats at the Stadium? How long before they decide to sell the team?

Yes, it’s still early, but something makes me think all is not well in Yankeeville. Just a hunch.

A-Rod Has a Pulse!

April 17, 2016

His two-run homer reminded everyone that he can still connect with the ball, and his power was much appreciated. The Yankees offense had been pretty anemic against the Mariners, but they scored just enough runs today to salvage the series finale and get a “W” for Tanaka, who was very ace-like.

Gardner, too, emerged from his slumber with three hits, but it’s our stellar bullpen that keeps commanding my attention. When they get the call, they deliver. You can’t ask for more than that. My hope is that, like Tanaka today, the starters can go into the 7th inning and not tax the pen over and over. It’s only April. We’ll need those arms over the long season.

I do think it’s amusing that Yankee fans still boo Cano whenever he comes to the Stadium. Yes, he left us for more money, but they all follow the money except in rare cases, and I’m perfectly happy with Darlin’ Starlin’.

Next up: Oakland. No idea what to expect from them.

So Much For Joy in Blue Jaysville

April 15, 2016

After winning the first game in the series in Toronto, I thought…Eh, maybe this’ll work out. But then came Games 2 and 3 and a lost series.

Eovaldi wasn’t shelled but he didn’t inspire a lot of confidence. And while Pineda was encouraging the previous night, Nova in relief was anything but. The starting pitching is and will probably continue to be a problem for the Yankees, but I hope I’m wrong.

What’s up with A-Rod? Is it really what Girardi says – that old guys take longer to get hot at the plate? If that were true, how come Beltran has done ok? And how come A-Rod started off last season, after being away from the game for so long, with a torrid offense? If he continues not to hit, he’ll be a liability in the lineup and retirement will loom large. But it’s early. At least that’s what I tell myself.

I’m really rooting for Severino to have a good start tonight in the Bronx and give everybody a lift.

News & Notes from Tampa and Elsewhere

March 23, 2016

As the spring training season winds down, there’s actually stuff going on! For starters, our President went to Cuba as everyone knows, and among his esteemed delegation was our own Jeets. I love the above photo. You can just hear them ribbing each other about their golf games. Jeter did an interview with ESPN that day and reiterated his desire to buy a baseball team. Are the Tampa Rays be on his radar? I would think so unless MLB is planning to move the team to a bigger market and more hospitable stadium.

Meanwhile, in Tampa, A-Rod told ESPN’s Andrew Marchand today that he would retire after his contract is up in 2017. Not exactly a shocker, unless he planned on playing for another team, but at least he put a finite end to his career, which allows him to have some version of a victory tour in ’17. Of course injuries could derail his plans, but if he’s still productive for the next couple of years and conducting himself as he did last year, good for him.

Starlin Castro has created a buzz at camp, so I’m eager to see him play in the Bronx. And Luis Severino continues to impress. CC, on the other hand, has been having his problems on the mound. Will he end up in the bullpen? Stranger things have happened.

In the feel-good department, there was a terrific story today in Tampa! If anyone needs a lift – and given the horrors in the world this week, who doesn’t – just read this.

Post-World Series This and That

November 6, 2015

Since I haven’t posted since the Yankees were eliminated from the postseason, I figured I’d muse about a few matters pertaining to our boys in pinstripes.

A-Rod Goes on Fox

When I heard he was joining the crew in the studio for the pre- and post-game shows during the World Series, I was wary. Yes, he’s long been viewed as knowledgeable about the sport. And yes, he was a model citizen during the Yankees’ season, even a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year (he ended up losing to Prince Fielder). But a commentator during baseball’s golden moment? The same guy that sued baseball? Well, surprise: A-Rod was the star of the show. He was not only knowledgeable but articulate, even amusing, particularly when he was self-mocking. And his conversations with Pete Rose, another reprobate, were kind of great. I guess he has a TV career after he retires from the game, if he wants it.

The Royals Win the World Series

I was thrilled that they won. Nothing against the Mets, who played well enough to get to the WS, a mighty accomplishment in itself. But the Royals came up short last year, so I was rooting for them to go all the way this time. And they did with their usual combination of athleticism (hitting, running, fielding), team work (you never get the sense that they’re a bunch of divas), starting pitching as well as a terrific bullpen and a never-give-up spirit that was in evidence whenever they were behind in games and came back and won anyway. Kudos to them. They once again made me realize that unless the Yankees get younger and more athletic, they won’t win a championship. The game is no longer about standing at the plate and swinging for the fences. It’s about manufacturing runs. The Royals did that and more.

CC Explains His Alcoholism

He went on “Good Morning America” and talked about his addiction for the first time since leaving the Silver Hill rehab facility. Sad story. I felt his pain as he described his binge weekend alone in his hotel room in Baltimore, his attempts to control his drinking, his hopes for a sober future. He said he’s had a drinking problem for three years, which begs the question about the affect on his pitching. Who knows. I wish him and his family well. It won’t be easy for any of them going forward.

Free Agents Declare That They’re Ready to Relocate

Will the Yankees pony up for Price, Greinke, etc etc? I know the money will be exorbitant, but we seriously need another starter. Luis Severino was a revelation in his rookie season, but a proven arm is essential too. Will Hal turn Cashman loose and give this team a real shot to win or are we looking at a bargain-basement type of acquisition? My inquiring mind wants to know.

P.S. If anyone reading this has subscribed to the blog, you’ll need to change your feed URL to this one now that both of my blogs have been incorporated into my newly redesigned web site.

Taming the Tigers

June 21, 2015

No, the Yankees didn’t sweep Detroit at the Stadium but winning two out of three games against a perennial playoff contender was pretty good. It was Tanaka who, surprisingly, was the weak link in today’s loss. He can’t be spectacular every time out, so I’m with Girardi and chalking it up to a bad day for him rather than panicking about a possible re-injuring of his arm. The offense was sleeping too, not counting the home run hitting Stephen Drew. (I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence.)

Friday and Saturday were all about A-Rod, the #3000th hit, the way the fans embraced him, etc. And the Yankees actually acknowledged his milestone on the scoreboard and on Twitter. Pay him? I wonder if they’re starting to feel some pressure to do it. A-Rod is the biggest star they have at the moment and who would have guessed it. If I were the Steinbrenner boys I’d be grateful he was putting people in the seats, never mind RBIs in the box score.

What else…..let’s see. Old Timer’s Day happened. I thought the Stottlemyre tribute/plaque was the best part. I always loved him as a player and am so sorry he’s ill. He’s been the epitome of class, and I wish we had more pitchers like him.

It Really Is About A-Rod Now

June 18, 2015

The Yankees were down and now they’re up again, having won two at home against the same Marlins they lost ugly to in Miami. Why are they up again? Last night the big reason was Pineda, who was superb, and Betances, who held/saved the game in an impressive way. Tonight, A-Rod drew to within one hit of 3,000 and while others made big contributions to the win (CC, Gardner, Beltran, Tex), the story was about whether he would get to 3,000 and how everybody would react, including him.

Unfortunately, the suspense will have to continue. It’s unlikely he won’t reach the magic number this weekend against the Tigers. I think it’ll happen tomorrow night. It’ll be a spectacle of some sort – not the Jeter sort where everything stops and he gives a speech and the Stadium goes wild, but where there’s genuine excitement on the part of the crowd and at the very least a press conference by A-Rod after the game. The Yankees may not want to pay him his bonuses, but they’ll give him the podium. I expect him to say he’s humbled to be among the greats in the sport, that he’s having fun playing again, that he feels fortunate to be healthy, that he’s grateful to the fans and his teammates for their support…..What am I missing?

2015 Yankees: Feast or Famine

June 15, 2015

When the Yankees are good, they’re very good, going on winning streaks and eliciting all sorts of praise from the media and predictions of post-season glory. When they’re bad, they’re just plain ugly, losing games in particularly gruesome ways and making me wonder how this collection of professionals could look so amateurish.

Yes, they salvaged the finale in Baltimore yesterday, but on Friday and Saturday nights they were at Camden pitching poorly, letting balls drop between players, failing to hit in key situations and making sloppy errors (what in the world is going on with Chase Headley this season?). It’s either feast or famine with this team, all or nothing, inconsistency to the max.

Also annoying is the cast of every-changing middle relievers coming and going from the minors or trash heaps of other teams. Other than Esmil Rogers (bye bye), I can’t tell one from another. We need a relief corps we can depend on.

CC has turned into a serviceable but unremarkable starting pitcher. I had hoped he’d morph into Pettitte or Mussina in his later years, but he hasn’t. He’s been better than Chris Capuano, but that’s not saying much for a guy the Yankees are paying a bucket load of money to.

Speaking of money, I figured it was only a matter of time before the Yankees and A-Rod would be gearing up for a battle over his milestone bonuses. Yes, he’s helped the team a lot and yes, he’s made quite a comeback and yes, his attitude has been humble and very rah-rah team. Behind the scenes, he wants his money and the Yankees don’t want to pay him his money and they’re all headed for a showdown. If I were A-Rod, I’d take the offer they made to give money to charity on his behalf, but it sounds like he’s not having any of that. Here we go again.

Another This…Against the Angels Yet

June 7, 2015

Boy, do I remember dreading whenever we’d play the Angels. They used to do bad things to the Yankees. We’d spazz out on defense. We’d pitch badly. We’d be limp with the bats.

No more.

This weekend’s series was a beat-down of the once formidable “Halos.” I didn’t watch every inning of every game, but I caught enough of each one to see that the Yanks were punishing their starters. Yes, they almost gave away that one game, scarily, and Betances didn’t look very Betances-ish. And while Didi continued to make errors (or maybe one error), he also made some great plays at shortstop.

But the big news is and continues to be the resurgence of power hitters A-Rod, Tex and McCann. (Having Gardner and others pop them out of the Stadium is nice too.) It’s gotten to the point where not only are all the broadcasters talking about Tex’s gluten free diet but also picking the Yankees to win what’s turning out to be a mediocre division.

It’s only June. Early June. So a lot can and will happen between now and September. But I had to laugh at myself as I listened to the Fox guys last night rhapsodizing over this team. I nodded my head as if I hadn’t been a doubter, am still a doubter, and said, “Well, maybe they’re better than I thought.”

So Streaky

May 31, 2015

Whether the girl in the above photo streaked her hair blue because she’s a Yankee fan I couldn’t tell you. I was just looking around for “streaks” images and there she was. The point is, after the Yanks and A’s finished up their series today, I was thinking that this team is so up and down it’s hard to figure out where they are in the scheme of things. They play the Royals, the best in baseball, and they sweep. They play the A’s, who stink, and they win one measly game. Consistency, boys. It would be nice.

And then there’s Slade. He was just beginning to look promising and – bam – lost to injury. Now the new kid is Ramon Flores. I wish him luck especially if, as reported, he’s taking his cues from Didi.

On the plus side, Beltran seems to have roused himself from his slumber. Adam Warren has established himself as a solid starter. And A-Rod, dear A-Rod, has inched 14 hits closer to the 3,000 hit mark. At some point, the Yankees will have to acknowledge these milestones of his with more than a mention in their game wrap-up press releases, won’t they?

Tomorrow night brings Seattle and King Felix. I’ll be asleep. Wake me if A-Rod has 14 hits.

Didn’t See This Coming

May 27, 2015

Good for the Yankees. They bounced back from an awful stretch and knocked off the AL’s best team. Pineda also bounced back, which is a relief. I was worried that he was hurt and not saying anything. But he seemed more than OK in today’s finale. A-Rod continued his hot hitting; it feels weird seeing him pass Ruth and Gehrig and, soon, Jeter on the milestones list, but he’s definitely spearheading a lot of these wins.

And now the Yanks travel to the West Coast and that feels weird too. When I lived in CA, I loved the games against the CA teams because they aired at a decent hour there. Here? Not so much. I’m not staying up to watch them now that I’m in CT – just won’t happen – but I wish them a good trip.