Should A-Rod Stay or Go?
By Geoff Walter

Trade rumors surrounding Alex Rodriguez are starting to become an annual event with each fall elimination of the Yankees. Half the fans call for his head, the others stay silent because deep down they know how good a player he is and want to see him succeed in New York, for New York. Lou Piniella, A-Rod’s great consigliere, has taken a new job managing the Cubs and rumors are flying that because of their close relationship, A-Rod will soon be singing “Sweet Home Chicago” (Piniella pun intended) instead of “New York, New York.” Here’s your chance to see my take on the arguments for and against the beleaguered Yankee third baseman and respond with some of your own.

Yes, that 0-for-14 is completely unacceptable. But you do have to go through May to get to October. During the regular season A-Rod led the Yankees in RBI (121) and hit the second most home runs (35) behind Giambi (37). The point is, without a Mr. May, and for that matter, June, July, August, and September, you won’t get to October.

Tell me something I don’t already know. Good pitching always beats good offense. Yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s true. It would be so easy to just pin it on A-Rod, but the entire Yankee lineup choked against Detroit.

Please, let’s not take Gary Sheffield’s position on this. Rodriguez is a professional and as a professional you hit wherever the manager tells you to hit. You don’t let it mess with your head because it’s not a critique on your character, etc., its purely strategic. A change is warranted when something isn’t working or when a strategy won’t work against opposing pitching. A-Rod wasn’t exactly producing against the Tigers or the Angels last year, either. That warranted a drop in the roster where an out can hurt you less.

A-Rod certainly isn’t lacking in postseason experience. He’s been in six ALDS series (three with Seattle, three with New York), three ALCS (one with Seattle, two with New York). So what exactly is the problem? The man is a two-time AL MVP, a gold glove winner (albeit at shortstop),he has a host of Silver Sluggers, and on and on. It can’t be the pressure, it can’t be inexperience. Maybe his talent, his ability doesn’t extend to the postseason. Maybe the baseball gods have determined that he just isn’t supposed to be a postseason kind of player.

The Yankees won’t trade him. A-Rod has a blanket no-trade clause and has repeatedly stated that he wants to be “part of the solution.” Brian Cashman has said that Rodriguez will return in pinstripes next year, and rumors are rumors until you hear otherwise. Trust, but verify.

A-Rod won’t be going anywhere. Why would he trade the Big Apple for the Second City? Why would anyone? Love the player, hate the player, A-Rod will be back next season. But if it doesn’t happen to work out, remember what that Pepsi truck driver said - - “A-Rod if your interested, there’s a future for you in the beverage distribution industry.”