I Got It!

A-Rod’s scruples, or lack thereof, are in the news again. With the Yankees up by one run in the 9th inning last night, Matsui and A-Rod on base, and two outs, Jorge Posada hit a routine pop up. John McDonald and Howie Clark converged and stared up at the ball, and as Rodriguez ran between them towards third, he suddenly shouted something; Clark froze, and the ball dropped in. Per LoHud,

"The Blue Jays are not pleased with Alex Rodriguez. They said he yelled, “Mine!” as he passed behind Howie Clark in the ninth inning. Clark backed off the pop-up and it led to the Yankees scoring three runs.

“I’ve never seen it happen, maybe I’m naive but I thought it was a bush-league play. That’s not Yankee pride right there,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.

Clark said that in all his time in baseball, he had never experienced such a thing."

Oh, give me a break. Sure -- I've seen corked bats, pine tarred balls, omnipresent amphetamines, and rampant unchecked steroid use... but yelling "mine" as you pass a fielder?!? I am shocked, sir! What of the integrity of the game?

Personally, I get a kick out this stuff. Dirty plays that might get someone hurt are dangerous, and no fun to watch; but as far as I'm concerned, anything and everything goes when messing with your opponent's head. After McDonald and Clark and even Gibbons finished barking at him, A-Rod stood at third clearly trying to suppress a grin, and not quite succeeding. Ha! Matsui scored on the play, and The Yanks went on to win 10-5.

"I just said, 'Ha!', that's it," A-Rod explained on the postgame show. Funny, that's what I said. "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."

Look, I wish I could offer more lofty sentiments, but let’s be honest. At this point in the Yankees’ season, if getting an actual win requires A-Rod to screw thirteen transvestite prostitutes, on a pile of corked bats, in front of Babe Ruth’s plaque in Monument Park? Fine.

Comments

[SF]

Do all players try to get competitive advantages by playing at the fuzzy edge of sportsmanship? I imagine many do. But A-Rod seems to advertise this strongly. Either that or he gets an inordinate amount of attention for doing what most players do. It's gotten very hard to know what it is.

No matter, it sure seems like people do NOT like A-Rod. It's getting hard not to see why, frankly. And this comes from someone who has been an ardent defender, and one who adores watching him perform.

[AndrewYF]

I still can't believe that actually worked. I bet A-Rod was a bit surprised as well, can't blame him for that shit-eating grin he had on his face.

But Clark certainly showed why he was a career minor leaguer.

[Simone]

"At this point in the Yankees’ season, if getting an actual win requires A-Rod to screw thirteen transvestite prostitutes, on a pile of corked bats, in front of Babe Ruth’s plaque in Monument Park? Fine."

Hysterical and true, Emma. Desperate times for the Yankees. I didn't think it was a big deal. Clark is a dope for letting Alex distract him in the first place.

[Josh]

I would have benched my little leaguers for that kind of crap.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

he didn't swat at the guy's glove, which caused an uproar for him in the past.

he didn't go out of his way to bump the fielder, which raised eyebrows a week or so ago.

he made noise.

at a baseball game.

this shouldn't be an issue, except that the kid was actually distracted by it.

ridiculous.

[Ric]

"he made noise. at a baseball game."

lets not pretend that calling off a popfly is simply making noise if thats what he did... ive seen that movie Rookie of the Year. Arods like that kid from the movie.. is he going to begin taunting the pitcher next and razzing his tongue? na na na-na-na! you're gonna loooose! Noooonan!

[Lar]

SF - people just don't want to like him, it seems. I mean, when he was doing everything right, everyone calls him soft, and he tries to stand up against the Sox, but did it against someone who didn't even take off his mask, and somehow it's his fault.

I don't know how common/uncommon this thing is, but I guess it's not that common.. still, if Cairo did it, I don't think there'll be much of a fuss. It's like when Phelps ran into the Seattle catcher, he erred on the side of dangerous, got nailed for it, and that was that (Proctor stupidity aside). But if it was ARod we would've never heard the end of it.

I'm more amazed that it worked than he (or anyone) doing it. When I play (friendly) softball, I've known to do silly stuff like that too, but even at my level it never works!

[Woosta YF]

I think the SF's are just upset that Dice-K got lit up last night.

And what better topic to complain about than A-Rod?

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"if that's what he did..."

nobody can even be sure, but we're ready to throw him under the bus anyway.

it is a little league play. like the hidden ball trick, which is usually recounted with an attitude that such plays harken back to a time of innocence and youthful whimsicality or some such nonsense.

this isn't watergate.

what it is is funny.

if the tables were turned and it happened to the yankees, i'd be pissed that they fell for it, not that it was tried.

[Woosta YF]

"if the tables were turned and it happened to the yankees, i'd be pissed that they fell for it, not that it was tried."

Ain't that the truth.

[Lar]

Kind of like that stealing home. Pissed that they fell for it. Ah well.

[Ric]

"nobody can even be sure, but we're ready to throw him under the bus anyway."

the smirk on his face after the play suggests that he knew what he was doing. but it was a legal play regardless. but Arod has been painting quite a target on his back recently and that has little to do with his high salary.

[Paul SF]

Let's not bring up the Tek fight, during which A-Rod screamed, "F*ck you!" and "Come on!" and then acted all shocked that Varitek actually hit him without pausing to take off his gear first. Please.

I don't think this is a big deal either. But it's now the third A-Rod incident that, as SF says, sits right on this line of propriety. The AP story I read called A-Rod's "sh*t-eating grin" a "smirk." I've seen A-Rod's smirk, and it might be the most annoying thing ever.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"Kind of like that stealing home. Pissed that they fell for it."

exactly.

[Paul SF]

Also, it was Emma, a YF, who brought this up. Not SF, Woosta.

Anyway, it's good to see our regular YFs back. It's not nearly as fun without you!

[Scott SF]

On one hand, I can see why it would be considered 'bush league,' and it is kind of cheap.

On the other hand, it's not against the rules. Also, if he wanted the ball he (the fielder) should have shouted louder and longer to take priority and take charge.

I might have had a little anger had it happened against the Sox, but I would hope that our defense would be more mentally immune than that.

[Woosta YF]

Uh, Paul, Emma brought up the hilarity of the situation with a fantastic post.

SF tried to get all righteous.

[sam YF]

Fact is this kind of thing must happen all the time in baseball. The only reason we know about it is because Clark was sucker enough to give up on a pop fly when he heard a sound. This happens all the time on foul balls near the opposing dugout, it just never works. As usual controversy finds A-Rod like the lightning rod that he is. SFs do you think Lowell would have fallen for that in a million years? If he did regardless of who yelled 'ha' would you be pissed at the fielder or the yeller? I would be pissed AT our third baseman for not making the out...

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"the smirk on his face after the play suggests that he knew what he was doing."

quite likely... or perhaps he was smiling at the misplay, or that the papers might have something to distract them from the "other" rodriguez story, or he remembered a scene from "mr. show with bob and david"... you know the "audition" sketch? i know that always makes me smile...

i would smile, too. it was funny.

And then of course Josh took it to the ridiculous level.

[Woosta YF]

And then of course Josh took it to the ridiculous level.

[Woosta YF]

Sorry! Typepad verification sucks.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"I've seen A-Rod's smirk, and it might be the most annoying thing ever."

for me, manny's posing after doing what he is paid to do is the most annoying thing i've experienced in baseball. i know that my dislike for the guy plays a big part in this, but i also believe that him doing this is the primary, potentially single source of my dislike.

today, when i turn in my timecard, i'm going to toss it onto my boss' desk, keep my arm extended and just gaze at the thing for a good 5 seconds.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

although this bit from the ny times does seem to say it was indeed intentional:

Rodriguez said he was simply trying to win. “We’re desperate,” he said. “We haven’t won a game in a little bit now. We won the game.”

fair enough.

if that was his goal, i can't blame him. i'm sick of the losing, too.

[Ayuh - SF]

My god, if this were David Eckstein or Trot Nixon or any other player with tons of grit and limited skills, people would be climbing in spasms of baseball ecstasy, crowing about "heady play" and "get it done attitude."

The man was just trying to get an edge. It wasn't a dirty play and it certainly wasn't against the rules.

Would I bench a Little League player for doing that? Yes, I would, because it's kind of cheap and is a win-at-all-costs kind of tactic.

But this isn't Little League. These games count for something, and are played by grown men who've already learned the game.

As a previous poster mentioned, what ARod did is very comparable to the hidden ball play. That was a specialty of Marty Barrett, and I loved it when he was able to pull it off for the Sox. I'm sure it didn't make him any friends on the other team, but it got an extra out. What ARod did was the same- saved an out for his team.

[jp-sf]

Hey, a Yankum win (coupled with a Sawks loss) and the Yankees fans come out of the woodwork. Nice to see you all again. We'll see you again next Wednesday, after the next Yankees win.

That said, the problem isn't that Clark "fell for it," the problem is that ARod resorted to that sort of bush league play. But, then again, bush league is what ARod is. He just wants to be loved by all, right? I didn't have much respect for ARod before last night...he killed the rest of my respect with that crap play.

The funny part is that the next time they play the Jays, I guarantee you ARod takes one in the ear hole...and it's justified. Baseball has a way of policing itself.

[jp-sf]

Oh and it's not like the hidden ball trick. Not even close. That's like comparing apples to Toronto hookers.

[Woosta YF]

So jp asserts it and it's true.

Ayuh - well said. But my kids pull that and I laugh with them. It's not winning at all costs - it's smart baseball.

Folks (like josh, jp, SF) do realize that if A-Rod had been the victim of that play last night, they'd be the ones laughing. That's the only test I need for intellectual honesty.

[jp-sf]

No, jp doesn't assert it and it's true. JP has taken one side of the debate here and argued his point...which is his true feelings. Woah, I feel like Rickey Henderson referring to myself in the 3rd person...but I digress.

If ARod had been the victim of that play, I would still think it was bush league...even if Papi yelled "I GOT IT" at the top of his lungs while Manny screwed thirteen transvestite hookers on a pile of corked bats in front of the Green Monster. It just shows the desperation in the Yanks. I wonder if when Torre refers to his team as "classy" if he thinks of ARod as part of the team...

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

hey, jp-sf... i'll be sure to avoid the "woodwork" of writing final papers and studying for my exams in the future. where are my priorities?

nice one about the hookers and stuff... i'm sure that your respect is exactly what rodriguez is striving for.

that wasn't "bush league"... "classy", right?

[Ayuh - SF]

Woosta- thanks.

It's a pretty fine line between what's "cheap" and what's "smart" on the baseball field. I know if I had a kid on my team who ran up behind a fielder on a pop fly and then screamed "DROP IT!!", I'd sure pull his butt of the field. To me, Little League is where a kid learns the fundamentals of the game, and has fun doing it. There's plenty of time for gamesmanship later on.

[LocklandSF]

Count me with the few SFs that just thinks this is funny.

You know what else I think is funny?

The fact that you can't buy a blond wig anywhere in the city of Boston right now, totally sold out.

Man, I can't with for the chants tomorrow night, and I'm going to be there.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

i'll be there, too, lockland sf.

pretty excited.

[sam YF]

Please JP, if this same thing happened during a sox yankee game and Arod dropped a ball as Papi ran behind him and said "I got it" to result in a couple of runs there is ZERO chance that you would have a problem with it.

As far as desperation goes, as I said earlier this kind of stuff happens all the time in baseball. The yankees happened to get a break here when they are at their most desperate. We sure could use one after the Hughes news. (hey that ryhmes)

[jp-sf]

YFIB - I don't care where you've been, just calling it like I see it. Curious that your "paper" is all written today....hmmm...

I never professed myself to be classy on this site, have I? No, I took a side of the argument and argued my point. Furthermore, I'm not the one that got caught going back to my hotel with a woman that I was at a strip club with who is not my wife. Oh and if you go and REREAD this post, you will see that I took the transvestite hooker thing directly from the author (hint, look at the last paragraph).

[jp-sf]

Sam - you're wrong. I feel the same way about stealing signs, taking performance enhancing drugs and doing anything illegal or immoral to give yourself a competitive edge. If you're not good enough to win on your own merits, then find another profession.

[MrBlackthorne]

In my mind, if the Yankees have to pull stunts like this in order to win, they've got bigger problems than whether they're pissing off another under-.500 team with some questionable baseball ethics. As long as no one gets hurt, who cares? Good for A-Rod for thinking quick under the weight of all that desperation. Playing cheap will only get you so far. In the overall scheme of things, it doesn't matter. It's like trying to blame a bad season on officiating. If the umpiring is really making a huge difference in the game, you're not playing well enough to win, anyway.

[Nick-YF]

Are certain SFs really going to trash talk about the lack of YF posts during this period? Really? I know for myself that I've been incredibly busy these last few months with academic and personal stuff. Plus, the Yanks have sucked...royally. It's not fun writing or thinking about this team. During the fall of 2006, SFs, in general, became a lot less prolific at this site. The season just didn't seem to hold the same level of interest for these fans as it did earlier. That's cause they were losing. Fine, that makes sense to me.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

i was talking about your apples/hookers remark, not the quote.

dude, you're calling out a guy for not being classy. it rings less true if you take cheapshots. just my opinion.

my paper is written because the due date has passed. that is how these things are done. it isn't nearly as curious at you might think.

[Triskaidekaphobia]

Let's not forget during the Tek/A-rod scuffle Saint Jason himself said "We don't throw at .260 hitters." So let's give both sides.

As for last night, it's a bush play. I yell at my HS kids all the time for the same nonsense. Not something Yankee fans should be proud of and I am one.

[jp-sf]

Ah, the apples/hookers remark. Yes, I was the original author of that line. Brilliant, if I do say so myself...

Stating facts isn't taking cheap shots...it's stating facts.

Congrats on getting the paper done to coincide with the Yanks first win in a week.

[AngelsFan]

I kinda liked it, I have to say.

With regard to people not liking A-Rod, I have always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but unfortunately I think he's brought it on himself, and not purely because of his alleged lack of clutch performance. The larger problem is that he just presents himself as a prince and a peacock, despite his best efforts not to. It's the way he flips his bat after a walk. It's the way he always manages to say the wrong thing, something that's intended to sound humble but comes of sounding arrogant (such as when he comments on his own superior intelligence). I think with him you get the worst of both worlds -- he seems disingenuous, a cocky and entitled guy who unconvincingly tries to present himself as a modest and friendly fellow. He'd be better off if he never said anything, really. Like after this game, he should have just said "no comment," because if people want to believe that he said "Mine" rather than "Ha," they're still going to.

It was interesting seeing the "Stray-Rod" article in the Post yesterday -- reflecting the public sentiment, the writer took every opportunity to get in a dig. I was thinking about how differently it would have been written if it had been Jeter instead. I did note that he said "no comment" to that business. Good move.

[Ayuh - SF]

JP- how is what ARod did different from the hidden ball play?

-Both are meant to cause a mental error on a specific player on the opposite team.

-Both are non-physical plays, in that the person performing them has no direct influence on the play.

-Both are entirely within the rules of the game.

We can't applaud one, and condemn the other.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

it was three papers and three finals, thankyouverymuch.

did you take such a hard line stance when derek lowe was on the sox?

[jp-sf]

Ok, one at a time...first of all, I have to discount anything that triskaidekaphobia says about ARod because he has a fear of the number 13...just kidding, trisk...:)

Ayuh - the hidden ball trick isn't a batted ball. If you are on base, you should be paying attention to the conference on the mound. You have nothing better to do than to be aware of what's going on. If you are camped under a pop fly and someone comes up behind you and hollers "I got it," (or "Mmmmh" or "hey"), you really have no way of knowing if it's the baserunner or another fielder getting ready to plow into you. It's not the same thing...at all.

YFIB - Nice work on the three papers. Here's to hoping you do a better job writing than you do picking your ball teams to root for...Kidding once again...

Oh and I hate Derek Lowe...always have, always will.

[z118]

"... you can't buy a blond wig anywhere in the city of Boston right now, totally sold out."

Is this true? If so, that's hysterical.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"I hate Derek Lowe...always have, always will."

i hereby declare this remark to be "curious."

...heheheh...

fortunately, he and mr. rodriguez are the only two ballplayers to ever fall prey to the clutches of evil maneaters such as these.

phew!

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"Is this true? If so, that's hysterical."

i toyed with the idea of checking in a couple of stores... but then i decided it would be more fun just to show up tomorrow night and see if it were true.

[dc]

paul, i agree with you that we don't need to go over the arod-tek "fight" again...anyone seeing the replay saw the hbp, then arod walking to first shouting at arroyo?, tek escorting him, then inexplicably bitch-slapping him with his glove, full head gear still in place...it was funny actually...

by the way sf's, you may be getting a preview of your 3rd baseman for next year...enjoy

yfib, don't be offended by jp-sf's cheap "woodwork" shot...he may not realize that many of us have lives outside of yf v. sf...i've noticed most of the regulars take an occasional sabbatical...most of the soxfans have been reserved in their celebration of the season so far, stopping short of blatant gloating, so jp's comments give me some glimmer of hope...i was on vacation last week [deep in sox territory], and a surprising number of fans [mostly friends and family] confided in me that while they are trying to enjoy the sox success and yankee troubles, they are just waiting for the sox to blow it somehow...the confidence is just not there even with the big lead...in other words, they're not having the kind of fun with it that they should be...while i was there we drove to ys for a couple of the sox-yanks games and the sf's who were with us didn't even enjoy the victory...they sat almost stoically throughout the entire game, occasionally clapping...i actually felt bad for them, sincerely...

[Shawnfromct]

A-Rod cannot be sent to San Francisco fast enough, just please leave, please stop it and go away.

The Blonde wig thing....genius. The Red SoX brass should have a bunch of Toronto Strippers throw out the 1st pitch.

[SF]

It's unfair to accuse SFs of being behind any A-Rod outrage, since it was raised by Blue Jays players. There may be an element of embarrassment at their falling for this ploy that contributes to their vocal complaints, but at the same time it seems clear that this kind of thing just doesn't happen often. Secondly, I myself, in the first post on this thread, question whether A-Rod is being focused on because of who he is, not because of what he did, so I am not going to sit idly and let people accuse me of unfairly picking on Rodriguez. AJ Pierzynski is a commonly accepted d**chebag - is that because he's the highest paid player in the game or because he acts like a d**chebag? Probably the latter, so it's not really fair to chalk up perceptions of a player to his contract, like it is always done with A-Rod. With Rodriguez, this chicken-egg thing with regards to how cleanly he plays the game is becoming a legitimate topic - does A-Rod get all this attention because of who he is or because of what he does? Seems to me like it is easy (it has always been easy) to dismiss it as the former, but his actions are starting to pile up to point to it being at least partially the latter.

And let's get something straight here. What Rodriguez did is NOT legal, and this isn't debatable. It may not be enforced, but it is against the rules nonetheless. So an argument that states that he was just gaining a competitive advantage through legal gamesmanship is not correct. The rule states:

Official Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms
INTERFERENCE
(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, batter- runner, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules.

[AndrewYF]

"If you are on base, you should be paying attention to the conference on the mound. You have nothing better to do than to be aware of what's going on. If you are camped under a pop fly and someone comes up behind you and hollers "I got it," (or "Mmmmh" or "hey"), you really have no way of knowing if it's the baserunner or another fielder getting ready to plow into you."

Who the hell is going to plow into you on an infield pop fly that you're right underneath of? You don't have anything better to do in that situation than to catch the ball. A-Rod absolutely did not yet "I got it". He didn't say "drop it" or "your mother is a whore", he said a single pronounced word. It looked like he said "HA" or some desperation move to get the fielder to look at him. Clark was just enough of an idiot to do it. No wonder he's a career minor leaguer.

A-Rod plays the game dirty. There is no other way to express the facts. He is a dirty player who has zero brains & zero class. I hope he stays with NY and continues to hold their anchor to the the bottom!

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

"the confidence is just not there even with the big lead"

that hasn't been the case with any and all sox fans that i work with or the guys on my baseball team... i've been on the receiving end for weeks. and i was the first guy to call to offer congrats when the sox actually won, too...

good to hear that people have been somewaht restrained or measured, but they should be able to enjoy it. otherwise, what's the point?

[SF]

It looked like he said "HA" or some desperation move to get the fielder to look at him

Yes, it was a "desperation" move. Exactly. That's the point, mostly, that the Yankees are now resorting to (illegal) desperation moves. Kind of pathetic, you have to admit, right?

[SF]

Uh, sure, we're not enjoying it. Right. Perhaps some aren't, but the Sox fans I know (beyond my Mom, who is pathologically negative about the team, despite 2004) are giddy but guarded.

Realizing it's still May and "enjoying it" are not mutually exclusive. This season has been a JOY so far, it's not hard to say that I (for one - won't speak for my brethren in general terms) am bowled over with excitement and happiness at how the Sox have played.

[jp-sf]

dc - congrats on the vacation...I'd like to take one myself.

Andrew - Um, the shortstop maybe??? But I love the fact that he used a desperation move...were the Brandon Arroyo sissy slap and the Pedroia shoulder crotch plant desperation moves also?

[Triskaidekaphobia]

".....that the Yankees are now resorting to (illegal) desperation moves. Kind of pathetic, you have to admit, right?"

Yankees? It's Alex, not the Yankees. I have already admitted it to being a bush play what would make you Sox fans happy? Should I change my name, my team affiliation? It was another dumb move in the long list of dumb A-Rod moves, this is not a Yankees desperation move though, it's an A-Rod thing.

[Nick-YF]

SF, I'm just wondering if there is a similar rule for fielder's interference. I know that fielders are not allowed to obstruct the path of the runner. Are they allowed to psyche out (confuse) the runner by any means necessary?

[Nick-YF]

A-Rod called the team desperate, so I guess we can all rest assured that it was a desperation move. In related news, the Yanks are 8 games back of the wild card, and basically have a 1% chance of winning the AL East (if that).

[SF]

Trisk: I wasn't addressing you specifically, it was directed towards other commenters taking the critics to task. And yes, you are right: it was A-Rod, not the Yankees. I should have been a little more specific.

And welcome back, dc.

[dc]

sf, i missed the part about sf's being behind "arod outrage"...i saw you just making a point about arod's questionable play, nothing more...

but, thanks for digging up the rule...like so many rules, it's so vague that it's open to interpretaion...do they mean "physical" interference only, or can it include "non-contact acts", in this case "auditory" interference?...so, now i'm scratching my head over why the ump didn't make a call...seems like everyone else heard it, why not the ump?

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

perhaps it is pathetic, but when jorge posada says that his team is lacking fire or whatever his exact words were, something must be done.

their entire season thus far has bordered on pathetic.

if this gets things turned around, a notion i can wish for even though i highly doubt it, i can accept that.

i stand by the fact that if it was done to the yankees, i'd be upset that they fell for it, as opposed to the attempt being made.

somebody was trying to win a game. and it was a yankee. hallelujah.

i've seen guys yell from the dugout when a guy chases a pop up. what is the difference, other than this poor kid fell for it?

Clearly the rule says the offense cannot "confuse" the fielder, it doesn't say anything about that being physical. The question would be whether an umpire thought that A-Rod yelling "ha" constituted an effort to "confuse" at the time it happened. Clearly based on the postgame comments from A-Rod it was exactly that.

I don't see (as Trisk has said clearly) the big deal in calling this action from A-Rod "d**chebaggery". It clearly was that. If Julio Lugo did it I'd feel the same way, believe me or not, that's up to each person on their own. The thing with A-Rod is that he's starting to grow a pile of these kind of moves. It's getting harder to ascribe attitudes towards A-Rod to jealousy over his contract and not to the way he plays parts of the game. To me, the "they hate me because I am rich and beautiful" excuse exonerates A-Rod from unscrupulous play and pins blame on the insecurities or jealousy of others, it to some extent immunizes A-Rod against the supposedly reflexively negative attitudes towards him. I am no longer sure this is fair to other players.

[SF]

That was me.

[attackgerbil]

> A-Rod plays the game dirty. There is no other way to express the facts.

Sure there are. He has made a couple of high-profile bad decisions (the slap, the body check, going to NY and expecting to be loved) 99% of the time, he plays the game like everyone else does, except for the fact that he has skills and physical capabilities that most players don't possess. And he's sigficantly richer.

> He is a dirty player who has zero brains & zero class.

We've covered the first part.

"Zero brains & zero class"

Do you mean no brain and no class?

ARod is reported a being an incredibly intelligent person, an ardent student, and a workaholic. Regarding class, I don't think anything that happens between baseball lines, goal lines, or court lines can tell you whether or not a person has class or not. The level of talent and style of gamesmanship has nothing to do with someone's true character. You need to get to know someone in the real world to make that evaluation.

> I hope he stays with NY and continues to hold their anchor to the the bottom!

He is the only reason they weren't on the bottom from April 2nd.

[dc]

thanks guys, it's good to be back although i already miss my family again...just for the record, my comment about sox fans not enjoying the season so far was a gross generalization based on a tiny sample, but it does bother me believe it or not, especially since i care about those folks...i even refrained from talking about '78...not having more fun with something that's clearly worth celebrating [even as early as may] is kind of sad...if the situation were reversed, i'd not likely be making playoff plans so soon, but i'd be on top of the world enjoying every minute...you guys should gloat away, you've earned it...

[sam YF]

this is funny because the only reason it was a "bush league" move was because it actually worked. Does anyone here actually think that no other players on either team have in some way tried to hinder an opposing player from making a play in the field? Im sure that other Yankees and Red Sox players have yelled when a player was near their dugout to make a play and in various other situations. Its naive to think otherwise.
SF, if this is is illegal isnt it also illegal when a runner screens an infielder on a ground ball to try to confuse him? That is a standard play that many players do. If this guy dropped a ball based on one word that Alex said it his is own damn fault. This doesnt happen to a good third baseman.

[Nick-YF]

I think before we go ahead and label A-Rod's actions as douchebaggery we have to figure out whether or not this kind of play happens all the time. A-Rod claims so. The Blue Jays claim otherwise. Larry Bowa said that it was fine to yell "hey hey" but not fine to say "Got it!" or "mine". There are obvious reasons for both sides to be lying. For Bowa and A-Rod, they lie so as not to be called bush league. For the Blue Jays, they might lie because they were fooled. Is it mere coincidence that the player who fell for the trick was a rookie playing his first game?

If, in fact, this play is not unusual, then I think the argument calling A-Rod a douche is weaker.

[AndrewYF]

I suppose SF doesn't see the big deal in calling a lot of things douchebaggery. Every time Manny admires a homerun. Every time David Ortiz argues with the umpire over a call that was clearly a strike. Can we label these players douchebags too, since they pile up these kinds of situations? I'm not sure Sox fans would be okay with that. Every time a fielder plows into another one to try and break up a double play. Every time a catcher talks to the batter while receiving the pitch. Every time Julio Lugo beats his wife. The list can go on, and on, and on. The high horse everyone is speaking from (I would never let my little leaguers do that!) is complete bull. People love to hate A-Rod, because he's got all the talent he shouldn't have to resort to saying "ha" and confusing all those poor career minor leaguers. Jeez, what a bully, he should shake their hands and boost their self-confidence for fielding a groundout. Give them applause and congratulations when they beat out his tags. After all, they can't hope to measure up to him, so he's got to give them a fair shake. It's entirely evident A-Rod is held to an unreachable standard by everyone involved. It's just entirely disingenuous when other people claim to be 'fair and balanced' when talking about it. It's clear that they're not.

[Devine]

I think it's fine, what he did. I'm just amazed it worked. Call the guy who let the ball drop a douche, not A-Rod.

Am I allowed back, typepad?

[Emma]

I'm honestly surprised that this upsets people -- I just can't work up any outrage over it at all. He tried a clever, sneaky ploy, and got away with it. Sportsmanlike? No. But funny as hell. Baseball has a long, proud history of semi-cheating (and outright cheating), from King Kelly to Joe Niekro.

I really do think this would be a minor, amusing note for almost everybody if it wasn't A-Rod. And I'll freely admit that he's a tough guy to like, and that his previous moves -- the Arroyo/Pedroia incidents -- are probably a big factor in people's reaction here. Which is fair. I'm not saying he's not a jerk... but you know, at least he CARES. He could easily take his massive paycheck, hit his home runs, lose, and go home. He doesn't need this kind of attention. But clearly he wants to win more than anything, probably a bit too much. It doesn't make him classy, but it's probably part of what makes him a dominant player.

is it a right handed hitter's obligation to move out of the batter's box when his teammate is stealing 3rd?

should a runner retreating to a base to avoid being picked off stay out of the way of the fielder if they're between the runner and the bag when the throw comes at them?

what if, god forbid, they have to sneeze, and it's really a big sneeze, during one of these plays? it is allergy season, after all?

[attackgerbil]

> To me, the "they hate me because I am rich and beautiful" excuse

I do not think that the one-off comment from ARod in an interview, referring as to why people don't like him translates into that he gets preferential treatment on the field. The slap was (rightfully) called interference. The body check into Pedroia was rightfully not called. Based on what I know about last night, it doesn't sound like interference.

I agree that he has a library of controversial situations, but isn't that specifically because of his profile and the scrutiny afforded to him?

Also, fielders use verbal misdirection _all the time_ to confuse baserunners.

[jp-sf]

ARod doesn't admire his HRs? Cano doesn't half-ass it 3/4ths of the time and act like he's God's gift to 2nd base? Mickey Mantle didn't drink? Babe Ruth didn't used to whore around with anything that had 2 boobs a hole and a heartbeat??

The fact of the matter is that every team has players that do this stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if 90% of the guys cheat on their wives...maybe more than that. ARod doesn't get a fair shake because he doesn't deserve one. I am far more likely to cut Jeter slack because he's earned it.

[jp-sf]

ag - There is no rule against confusing baserunners. That's why you have base coaches, so that's a BS argument.

[Nick-YF]

jp, if A-Rod admires his home runs, then Manny makes passionate Brangelina (read loud and sexy)love to his homers.

[Nick-YF]

"ag - There is no rule against confusing baserunners. That's why you have base coaches, so that's a BS argument."

jp, do you know this for a fact? I guess I didn't know about the offensive interference "confuse" clause, so now I'm thinking there's a possibility on the other side. Couldn't you argue, that the fielders should have a system of communication to combat runner trickery?

[jp-sf]

I didn't know Brangelina had loud and sexy sex...thanks for the mental image. She's hot. Maybe ARod can hit that next?? :)

[sam YF]

manny admires his singles. Comparing manny's post HR glare to anyone else is pointless.

[Nick-YF]

What Manny does to his home runs would make Ron Jeremy (and Caligula) blush.

There! The requisite Ron Jeremy reference is made. Our month quota is filled.

[Woosta YF]

Andrew - Well said.

Emma - Your perscpective and humor was sorely lacking around here. The boys tend to work themselves into spasms.

If by the the grace of God the Yanks manage to turn it around, let one word sum up the spectacle:

Ha!

[jp-sf]

The only comment I see on defensive interference is rule 2.00(b) - Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch.

[Nick-YF]

there also is a rule about fielders getting in the way of baserunners. I've seen it enforced.

[jp-sf]

And sorry, Barry is the premier "admire your HR" guy.

[Paul SF]

The rulebook seems pretty clear to me. The rules in other situations allow runners to come close to fielders without intentionall touching or interfering with the play, so "screening" the fielder seems safe. Likewise, I've always been under the impression that batters can be caled for interference if they don't get out of the way of a CS attempt.

Anyway, I'm not outraged. But the Yankees did have a lead at the time, no? So A-Rod's move did not in fact have a direct influence on the outcome of the game. Which both takes the air out of the self-righteous accusers and A-Rod's own self-righteous claims that he was doing everything he could to "help the team win."

[jp-sf]

Nick - that would be obstruction.

OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner.
Rule 2.00 (Obstruction) Comment: If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered “in the act of fielding a ball.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball. For example: If an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.

[attackgerbil]

> There is no rule against confusing baserunners

The point is that there can be a lot of chatter on the field. What ARod did, dirty or not, just doesn't rattle my gourd, nor did it rattle the umpires', which is really all that matters. I agree with Emma, it's fun stuff.

And the last thing I need is John Gibbons, an ex Met, lecturing me on Yankee pride.

[Devine]

I like when Manny admires his homers. Unless they turn out to be singles that should have been doubles or doubles that should have been triples.

But as I've said before, Manny's just enamored of home runs. He watches his teammates' homers from the dugout steps with some excitement, and most of the time, he doesn't seem to be showing up the pitcher, just kinda liking what he sees.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

hey, everybody... i'm back from the "woodwork" that was my lunchbreak. (i kid...)

"What Manny does to his home runs would make Ron Jeremy (and Caligula) blush."

that right there is hilarious.

and paul sf, no yankee lead has been safe this season. trust me. i don't think the 1 or 2 run lead they had in any way detracts from the "trying to win a game" argument. not these days.

[Lar]

Seriously. Every play is important - let's not do the "it would've been important only if Mo gave up 3 runs" or whatever kind of scenario.

Slow news day, eh?

[Michael (SF)]

Either way...how low NY has fallen when its offense is forced to rely on confusing an outfielder to induce a dropped ball versus either hitting it out of the park or blooping it in front of the outfielder.

If I were a YF, I would be embarrassed that its come to this for NY. While on the one hand I love seeing the double digit lead over everyone in the league, on the other hand I miss the intensity a real rivalry brings (as long as the Sox still end up on top...lol).

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

oh... and as for the ballplayer's observance of the sanctity of marraige issue, here are a couple of reminders of behavior of heroes that is less than heroic:

batting first, for the yankees, number seven, mickey mantle:
http://tinyurl.com/otrmr
(was he married at the time? i don't know, but he did have a reputation as a ladies' (plural)man.)

up next, for the red sox, number nine, ted williams:
http://tinyurl.com/2s7tdj
(maybe his wife traveled to detroit with the team. i just love the list of two things he said he needed. if only i had it so easy... there has to be a batting average joke in this somewhere...)

[QuoSF]

I'm actually pretty surpised that there's even a line in the MLB rulebook about this. I think A-Rod was clearly trying to confuse Clark, and thus broke the rule. The umpire clearly didn't hear it himself, and wasn't going to go on a hearsay argument. Absolutely valid. The real fault lies with John McDonald.

He should probably have been the fielder to handle that popup. Clark wasn't exactly positioned right under the ball as it was, and I think McDonald probably had the better view in the first place. Plus, he's a veteran, and one would assume wouldn't have been screwed up by ridiculous A-Rod noises.

Any of you coaching Little League, who would encourage your players when they do this...find someone else to coach the team. There's a vast difference in this incident and it happening to kids in 4th-6th grade. There's just no reason for kids that age to be trying to gain this kind of "competitive advantage", and laughing along with them is pretty damned juvenile, and teaches a pretty f**king poor lesson. And yes, this means you Woosta.

Also, AndrewYF was attempting to make a point, then brought up the Julio Lugo wife-beating incident and killed it. What the hell? The charges were dropped. I'm not saying you should give him the benefit of the doubt...he may have done what was reported. At this point, it's all about the public opinion. He may still have done it, but it was many years ago and only happened one time. To say "Every time he beats his wife"...is ridiculous, and trying to a create a perpetually re-occurring situation where there isn't one.

Also, if Papi argues strike 3 too often, what, exactly, is it that Jeter does? If he (Jeter) didn't swing at strike 3, then to him it wasn't one. Neither player is right most of the time.

How is what A-Rod did different from a runner on third distracing the pitcher into a balk? This just happened the other day with Jose Reyes - not a word about it - and he scored the tying run.

[jp-sf]

In the players' defense, it would be difficult to turn down world class snatch day after day. But, if you're going to do that, don't get married.

[QuoSF]

A world of difference between A-Rod and Reyes. Reyes's distraction came as a direct result of him taking his lead at 3B, and from what I saw, making minor changes in where he was standing. Maybe they didn't show enough of it, but I didn't see where Reyes might've been yelling at Benitez in order to try to get him to balk. I don't think there's anything in the rulebook that would condemn him for what he actually did.

[Yankee Fan In Boston]

a fine balk argument, mystery poster.

(my guess is it was rodriguez himself. genius.)

[TJ]

OK, I havent read all the posts here but I wanna make two comments...

First A-Rod tried to defend his actions by saying it happens 4 or 5 times aweek but normally in foul ground.... Well A-Rod theres a difference between being a asshole screaming into a fielder's ear on the fair grounds of the field and being a fan in the stands where if you dont catch the ball it costs you runs immediatly.

Also... about the comment about Sox fans just being upset because Dice K got lit up last night.... Better then getting lit up nearly every night like your pitching staff.

The balk comment was mine. Been reading the site for a while and it was my first post. Wasn't sure it was going to post without logging in.

In the Reyes balk, he was trying to distract the pitcher. Lots of runners do the same thing. I for one, do not see a difference in the plays.

JS>>>