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I'm certainly not an A-Rod basher and though it is certainly where this thread will go, that's not my intention. I think Rodriguez is an excellent player who for multiple reasons has difficulty with the media.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi made a special call to the public address announcer on the press level during a Yankees playoff game to request that Alex Rodriguez not be named when Girardi pinch hit Eric Chavez for A-Rod, people familiar with the situation said.
So when Chavez pinch hit for A-Rod, only Chavez's name was announced, not A-Rod's. Typically the announcement contains the names of both the player who is pinch hitting as well as the person who was being pinch-hit for.
Also of note, the Yankees have a position entitled: Director of mental conditioning.
What is here to trigger any Arod bashing? Rodriguez is an innocent bystander in this story, he doesn't demand or request that his name not be announced, it is done on his behalf by Girardi.
Now, if there was some evidence that Girardi was motivated to show this sensitivity by some past eruption of Arod's in the same sort of circumstances, then we could have a bash.
But the tale seems to be....manager wanting to not heap any additional humiliation on former susperstar who had been having a tough time of it lately.
Quote:
Also of note, the Yankees have a position entitled: Director of mental conditioning.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Here in Seattle we have made a sport of booing him when he comes to bat at Safeco, but one is still tempted to feel sorry seeing someone with such talent on a fast downward spiral at such an early age.
What I find distasteful here is that it isn't enough to pay these players the amount of money they're getting, but that they also must be coddled and petted and have their feelings protected. How much more ridiculous can things become? If there is one positive aspect of this entire A-roid situation, it is that the Yankees and every other organization should now know better than to give any player such a long-term, high-dollar contract.
What I find distasteful here is that it isn't enough to pay these players the amount of money they're getting, but that they also must be coddled and petted and have their feelings protected. How much more ridiculous can things become? If there is one positive aspect of this entire A-roid situation, it is that the Yankees and every other organization should now know better than to give any player such a long-term, high-dollar contract.
I know that I think baseball players are robots or computers or whatever it is that I think since I understand math and use statistics but regardless of how much a person makes they are still a human who has feelings and emotions. Maybe, just maybe, $25 million a year doesn't change that. But, since I'm likely wrong and everyone 'round these parts knows so much more about baseball than I do, maybe someone can tell me at just what salary level does a player cease to be a human?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Baseball player is the only job where someone is not only paid millions but given awards for being successful in their job 3 times out of 10, and 4/10 is almost unheard of.
I know I'd get fired in a minute with that kind of performance.
at just what salary level does a player cease to be a human?
It can vary and sometimes get complex, especially when dealing with the Yankees. For example, Aaron Rowand, tanking it in San Francisco, ceased to be a human being at 12 million a year. However, if Rowand had been making the same money and phoning in his performance for New York, he could still be a human being because of the relativity of others. Arod of course ceased being a human being way back when he signed the Texas contract, and moving to New York and renegotiating an even bigger contract totally severed all of his connections with humanity, he may no longer even be an Earthling. Rowand, held to the light of Arod in New York, retains just enough human chromosomes to pass for a human. Move Rowand to Kansas City or Oakland and his humanity evaporates instantly.
You can also lose your humanity via poor performance. Prince Fielder successfully retained his humanity in Detroit this season despite the 23 million dollar salary. However, if next season he experiences a collapse, say posts a .740 OPS or something, then the 23 million condemns him to non human status.
Consequently, we cannot apply the same human/salary formula to all players and all clubs with uniformity.
Baseball player is the only job where someone is not only paid millions but given awards for being successful in their job 3 times out of 10, and 4/10 is almost unheard of.
I know I'd get fired in a minute with that kind of performance.
If your job involves knowing anything about baseball I'd say you're due to be fired any minute.
I assume that your 3/10 or 4/10 success rate refers to a player batting. Baseball players don't just bat. For example, there is also fielding. All major league baseball players managed to successfully field (without making an error) 98.4% of batted balls this season. That's a success rate that most people in most professions would be proud of. Pitchers also manage to successfully retire the inverse amount of hitters that successfully reach base, so around 65% - 70%.
Also, an average of almost 8 players per season over the last 5 seasons have reached base 4 or more out of 10 times (OBP >= .400). So it's certainly not almost unheard of for a batter to be successful 4 out of 10 times.
You, though, are batting pretty close to 0 with this post.
What I find distasteful here is that it isn't enough to pay these players the amount of money they're getting, but that they also must be coddled and petted and have their feelings protected. How much more ridiculous can things become? If there is one positive aspect of this entire A-roid situation, it is that the Yankees and every other organization should now know better than to give any player such a long-term, high-dollar contract.
A Roid? You jealous over those 27 titles Yankee fans have?
A Roid? You jealous over those 27 titles Yankee fans have?
I would imagine that he's referring to Alex Rodriguez testing positive for steroid use. But feel free to flaunt those 27 titles you had nothing to do with
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