A-Rod and Soriano
| 18
|
Harold Friend
User: LouGehrig
July 31, 2006
In a stunning move that surprised no one, the New York Yankees traded struggling slugger Alex Rodriguez to the Washington Nationals for Alfonso Soriano. The Yankees agreed to send an unspecified amount of money, believed by unnamed sources from both teams to be in excess of $50 million, to the Washington ball club. In addition, the Yankees will sign Soriano to a long term contract to ensure that he doesn't worry too much and can relax in big games, as he did when he played for the Yankees in the 2003 World Series.
A-Rod's struggles have become legendary. He was never a "true" Yankee, switched positions when he came to New York to accomodate his new team and their fans, slapped a ball out of a pitcher's hand on a controversial play at first base in a critical game against the Red Sox, cursed at a Red Sox catcher on national television, and according to the media and expert Yankees fans, has never been able to produce in the clutch.
The A-Rod situation has been a Yankees' dilemma ever since he became a Yankee, albeit not a "true" one. Although he was well on the way to being considered the greatest shortstop of all time, A-Rod magnanimously volunteered to switch positions and replace Aaron Boone at third base. Boone's contract was voided when he readily admitted that he had been injured playing basketball in the offseason, an act that his contract prohibited. It was Boone's extra inning playoff home run that won the 2003 pennant for the Yankees, proving to some, perhaps, that Boone was a "true" Yankee but not "true" enough to remain one.
Soriano, who refused to move from second base to the outfield until he was told he would not be paid unless he agreed, has stated that when he was a Yankee the first time, his best defensive position was shortstop, that it still is shortstop, and that he will not report to the Yankees unless he can be the shortstop. The Yankees, who have had their fill of controversy, were taken aback but an unlikely source came to their rescue.
Jose Reyes, the star New York Mets shortstop, volunteered to speak to Yankees' Captain Derek Jeter and, in the words of Yogi Berra when Bill Dickey was teaching a young Berra the nuances of being a catcher, "...teach him my experience." Reyes, remember, changed positions to accomodate Japanese shortstop Kaz Matsui, who did about as well as a Met as Greg Goosen, about whom Casey Stengel once said, "I got a kid, Greg Goosen, he's nineteen years old and in ten years he's got a chance to be twenty-nine."
The Yankees jumped at Reyes' offer and firmly believe that Derek Jeter will be more than eager to become the Yankees' third baseman, but the Mets had tried to help their cross town rivals even more. Before the Rodriguez for Soriano trade David Wright, the other half of the Mets' left side of the infield, offered to go to the Yankees in exchange for A-Rod.
Wright has repeatedly demonstrated his love of the Big Apple. He said that "If A-Rod played in Queens, he wouldn't have to try to live up to the legends of Yankees' history. After all, no one ever confused Marv Throneberry with Lou Gehrig or Elio Chacon with Phil Rizzuto." Of course, the Mets sent Wright for professional help, after which the 2006 MVP candidate decided that he would be better off remaining in the National League.
A-Rod expressed mixed feelings about the trade. He will be joining a team in transition that has little history, which many believe will help the embattled former Mariner, Ranger, and Yankee. Of greater importance, he will again play shortstop, his natural position.
"I want to thank everyone in New York for all that they have done for me. I have tried to help the team as much as possible and regret that things didn't work out as well as we would liked. I will do for Washington what I did for New York," which frightened some of the Nationals' fans.
A little bonus for A-Rod is the fact that he will have the free world's number one fan in attendance when he plays, but it is something A-Rod knew from the get-go. "I am really looking forward to playing before the Washington Nationals' fans, especially one fan who is such good friends with my former boss when I was in Texas, Tom Hicks. It will be an honor to play before President George Bush. I am looking forward to the pressure." Unbelievable.
Reference:
http://www.peterga.com/baseball/quotes/notgreat.htm
Date
Mon 07/24/06, 7:50 am EST
