A-Rod Watch 2007

Don Mattingly = Total failure

 

I'm not disagreeing that yesterday was huge. All I'm saying is that while the season wears on, there will be other situations where his at-bat could be up for personal interpretation.

If the Yankees are up 2 in the 3rd, and ARod belts a solo shot, and the Yankees go on to win by 1, wouldn't that make ARod's HR significant? By the same token, wouldn't winning by 8 diminish it?

All I'm saying is this looks like it is destined to be an argument a couple months down the road.

 

Absolutely agree.

 

Yup, you know me so well Shade.

At what point is someone going to point you out for the troll you really are?

Oh wait, I just did.

 

Maybe I read your comment wrong. Jeter hits well in the playoffs, no doubt. I have no idea how long it has been since he had a game winning hit though. The point I was making was that I think Yankee fans are idiots to put all the blame on Arod. There isn't anybody who has done much in the last 7 years for them when it matters. Yet they all get a free pass.

 

I agree. ARod does take a substantial amount of blame, but he also makes a substantial amount more than any other player, so it just works out that way.

Whether it's right or wrong is up for debate. It's just the way it is. ARod doesn't help himself with his comments though.

Jeter, IMO, deserves a pass. He continues to hit when the weather is cold. You can't ask him to get game winning hits if there is never anyone on base for him.

There are a couple other guys who could deserve a pass too. Matsui and Posada come to mind.

Either way, I really hope this is ARod's year. Pass a home run milestone, play some good 3B, and win a title. All of a sudden, he will be hero in this town. And that's all he really wants anyway, isn't it? :wink:

 

That is cute, did I just pwned?:sad:

 

Here's an interesting fact. The Yankees are paying Jeter, Giambi, Pettitte, Damon and Matsui all more then they are paying Arod (because Texas pays 10 million a year of his salary). Why is it that they aren't vilified in the playoffs and at every at bat like Arod is? How many world series have they won for NY in the last 7 years?

 

Unfortunately, the problem with everyone is that they are so concerned about whether his HR's are "clutch" or not is that they forget about some of his real "clutch" moments.
His HR was big and it put the game away but his real big at bat was the one before.
With the game tied he comes up and blasts a single through the SS. He then steals second and scores the WINNING run on Giambi single.
How many cleanup batters are going to steal second to put them is scoring position????
While most of you banter about the significance of a HR, I will appreciate some of the other things he does to win ballgames.

 

Okay, but I could argue that since the game was close at the time, it is a situation where he's failed before, and therefore by him getting the hit, he's more successful.

I'm being purposefully argumentative, just to illustrate that this bet could get ugly down the road, just due to interpretation. I think the thread is cool, but you and typeO might come to a disagreement during the year. Just trying to help you set some ground rules before it gets to that. :up:

 

There's no such thing as "clutch". Only Yankee fans could make such a dramatic production out of having one of the best players in the history of baseball.

 

Jeter performs every year. You can't dog him for the team's lack of postseason success.

In postseasons each player has played for the Yankees:

Jeter is 150/478 (.314) 17 HR, 48 RBI.
Giambi is 28/100 (.280) 6 HR, 13 RBI
Matsui is 47/151 (.311) 6 HR, 26 RBI
Damon is 4/17 (.235) 1 HR, 3 RBI.

Alex is 19/79 (.241) 3 HR, 8 RBI.

ARod does not perform in the postseason in pinstripes. The other guys all do.

 

If you read what has been posted, the fact that his at bat that he stole the base as a result of, has been a focus a number of times. That was clearly the more important at-bat of the day. No one has made light of that.

 

Yup, there's no such thing as clutch when your guy stands there watching strike 3 end his team's season.

And the conversation was started by a Red Sox fan.

Why is it that Mets fans just feel compelled to participate in every thread the Yankees fans are talking in?

How many Yankees fans are posting repeatedly in Mets threads?

 

Well, I didn't mean to imply it would get violent. Just that there are bound to be disagreements on ARod's "clutchness" at various points in the year.

 

Well, I know you didn't mean to add Damon to that list but getting hits and winning games are totally different things. Jeter has 4 rings so there is no argument there but the rest of them have not done a single thing more then Arod.

 

That's a matter of perception really. Our pitching hasn't been exactly spectacular.

I understand your point, but what I am trying to say is that it's far easier to point a finger at ARod, given his showings are significantly worse than everyone else.

Keep in mind, I'm not arguing right or wrong, just that it is more feasible to blame ARod for his own screwups than anyone else. (Any talk that ARod has CAUSED the Yankees to lose the past few years is just nonsense though.)