MLB 2007

[bobbob1313]

A-rod has been, overall, abysmal in the postseason. It's a fact. It has nothing to do with how well of a player he's been throughout his career in the regular season. I get a kick out of his struggles to produce in the playoffs.

 

Arod has been slightly below his career numbers for the postseason overall. But it's also an extremely small sample size to draw from, and that is what people seem to forget. Anything can happen in 14 at bats. The difference between .071 and .285 is 3 hits.

[ction]

Arod has been slightly below his career numbers for the postseason overall. But it's also an extremely small sample size to draw from, and that is what people seem to forget. Anything can happen in 14 at bats. The difference between .071 and .285 is 3 hits.

 

You're talking crazy.

[cryptique]

Here are A-Rod's stats for the 35 postseason games in which he's played...

 

G: 35

AB: 132

R: 19

H: 37

2B: 9

3B: 0

HR: 6

RBI: 16

BB: 15

SO: 32

BA: .280

OBP: .362

SLG: .485

SB: 4

CS: 3

SH: 1

SF: 0

HBP: 2

 

The guy's hitting .280 overall in the postseason. That becomes .285 if you ignore 1995, when he had two postseason at-bats and went 0 for 2.

 

A lot of his problem is that he's 3 for 29 (.103) in his last two postseasons. In his previous three postseasons (only one of which was as a Yankee), he went 34 for 101 (.337) with 6 home runs and 16 RBIs in 24 games, slugging .594 during that time. That's pretty good.

[MrRain422]

Yeah, overall I guess it'd average out. The last few years he's been pretty wretched in the post season, though.

 

I wouldn't disagree that he's been bad in the last couple post-seasons. I just think that way too much of the blame was placed on him, when in fact pretty much the entire team has been terrible in the post-season (and before A-Rod's salary is brought up as justification, Jason Giambi went 1-for-8 in last year's ALDS, and the Yankees pay him a lot more than they pay A-Rod) , and also that it's unfair to lay that kind of reputation on a guy based on such a tiny sample size.

[cryptique]

before A-Rod's salary is brought up as justification, Jason Giambi went 1-for-8 in last year's ALDS, and the Yankees pay him a lot more than they pay A-Rod

A-Rod's salary, 2004 - 2006:

 

2004: $22,000,000

2005: $26,000,000

2006: $21,680,727

 

Giambi's salary, 2004 - 2006:

 

2004: $12,428,571

2005: $13,428,571

2006: $20,428,571

[MrRain422]

I'm talking about what the Yankees are paying him, not overall salary. Texas pays a big chunk of A-Rod's pay.

[cryptique]

I'm talking about what the Yankees are paying him, not overall salary. Texas pays a big chunk of A-Rod's pay.

Yeah, but when people bitch about A-Rod, the issue isn't what New York's paying him, but what he's being paid overall.

[MrRain422]

Why do New York fans and media care about what the Rangers are paying A-Rod?

[cryptique]

It's more like "this is the highest-paid player in baseball, he should produce..."

[MrRain422]

But he does produce.

 

Either way, I think it's silly to cite anyway. I guess I can see why people do, but...was he supposed to turn down the gigantic contract that was offered to him? Also, he actually agreed to have the terms of the contract reduced and the MLBPA wouldn't let him.

 

Anyway, I know you're not the one making the argument, but, well, I just think it's a bad argument.

[bobbob1313]

If someone offered me 25 million dollars year I would turn it down because it would cheapen the integrity of the game. Definetly.

[Lammycat]

I don't really care what Steinbrenner/Texas decide to pay their players, but I have zero pity for A-rod when the NY fans jump all over him for any real or perceived lack of production, postseason or regular season. Accepting that kind of money automatically carries a lot of weight with the expectations.

[YouAReMYface]

If someone offered me 25 million dollars year I would turn it down because it would cheapen the integrity of the game. Definetly.

 

yeah im sure you would, i bet youd also give back your ticket if you won the lottery...give me a break

[Lammycat]

I believe your sarcasm detector is faulty.

[Sir Stewart]

I believe your sarcasm detector is faulty nonexistent.

[bobbob1313]

I don't really care what Steinbrenner/Texas decide to pay their players, but I have zero pity for A-rod when the NY fans jump all over him for any real or perceived lack of production, postseason or regular season. Accepting that kind of money automatically carries a lot of weight with the expectations.

 

And do you think any of this has to do with the fact that he's a Yankee and not a Red Sox (sock?). Since, you know, you are a Red Sox fan?

[Lammycat]

Any of what, exactly? That I don't empathize with Arod when he carps about being picked on? Sox players get jumped on by the press/fans just as avidly when players don't produce.

[bobbob1313]

Any of what, exactly? That I don't empathize with Arod when he carps about being picked on? Sox players get jumped on by the press/fans just as avidly when players don't produce.

 

I'm not sure Arod complains about it all that much.

 

And why are we even discussing this? He's leading the majors in pretty much every offensive category.

[bjorn_skurj]

Even though numerous people all over the internets, including here, have debunked the whole "clutch" thing and proven that Jeter is no more "clutch" than Arod and that Arod is just as "clutch" during the postseason as he is during the regular season? And even though "clutch" "clutch" "clutch" "clutch" small sample size "clutch" "clutch"?

Dude. A-Rod will always be thought of as sort of a bum until he leads the Yankees to a World Series title. That's the alpha and the omega of it. You can sing his praises to the high heavens, but in New York, from where the world's business is run and the destiny of billions decided, nothing matters but results, and the result required from the Yankees is a championship. If A-Rod wanted to just play baseball without having to be the Messiah, he should have stayed with the Rangers. He wanted to be the man in New York. If you suck in New York, you're gonna get booed and slammed.

[MrRain422]

Dude. A-Rod will always be thought of as sort of a bum until he leads the Yankees to a World Series title. That's the alpha and the omega of it. You can sing his praises to the high heavens, but in New York, from where the world's business is run and the destiny of billions decided, nothing matters but results, and the result required from the Yankees is a championship. If A-Rod wanted to just play baseball without having to be the Messiah, he should have stayed with the Rangers. He wanted to be the man in New York. If you suck in New York, you're gonna get booed and slammed.

 

It's pretty arguable how much he wanted to "be the man in New York". He certainly never said anything like that. Texas decided they couldn't afford him anymore, and he agreed to let them trade him. Only one team in all of baseball could afford his contract (and the union wouldn't let him re-structure for someone else), and so that is where he went.

 

Regardless, he's not the only player on the Yankees. And yet pretty much all of the blame for not winning the WS are placed on A-Rod. That's the unfair part. Sure, criticize him for his play or lack of play when it counts, but why is he the only one who over gets raked over the coals? He can only get one out of every nine at-bats after all. And he has no effect on the pitching (which is really the main thing they've struggled with in the post-season in recent years anyway). So why not more criticism for the pitchers? Or for the other hitters? Or for the manager (who batted A-Rod 8th in last year's playoffs -- now come on, even if he's struggling that's just retarded)? Or for the front office who can't seem to manage to get any good pitchers before they turn 40?

[bobbob1313]

Dude. A-Rod will always be thought of as sort of a bum until he leads the Yankees to a World Series title. That's the alpha and the omega of it. You can sing his praises to the high heavens, but in New York, from where the world's business is run and the destiny of billions decided, nothing matters but results, and the result required from the Yankees is a championship. If A-Rod wanted to just play baseball without having to be the Messiah, he should have stayed with the Rangers. He wanted to be the man in New York. If you suck in New York, you're gonna get booed and slammed.

 

I think it's stupid, but I know where you are coming from.

 

Seriously, when A-rod gave up that walk off home run to Ortiz in the 04 LCS I was so mad, I was like "wtf alex, are u trying to give them the win lololo?" And then when he gave up 5.5 runs per game to the Tigers and made Giambi hit .125 I couldn't even believe it. It was like he was trying to lose.

[MrRain422]

I get so worked up defending A-Rod even though I hate him. I really don't know why I let the unfair A-Rod criticism bother me so much.

[bobbob1313]

I get so worked up defending A-Rod even though I hate him. I really don't know why I let the unfair A-Rod criticism bother me so much.

 

Ditto.

 

I mean, I remember that one time that Mariano Rivera was coming out to close a playoff game and Arod ran out to the outfield as Rivera was jogging in while "Enter Sandman" was playing and he drop kicked him in the face. It's like Arod wants to lose.

[caliber66]

Regardless, he's not the only player on the Yankees. And yet pretty much all of the blame for not winning the WS are placed on A-Rod. That's the unfair part. Sure, criticize him for his play or lack of play when it counts, but why is he the only one who over gets raked over the coals? He can only get one out of every nine at-bats after all. And he has no effect on the pitching (which is really the main thing they've struggled with in the post-season in recent years anyway). So why not more criticism for the pitchers? Or for the other hitters? Or for the manager (who batted A-Rod 8th in last year's playoffs -- now come on, even if he's struggling that's just retarded)? Or for the front office who can't seem to manage to get any good pitchers before they turn 40?

Nobody said it was logical. However, if he had batted .300 in the last couple playoff series, nobody would be calling him a bum. Okay, no reasonable person would be calling him a bum.

 

I think it's stupid, but I know where you are coming from.

 

Seriously, when A-rod gave up that walk off home run to Ortiz in the 04 LCS I was so mad, I was like "wtf alex, are u trying to give them the win lololo?" And then when he gave up 5.5 runs per game to the Tigers and made Giambi hit .125 I couldn't even believe it. It was like he was trying to lose.

Seriously, if A-rod had produced more in the 04 LCS, that "walk off" home run that Ortiz hit might not have ended the game.

 

The point is, he makes $25M a year. He's not getting paid that money to go .133 and .071 in consecutive postseason series. Say what you want about a small sample size, but that's just shitty, and not what he's being paid for. If you're the highest paid, say, architect in your field, you better build some kickass buildings (i.e., produce when it counts), or you should expect criticism - both from those who pay your salary and from other interested parties.

 

Relax, bobbob.

[tongue-tied lightning]

I think because A-Rod comes across as a bit arrogant, and he's said some things about Jeter, so he's easy pickins when things go bad.