What if Arod went to the Red Sox?

[Gom]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/The-road-not-taken-Alex-Rodriguez-s-career-with?urn=mlb,158792

 

BOSTON – Take the word of Johnny Pesky, who turns 90 in September. There has never been a ballplayer who owned the town the way this guy does.

 

"You can talk about Ted, Yaz, Tony C., The Rocket, Mo, Pedro, Nomar, Big Papi … name 'em all,'' Pesky said, rolling a fungo bat in his hands and spraying tobacco juice for emphasis. "This kid, he's beyond special. I'll tell you who I think of when I see the way people have fallen for this kid. John Kennedy. And I don't mean the utility shortstop.''

 

Arrivals at Boston's Logan Airport hear Alex Rodriguez's voice welcoming them as they walk through the terminals. His face is everywhere: on Dunkin' Donuts ads chugging Coolatas with David Ortiz, on A-Rod for ALS billboards with Curt Schilling, on A's-for-A-Rod posters in schools throughout the commonwealth. He performed The Night Before Christmas with the Boston Pops, dropped the puck at a Bruins' game and took a turn on stage with guitar-playing Theo Epstein at Peter Gammons' charity concert.

 

New England Little Leaguers wear their stirrups to the knees, just like A-Rod. Fans on the Green Monster keep a running tally of his home runs, holding up the numbers every time a ball soars onto Lansdowne Street. The diners at Davio's stand and applaud when A-Rod and his wife Cynthia, who has numerous relatives in town, walk into the restaurant. Waiters sidle up for an autograph.

 

Face of the franchise? Three World Series titles in five years, and Boston mayor Tom Menino is already floating a proposal to rename Storrow Drive after A-Rod.

 

Life for the Boston Red Sox has not been the same since Epstein pulled off what even old-time wheeler-dealer Trader Jack McKeon called the greatest off-season a general manager has ever had. The 2003 season had just ended in another Red Sox disappointment. Bold action was necessary.

 

It started with the Thanksgiving Day Special, when Epstein and sidekick Jed Hoyer went to dinner at Schilling's house, a tin of cookies from Starbucks in hand. Even though Schilling periodically excused himself to take phone calls from Yankee GM Brian Cashman, Epstein convinced him that he could make history in Boston.

 

Next came the free-agent signing of closer Keith Foulke, a deal consummated over a hockey game and more beers than anyone cared to remember the next day.

 

And then came the 24 hours that shocked the baseball world: Epstein secretly slipping away from the winter meetings in New Orleans for a hush-hush meeting at the Four Seasons in New York with Rodriguez, who at 1:30 a.m. answered the door of his suite impeccably dressed in a suit, his hair freshly moussed. Before dawn Rodriguez agreed, in exchange for a couple of player options inserted in his contract, to give up millions to escape the purgatory of the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez even pledged to send some under-the-table money back to Rangers owner Tom Hicks to make the deal work.

 

That morning, after some hard bargaining, players' union lawyer Gene Orza signed off on the deal, and a day later at a hastily called press conference in the .406 club at Fenway Park, Epstein announced that the club had acquired Rodriguez for outfielder Manny Ramirez, who had worn out the club with his trade demands, and a left-handed pitching prospect named Jon Lester.

 

Then Epstein leaned into the microphone to announce the second part of his bombshell: Nomar Garciaparra, the incumbent shortstop who had interrupted his honeymoon to call a Boston sports-talk show and complain about the A-Rod rumors, had been traded to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordonez and a pitching prospect Brandon McCarthy.

 

A-Rod was fretting about how Nomar would handle him being on the same team until Epstein told him about the trade for Ordonez. A-Rod's eyes got as big as silver dollars. Ordonez was one of his best friends. "You don't understand,'' he'd told Epstein. "Magglio and I are tight. We work out all winter together. I taught him how to hit.''

 

Before Epstein had left New Orleans, he'd knocked on the door of Terry Francona, the manager he'd just hired after the debacle of the 2003 ALCS. Francona had already gone to bed.

 

Epstein told him about the pending trades for A-Rod and Ordonez.

 

"What do you think of this lineup?'' the GM asked, "Johnny Damon, Billy Mueller, A-Rod, David Ortiz, Magglio, Kevin Millar, Jason Varitek …''

 

Francona leaped on the bed. In his pajamas, bad knees and all, he broke into an impromptu dance.

 

There was never any question that A-Rod would fit in with the Red Sox. Not after the first day of spring training, when Millar, wearing A-Rod's uniform jersey and with a sock stuffed in his protective cup, pantomimed A-Rod's home run swing, then stuck a cream pie in his face. "You're with the idiots now,'' Millar said.

 

The tension of Garciaparra brooding at his locker over his contract, or the uncertainty of whether Manny would feel like playing on a given day, was gone. A-Rod basked in the attention, but surrounded by outsized personalities like Ortiz and Damon, Pedro Martinez and Schilling, there was plenty to go around. Ortiz was like a big brother, Millar the constant needler. And when A-Rod approached Schilling about working together on the charity dear to the pitcher's heart, Schill was won over.

 

The Yankees, blindsided by the season-ending knee injury third baseman Aaron Boone suffered while playing basketball in his driveway, never recovered. The Red Sox, their offense scoring over 1,000 runs, won the division going away, then ran the table in the postseason, winning their first World Series in 86 years. A-Rod was named MVP. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner, appalled that his team had missed out on both Schilling and A-Rod, fired GM Brian Cashman, who could have had Schilling but didn't want to trade Nick Johnson.

 

Epstein would turn over the roster – Pedro would go, and Damon, Millar and Billy Mueller, and eventually Schilling would retire, but the middle of the lineup remained the same – A-Rod, Ortiz and Magglio. In 2007, A-Rod willingly volunteered to move to third base to make room for Boston's top prospect, shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who tagged along after A-Rod everywhere he went. "This kid will be as good as me,'' A-Rod boasted of his prot?g?.

 

It came as a shock this spring when Selena Roberts reported that A-Rod had used steroids while in Texas, but after the press conference in which A-Rod tearfully spoke of how sorry he was and vowed that for every home run he would hit, he would make a donation to the Taylor Hooton fund, Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation on opening day.

 

A month before he'd been traded to Boston, A-Rod had run into Bud Selig at Sammy Sosa's birthday party in the Dominican Republic, and had told the commissioner that it was his dream to play for the Red Sox.

 

Now, on the eve of this weekend's series with the Yankees, Rodriguez said his expectations had been exceeded.

 

"I've never been happier,'' he said.

 

* * *

 

FACT OR FANTASY--THE A-ROD QUIZ

 

Any good fantasy contains elements of truth. We invite you to take the following true-false quiz about our A-Rod-with-the Red Sox story.

 

Johnny Pesky compared A-Rod to John F. Kennedy.

 

 

False. Pesky's favorite ballplayer remains Ted Williams, though he was very fond of Nomar Garciaparra when he was here.

 

 

Cynthia Rodriguez, A-Rod's ex-wife, had many relatives in the Boston area.

 

 

True. Cynthia once estimated that between her grandmother and grandfather on her mother's side of the family, she must have 200 cousins in the area, mostly around Lowell, Mass.

 

 

Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer brought cookie's from Starbucks to Curt Schilling's house for Thanksgiving.

 

 

True. Hey, it was a last-minute invitation, and nothing else was open. Curt's wife, Shonda, cooked the turkey--it was her first T-giving dinner--and yes, Curt took calls from Brian Cashman, who was no doubt calling to wish him a happy holiday.

 

 

Alex Rodriguez was willing to send cash back to Texas owner Tom Hicks to make the deal to the Red Sox happen.

 

True. But good luck ever getting anyone to admit it.

 

 

Trader Jack McKeon called Theo Epstein's 2003 offseason the greatest ever.

 

 

False. But if Theo had been able to complete those trades, Trader Jack undoubtedly would have loved the action.

 

 

Manny Ramirez and Jon Lester would have gone to Texas for A-Rod, and Nomar Garciaparra would have gone to the White Sox for Magglio Ordonez and Brandon McCarthy.

 

 

True. Manny might have spent the rest of his days in Arlington and never gotten to Mannywood. If Lester threw a no-hitter, it would have been for the Rangers, not the Red Sox. And Magglio would have been united with one of his best friends and workout partners in A-Rod.

 

 

Terry Francona jumped up on his bed and danced when he heard of the pending trades.

 

 

True. If you'd just been named the manager of the Red Sox and learned you were getting A-Rod and Magglio, you'd have been boogeying, too.

 

Kevin Millar stuck a cream pie in A-Rod's face.

 

False. But had A-Rod come to the Red Sox, Millar would have been all over him, which would have been good for all parties involved.

 

 

A-Rod told Bud Selig at Sammy Sosa's party that he wanted to go to the Red Sox.

 

True. That's one of the reasons why Selig took the unusual step of allowing Red Sox owner John W. Henry to meet with A-Rod while he was still with the Rangers to discuss a trade and a restructuring of his contract.

 

 

A-Rod recently said, "I've never been happier.''

 

False. Or, if it's true, it comes as real news to us.

 

[Dojji]

If we'd gotten A-Rod, we would have had Manny and Ortiz around him. He wouldn't have NEEDED to be the guy. The rest of the team would actually pick him up sometimes. Ortiz, Manny and Millar among others would have been personalities for the media to focus on and conceal the fact that A-Rod really doesn't have one. A-Rod would probably be much happier in Boston as a result.

 

I'd have been happy to have Magglio Ordonez for a right fielder over that span too. The botched A-Rod trade coincided with the beginning of the end for Nixon and Nomar both. It would have been great.

[BoSox21]

If we'd gotten A-Rod' date=' we would have had Manny and Ortiz around him. He wouldn't have NEEDED to be the guy.[/quote']

 

Umm...Manny would've gone to Texas in the deal as is common knowledge, as is written in the article

[Dojji]

Whoops. Oh well, I think the rest of my argument still stands. We had enough personalities and leadership (real leadership I mean) on that team at that time that we could probably have handled A-Rod.

[BoSox21]

I dont know, ill take the 2 WS titles in 5 seasons since that deal took place over what might've been

[Dojji]

Oh yes, definitely. Even though A-Rod and Ordonez indisputably make us stronger on paper it doesn't follow that we win more and we got miracles out of the team we had -- literally.

 

The real question is how many times the Yankees even reach the playoffs on the same span of years without the guy and with, say, Troy Glaus at 3B instead.

[BoSox21]

The Yankees have been stronger on paper arguably every year this decade and have won jack s*** and if A-Rod ended up here, Soriano could conceivably still be a Yankee

 

I know this is a thread based on hypotheticals but its hard to get past the reality of the Sox being baseball's most successful franchise since the 2003 off-season

[Cocos Disciples]

I guess it would have been cool, but I'm pretty content with 2 rings in 5 years as well.

[das11209]

If we'd gotten A-Rod' date=' we would have had Manny and Ortiz around him. He wouldn't have NEEDED to be the guy. [/quote']

 

I heard Manny made the same mistake and once told A-Rod - 'Hey it would have been nice to play with you' not realizing that he would have been out of Boston if A-Rod would have come in there.

[CrespoBlows]

lol

 

I love the part where two of the biggest narcissists in the sport fall in love. Is this author serious? How much believability are we supposed to be suspending here?

[BoSox21]

As much belief as you need to suspend here, it is an entertaining read

 

And here's hoping history repeats itself to an extent with the Teixeira thing and Mike Lowell becomes a key cog to a 2009 championship

[BSN07]

If we got Arod, he would .2% less gay....

[ilovetheyankees97]

GO YANKEES! this website sucks and so do the red sox i also like the padres so go freakin yankees

[MANNYHOF24]

GO YANKEES! this website sucks and so do the red sox i also like the padres so go freakin yankees

 

ok...

[BSN07]

GO YANKEES! this website sucks and so do the red sox i also like the padres so go freakin yankees

 

They always come out of the wood works for NY vs Boston series....

[castigs850]

i also like the padres... welcome to the site

 

ASSSS

[Binga46]

on the field i like the idea of having ARod, but in the locker room he's a cancer. you saw what happened with jeter when he got to New York. Who would have known what would have happened if he and Miggy came here, would the same happen to them? plus it would make sox fans more despised, especially if/when the steroids stuff came up, wouldn't see Boston yelling to trade him or the fans throwing needles or pills at him. it's better of he didn't come, because A) it meant we could trade Manny to another league. we kept Lester C) We had the budget to be able to trade for Beckett and Lowell, who both played their part and then some in the ALCS and World Series in 2007.

[26 to 6]

I actually had a discussion about this the other day with my friend.

 

If players association had allowed A-Rod to restructure his deal and make way for the A-Rod/Manny trade to go through I think we're still talking about the curse of the Bambino. A-Rod isn't clutch. Manny is/was. If you guys had A-Rod instead of Manny I don't think you even win a pennant. Those Red Sox teams without Manny don't win the World Series, no doubt about it in my mind. And that's also part of what made ortiz so good in those postseasons, Manny's presence behind him. If it was A-Rod, and he performed in the clutch as he has as a Yankee then Ortiz is constantly getting pitched around (assuming it was Ortiz batting in frotn of A-Rod and not the other way around). We would still have Soriano, not be on the hook for a gazillion dollars over the next 10 years, and Cano would be playing third (sure as hell wouldn't be Aaron Boone, Mike Lamb, Drew Henson, or Eric Duncan). We wouldn't have to deal with the constant drama and baggage that comes along with A-Rod, and we would be s***ing on you guys when the revelations of his steroid use surfaced.

 

I blame Fehr and Orza for the past 5-6 years. f*** YOU DONALD FEHR AND GENE ORZA!

 

Who would have known what would have happened if he and Miggy came here, would the same happen to them?

Would have been even better if Miggy went over there, would have been another steroid user we could throw in your faces lol. not to mention your other points; no Lester, probably no Beckett, no Lowell. God damn greedy union.

[jacksonianmarch]

you dont remember the other part though. Nomar and Manny would have been dealt and Ordonez would have been in Boston for the last few yrs with ARod

[yankees228]

26-6, we're re-winding history here, prior to 2004. You're calling A-Rod unclutch...

 

For starters, I don't believe in that, for the most part, but I won't even touch that debate. Take a look at A-Rod's postseason numbers prior to being a Yankee.

[Keeper]

A-Rod isn't clutch. Even Joe Torre admitted it. If you don't believe me, read his goddamn book. Time and time again, A-Rod failed to deliver. I mean f***, Torre had him batting in the 6th hole and even the 8th hole in the 2006 ALDS.

[yankees228]

A-Rod isn't clutch. Even Joe Torre admitted it. If you don't believe me' date=' read his goddamn book. Time and time again, A-Rod failed to deliver. I mean f***, Torre had him batting in the 6th hole and even the 8th hole in the 2006 ALDS.[/quote']

 

Ok, I wasn't going to get into this, but what the hell...

 

First off, I read the "Yankee Years". I thought it was alright, except for the part about A-Rod. I thought it was clear that Verducci and Torre had an agenda. Some of the things, meant to portray A-Rod in a negative light were ridiculous. What pissed me off the most was that Verducci went on and on about how poor the 2005 team was, and how Torre somehow got them to the playoffs. What he failed to mention that one of the main reasons they got to the playoffs was A-Rod. Throughout an entire season of inconsistency, he was really solid.

 

And second, you're reasoning for A-Rod not being clutch is that Joe Torre says so. That doesn't prove anything.

 

If A-Rod is so "unclutch" then why did he play well in the playoffs with Seattle? Why did he play well in the 2004 ALDS? Why did he play well for the majority of the 2004 ALCS? Why was he decent in the 2007 ALDS? Why was he incredible in close and late spots during the 2007 season?

 

Sample size, sample size, sample size...

[Keeper]

********, ********, ********...

 

A-Rod wasn't the only Yankee presented in a bad light. See Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Jason Giambi, Randy Johnson, and Gary Sheffield. Or didn't you read the book?

 

My reasoning for A-Rod not being clutch is actually based on facts. Torre and Verducci simply drive the point home for Yankee fans like you who can't see the forest for the trees.

 

Here's a quote from the book about the 2004 ALCS and future postseasons. You tell me if this was spun or if it speaks for itself:

 

"The Yankees scored first, on a two-run home run by Alex Rodriguez in the third inning. It would be the last time Rodriguez drove in a base runner in the postseason in this series and the next three postseasons comined, a span of 59 at-bats overall in which he batted .136, including 0-for-27 with 38 total runners on base."

[BSN07]

I wouldn't call Arod "unclutch". He's had his moments wheres hes come up big and or carried the team. His biggest problem is he is a headcase. Thinks too much at the plate. The opposite is true for Manny. While Arod is pressing and thinking of trying to hit the ball(thus becoming tense), Manny has a Reggae band playing in his head.

[Binga46]

I wouldn't call Arod "unclutch". He's had his moments wheres hes come up big and or carried the team. His biggest problem is he is a headcase. Thinks too much at the plate. The opposite is true for Manny. While Arod is pressing and thinking of trying to hit the ball(thus becoming tense)' date=' Manny has a Reggae band playing in his head.[/quote']

 

and that's what made Manny Manny, it didn't matter if it were a walk-off bomb to win the World Series or a strikeout that gets us kicked out of the playoffs, he just shrugs his shoulders and goes back to the dugout, because he knew the time will come around again. he was smarter then what we gave him credit for.

 

ARod seemed to get tenser and tenser as the season progressed. it would be mid september and you see him at 3rd twitching and chewing big league chew like it's going out of fashion. i fear what he's like in the World Series.

[BSN07]

Ya Arod's biggest hurdle in his career will be mental. And having to work that out in NY will be a lot of fun for him.

 

 

I'll say this, if he ever gets that monkey of his back, MLB beware.

[yankees228]

********, ********, ********...

 

A-Rod wasn't the only Yankee presented in a bad light. See Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Jason Giambi, Randy Johnson, and Gary Sheffield. Or didn't you read the book?

 

My reasoning for A-Rod not being clutch is actually based on facts. Torre and Verducci simply drive the point home for Yankee fans like you who can't see the forest for the trees.

 

Here's a quote from the book about the 2004 ALCS and future postseasons. You tell me if this was spun or if it speaks for itself:

 

"The Yankees scored first, on a two-run home run by Alex Rodriguez in the third inning. It would be the last time Rodriguez drove in a base runner in the postseason in this series and the next three postseasons comined, a span of 59 at-bats overall in which he batted .136, including 0-for-27 with 38 total runners on base."

 

Again, I already told you that I read that book, but I'll just restate it one more time just so I don't get asked that again...

 

I read "The Yankee Years" by Tom Verducci. I think that's now as clear as it's going to be.

 

I'll start with what you said about the book, before I touch specifically on whether or not A-Rod is clutch. The fact of the matter is, you can't compare him to those other guys for a variety of different reasons. Kevin Brown was relatively ineffective as a Yankee besides his first couple months here, and one good playoffs start (where he got lucky a few times). Carl Pavano was an incredible disappointment, and I don't think further explanation of this is necessary. They say a lot of positive things in the book about Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, only dropping a few negatives in here and there.

 

There was an entire chapter written about Alex Rodriguez. They attack almost everything about him. They try to paint the fact that he stays in and watches baseball while Derek Jeter goes out to bars and clubs as a negative. A large portion of that chapter pokes fun at how A-Rod reads the depth of outfielders when he reaches base. Yeah, it's a little bit exaggerated, but one of the most underrated parts about A-Rod is the way he runs the bases. He almost always gets excellent breaks on balls when he's on the bases, usually knowing when and when not a bloop or line drive is going to fall in. So whatever he is doing, it's working, so he should keep it up. However, there is nothing in the book about how well he runs the bases. They put in the book that A-Rod couldn't attend a dinner honoring Joe Torre's organization because, as Torre had suspected, he would want to spend time with his wife during her pregnancy. Why is that even relevant? There are a few other things that bothered me, but I don't have the book in front of me so I'm just naming things off the top of my head.

 

Alex Rodriguez, from 2004 to 2008 was one of the most productive players in baseball. Without him, I highly doubt that they even make the playoffs in 2005 and 2007.

 

And the clutch argument has everything to do with sample size. Baseball is a sport where things are meant to even out over a long period of time. That is why a short series, in the postseason, goes against everything that is common in baseball. And that is also why the best team does not always come out on top. The playoffs are a crapshoot, and player's performances in the playoffs are a crapshoot. Lets take 2005 for example. What is more telling, a 162 game regular season or a 5 game postseason? I don't think it would take a genius to figure this one out.

 

Again, I'll restate the general question that I asked you in my previous post, which you completely ignored. Why was A-Rod able to succeed with the Mariners in the postseason and with the Yankees in the 2004 postseason? Why isn't he always bad in the playoffs? Why was he awesome in 2007, when the game was on the line?

 

I don't really believe in the clutch factor, but even for those people who do, they conveniently ignore when someone like A-Rod does succeed in those situations. People have it set in their mind that he is so "unclutch", so they simply ignore the evidence that is to the contrary.

[yankees228]

and that's what made Manny Manny, it didn't matter if it were a walk-off bomb to win the World Series or a strikeout that gets us kicked out of the playoffs, he just shrugs his shoulders and goes back to the dugout, because he knew the time will come around again. he was smarter then what we gave him credit for.

 

ARod seemed to get tenser and tenser as the season progressed. it would be mid september and you see him at 3rd twitching and chewing big league chew like it's going out of fashion. i fear what he's like in the World Series.

 

I'l ignore the fact that you're critiquing how A-Rod chews gum, and his apparent twitches, and pass that off as you simply making up things to prove a point, but that is pretty ridiculous.

 

However, lets just deal with the facts. Take a look at how A-Rod hits in September, during his time with the Yankees. It tends to be one of his best months.

[Keeper]

I'm done arguing with you. A-Rod has been a black hole in the lineup in virtually every AB of virtually every postseason for the Yankees. You probably wouldn't admit it (maybe not even to yourself), but if the game were on the line and it's the 9th inning of a crucial game... you wouldn't want A-Rod at the plate. I know I wouldn't.

[yankees228]

I'm done arguing with you. A-Rod has been a black hole in the lineup in virtually every AB of virtually every postseason for the Yankees. You probably wouldn't admit it (maybe not even to yourself)' date=' but if the game were on the line and it's the 9th inning of a crucial game... you wouldn't want A-Rod at the plate. I know I wouldn't.[/quote']

 

My only goal was to try to show you that the A-Rod isn't clutch argument has a lot of holes, whether you believe in clutch or not. I believe that I did this with facts, and the fact that you're done arguing with me tells me that you're unable to support your argument.

 

As for what you said about him being a black hole, he carried them against the Twins in the 2004 ALDS. He was really good against Boston in the first four games in the 2004 ALCS. He was decent against the Guardians in the 2007 ALDS. He was a black hole in 2 of the postseason series he played in. At least check your facts before you make baseless claims.