Will it Never Stop?

In one shocking disclosure, the book accuses A-Rod of "pitch tipping" when he was with the Rangers - letting a friendly opponent at the plate know which pitch was coming in lopsided games.

More likable by the minute.  And I write this as an A-Rod defender (not necessarily an apologist) and an avowed fan of his.  Maybe I should rethink those vows.

Comments

[sam-YF]

Will it ever end?

Expect a whole new set of accusations by more anonymous sources. Its not like his reputation can be any more trashed so hopefully the level of distraction to the rest of the team can be kept at a minimum. As long as he performs, I just dont care any more.

[John - YF]

A-Rod's window of opportunity for being likable closed a long, long, long time ago. He's a Yankee (for now) and the only thing that concerns me is if he can come back and help this team win a championship. I am done trying to understand him and defend him, all I care about is how long before he starts hitting HR's. Sure we'd all like the players on our team to be clean, drama free and good people but I think that ship has sailed with this guy. His contract is enormous and he's not going anywhere (UNLESS the Yankees can void it due to the recent allegations) so we just need to accept him for what he is and that's a game changer and someone this Yankee team needs to play well in order to win.

(SF, I am not pointing any of this at you, simply my perspective.)

[John - YF]

In addition to the above...

Stupid sh*t like this goes on everyday I am sure. Every time something new comes out it makes it seem like Alex is the only player who does these things. I don't want other names of players who have done steroids since HS, I don't even care who is doing it now. I don't want other players to get punished, I don't care. All I want is for people to acknowledge that if there was as much interest in say Joe Double A, as there is in A-Rod, there would be damaging info that could be dug up on him as well. People, especially the media LOVE A-Rod, rightly so he sells newspapers, books, etc...but if we possessed the ability to dig into every player or even more players the bottom line is you'd find out the same type of dirty laundry on them. This is not an A-Rod exclusive issue.

[Atheose]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090430&content_id=4494862&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The book supposedly has evidence ARod took steroids after 2003, and during high school. Remember a year ago when all we hated ARod for was his personality?

[Atheose]

D'oh, I didn't see SF's link.

[Lar]

Well, at least pitch tipping would explain why he keeps hitting these unclutch HR's..

[krueg]

Don't care...can't wait for him to get back! GO ARod!

[Mark _YF]

Craig Calcaterra (of Shysterball, moonlighting for NBC) has a good take on it here:

http://bases.newsvine.com/_news/2009/04/30/2754983-assessing-the-a-rod-allegations?category=sports

Summary: The stuff Selena Roberts alleges may or may not prove itself out in time - and honestly none of it would shock me, or even upset me except the pitch tipping. What we do also know is she is a hatchet-woman with a clear mad-on for A-Rod.

[sam-YF]

re: the pitch tipping

Even if it were true, (we have no idea right now what the "evidence" is) it does mean there are players on many other teams who do the same thing. As John says above, its not an A-rod exclusive thing...

[pale blue eyes]

Tipping only the minimum 15% at Hooters: isn't that the real crime?

[dw (sf)]

first off, does anyone else have the problem going to coments and IE freezing up here?

I saw some video of his rehab on ESPN, he looks noticably smaller.

[Mark _YF]

Also A-Rod isn't the first victim of a Roberts hatchet-job. Just ask the Duke lacrosse players.

[walein]

There's a reason that EVERY SINGLE baseball team changes its signs WHENEVER AN OPPOSING PLAYER is on the basepaths.
That reason is called "pitch-tipping." This is sounding more and more like a hatchet job.

[walein]

Next they're going to write that ARod didn't tell Bartolo Colon he was tipping his pitches that day when he had like 12 RBIs off of him.

[Brad]

Also A-Rod isn't the first victim of a Roberts hatchet-job. Just ask the Duke lacrosse players.

A-Rod's "victim" status can't be put on anyone not named A-Rod. If they didn't write stuff about him, or dig deeper for him than anyone else, he'd just go extra length to make sure they did.
He's a whore for the attention, and it's as simple as that. Anyone want to guess what game he comes back? Anyone? Anyone want to guess what game will cause the most headlines?
Come on.

[John - YF]

Is that a serious question? Seems like he'll be back May 8th against Baltimore. Is that a special day?

[John - YF]

Cinco de mayo?

[Brad]

No, I was being serious. If you can think about what game he comes back, and which one will cause the most headlines, which one is it?
I say, he's back for Boston. 100 swings and sliding into second yesterday? That's my guess.

[Brad]

I say, New York loses (4 straight) on Monday, and A-Rod is back in the lineup on Tuesday. It will leak out that A-Rod has informed Girardi that he's ready to go, and feeling great, then after the loss the questions will start being asked more direct-like, and Tueday night he's there. A standing ovation for the savior.

[John - YF]

Doctors said yesterday 10 more days, that would line him up with the Baltimore game. Kay, Sterling, etc...all seem to guesstimate that to be the game he's back. Not disagreeing with you here Brad, he is a media/attention whore, but I think this one is out of his hands.

[Brad]

Oh, I know John. But, I'll believe it when i see it!!

[Mark _YF]

Yeah, that fits pretty well. Right now I bet A-Rod is on the phone with the Angels' coaching staff, giving them scouting reports on the Yankee hitters and inside information on the best gyms in NYC to get HGH. With any luck, he'll help the Bombers get swept, and the stage will be set for his glorious return in our greatest hour of need.

I bet he was inspired by watching President Logan on season 5 of 24.

[Brad]

I wouldn't be surprised, and neither would you. Of course, I realize you're being sarcastic and pompous (as if he's above that kind of thing) and I'm stupid for thinking it, but he is the guy that "allegedly" didn't know he was opting out during the middle of the Classic. He knows how to grab the headline. We'll revisit it after the weekend, I suppose.

[rootbeerfloat]

Sooooooooo tired of Arod news. I had really hoped to check in today to find YFs mocking SFs for thinking that Van Every was the second coming.

[Brad]

Van Every was the second coming...

Don't you know anything, RBF? The second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) coming pitched two days ago.:)p

[Mark _YF]

He'll play the first day he is cleared by the NYY medical staff to do so. They want him back quickly, because he's their best player and the 3B fill-ins have been awful, but the Yankees are not going to risk their $300 M investment by bumping him up or rushing it for the sake of showmanship.

Maybe I'm pompous, but I'm also too awesomely gregarious and great and awesome to call any speculation to the contrary "stupid." I will say that it is silly, though.

[sam-YF]

"Don't you know anything, RBF? The second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) coming pitched two days ago.:)p"

Wasnt Bucholz the first coming?

[Brad]

Wasnt Bucholz the first coming?

I don't remember, Sam. Could be.

Also, Mark - I wasn't calling you pompous, buddy. I meant it in a pompous remark kind of way. Not directed towards you at all. Sorry if you took it that way.

[doug YF]

"Pompous?" Really, Brad? That's a novel idea, I've never associated sarcasm with pompousness.

It was worth the shot, though am I right?

[Mark _YF]

It's OK - I was being pompous!

[Brad]

Okay, Doug. I'll bite.

I was saying that I knew Mark was being sarcastic with a comment that sounded a little pompous. As in "A Rod would never do that...he's way above that". See, that's his implied sarcastic comment, which I understood, but the comment itself, sans the sarcasm it was written with, is a pompous comment.

Like if I said: "Doug, we should hang out sometime and grab a beer". The comment is clearly sarcastic (since it's not gonna happen) and implies that because you're a Yankee fan, I'm above doing such things.:)p

[Atheose]

Offtopic, but: Dave Roberts is joining NESN! Yes!

[sf rod]

the first coming was papelbon, the second was youklis, the third was lester, the fourth was pedroia, the fifth was ellsbury, the sixth was masterson, and so on and so forth.

while the sox continue to farm quality major leaguers, the only straw yf's can grab at is old man clay. if that's what floats your sinking prospect boat, have at it.

ESPN's bottom line is saying hughes is hurt.......made ya look. ;)

[Rob]

Where's the guy with the Zzzzzz when we need him?

Can this title be used for every extraneous A-Rod "story"? You could even number them! I bet we'll see at least 100 this year.

[krueg]

Feel better now?

[Jackie (SF)]

//There's a reason that EVERY SINGLE baseball team changes its signs WHENEVER AN OPPOSING PLAYER is on the basepaths.
That reason is called "pitch-tipping." This is sounding more and more like a hatchet job.

walein - I think the issue was that he was tipping off players on the OPPOSING team, not HIS OWN. Somehow that seems worse, even in a lopsided game.