Hoping for a Milestone From Alex Rodriguez, Yankees Fans Settle for a Win
By ZACH SCHONBRUN APRIL 27, 2015 The New York Times
Fans flocked to Yankee Stadium on Monday to see a milestone for Alex Rodriguez...
Rodriguez’s compelling pursuit of career home run No. 660 will endure for at least one more game...
“The reality is it’s 660 home runs,” Joe Girardi said. “I don’t know what you’ll say, but when you look in the record books, his name is going to be there.” ...
Brian McCann said he would be excited for him.
“It’s a big number,” McCann said. “It’s a treat to watch him day in and day out. Watching him hit off a tee is exciting.”
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When Alex Rodriguez passes Willie Mays in home runs ... Friday, April 24, 2015
Steinbrenner Kids: add tacky to dumb and lazy: trying to void A-Rod's bonus. Tuesday, January 27, 2015
To A-Rod or Not to A-Rod. That is the question. Thursday, November 6, 2014
So the question is just how stupid are the Steinbrenner Kids? ...
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How stupid indeed. Even the YES Network, which their late father George started a decade ago and which the Kids sold after his death, is promoting Alex Rodriguez hitting career home run 660 to tie Willie Mays.
Yesterday on the MLB Network Chris Russo, self proclaimed Mad Dog, went into a tirade about this. Screaming and repeating, Russo claimed that no one other than some Yankee fans would care about Rodriguez passing Mays, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds. Mad Dog insists that even if Rodriguez somehow hits 109 home runs in the three years left on his Yankee contract and sets a new record that no one will or should care. Now that's mad. It should be noted that Russo loves the Giants and Mays and he hates the Yankees. During his many years on New York WFAN talk radio Russo persistently bashed the local team and reveled in taunting Yankee fans personally.
Russo even screamed against my idea of Rodriguez reaching an agreement that his home run bonus money go to charity. Please note the date:
A-Rod, just donate the bonus money to charity. Call out Levine and the Steinbrenner Kids. Thursday, January 29, 2015
Alex Rodriguez should call their bluff. Offer to donate the bonus money to a charity agreed to by both parties. Make them look like the fools they are.
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Which brings us back to the Steinbrenner Kids. What the heck? Why denigrate your product and brand? When Rodriguez batted with the bases loaded in last night's game the fans at the game and those of us watching on TV were really pulling for Rodriguez to crush one and make his Mays matcher special. Rodriguez failed but when he does tie Mays Yankee fans will want a curtain call, with Rodriguez taking a second bow from the dugout.
There is some extra emphasis for old Yankee fans like me. In many posts here I have lauded Willie Mays, including insisting that Mays was clearly better than Aaron. I've largely overcome the youthful animosity that caused Mickey Mantle fans to take an unyielding side on the question of who was better, Mantle or Mays. This was born of their both becoming great in New York 1954-1957. I do not recall those seasons but inherited the fan rivalry. I now can more fully appreciate the greatness of Mays. However, there is still some jealousy and friction and Rodriguez is a Yankee, the greatest since Mantle, who will vanquish the great Giant Mays, even if there is an asterisk.
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