Boo hoo baseball fans of the non-Yankee variety. Get out your Kleenex and start drying your eyes because A-Rod is a Yankee, and there is nothing you can do about it.
After learning of the impending trade that would send Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees, Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and the organization tried and failed to make one last desperate attempt to save face and prevent the pinstripers from landing A-Rod. Going through a mutual friend, the Red Sox tried to change A-Rod and the Rangers mind. According to New York Newsday, who first reported the trade Saturday afternoon, A-Rod told Lucchino through a mutual friend to “F— Off.” A-Rod is ready for the Bronx, already displaying a good understanding of the lingo used by Yankees fans towards Red Sox fans.
Instead of the usual crying and whining that follows a move by the Yankees, try praying, because Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at the game’s most storied stadium – Yankee Stadium – baseball’s best player officially became a member of the game’s best team.
The normal weeping and whimpering has begun. Stop it. It is old, and there is no reason for it. What the Yankees have done – and will continue to do – is well within the rules of the game.
Yes, the Yankees have unlimited money. If there is not a salary cap, why not spend what you have? George Steinbrenner cares about winning and is not afraid to go to any level to do so. There is no reason to blame Steinbrenner for his spending habits – it is the fault of the player’s union. If you insist on crying, cry to it. Let the player’s union know the players make too much money. It is the union’s insistence that would not allow a salary cap because they do not want a cap on its members’ salaries.
Save the tears because it is not like the Yankees are the only team with money. Everyone was rooting for the Cubs and Red Sox last fall. I hate to break it to you, but these are not small-market teams strapped for cash. Joining the Red Sox and Cubs are the Dodgers and Orioles – in the past and again this off season – the Mets and Angels – who opened their wallets this off-season to acquire Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon. These teams have plenty of checks they could write to ballplayers if they choose to do so.
As is the case with the Dodgers and Mets – who have a payroll near the top – spending money doesn’t equate to a playoff-caliber team. Money is a nice advantage, but it does not guarantee a team anything.
Along with the crying, the pity for the Red Sox running rampant in the media needs to stop. The Red Sox are not a team that deserves pity. Do not forget they started the whole mess surrounding trades involving A-Rod, nearly acquiring him themselves during a winter-long soap opera involving A-Rod, Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra. Nobody cried about money then. Everyone was in a tizzy, calling it “great for baseball.” Now the Yankees get him, and the crying begins.
The Yankees acquisition of A-Rod guarantees them nothing, except scoring a lot of runs. The Red Sox, Angels, A’s and Mariners are worthy adversaries. For the last three years, a team not named the Yankees has come out of left field and won the World Series. The Yankees have lost before while working with the highest payroll and it can happen again.
Band together Yankee haters and root your hearts out the Yankees fail for a fourth straight season.
Put away your Kleenex until October, and if your lucky you can let the Yankee players and fans borrow them after another October failure.
Come to think of it, Yankee players and fans will need those Kleenex come October- to wipe away the tears of joy and champagne from their eyes as they celebrate their 27th World Series championship.
Noah Wolf is a senior in journalism. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
