No one would disagree that NY fans are irrational. I recently wrote in a post that Yankees fans would thorw A-Rod under a bus in a heartbeat everytime he fails to come through in every single clutch situation he is in. Yankee fans hate A-Rod. Spare me the "true Yankee" crapola. All he's done in 4+ seasons in NY is win 2 MVP awards. He single handedly got them to the playoffs last year, even if his playoff stats weren't up to expectations. Would Yankee fans think they would be a better team without him? A foolish hypothesis. And lest we forget, baseball is a team sport and if the team isn't firing on all cylinders, one player, eminently clutch or not, will not carry you to the world championship. Might be good to have some pitching too.
This year's goat-to-glory is Carlos Delgado. Now being mentioned as a possible MVP candidate, he was only being mentioned as trade fodder a few months ago. You'd think that no one ever had a bad stretch before. Sure, you need your number 5 hitter to perform, but the speed at which fans and the media were ready to toss him on the scrap heap was astounding.
Willie Stargell played 9 seasons after his last 100 RBI season for the Pirates and only hit 30 HR once in that 9 years as well. No one tried to run him out of town. I realize that Delgado is a lot closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but even given his age, he's performing at or around his career averages for the time he's been in NY. It pains me to see everyone jump to conclusions simply based on his age that he's finished. And I, for one, appreciate his low-key reserved style that is refreshing to see in this day and age of posing at home plate and drawing attention to oneself. He absolutely crushed the ball his last time up last night, a no doubt off the bat home run..and simply started to run to first. After, he didn't think it worthy to come out for a curtain call.
Carlos can play on my team for as long as he wants. I think he will know when it's time to end his career and will go with grace and on his own terms and not pushed out the door on the end of a sportswriters impatient rant.
You can't buy class.
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I disagree, NY fans are the best, and they are more knowledgeable, which is why they dislike A-Rod, root for him to do well, but disappointed when he does not live up to his own abilities. If Eckstein can do as well as he does with so little natural talent, sorry Eck you are the ultimate overachiever, imagine what A-Rod could be, but is not. Boo.
The rest of the blog is much the same, don't make such broad statements that assume to speak for what everyone thinks, it will save you grief.
AllStarz
Total Comments (18995)
Save yourself some grief and actually look at David Eckstein's career stats. Compare him to current and past players and you find that he is a sub-mediocre player. Eck ranks WAY down the list offensively among active players. His career OPS+ is 12 pts below the league average. He's not an overachiever, he's a figment of sportwriters' imaginations created via cherrypicking stats from his post-season successes. And your comment goes to prove my point. Stop looking at Rodriguez as what he could be, but for what he is. And what he is, is a first ballot HOF'er. Yankee pitching has been a mess since A-Rod has been in NY. That's why they haven't won in the post season since he's been in town.
metsmutt
Schenectady , NY
Total Comments (9)
No, start looking at what he could be, that is what sport is all about, human achievement, striveing to get the most out of oneself, Eckstein is an example of that and why people rave about his sub par performance, it is about the nature of humanity and overacheivement, not underachievement and better than the next guy. you are failing to get the most out of Sport. Stop making excuses, that is why NYers are great, we are not making excuses, we want him to be the best he can be and we will cheer the hell out of that, and yes boo underacheivement, you don't see NYers booing a call up that does not achieve, get it straight and save yourself the grief of underachieving, booo.
AllStarz
Total Comments (18995)
Your argument defies any logic whatsoever. A-rod's averages for 2004-2007 with the Yankees: .302BA, 43HR and 128RBI. His BtWin is 51.7 compared to Eck's -5.7 NEGATIVE FIVE POINT SEVEN. You go cheer on Eckstein. I'll take Rodriguez on my team.
metsmutt
Schenectady , NY
Total Comments (9)
And you would lose. you need to get you head out of the stat books and see what it is he does on the field, when he hits and when he does not, apply the stats to a context and then they mean something. I will cheer Eckstein the over achiever and I will cheer A-Rod when he gives me something to cheer about, and when I see him not living up to his potential and underperforming I will do what my heart tells me to, if that is boo, so be it.
Fact is that Eck has very limited skils and the fact that he is still in the bigs is atestament to human perseverance and willpower, things that sport brings out in people of great character, with better skills or worse, A-Rod has been blessed with far superior skills, the point is imagine how much better A-Rod would be if he approached the game like Eck.
AllStarz
Total Comments (18995)
In an ESPN.com poll, the final question of which is:
9. Which player would you rather have?
69.6% Alex Rodriguez
30.4% David Eckstein
Sample Size over 150,000. I guess there are people who agree with you. 7 out of 10 agree with me.
We will have to agree to disagee on this issue.
metsmutt
Schenectady , NY
Total Comments (9)
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