Alex Rodriguez has been the bigger and the better person
with about every hurdle and obstacle that has been thrown in front of him this
season. Joe Girardi wanted to use Alex at first base and Rodriguez was more
than okay with that. Rodriguez was placed at the bottom half of the Yankees
lineup and you didn’t hear a peer out of the former All-Star. A Rod was
delegated to DH only duties basically this season and took it as an opportunity
to help himself and the team win ball games rather than throwing a hissy fit
and threatening to retire (yes that was a jab at Jorge Posada). Alex has said
all the right things and done all the right things in front of the cameras from
cheering on his teammates from the bench to trying to answer every question
he’s asked as honestly as he can be while still being politically correct, it
is the Yankees way after all, but Alex has one more opportunity to “one-up” the
Yankees and one more chance to be the good guy.
As we all know and either wrote about or read until we were
blue in the face the New York Yankees aren’t going to and don’t feel like they
owe Alex the $6 million milestone bonus that was written into a marketing
contract for tying Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. The Yankees had
30 days to cut the check and they haven’t but the team may have come up with a
middle ground that I suggested before he even hit the home run, donate the $6
million to a charity of his choice.
I don’t pretend to know Alex’s financial situation but you
have to figure that he has made close to a billion dollars in his career with
investments, player contracts, endorsements etc. He can’t be broke, legal fees
and all he just can’t be. Alex can come out the good guy once again here and it
can go a long way possibly into winning back some hearts and minds. Kobe Bryant
won back the fans and the endorsements that followed and so can Rodriguez and
it starts here. Alex is already winning here as the 45 day deadline for Alex to
file a grievance for the non-payment has come and gone and Alex’s group of
lawyers and handlers did not file the grievance. Now the team wants to donate
the money, well they want to donate an undisclosed amount that is said to be
less than $6 million, and I think Alex should bite the bullet and pull the
trigger on it.
Alex wins, the Yankees win and the Boys and Girls Club of
America (I’m guessing) definitely wins. I get that if he makes this deal now he
would likely have to make the same deal if he ties Babe Ruth at 714 home runs
(Alex currently has 666 home runs), Hank Aaron at 755 home runs and if he were
to tie and pass Bonds at 762 home runs but you cross that bridge when you get
there. You save a lot of face now and if this issue comes to fruition again in
2016 and 2017 at least you have some good will and moral standings to back you
up the next time. Donate the money Alex, out “Yankee-Way” the Yankees.