Tonight’s outcome can play a large role in determining Alex Rodriguez’s future with the New York Yankees.
After being left out of the New York Yankees’ lineup for two consecutive days, Alex Rodriguez is expected to be back in there tonight against a left-hander. With Cole Hamels on the mound for Texas, things can go in various directions for the aging slugger.With Joe Girardi making it clear that this was a benching rather than your typical day off, a platoon seems to be well on its way. However, A-Rod’s performance in tonight’s ballgame can mean a lot to the 40-year-old’s future with the organization.
A breakout night and he may be right back in there tomorrow. An 0-4 and we may not see him until next week. A serviceable night and he proves that a righty-lefty DH platoon involving Carlos Beltran is the way to go.
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Take the middle of those three options and his future becomes extremely unclear. A DH that possesses no ability to pinch-run, play the field, and be versatile at any rate is simply a clog on a 25-man roster. If he is not hitting, and hitting at a torrent rate, his value to the organization plummets.
Brian Cashman has stated that discussion about a potential release has not come up as of yet. The key word there is “yet”.
A-Rod is a dead man walking if he is not producing. His .200 clip against right-handers will keep him out of the lineup tomorrow and Thursday, and his lack of a position will keep him out of the lineup this weekend in San Diego. Virtually no at-bats in five days results in no opportunity for a classic “guesser” to get his timing down.
Considering his mistake of an extension started at $275 million in total value, the Yankees should happily jump on the idea of eating the approximate $32 million left on his contract through 2017. This is of course barring the continued underperformance of a man with 695 career homers.
Rodriguez told Newsday’s Erik Boland that “You haven’t heard the last of me”. Well, now it is time for him to prove it.
