Alex Rodriguez’ name is on everyone’s tongue again when it comes to the New York Yankees. But watch out, bringing him on would be a mistake.
The New York Yankees are looking for a new manager. Alex Rodriguez is looking for a way to get more involved in the baseball world. Boom. Match made in heaven.
At least, it seems that way to many fans and the media. In fact, they are begging for the storyline: former baseball superstar who fell from grace only to come back from the dead and emerge as the leader of the team that forced him to retire.
The story just writes itself. It’s all so poetic. It all needs to come full circle, right?
Wrong. 100 percent wrong. If the Yankees choose Alex Rodriguez to man their team next year, it will be arguably the biggest mistake they’ve ever made.
I’m not saying that A-Rod can’t be a great manager at some point but right now, it will not work at all. It’s not his baseball knowledge (which is limitless) or his coaching ability (which likely is absolutely stellar).
No, instead I question whether he would be a player’s manager or a player-manager.
I don’t think A-Rod is ready to actually serve as a manager for this young New York Yankees’ team. I feel he would have a lot to teach the youth but at the same time, he’s not far enough removed from the team as a player to be a manager.
If you really think about it, he’s only been out of baseball for a little over a year after being forced to retire. What makes you think he won’t want to use a role as a manager to find a way to get back on the field for the Yankees?
Not only that, but A-Rod has played with several of these guys before. He’s been on the same squad as CC Sabathia, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Chase Headley. How would they feel if they had someone who was once their equal running the show for their team next season?
While Rodriguez did not necessarily play alongside some of these young guys, he did associate with them quite a few times in the postseason through interviews. During those interviews, he continuously tried to relate to this younger generation and acted more like a huge fan rather than a seasoned veteran and reporter.
Plus, he spent his entire stint on FS1 during the ALCS to bother David Ortiz by throwing Yankees gear on him and flashing his World Series bling. Is that the type of guy you want as your manager? Someone showing immaturity on a huge public stage?
It would make sense for A-Rod to serve as a mentor to this young team but it’s far too soon. The Yankees dealt with A-Rod through the entire PED scandal and gave him so many opportunities to right himself. Unfortunately, his time on the team had to end earlier than he anticipated.
If they signed him now, he’s barely removed from the game. It wouldn’t be a smart idea to bring him back when he so desperately wants to be back out on that field.
Maybe down the line, A-Rod would be a solid choice as a manager. But with this team, wouldn’t be a player’s manager. He would instead be a manager who wants to be a player.
He is not yet prepared for the task that comes along with managing the New York Yankees. He’s too familiar with the players he’s supposed to be coaching as a fellow player and putting him in charge of his buddies doesn’t make much sense.
Choose a veteran coach, a manager who has been in this position before who actually would be able to serve as a mentor that gets along with his team, not a friend.
We all know that working with your friends is hard. Letting A-Rod do that would diminish all the success the Yankees had last season. And who wants that?