11/05/24
July 13, 2005
A-Rod decides to play for Dominican Republic in World Classic: "I am going to make the Dominicans feel proud. I want to say it out loud: I am Dominican." -- Alex Rodriguez, dual citizen of the D.R. and U.S., at the All-Star Game
posted by jtrainhoopster to baseball at 01:51 PM - 34 comments
Players should not be betting or profitting from such activities.......
posted by jtrainhoopster at 05:16 PM on July 13, 2005
He's Dominican? Who knew.
posted by jerseygirl at 09:39 PM on July 13, 2005
So his Parents are Dominican. How much time has he spent there. From his "Boys Clubs" adds, you would assume that he spent his childhood in NY
posted by daddisamm at 10:45 PM on July 13, 2005
he has dual citizenship, but it's still up to organizers on who can play where. he was born in NY, moved to the DR for part of his childhood, and then settled in miami. who's to say what kind of impact his mother had him in regards to his dominican heritage? and hey, if clay bellinger can play for the greek national team... daddisamm, what does the boys and girls club have to do with ny? those are found all over the country.
posted by goddam at 12:01 AM on July 14, 2005
I know they are found all over the country--we have them out here in the "sticks' Its just the assumption I made from listening to his Boys Club spots----I guess I am a knucklehead
posted by daddisamm at 06:29 AM on July 14, 2005
With his history of what happens to teams that he joins, maybe the Dominicans won't want him? Yeah, because it's A-Rod's lack of production that's killing the Yankees right now. Right.
posted by dfleming at 07:01 AM on July 14, 2005
I don't think anyone really knows what A-Rod is thinking - least of all A-Rod. Still, what a player.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:11 AM on July 14, 2005
Its just the assumption I made from listening to his Boys Club spots fair enough. i guess i never payed much attention to them to notice.
posted by goddam at 08:15 AM on July 14, 2005
"I am going to make the Dominicans feel proud. I want to say it out loud: I am Dominican." That seems fairly condescending to me. Do Dominicans have a pride problem that they need A-Rod's help with? I can't imagine they have one with regards to baseball.
posted by dzot at 09:06 AM on July 14, 2005
I'm asking, because I don't know, so don't jump all over me as a Red Sox fan asking this. Is there a big Dominican contingent of Yankee fans in the DR?
posted by jerseygirl at 09:31 AM on July 14, 2005
jerseygirl, I would bet that there are, just because there's a large contingent of Dominicans in the Bronx, so it's a natural fit as a rooting interest. That's a guess, but I'd be shocked if it wasn't the case.
posted by chicobangs at 09:42 AM on July 14, 2005
there's a large contingent of Dominicans in the Bronx Yeah, but they always seemed to be loyal to players, not teams. I'll never forget listening to WFAN during Manny Ramirez's rookie year, hearing a resident complain to Mike and the Mad Dog his seats at the previous night's NYY v. CLE tilt had been surrounded by Dominicans waving flags, cheering Manny and cooking cans of beans.
posted by yerfatma at 09:58 AM on July 14, 2005
Cooking cans of beans?
posted by dusted at 10:21 AM on July 14, 2005
chico, it has less to do with geography and more to do with the players (on preview, what yerfatma said). as much as i hate to admit it, there are probably more dominican red sox fans in washington heights than there are yankee fans. why? because of manny and ortiz. and previously, pedro too. i went to his debut at the stadium with the red sox. dominican flags all over the place, huge cheers when he struck someone out. you'll still see fans cheer just for pedro (not necessarily the mets), just like they cheer sosa (not necessarily the orioles). i met a guy from the dominican at game 2 of the alcs. he didn't care who won the game, he was just there to see pedro and hoped that he pitched well. there only 2 dominicans on the active yankee roster. but they're rookies and don't yet have the star power to bring fans in. if that changes you may see more fans swaying back to the bronx. probably the most popular domincan player on the yankees in recent years was soriano. i remember hearing something about dominican yankee fans not being happy when soriano was traded for rodriguez. and there was some backlash last year when a-rod was asked if he considers himself american or dominican, and he responded american. it's not a stretch to think these latest comments are an attempt to win back some dominican fans. it's not the first time a-rod spoke without thinking and it probably won't be the last. i've given up on hoping that will change. i never took him to be a good public speaker. as long as what he says doesn't affect what he does on the field, i couldn't care less.
posted by goddam at 10:23 AM on July 14, 2005
Fair enough. Pretty much all the Dominicans I know are hardcore Yankee fans, and I figured that was why. I am informed.
posted by chicobangs at 10:29 AM on July 14, 2005
you could be right chico. i can't say i know any dominicans or that i hang out a lot in new york away from the stadium. could be just something particular to washington heights since that's where manny went to high school.
posted by goddam at 10:41 AM on July 14, 2005
I still can't figure out how the Texas Rangers got better by trading A-Rod to the Yankees. There's no way that can possibly happen, but it clearly did. Dominican fans cook cans of beans at Yankee Stadium? That could get ugly.
posted by rcade at 11:05 AM on July 14, 2005
Dominican fans cook cans of beans at Yankee Stadium? it was probably during the pre-police state version of the bleachers.
posted by goddam at 11:26 AM on July 14, 2005
Cooking cans of beans? That's why I remember it. I spent the rest of the day (I listened to 'FAN working summers in a parking lot in Newport, RI because 'EEI didn't come in strong enough back then and because 'FAN is such a better station) trying to figure out how you could pull that off. No electric power, an obvious open flame is going to draw an usher sooner or later, even in the Bronx.
posted by yerfatma at 11:50 AM on July 14, 2005
rcade - I'm not sure either - though the Mariners pulled the same trick when A-Rod left for the Rangers.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:41 PM on July 14, 2005
Thanks for the info guys and gal. I kind of thought it was player-based loyalty, rather than an enormous team following, and my only real frame of reference was a friend who vacationed in the DR recently. Good to have other thoughts and perspectives. That being said, I seriously had no inkling (and I follow the Yankees almost as much as I follow the Sox) that ARod was of Dominican decent. It's just not as prominantly part of his "image" as it is with Manny or Tejada or Ortiz, I guess? My first clue was the Home Run Derby when he had Tejada's flag... and even then my initial thoughts were, "Who is that dude with the DR flag?" and "Why is ARod dressed like he's got a job interview?"
posted by jerseygirl at 01:00 PM on July 14, 2005
Yeah, because it's A-Rod's lack of production that's killing the Yankees right now. Right. I still can't figure out how the Texas Rangers got better by trading A-Rod to the Yankees. There's no way that can possibly happen, but it clearly did. I'm not sure either - though the Mariners pulled the same trick when A-Rod left for the Rangers. Nobody can figure it out, though those of us in the DFW area don't mind speculating. Some players make the players around them better. Some, for some unknown reason, make those around them worse. Given how the Rangers have played since A-Rod left (even despite their recent troubles) and how they played while he was here (last place very year) and how they played before he came (first place three out of five years though they were deep in the dumps the year before he showed up), we are not that sorry he is gone.
posted by graymatters at 01:43 PM on July 14, 2005
A-ROD is the most overrated player in all of baseball... If you want a young superstar that is playing awesome baseball this early in his career, and still has not got as good as he will be, Miguel Cabrera. He most likely will end up one of the best players the game has ever seen. Write it down.
posted by playball9 at 07:55 AM on July 15, 2005
I'm sorry, do you think no one's heard of Miguel Cabrera? He's carrying my roto team this year. And how is A-Rod overrated? If the Yankees smartened up and let him play SS, he'd be the best in the league at perhaps the most important defensive position and he's probably the best offensive threat in the AL. Cabrera's a very good player and really young, but how do you know he won't blow out both knees? Type it up.
posted by yerfatma at 09:01 AM on July 15, 2005
Manny Ramirez is the biggest offensive threat in the AL, or maybe the yankee killer David Ortiz, or how bout Miguel Tejada, Vladdy?, there are a lot more players i would like to have at the plate in a critical situation than the OVERRATED A-ROD. I know that everyone has heard of Cabrera, and he is better than A-Rod on D or O. Plus A-Rod is a wuss. He tried to act like billy bad ass last year when Arroyo come in on him, but it didn't take long to see that he's all talk when Varitek busted him in his big girly head. then he smacked the ball out of a glove like a little bitch.
posted by playball9 at 11:27 AM on July 15, 2005
A-ROD is the most overrated player in all of baseball... If you want a young superstar that is playing awesome baseball this early in his career, and still has not got as good as he will be, Miguel Cabrera. He most likely will end up one of the best players the game has ever seen. Write it down. Overrated? Take a look at his career stats. 9 All-Star Appearances (fans like him) 2 Gold Gloves (his fielding is pretty good) 7 Silver Sluggers (he can hit the ball) 6 Top-10 MVP votes (and he's usually one of the best) Black Ink: Batting - 40 (Average HOFer ~ 27) Gray Ink: Batting - 136 (Average HOFer ~ 144) HOF Standards: Batting - 54.1 (Average HOFer ~ 50) HOF Monitor: Batting - 211.5 (Likely HOFer > 100) (these are cumulative stats for tracking a player's dominance during his career and indications of being elected to the HOF) And he isn't even 30 years old yet. Overrated is not the word you use to describe ARod. Cabrera is a good kid, and probably will be a superstar, but he has a long way to go before he can be put in the same class as ARod. Manny Ramirez is the biggest offensive threat in the AL, or maybe the yankee killer David Ortiz, or how bout Miguel Tejada, Vladdy? That's interesting. None of those guys are inside 20 points of OPS of ARod... ARod - 1.008 Manny - .903 Ortiz - .988 Tejada - .964 Vlad - .960 But keep those blinders on. It's very entertaining...
posted by grum@work at 11:48 AM on July 15, 2005
As much as I hate to say it, I would take A-ROD over almost anybody (maybe Ichro 1st) in a draft to start a team. Overrated? Are you nuts? Not the sharpest tool in the shed maybe, and nobody is worth the money he makes, but still one of the best ball player in the league. Ask Curt Shilling.
posted by jtrainhoopster at 12:53 PM on July 15, 2005
A-Rod is great, granted, but what about his huge salary? Tejada gives 90% of A-Rod's performance for less than half the price. That would matter in a serious draft.
posted by qbert72 at 01:12 PM on July 15, 2005
if salary is a measure of ratedness that perhaps a slam against A-Rod is warranted. on that measure. but really now, his numbers are impressive.
posted by gspm at 01:35 PM on July 15, 2005
not meaning to answer to your comment, qbert. just saying that A-Rod's salary got him a whole lot of attention which may or may not impact on how his value on the field is perceived.
posted by gspm at 01:37 PM on July 15, 2005
jtrainhoopster, you can have him in a draft. He wouldn't make my top ten. Sure, A-Rod is maybe the most talented guy in the game, and he might have sick numbers, but until he picks up his team and carries them through a rough patch in September or October (or even puts up first-half numbers in the second half; mark my words, his Yearly Slump is a-coming), even once, he'll always be Mister May to me.
posted by chicobangs at 02:53 PM on July 15, 2005
(now that the technical difficulties have been resolved...) Sure, A-Rod is maybe the most talented guy in the game, and he might have sick numbers, but until he picks up his team and carries them through a rough patch in September or October (or even puts up first-half numbers in the second half; mark my words, his Yearly Slump is a-coming), even once, he''ll always be Mister May to me. Um...say what? (last three years) Pre-All Star Game: .931 OPS Post-All Star Game: 1.021 OPS The closest indication of what you say is that his September OPS (for the last three seasons) is _only_ .871. I think it''s pretty hard to complain about a player who "slumps" to an .871 OPS over the span of a month.
posted by grum@work at 06:23 PM on July 16, 2005
If there is wagering on the World Classic (and there probably will be since there appears to be wagering on everything), then you must take this into account. A-Rod must think his best chance to win is with the Dominicans (not a bad bet considering the all-stars) because A-Rod always goes where he thinks he will win. Of course, A-Rod is always wrong, so far. With his history of what happens to teams that he joins, maybe the Dominicans won't want him?