Earlier today Buster Olney wrote about how the Yankees don’t really care about all of Alex Rodriguez’s shenanigans, and John Brattain of The Hardball Times followed it up by writing about the damage Scott Boras may have done to A-Rod and his reputation. Brattain reviews A-Rod’s career chronologically, and points out what parts appear to have that Boras Stamp all over them. He wraps up the article with this:
Rodriguez stated that he always wanted to be a Met—one has to wonder what direction his career would’ve taken had he enjoyed different representation and an agent who was more interested in serving his client than setting new standards and concepts in major league contracts.
Would A-Rod have been a Met at eight years/$184 million (just a guesstimate) and still battle hardened from his time in Seattle with a different agent and helped the Mets again reach the World Series in 2001? A contract like that wouldn’t have stuck out as much from the deal Manny Ramirez signed, and the consensus was that Rodriguez would land something in the range of $200 million. He would’ve gone to a winning team where he’d be fulfilling a childhood dream.
Assuming he’s telling the truth, maybe a $184 million deal wouldn’t have made him feel pressured to juice, and the three years of simply playing for stats in Texas never occurred. He’d go on to build upon the legend he began in Seattle. He wouldn’t have been royalty in the Mets clubhouse with Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura to help him stay on an even keel, and he wouldn’t have developed the bad habits he acquired in Texas as the crown prince of Rangers baseball and the only reason to watch the team after the first of June.
Sadly, he will always be linked with the most despised man in the game—Scott Boras did make him a lot of money, but he would’ve been rich in any event. Alex Rodriguez may be the author of some of his problems (as we all are), but I think Scott Boras ruined him.
In an alternative time line Alex Rodriguez may have been a legend instead of an enigma.
Lots and lots of what-ifs in this piece, and I don’t believe you can pin everything on Boras. It’s takes two to tango, after all. Make sure you give it a read, lots of interesting stuff in there.
Here’s your open thread for the night. The Devils are on the road while the Knicks and Nets are meeting in the Garden. Team USA is taking on Venezuela in a meaningless game tonight. Both clubs have already advanced to the semifinals, and all this game does is determine the Pool B winner. Japan takes on Cuba later tonight in a rematch of the 2006 WBC Title Game, and once again the loser goes home. I’ll never bet against Cuba in an international tourney, so my money’s on them. Anything goes, just be nice.
Photo Credit: J. Meric, Getty Images
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