“Speaking of homeruns…”

My year anniversary with MLBlogs is coming up at the end of the week, and because of that I’ve been reading some of my original posts.

Most of the time,  my posting was very random.  I’ve become much more consistent in my posting (especially since I got yelled at in emails from ‘readers’ about not updating the blog every day!)…but, I have to admit, I get a kick out of my random posts.  And, as I’ve always maintained, since this blog is first and foremost for me (hey, someone has to entertain me), I’m really going to try and get back to that.

Which, I warn you, probably won’t make Yankees, A’s or White Sox fans very happy.  🙂

In regard to the subject title…Bobby Mercer on YES just started a sentence with those words.  He was talking about ARod and how it would be a good time for ARod to get a homerun.  It ends up that ARod hit into a fielder’s choice and Melky Cabrera scored on an error.  So, ARod is still hitless, even though he’s on base.  But I digress.

Apparently, hanging out with Ken Singleton has put Mercer on the "let’s beat up ARod" bandwagon.  I have to admit to having mixed feelings about this.  I’m an avowed ARod hater.  I am.  And I make no apologies for it.  His performance in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS sealed the deal for me.  His calling Derek Jeter over-rated, his digs toward the Rangers as he ran far, far away to New York, his calling out Jason Varitek…these things were triggers and, as I said, ‘the slap’ sealed the deal.  There are many other reasons…

Holy cow – YES just showed Johnny Damon pounded his heart ala Sammy Sosa on one of their commercials.  Could you just puke?

Sorry, I got away from myself.  There are many other reasons not to like ARod (the guy really thinks he’s worth what he’s getting paid), but he doesn’t play for my team.  I’m allowed to hate him.  I don’t get the Yankees fans (and announcers on YES) who feel the need to boo and bash this guy.

I’m on the record in regard to how much I am against booing your own player.  I hate it.  You don’t do it.  I don’t care how much you paid for your ticket and I don’t care how much he makes.  All booing does is bring about negativity.  Nothing good comes from that.  It is totally ridiculous to think if you boo a player that will make him play better.  If I was playing and getting booed, my attitude would be "you care so little about my feelings, why should I attempt to play better for you?".

I’m spiteful that way.

My conflicting feelings come in here:  See, truth is, there is a part of me that is thrilled that ARod is getting called out in his ‘own’ city.  Absofreakinglutely thrilled.  I was one of the fans who didn’t want him on the Red Sox from the beginning.  I much preferred keeping Manny and Nomar.  So it isn’t hard feelings about that.  It’s just ARod in general.  I remember arguing with Yankees fans online about ‘the slap’.  Many said that any player worth his salt would have done the same thing.  Heck, even some of the players said it.  While I can agree that most players would have tried SOMETHING, I have a difficult time believing it would have been something so blatant as the slap ARod tried to pull off.

But, truth be told, the slap wasn’t the worst part of that scenario.  It was his "What?  I didn’t do anything wrong!" attitude when he got caught.  Instead of just shutting up and riding the pine, he fought it.  Knowing full well that what he did was caught on national television and everyone saw it.

Someone asked me today if I would still dislike ARod if the Yankees traded him (Which, he has already said he won’t allow.  Gotta love that…nothing like thinking of the team first, ARod!).  My answer is ‘no’.  There was a time when I liked ARod.  A few years ago..1999 maybe?  2000? I think it was in 2000, but I honestly can’t remember.  It was at the  Home Run Derby and Chris Berman asked him to compare himself to Nomar and Jeter.  Jeter gets credit for this quote a lot, but I saw it live and it was ARod who said it, long before his contract in Texas.

His response was "I’m the youngest, Derek’s the richest and Nomar’s the best".  Quite possibly, the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.  Even to this day.  Especially for a Red Sox fan.  But then something happened.  Texas offered him that contract and he pretty much turned into the guy we see today.

So, pardon me if I have a bit of a difficult time feeling sorry for him.  If you make a deal with the devil, you eventually have to pay the price.