Why We've Probably Have Seen the Last of A-Rod

Photo: Kevin Sousa/Icon Sportswire

Ever since the Yankees began selling at the deadline, there has been speculations swirling around that the team could release Alex Rodriguez before the season is out. Though some believe that removing him from the equation is simply not as feasible as it seems there may not be any other alternative, especially given the direction the franchise is headed. If that’s not enough incentive, here are some of the reasons parting ways with the aging DH make most sense.

The Yankees Simply Have No Use for Him

His diminished skills both on the field and at the plate have become very apparent, leaving the team no choice but to relegate him the bench. At this point it has become a mystery as to what his exact role is and with a little more than a month left in the season, there doesn't appear to be any answer coming.

He Hinders the Impending Youth Movement

Now that the Yankees have stockpiled a considerable amount of young talent (thanks to a lucrative deadline) the team can finally make the push to get younger. This puts Rodriguez in a tough spot since he is 41 years old and essentially taking up a potential roster spot for an up and comer. 

His 700th Home Run Won't Mean Much

Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his link to PED's will forever taint his career and image. There were high hopes that when he reached 700 home runs it would instantly place him among the immortals of the game. However, that is no longer the case and like his predecessors (Bonds, McGwire, Palmeiro and others) the league will seek to blackball him out of Cooperstown.

His Time Has Passed

Most professional athletes know when it's time to call it a career. With 20 years under his belt and most of the players linked to him out of baseball, it's safe to say that his days as a primetime athlete are numbered. It’s likely he was too encouraged by his performance last season and felt he could replicate it, but that has not gone nearly the way he'd hoped in 2016. This reality should be enough to convince Rodriguez that he's no longer capable of doing the things he and many others had become accustomed to his entire career.

New York Yankees - Season in Review

The 2015 season came to disappointing finish after a 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card Game. Despite this disappointment, the Yankees still managed to accomplish a lot more than many expected of them this season. Here are some of the Yankees biggest surprises and disappointments of the year.

Surprises

Nathan Eovaldi was acquired by the Yankees to fill the vacant hole in the rotation coming into the season and many were skeptical if h could viably contribute to the club. Those sentiments were erased when he lead the team in wins and established himself as the most effective pitcher out in the rotation for most of the second half. If it were not for an inflamed elbow, the Yankees may have stood a much greater chance to win the AL East.

Alex Rodriguez was not expected to be a contributing factor this year, especially since he had missed an entire year of baseball after his suspension in 2014. Not only did he lead the club in homers (33) he also brought a stable right handed bat to the offense. Unfortunately his hitting slowed down tremendously in August and September, most likely to to his age and missed time. Nonetheless, Rodriguez certainly was a bright spot no one saw coming.

The appearance of young prospects Luis Severino, Greg Bird, Rob Refsnyder, and Slade Heathcott is a major plus for a once devoid farm system. It's a far cry from years past when the Yankees would have traded them away for a marquee player. Hopefully this is a sign that the team is ready to begin the process of building a contender from within, which history has shown could work out very well in the years to come.

Didi Gregorius had a rough beginning to his Yankee career as he hit .238 through the first half to go along with one too many errors at short. However, after making a few adjustments (and a pep talk from Derek Jeter) he was able to put together a stout second half hitting .295 (second on the team behind Beltran) and flashed a much steadier glove. If this is a sign of things to come, Didi may just carve out a place for himself on the roster for the foreseeable future.

The Yankees found a great bullpen tandem in Betances and Miller, one that was nearly untouchable for the first two months. If Miller had been healthy in June and Betances had not been so overworked, they could have easily carried the Yankees to few more crucial wins which may have helped decide the division

Disappointments

Brett Gardner had as big of an up and down year as one could imagine. After hitting .302 through mid-July and earning an All Star nod, he completely bottomed out in the second half. His .206 average and high strikeout propensity through September caused fans to grow very impatient and agitated as they was showered with resentment in the final game.

Everything was going quite well for Mark Teixeira, He had 31 home runs, and was poised to put up the fantastic numbers, Unfortunately, that did not come to pass as a fateful foul tip fractured his leg, ending his season. These untimely injuries have become far too frequent for the five time gold glover and it has to equally as frustrating to the team as it is for him. He will certainly need lady luck on his side in 2016, or the Yankees could turn to Greg Bird as the everyday player much sooner than one may think.

Despite hitting 17 home runs, the 32 year old infielder Stephen Drew struggled to hit .200 all season long. There were many times where he looked completely lost at the plate, leaving many Yankee faithful wondering why he was still on the roster. Joe Girardi put his faith in Drew from the start of spring training, which did annoy some fans who believed Refsnyder should have been given the opportunity. After a concussion brought his season to an end, it may be time to move on to a younger, more stable counterpart.

It wasn't a season to remember for CC Sabathia as he won just six games to 4.73 ERA, only looking better in the final month. To add to things, he has entered alcohol rehab for an issue that unfortunately reared it's ugly head this year. With so much invested in him through 2017 ($48 million with a $25 million option), the Yankees hope that Sabathia can work through his personal troubles and bounce back in a big way next season.

Assessing the Yankees - Week 8

                  

Everything started off nicely with an impressive sweep of the then red hot Kansas City Royals, ending their 6-game skid.  However, the good vibes would not last long as the Yankees dropped a four game set in Oakland, causing them to stumble to a 4-3 record.  Though this week was much better than the previous two, it still could have been a lot better.

The Good - It seems that Carlos Beltran has taken the harsh criticisms to heart as he rode a 15-game hitting streak right into the weekend.  So much has been made of what his role is on the team, so if he can continue to produce in a more limited capacity, there may just be hope for the 38 year old veteran.

- Alex Rodriguez is currently on a 9-game hitting streak of his own going 13 for 33 (.394) over that span.  He is having a pretty solid year thus far, which is a shock to many (including myself) whom believed he would be dead weight at the end of the bench.  A scout recently said that Rodriguez's swing is the easiest he's even seen from him, a nice sentiment considering the torment and trouble he has caused with his bat over most of his Yankee tenure.

- Adam Warren turned in two solid outings this week and looks to have earned back the trust of Joe Girardi as a capable starter in the rotation.  Not only did he get into the seventh inning both times, he was able to hold two impressive lineups to minimal production.  The Yankees are in dire need of a solid anchoring starter and Warren looks to have fulfilled his audition for it.

The Bad - CC Sabathia turned in yet another up and down outing that we have become all too accustomed to.  His inability to get past that one troublesome inning has been the achilles heel that he just can’t seem to shake, especially for the past three seasons.  With an ERA of 5.67 in 10 starts, the former Cy Young Winner has lost more than just his velocity.  Considering the $73 million still left on his contract, the Yankees have to hold out hope he will recapture his confidence or face yet another contractual disappointment.

- Stephen Drew is not making a very good case to continue playing for the Pinstripes. He has fallen into a deep 2 for 36 slump, which looks to have no end in sight.  Even though Jose Pirela will most likely get more playing time to counter this, there is no guarantee he can completely pick up the slack.  Should this linger any longer than it has to, it may be time to part ways with Drew and go for a younger, more capable hitter like Robert Refsnyder to put a spark in the

What Has Gotten into A-Rod?

                     


Alex Rodriguez is having a two week revelation that is almost too good to be true.  The effectiveness of his bat is a surprisingly welcome sight for the pinstripes, whom have needed every bit of his production thus far. He currently leads the team in Homeruns (4), RBI's (11) , and batting average (.344) over the first 10 games.  Last night he delivered a throwback performance, belting two homers and driving in the go ahead run in a comeback victory over the Rays, a feat that no one could have possibly seen coming.  Despite the year long suspension and lack of full competition, Rodriguez looks to have not skipped a beat.

It's certainly nice to see him playing at a high level early in the year, especially since no one thought he would even be a moderately viable asset to the roster.  Hopefully he can keep this up for the sake of Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman, both of whom put a great deal on his importance to the teams success this season.  For now Yankees fans can bask (or gawk) in what Rodriguez is doing as he has provided a little bit of optimism for 2015.