( 11:52 AM )
The recent SI article on A-Rod's problems in the Yankee clubhouse doesn't make sense to me. Here's a guy who has typically been aloof his whole career in terms of his on-the-field demeanor. When he strikes out or grounds into a double play, his anger is visible, but it looks artificial. I think he's tried to mimic Jeter's enthusiasm by appropriating his fist-pump and Paul O'Neill's intensity by showing anger. Apparently, he hasn't shown quite enough anger, according to Joe Torre. Torre has long been a master at getting the best from his players by leaving them alone. Only when absolutely necessary does he push.
So why would he confront A-Rod about showing more passion when it seems to run against his very nature? Surely that won't help him relax at the plate or in the field. He's all too aware of the 55,000 sets of eyes on him during every game at the Stadium. Why make him even more self-conscious?
I really question if Verducci got this story right. I just find it impossible to believe that this is what Torre would tell A-Rod.
While reading The Boys of Summer, Roger Kahn's classic about the Brooklyn Dodgers of the early '50s, a passage about Duke Snider struck me as reminiscent of A-Rod's struggles this year...
"While trying to become a man, Snider suffered periodic sulks…His model swing was useless when he lunged at a bad pitch. In a hurt boyish way, he saw forecasts of his golden future as pressure. Why can’t I be ordinary? he said. When his hitting wavered, he brooded and fielded sloppily. Portnoy’s hero was an only child. A confrontation with [Manager Charlie] Dressen was inevitable and fierce."
[Dressen benched Snider]
"Three days later Snider was back and for the rest of the season he played brilliantly. Dressen’ s impersonal brutality worked. I don’t know what was more disturbing, that or the way Snider, while hitting at a .400 pace, continued to discard his bat jubilantly when walked, joyous, as [Bill] Roeder had observed, not to have to face another challenge."
Maybe Torre should have just benched A-Rod. I think Alex would rather walk in most cases than risk a strikeout or weak ground out. When pitchers get ahead of him early in the count, he starts guessing and flailing. But when he gets ahead, he relaxes a lot more.
Over the three year period from 2003-05, A-Rod's average after getting behind 0-1 in the count was .271/.336 (2nd number is OBP). When getting ahead 1-0, it was .319/.471.
This year, when getting behind 0-1, he's batting .229/.286. When going ahead 1-0, his averages jump to .300/.467.
He's still a good hitter after a 1-0 count, though his average is down a bit. But where previously he was still effective after falling behind 0-1, this year he is flat out lousy. Pitchers know this, and they're trying to get ahead. They always have to be weary of him cutting loose on a first ball fastball, but if they can sneak that first one by him, they can usually get him to chase a curve on the next pitch or swing through a slider.
The fact that A-Rod is missing so many fastballs this year would seem to indicate a problem with his swing. The SI article points out that Don Mattingly has tried to work with him, but A-Rod has been resistant. One teammate even thinks he should get his eyes checked.
Whatever the source of the problem, he's got October to get it fixed. The Yankees are in great position to reach the World Series this year. If they don't and A-Rod struggles at all, the offseason is going to bring harsh questions about his position on this team. And even if they make the World Series, they have to win it. A loss to the Mets would be apoplectic, and a loss to any of the other middling NL playoff contenders would be just as bad.
A-Rod needs a ring, and he needs a strong post-season performance. Otherwise, Brian Cashman might have to start putting out feelers to see if any teams might actually be interested in trading for A-Rod. How quietly do you think he could pull that off?
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