Derek Jeter: Gee Al, it sure is great that you are coming to my team. I can’t believe that you are willing to move to third for me, especially since you are a far better player than I am.
Alex Rodriguez: Yeah Der, I’m really excited just to get to play next to you even though I told the Red Sox that I didn’t want to play for the Yankees. I don’t believe everyone that says you are overrated. Even if the stats prove it’s true, I know that you are a stand-up guy. I’m a little concerned though. When Jason Giambi came to New York, he just seemed like a different guy. He lost his goatee and long hair, and he just seemed more boring. Do we have to shave our entire bodies or just our face?
Jeter: Yep, as captain, I gotta be honest, Al. The Boss says that we do have to shave our whole bodies. It makes it easier for us to grease up before games.
A-Rod: Gee, that’s reason enough for me. Sounds swell, Der.
Okay, so maybe that conversation didn’t happen, but speculation is just as good as proof sometimes. For all of you have been either on Jupiter or too focused on your lover this past weekend, the New York Yankees traded for superstar Alex Rodriguez, shamelessly adding to their joke of a team. Here is a Boston fan’s version of how the A-Rod trade transpired:
November and December saw the barrage of rumors that the Boston Red Sox were going to acquire Alex Rodriguez. Gone would be the gentle giant Manny Ramirez and the beloved Nomar Garciaparra, arguably the most popular Red Sox player in the last 25 years. In would come Magglio Ordonez and A-Rod, who many say could be one of the best players of all time. Sure, the Red Sox probably would look better on pape—anyone looks better with Alex Rodriguez on their team—but many Sox fans I talked to at the time, myself included, were a little apprehensive about breaking up the heart of the Red Sox. Even if there is a great risk of losing Nomar at the end of 2004 to free agency, and even if Manny doesn’t know his left from his right, something just didn’t feel right about the deals. Talking with friends made me realize what was wrong.
This sounded like a move only the Yankees would make. The Red Sox getting Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, Magglio Ordonez, and Alex Rodriguez in one offseason?! That is something only George Steinbrenner himself would try to pull off. The Red Sox are the eternal underdogs, but these trades would have vaulted them immediately ahead of the Yankees. Not only that, swapping Manny and Nomar for A-Rod and Magglio would deprive the Sox of something that they have over the Yankees year in and year out: personality. Trading Nomar’s obsessive-compulsive disorder and Manny’s quirkiness for two big bores is not what the Red Sox are about. Granted, the main issue was money. The Sox were simply not ready and not able to put themselves in comparison with the Yankee payroll. Getting A-Rod for the Rangers’ asking price might be great this season, but it had a large chance of hurting them in the long run with too much money invested in one player.
The Sox were already going to head into 2004 far improved from last year—arguably the favorite to win the American League pennant. Suffice it to say; I can’t say I was heartbroken when the trade was deemed “dead” before Christmas.
Then came Valentine’s Day. I turned on SportsCenter in the morning to rumors that the Yankees were close to acquiring A-Rod for Alfonso Soriano. By nighttime, the rumor was a reality. Do the Yankees really need A-Rod? No. It is plain and simple: the move was basically made to piss off the Red Sox. George Steinbrenner had just taken his middle finger and stretched it 300 miles to Fenway Park.
The Yankees payroll is now approaching a google-plex. Georgie-Porgie owns six of the twelve biggest contracts in major league history. Five of those players make more than 100 million dollars. Their payroll is 50 percent larger than the Red Sox, who have the second highest payroll in baseball! It is almost four times greater than the World Series champion Florida Marlins. Steinbrenner is willing to make a mockery of baseball by spending every penny he owns in order to win. I tip my hat to him for one-upping the Red Sox and regaining the favorite position in the American League, but at what expense?
At first, the only feeling I had about the trade was complete and utter disgust. It made me hate the Yankees 118 times more than I already did, something I didn’t think was possible. But after thinking about it more, I am actually glad. The Yankees became more of a joke, still didn’t solve their pitching issues, and still will not win the World Series this year. Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez cannot remedy the loss of Clemens, Pettitte and Wells. The Red Sox solved every weak spot that they had on their team, adding another ace in Schilling, a proven closer in Foulke, and tightened their defense with Pokey Reese. Sure, the Yankees might score 1,000 runs, but when it comes down to it, they have lost the mystique that made them almost unbeatable in the late 90’s. It will be a great battle all season, but Red Sox nation will come out on top.