On Friday, Yankee manager Joe Girardi suggested that despite an onerous contract and prior achievements (albeit chemically-assisted) that dwarf those of all other active players, Alex Rodriguez — he of the multiple apologies earlier was week — was no sure thing for the Bombers’ Opening Day lineup. And he might be as washed up as he’s ethically challenged, YES Network analyst Suzyn Waldman insists she finds Rodriguez, “impossible to dislike.” From the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman :
“I’m not defending him. I think what he did was stupid more than anything else,” Waldman said. “I know he’s lied. He’s made every wrong decision. He says things and does things and you just want to say ‘Why?’ I also know you can’t go wrong for dumping on Alex. This is what it’s become. What’s he supposed to do?”
In the next breath, Waldman answered her own question. There’s nothing left for him to do, she said, but play baseball. She tisked-tisked all the talk of distraction, reminding the free world A-Rod is a walking one.
“The way this offense is (coming into spring training) they better hope he still can play,” she said. “Look, it’s not my job to psychoanalyze Alex. What I do, and sometimes don’t, understand is the anger directed at him. This just didn’t start with the steroids. His persona, for many people, has never been likeable.”
If Waldman sounds confused, keep in mind, she considers the likelihood of an A-Rod media circus in Tampa to be a positive (“they (the players) are probably going to like the distraction. Everyone will be in Alex’s corner of the clubhouse and not asking some pitcher why his elbow blew out.”)