2012 Alex Rodriguez Performance Thread

[grizy]

He's still trying to swing with the perfect mechanics. He looks like he's making a video to show little leaguers how to swing.

That's slowing down his bat.

He's been adjusting his swing since (at least) 2010 to swing for more contact and LDs. That means fewer HRs due to fewer FBs but it's keeping his OBP afloat.

He obviously still sees the ball. If he could ever stop trying to be perfect and just let his physical abilities swing the bat, he'll be a productive hitter.

And I know the physical abilities are still there because he's still playing decent defense at 3B.

[rajah]

Hey guys, I guess it's all about Alex! He's getting bashed, and ripped it seems like by almost everyone..

Let me start by saying that I truly believe that Alex is being bashed for the money that he makes, if you look at those strikeouts I doubt that any right hand batter would have hit while swinging as hard as him. Maybe Alex should resort to serving the ball to right.. Let's not forget that he has had his injuries the last one being a broken left hand.

Not the hand for a right hand batter to break, this alone would hamper his bat speed a little. Nevermind that he seems to be the focus by a good Baltimore pitching staff. In game one Alex was the only one that Johnson pitched great to, nailing the corners at 96mph then at that point Johnson let up, Cano was next going 0 for 4 with two K's until Johnson threw him a belt high fastball in the middle of the plate. Also Alex at a disadvantage always facing so many right hand pitchers.

I have much more to say, but please lets focus and see just how tough that they have been pitching Alex.. This is why sometimes the big bats don't get it done, the only at bat I was pissed at Alex for was his third at bat against Chen. He had his number and finally a left hand pitcher, and after hitting him hard twice, he first pitch swings at a high inside fastball that caused a weak fly ball.. I like when he works every pitcher, first pitch swing when things are going well (timing).

Still lets realize that the Yanks won a lot of games, and their winning percentage is better with Alex in there, and that these pitchers have nothing to lose, pitching the extreme corners also getting the calls that are off the plate and low below his knees, more so against Alex.

We all know that he's not 100% yet but still they continue to pitch him very careful, let's keep in mind that he's still recovering from 2yrs of injuries, and also has to deal with thousands of fans hating and booing him like no other Yankee. Maybe we should try cheering him on instead..

You think? Fans should support the players on the team for which they root?

I think it is totally consistent to highlight Alex as "a", even "the", major issue in the lineup right now and still support him as you have in this excellent heartfelt post. The problem I have with some posts in this thread is that they do seem to derive from resentment toward his contract and not just "expectations".

The man works his tail off. What is the point of the boos and the hate?

[Abe Frohman]

Just heard on the radio that Alex Rodriguez is the first player in MLB history to end 4 post season games on a strike out.


So congratulations to Alex on his new record.

useless information.

if he had gone 3 for 4 in each of those games no one wouldve noticed this crap.

[awy]

arod also won the 2009 post season

[awy]

He's still trying to swing with the perfect mechanics. He looks like he's making a video to show little leaguers how to swing.

That's slowing down his bat.

He's been adjusting his swing since (at least) 2010 to swing for more contact and LDs. That means fewer HRs due to fewer FBs but it's keeping his OBP afloat.

He obviously still sees the ball. If he could ever stop trying to be perfect and just let his physical abilities swing the bat, he'll be a productive hitter.

And I know the physical abilities are still there because he's still playing decent defense at 3B.

and apparently he's doing well in batting practices too

[NoodleRay]

I think he gets bashed for performance versus expectation. He was signed under the expectation that he would be one of the premiere once in a generation hitters of MLB, and obviously he was paid as such. Yeah his numbers by themselves are decent, but not when you compare it to what is expected, especially when it matters most (postseason)

I agree with you, I'm a Alex fan but even so I see your point.. But, that broken hand takes more than two months to fully recover from.. Understand that at his age a hip, knee, thumb, an a broken hand all in two years time take a while to fully recover from, also he has fallen somewhat out of A-rod condition while trying to heal from so many ailments.. I also agree that most fans don't care....

[Abe Frohman]

He's still trying to swing with the perfect mechanics. He looks like he's making a video to show little leaguers how to swing.

That's slowing down his bat.

Word.

The way he finishes his swing infuriates me. like hes trying to show what a perfect swing should look like. Its almost as if he goes back to K. Long and says:

" Did you see that ? I did everything i was supposed to do ... uh, well ... thats baseball "

A trainer told my younger brother something similar. He was watching my brother pitch, evaluating his mechanics and his first observation was that my brother was trying to look pretty while pitching ... that he was visibly trying to look pretty for anyone watching him.

he said, thats not what baseball is about. Baseball is not about looking cute. its about being a monster, a beast. no matter how awkard or ugly it may seem, whatever it takes to get the job done for you, thats what you need to do.

This brings Paul Byrd to mind, that Cleveland Pitcher circa 2007.

He had that weird double clutch in his delivery where he flapped his arms out like a bird before he delivered. it was weird and awkward, but it worked for him. he dominated our lineup in that ALDS and Cleveland went on to the next round.

WHATEVER it takes.

[grizy]

To be fair, it's what injured players do a lot.

They don't have 100% faith in the injured body parts (hips in ARod's case) so they try to do the perfect form so they can compensate for lack of faith.

After all, if your mechanics are perfect, it means you're doing everything perfectly, right?

[effdamets]

/I have a GED in professional batting technique and theory.

The sad thing is - it's probably a doctorate compared to K-Dong...

[NoodleRay]

Word.

The way he finishes his swing infuriates me. like hes trying to show what a perfect swing should look like. Its almost as if he goes back to K. Long and says:

" Did you see that ? I did everything i was supposed to do ... uh, well ... thats baseball "

A trainer told my younger brother something similar. He was watching my brother pitch, evaluating his mechanics and his first observation was that my brother was trying to look pretty while pitching ... that he was visibly trying to look pretty for anyone watching him.

he said, thats not what baseball is about. Baseball is not about looking cute. its about being a monster, a beast. no matter how awkard or ugly it may seem, whatever it takes to get the job done for you, thats what you need to do.

This brings Paul Byrd to mind, that Cleveland Pitcher circa 2007.

He had that weird double clutch in his delivery where he flapped his arms out like a bird before he delivered. it was weird and awkward, but it worked for him. he dominated our lineup in that ALDS and Cleveland went on to the next round.

WHATEVER it takes.

Well put, get ugly do what it takes.. But somewhere along the way the media and the fans took the ugly out of Alex, remember him knocking the ball out of the first basemans mitt, then yelling ha, it's all part of baseball.. I really like when he plays mad, he should get away from being so passive..

[NYRangers79]

Just heard on the radio that Alex Rodriguez is the first player in MLB history to end 4 post season games on a strike out.


So congratulations to Alex on his new record.

2 of them sent the Yankees packing.

[teknetic]

A trainer told my younger brother something similar. He was watching my brother pitch, evaluating his mechanics and his first observation was that my brother was trying to look pretty while pitching ... that he was visibly trying to look pretty for anyone watching him.

he said, thats not what baseball is about. Baseball is not about looking cute. its about being a monster, a beast. no matter how awkard or ugly it may seem, whatever it takes to get the job done for you, thats what you need to do.

This hasn't worked well for John Lackey, how do you explain that then?

[Abe Frohman]

This hasn't worked well for John Lackey, how do you explain that then?

Touche.

[Jax Teller]

ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo Over last 2 postseasons, Alex Rodriguez is 1-for-15 and has missed on 28% of his swings on pitches in the strike zone.

[NYIndian2005]

According to LoHud, Girardi may drop Alex in the batting order.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/10/0...ineup-shakeup/

[GordonGecko]

According to LoHud, Girardi may drop Alex in the batting order.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/10/0...ineup-shakeup/

Step 1 is putting it out there in the media to light a fire under him. If he fails to respond then going down in the line up is step 2 a few games later. Girardi won't move fast on this at all unless the Yankees are facing elimination on Thursday

[YankeeFan1421]

arod also won the 2009 post season

I'm really getting tired of hearing about A-Rod's 2009. If we are going to honor him for everything he did in that postseason....and his first two series were otherworldly and his Series very good, no doubt...then are the other 9 series he's been in as a Yankee not supposed to matter? I'm not saying you're doing this here, but one postseason, as great as it was, doesn't just trump a bunch of other failures.

In addition to 2009, he had a great ALDS in 2004. So four of the twelve series have been outstanding. The other eight, including this one so far, have been miserable.

Sitting here three years later we either care about the team and want to see them play well and win or we don't really care because we always have 2009.

[awy]

and jeter also won 4 rings. so your argument is invalid.

[awy]

btw this is not to say that you shouldn't love jeter. it is to say if you form your love of a player based on their status in team history, then you have to be fair in that love.

the fact that the arod thread is filled with bashing posts and there's not many in jeter's thread despite like 2 errors and stuff, does form a significant fact.

i am tired of spelling out these obvious points though. stop not getting things

[grizy]

Of ARod's 12 postseason serieses, he clocked .800+OPS in 6 of them. Overall, 0.847OPS

Derek Jeter, 7 out of 12. Overall .817OPS.

Each had 4 series with sub .600 OPS

[2JAY]

the fact that the arod thread is filled with bashing posts and there's not many in jeter's thread despite like 2 errors and stuff, does form a significant fact.

That fact would be that despite 2 errors, Jeter at least is doing something positive (4 hits, 2R scored, RBI) unlike what Arod has put together in these 2 games.

[awy]

it's just one example in a trend. throw it out if you'd like i don't really care

[awy]

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...t-have-worked/

btw

[fredgmuggs]

Why this always turns into a Jeter/ARod thing is beyond me.

[2JAY]

Why this always turns into a Jeter/ARod thing is beyond me.

I am convinced that awy wants it that way.