Buster Olney Thinks the Yankees Might Bench Struggling Alex Rodriguez For Game 5 of the ALDS [UPDATE: A-Rod has been benched.]

All, Baseball, ESPN Jason McIntyre October 12th. 2012, 11:49am

Alex Rodriguez in the ALDS: 2-for-16. No extra-base hits. Nine strikeouts. At the plate he looks confused and afraid. It has been a swift downfall for A-Rod, who is only 37 but is guessing so badly with the bat that looks like he’s very near the end of his career.
(Obviously he’s not going anywhere – not when the Yankees still have to pay him $114 million over the next five years.)

Buster Olney of ESPN is guessing that A-Rod is benched for this afternoon’s Game 5 (5:07 pm, TBS):

I think this is a good guess on what the Yankees will do: Chavez at third and Ibanez in the lineup, either at DH or LF.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 12, 2012

[UPDATE: Alex Rodriguez has been benched. The lineup: Jeter, Ichiro, Cano, Teixeira, Ibanez, Swisher, Granderson, Martin, Chavez.]

aroundtheweb

119 Responses to “Buster Olney Thinks the Yankees Might Bench Struggling Alex Rodriguez For Game 5 of the ALDS [UPDATE: A-Rod has been benched.]”

1
QueeferSutherland Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
If Buck benched all the Orioles performing equally or worse than A-rod, Baltimore wouldn’t be able to field a team.
2
oskie Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
That’s nice. Can Cano start hitting the ball?
3
jbriaz Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:55 AM
It has nothing to do with “clutch.” The guy is clearly a shell of what he used to be. He can’t catch up to mediocre fastballs in the strike zone. Given that, it would still take huge balls to bench A-Rod.
4
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Given that, it would still take huge balls to bench A-Rod.
how does one sit on a bench with huge balls?
/philosoraptor
5
s1rweeze Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Curtis Granderson is very thankful for all this A-Rod attention. Holy crap has he sucked lately.
6
The Wayne Fontes Safari Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
how does one sit on a bench with huge balls?
Gingerly.
7
MP III Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
arod’s purple lips thinks he should not be benched.
8
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Curtis Granderson is very thankful for all this A-Rod attention. Holy crap has he sucked lately.
yeah, but Granderson doesn’t have A-Rod’s resume. Or his contract.
9
Mike NYC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
I keep seeing that ARod is a “top 10″ player of all-time.
Is this grading done with the steroids-curve factored in, or not?
10
rittyrich Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
I want to see A-Rod benched just to see his smarmy celebration when his substitute does something of value in the game.
11
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
(Obviously he’s not going anywhere – not when the Yankees still have to pay him $114 million over the next five years.)
Curtis Granderson is very thankful for all this A-Rod attention. Holy crap has he sucked lately.
And this is when the fun begins.
12
rittyrich Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
I keep seeing that ARod is a “top 10″ player of all-time.
Is this grading done with the steroids-curve factored in, or not?
Is there a publicized study or stat that values stats and $$$ together?
13
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
I keep seeing that ARod is a “top 10″ player of all-time.
Is this grading done with the steroids-curve factored in, or not?
depends on which players who didn’t play in an integrated league are graded on a curve as well, right?
14
RexKramerDangerSeeker Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
not when the Yankees still have to pay him $114 million over the next five years
Albert Belle’s contract is nearly done, so maybe the Oriole’s will trade for him?
15
Babar 2.0 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
only 37
37 is old as balls in sports.
16
ms621 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Is there a more tired baseball insult than ‘A-fraud’?
17
Der Kaiser Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Speaking of balls, I’ve heard of people sitting on their balls. I can imagine it must be quite a painful experience. My question is, how saggy does your ballsack have to be for this scenario to play out? Seems like those guys have really saggy ballsack.
18
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Is there a more tired baseball insult than ‘A-fraud’?
belly itcher?
19
phillymantis915 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
He’s in decline…getting old (37), has been playing in the big leagues for almost 16-17 years. Had lots of injuries as well.
If you want to yell at frauds in the Yankees lineup, point your attention toward Teix and Granderson.
20
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Is there a more tired baseball insult than ‘A-fraud’?
Was gonna say Disastros because you posed the question but I still enjoy that one
21
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
My question is, how saggy does your ballsack have to be for this scenario to play out?
is there a standard unit of measurement for scrotal sag?
22
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
37 is old as balls in sports.
well, it’s not THAT old in baseball. Wasn’t Julio Franco swinging a bat at 47?
23
SouvenirCity Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
He’s 8 for 22 against Hammels with 4 bombs and a .364/.462/.909 slash line. I’d start him because if the Yankees want to win the World Series, they need a productive Alex Rodriguez. This seems like as good a time as any to get him off the schnide with the success he’s had against the Baltimore starter. You can still put Ibanez in the lineup at DH. I think I’d rather have the left handed bat off the bench for a late game PH.
Sit Jeter if you want to sit anyone. He’s hobbling right now with that foot.
I keep seeing that ARod is a “top 10″ player of all-time.
Is this grading done with the steroids-curve factored in, or not?
You only chime in on baseball to rip on it and watch less than Jason does.
24
njensen79 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Love it when A Rod gets benched for a guy who is more known for his fielding than bat.
The whole Yankee lineup hasn’t really performed well. Yankees have a good chance today with CC pitching, but this doesn’t help them when they will have to wait for him to go to the rubber in game 3 against the Tigers.
25
TarheelJTK Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
If you want to yell at frauds in the Yankees lineup, point your attention toward Teix and Granderson.
Teixeira sure does seem to slide under the radar with how terrible he’s been for the Yankees. I think the Yankees keep ARod around and in the lineup to distract people from the other awful players.
26
Der Kaiser Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
yeah, but Granderson doesn’t have A-Rod’s resume. Or his contract.
Are we going to get a post on USA’s qualifier today?
27
Career High Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:11 PM

Albert Belle’s contract is nearly done, so maybe the Oriole’s will trade for him?
I was thinking the Mets might want to swap Bobby Bonilla’s contract, the one that runs until 2035.
28
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Is there a publicized study or stat that values stats and $$$ together?
ARod has the worst ERA/$ in the league. his WAR/$ blows too as well as being last place in TripleCrownStats/$.
29
NDub Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:12 PM
How much are the Yankees on the hook for with ARod?
By the way, Phillies, take note for this is your future with Ryan Howard.
30
MP III Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:12 PM
is there a standard unit of measurement for scrotal sag?
yes there is. scrotismal furlongs.
31
tommyp Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Wow. Sit Jeter? He’s had two hits in every game in this series.
32
s1rweeze Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
yeah, but Granderson doesn’t have A-Rod’s resume. Or his contract.
Plus A-Rod is the most fun player to root against in baseball. Granderson is a legit good dude.
/no idea if he reads the bible though
33
TarheelJTK Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
well, it’s not THAT old in baseball. Wasn’t Julio Franco swinging a bat at 47?
37 is old in baseball when you spent about a dozen years of it on steroids.
Julio Franco had to be about 57 when he claimed he was 47.
34
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
yes there is. scrotismal furlongs.
my car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that’s the way i like it!
35
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Obviously he’s not going anywhere – not when the Yankees still have to pay him $114 million over the next five years
Didn’t the Rangers owe him over $200 million when they unloaded him?
Mr. Winter Ball!
36
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
I was thinking the Mets might want to swap Bobby Bonilla’s contract, the one that runs until 2035
That was still a smart move, based on the time value of money that million paid out in 2035 won’t be shit compared to what it was in 2005…they just blew the chance to use the extra capital they had on hand at the time to make the team better
37
ms621 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
37 is old as balls in sports.
well, it’s not THAT old in baseball. Wasn’t Julio Franco swinging a bat at 47?
Do you know what the word outlier means?
38
NDub Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Oops – just saw the money. 5/114 is atrocious. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
39
HtownHacker Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
to get him off the schnide
That’s one of those sayings that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in print despite having heard it a thousand times. I always spelled it “schneid” in my mind, but have no idea what its derivation is. I guess I assumed it had German roots.
40
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Julio Franco had to be about 57 when he claimed he was 47.
Gaylord Perry.
Satchel Paige.
Minny Minoso.
Baseball, Methuselah’s favorite sport.
41
MP III Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
my car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that’s the way i like it!
fill up my auto with petroleum distillate, post haste!
42
phillymantis915 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
well, it’s not THAT old in baseball. Wasn’t Julio Franco swinging a bat at 47?
Playing 1B and being a PH in the later part of your career allows you to do that. A-Rod has played two of the most demanding positions on the diamond and has been slowed with wrist, hip and knee injuries. He’s breaking down.
By the way, Phillies, take note for this is your future with Ryan Howard.
Low blow dude. Trust me, it isn’t the future, it’s the now.
/Howard was awful
//they should pay 75% of his contract to trade him to the AL
43
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:16 PM
to get him off the schnide
One of the many reasons I loathe Berman is that he ruined that word for me.
44
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:16 PM
That’s one of those sayings that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in print despite having heard it a thousand times. I always spelled it “schneid” in my mind, but have no idea what its derivation is. I guess I assumed it had German roots.
yea, i spelled it like that too.
To break a scoreless or hitless or winless streak (i.e. a schneid). According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term “schneid” comes to baseball via gin rummy, and in turn comes from German / Yiddish “schneider,” one who cuts cloth, i.e., a tailor.
45
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:16 PM
I don’t get why the Nationals are worried about Strasburg, Jamie Moyer was a pitcher and that means I can extrapolate his freak instance to everyone else to show a trend to make a point.
46
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:17 PM
my car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that’s the way i like it!
It’ll go three hundred hectares on one liter of kerosene.
47
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:17 PM
How much are the Yankees on the hook for with ARod?
/nobody reads the posts
48
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Sit Jeter
I initially read that as “St. Jeter” and was going to object that you have to wait until they’re dead for sainthood, but then I remembered, this is The Captain we’re talking about.
49
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:18 PM
PUT IT IN H!
50
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Do you know what the word outlier means?
You’re right. Julio Franco is an outlier. Nobody over the age of 40 has ever played MLB.
51
NDub Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Low blow dude. Trust me, it isn’t the future, it’s the now.
/Howard was awful
//they should pay 75% of his contract to trade him to the AL
Nothing personal, broseph! Seventy-one games and 260 ABs this season enough to show you where this guy’s career is?
52
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
/nobody reads the posts
Isn’t some of that incentive based? Or were the HR milestone things they put in escalators?
53
johndewar Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
By the way, Phillies, take note for this is your future with Ryan Howard.
/dies a little bit after reading this
54
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
You’re right. Julio Franco is an outlier. Nobody over the age of 40 has ever played MLB.
all those that do are outliers too man…i bet there are more HOFers than players who played into their 40′s.
55
NDub Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
/nobody reads the posts
See comment 38 just two minutes later.
56
vajayjay redick Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Sit Jeter if you want to sit anyone. He’s hobbling right now with that foot.
You’re going to sit the one guy on the team who’s hitting?
57
TarheelJTK Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
You’re right. Julio Franco is an outlier. Nobody over the age of 40 has ever played MLB.
There can be more than one outlier. When you factor in the total amount of baseball players I’d be willing to bet that anyone playing over 40 was an outlier.
58
Watsonian Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
/Howard was awful
//they should pay 75% of his contract to trade him to the AL
Phils gotta get a platoon partner for him next year, right?
59
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:22 PM
I initially read that as “St. Jeter” and was going to object that you have to wait until they’re dead for sainthood, but then I remembered, this is The Captain we’re talking about.
No, no, no, no, no! It’s a affront to all of us who are already cannonized.
60
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
all those that do are outliers too man…i bet there are more HOFers than players who played into their 40′s.
The number of 40+ year old position players has been dropping the last few years I think, too.
61
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
In 3 years, A-Rod will be an outlier! Cool.
62
QueeferSutherland Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
I would love it if the Yankees sat Jeter.
63
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:24 PM
In 3 years, A-Rod will be an outlier! Cool.
id say he’s already an outlier based on his outrageous statistical production, but, i digress…
64
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:24 PM
cannonized
You got shot out of a cannon at Punkin Chunkin? That’s the way I wanna go out, too.
65
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:25 PM
take this quiz on MLB outliers!
http://www.sporcle.com/games/Chaffmachine/homers40plus
66
Watsonian Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:25 PM
In 3 years, A-Rod will be an outlier! Cool.
A-Rod is already an outlier, hence him being one of the ten best players to ever play the game.
67
Nada Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
I would love it if the Yankees sat Jeter on ARod’s lap when they’re both benched
Let’s see how many gift baskets and autographed balls that situation produces.
68
RexKramerDangerSeeker Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
Julio Franco had to be about 57 when he claimed he was 47.
Greatest batting stance ever. Some might even call it an outlier stance.
69
phillymantis915 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
Phils gotta get a platoon partner for him next year, right?
Step on down Darrin Ruf.
Seventy-one games and 260 ABs this season enough to show you where this guy’s career is?
Yes…age 33, coming off an Achilles tendor tear that he came back from too early (shouldn’t have played all season, imo). .219/.295/.423 slash line, career high Strikeout rate (33.6%). .173/.226/.378 against lefties. He’s done.
70
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Do you know what the word outlier means?
You’re right. Julio Franco is an outlier. Nobody over the age of 40 has ever played MLB.
I’m glad you just cleared it up that you have no clue what an outlier is.
71
spencer096 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:27 PM
take this quiz on MLB outliers!
5/22
/facepalm
72
Watsonian Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:27 PM
/high fives spence
73
phillymantis915 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:28 PM
A-Rod is already an outlier, hence him being one of the ten best players to ever play the game.
Agreed, he’s there with Bonds, Mays, Ruth, Williams, Mantle, Foxx, Musial, Walter & Randy Johnson,
74
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
There are 750 active players on rosters in MLB at any time. By my count, seven position players were 40 or older this year. Less than one percent. You guys are idiots, that’s not an outlier.
75
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
The recent PED users playing well in ages 35+ are fogging everybody’s memories. Over 35 is close to a career death sentence the vast majority of the time.
76
Watsonian Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Agreed, he’s there with Bonds, Mays, Ruth, Williams, Mantle, Foxx, Musial, Walter & Randy Johnson,
Needs more Justin Verlander.
/24-hour news cycle’d
77
ms621 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Do you know what the word outlier means?
You’re right. Julio Franco is an outlier. Nobody over the age of 40 has ever played MLB.
Just boarded so I can’t give this the attention I’d like, but certainly you see how that logic is faulty Jason.
78
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Yaz, was somewhere around 44 when he retired
79
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:31 PM
cannonized
You got shot out of a cannon at Punkin Chunkin? That’s the way I wanna go out, too.
Did I spell that wrong? Well, just shoot me out of a canon.
80
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:32 PM
In 3 years, A-Rod will be an outlier! Cool.
you really don’t know what an outlier is, do you?
81
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:32 PM
Yaz, was somewhere around 44 when he retired
If you can name an example, it’s not an outlier!
82
WheresWallace Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:34 PM
The Orioles have 38 hits this postseason. Only 6 have been to the opposite field and two of them were in extra innings last night. Do they have a hitting coach? The Yankee pitchers have zero incentive to throw the ball middle in when the O’s are just going to roll it over to shortstop (ahem Adam Jones) or second base (Jim thome).
Is this what they did during the season? What an awful approach. Give credit to the pitching in this series, but the hitting has been poo poo.
83
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Julio Franco had so much HGH coursing through him it was preposterous. If that show Revolution’s premise occurred and the world lost power, the Western Hemisphere would have light from his chemical radiation.
84
QueeferSutherland Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Neil Armstrong? Fuck him, 11 other guys walked on the moon. Not an outlier.
85
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:36 PM
If you can name enough an examples, it’s not an outlier!
86
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:38 PM
If you can name enough an examples, it’s not an outlier!
While this is true, there’s a selection bias here. The names of the people good enough to play until 40+ are well known. Nobody knows the names of the hundreds of players who get their cup of coffee in the league and then are never seen again.
87
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Go look at the list of pre-2005 HOF inductees and even most of them blew ass over the age of 35.
88
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
If you can name enough an examples, it’s not an outlier!
Over 17,000 players have played Major League Baseball. Get to naming a whole lot more or get to understanding basic statistics.
89
roarke49 Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:42 PM
If you can name enough examples, it’s not an outlier!
While this is true, the fact is that you can’t name enough, as shown by comment #74.
90
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Harold Baines hit .131/.202/.143 at the age of 42
/Forgot what we’re trying to prove here
91
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Yaz was pretty meh from 78 on too.
92
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:46 PM
While this is true, there’s a selection bias here. The names of the people good enough to play until 40+ are well known. Nobody knows the names of the hundreds of players who get their cup of coffee in the league and then are never seen again.
MOONLIGHT GRAHAM. One game played. NEVER GOT TO HIT.
93
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
MOONLIGHT GRAHAM. One game played. NEVER GOT TO HIT
If only the Marlins existed back then and were equally desperate for a promotion to sell tickets
94
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Guys with serious head injuries have come back to take an at bat this year, that proves head injuries – much like social anxiety disorder – are not real.
95
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Over 17,000 players have played Major League Baseball. Get to naming a whole lot more or get to understanding basic statistics.
I’ll understand mathematics before you understand logic. Why would I compare Alex Rodriguez to 17,000 other players when he isn’t like 17,000 other players in stature or production?
96
Tim Ryan Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Tex and Granderson have been awful. Actually, everyone has been awful.
97
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:50 PM
I’ll understand mathematics before you understand logic. Why would I compare Alex Rodriguez to 17,000 other players when he isn’t like 17,000 other players in stature or production?
He has seen a dramatic downturn in production the last few seasons. He’s succumbing to age. Not sure how this is even a debate.
98
cracker jack Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Why would I compare Alex Rodriguez to 17,000 other players when he isn’t like 17,000 other players in stature or production?
So you’d say he’s.. an outlier?
99
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Saying someone is “only 37″ is saying they’re still in their prime. ARod is not in his prime, nor are the overwhelming majority of players who play baseball. He’s on the downslope of his career. Will he still be playing at forty? Absolutely. Will he be close to the player he was a few years ago? Absolutely not.
100
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
So you’d say he’s.. an outlier?
ARod would be an outlier if he were putting up his numbers from when he was 31 now.
101
cracker jack Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Agreed that ‘only 37′ is a funny thing to say about an athlete
102
Scalia Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:54 PM
I’ll understand mathematics before you understand logic.
Logic tells me that 37 is old for MLB standards. Math supports this. But, your eyes did not deceive you, Yaz did play into his 40′s, as did a few others. It has been quite a rare occurence, thus they were outliers.
103
St. Bear Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:54 PM
ARod would be an outlier if he were putting up his numbers from when he was 31 now.
Just playing until 40 would make him an outlier in terms of age. Being productive at 40 would make him an outlier in terms of productivity. We may be discussing different things here.
104
ButtersBC Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Having sex with Madonna makes A-Rod an outlier, at least amongst the ballplayer population
105
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Just playing until 40 would make him an outlier in terms of age. Being productive at 40 would make him an outlier in terms of productivity. We may be discussing different things here.
Yeah, though in the same vein. To be a position player at the age of forty is absolutely an outlier. To be a productive one is even much moreso. It’s insanely stupid to say he’s “only” 37, and I’m not even sure what Darrell is trying to argue.
106
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:58 PM
TBL and Darrell are, I guess, saying that because Julio Franco and fifteen other positional players played past 45, 37 isn’t old. Both the rarity of 40 year olds suiting up in the field and the fact that even the guys who play that long start to see a marked decrease in production by this point suggests they’re high.
107
scripty Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 12:58 PM
Purple lip gloss – the maker of outliers.
108
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:05 PM
holy hell…what is wrong with some of you? these guys playing past 40 are like 15* standard deviations away from the norm.
*guesstimate
109
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Yeah, though in the same vein. To be a position player at the age of forty is absolutely an outlier. To be a productive one is even much moreso. It’s insanely stupid to say he’s “only” 37, and I’m not even sure what Darrell is trying to argue.
I had this same argument on here last year when people were writing the obituary for Jeter’s career, and I brought up the example of Paul Molitor as someone who had a bad year at a similar age, and had productive years after that into his 40′s. Willie Mays would be an example of someone who slipped at 35, while Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, are examples of players who produced at 40. Those are the level of players you comapare ARod to because they’re the ones with similar level of career production from which you can accurately judge. Anyway, I don’t agree that the idea that ARod is struggling in this series is due to his age, when he has a history of letting the same fastballs blow by at age 28. I agree with Curt Schilling when he says ARod’s biggest issue is that he’s a notorious guess hitter, and that ties him up mentally every postseason.
110
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Julio Franco had so much HGH coursing through him it was preposterous.
A-Rod doesn’t?
111
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:20 PM
Agreed that ‘only 37′ is a funny thing to say about an athlete
37 in MLB is not the same as 37 in NBA/NFL
112
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:22 PM
A-Rod doesn’t?
obviously not this year.
113
cracker jack Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:24 PM
37 in MLB is not the same as 37 in NBA/NFL
BRETT FAVRE!
/boom, roasted
114
PeerLessPrices Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:25 PM
ARod’s biggest issue is that he’s a notorious guess hitter, and that ties him up mentally every postseason
Yes.
37 in MLB is not the same as 37 in NBA/NFL
Yes.
115
Scalia Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:28 PM
37 in MLB is not the same as 37 in NBA/NFL
Well who the hell made that argument?
116
TarheelJTK Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Well who the hell made that argument?
The person who was losing the argument about outliers.
117
somewhereoverthedwaynebowe Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 1:45 PM
What is TBL trying to argue here…? seems like it started out that 37 wasn’t old to be putting up insane early ARod career type numbers… and turned into Julio Franco? Julio Franco wasn’t making 29MM a year at the end of his career.. because he wasn’t any good.
Whatever. I once heard a story where Julio Franco scared a female reporter out of an interview by sitting down to do it completely nude. She called “it” a “monster.”
118
heldover Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 2:29 PM
As one of the resident Yankee haters, let me just say I’m enjoying all this THOROUGHLY.
119
agoodfella Says:
October 12th, 2012 at 8:06 PM
A-Rod should forward all future paychecks to CC’s account (that guy has been worth every penny).