If it’s the money call it irreconcilable differences. If it’s the daily torture by fans and media call it mental cruelty. If you suspect that there is already a deal waiting in the wings call it adultery. Whatever you want to call it, Alex Rodriguez has begun divorce proceedings with the New York Yankees…and you, their fans.
This can’t end well for A-Rod, who is walking out on the Yankees but leaving more than $80 million in child support, the amount of money left on the final 3 years of his contract which just landed in the paper shredder. And now it really doesn’t seem much different than your typical boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl story…does it?
He told you many times how much he loved you, how much he wanted to be a part of your family. You heard him, but did you ever really believe him?
It was love at first sight in February 2004…right around Valentine’s Day in fact. You couldn’t believe your good fortune. The prettiest girl in school really wanted to go to the prom with you??? Together you were going places. You had your ups and downs, but you thought in the end your love for each other was going to pull you through. After all, money can’t buy you love…can it?
Of course, you’ll get another chance. You’ll have the chance to take him back. Maybe before he takes that last fateful step, before he signs the final papers and makes that phone call. You know the one. “Baby, are you sure we can’t work this out?”
But you laid down the law. Just like Gloria Gainor, you told A-Rod that if you “walk out the door, don’t turn around now, cuz you’re not welcome anymore.” If you go back on your word now, you’re inviting everyone to walk all over you for the rest of your life.
But now you start to wonder…were you to blame for this? You knew this might be a possibility. It was part of the pre-nup you signed, remember? And he didn’t keep it a secret. He hinted at it this past spring…if you don’t treat him better, maybe you won’t have him to kick around anymore. Maybe you could have loved him more, been more understanding when he was feeling troubled. He says he still wants to be with you, but you’ve had your doubts all along.
The timing is what hurts you most. You just had the best year of your lives together. It was a year you didn’t even think possible. Not after last year. You wondered if you could ever even look at each other again after that ugly affair. But you made it work for everyone’s sake.
And this year came the kids. They made both of you feel young again. The feelings were genuine and you thought this is what was going to keep the two of you together for the rest of your lives. After all, you saw the way he looked at them…little Melky and Robby. They couldn’t have looked cuter together, could they? And then of course came little Joba. It felt heavenly. It felt like family.
But this family started to fall apart. Your side of the family started using words like “transition period” and “patience” and all of a sudden he just didn’t feel like you were the same gal he knew and loved all these years.
And now it seems as if the last four years went by in a blink…so many memories, good and bad. Maybe you’re better off now. Maybe you need someone who you feel more comfortable with in times of trouble. And maybe he’s better off too. Maybe he’ll end up somewhere he’ll be truly happy. You’ll have to pick up the pieces a bit. You’ll have to figure out which direction you want to go now. And who knows, maybe you’ll feel differently about your ultimatum and think about how great it would be to get back together again. But you know one thing for certain. You may feel afraid, perhaps even petrified. But you will survive.
Go back to 1997, the year after the Yankees won their first World Series under Joe Torre, and two of the most talked about players were a couple of kids who were less than two years removed from their big league debuts in Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Welcome to February. It may not feel like it outside, but spring is right around the corner. Pitchers and catchers are just two weeks away, and if that’s enough to warm you up right about now then try another pair of socks and some hot tea.
I can’t imagine I’ll ever have the privilege of covering a player like Hideki Matsui again. The word “unique” is thrown around too much, but this was indeed a unique experience, right from Day One.
A few thoughts heading out of Indianapolis: *Assume for a moment no Johnny Damon in the 2-hole. On days when Jorge Posada doesn’t catch and bat 5th, who’s the best option for the Yankees in the 5-hole behind Alex Rodriguez?
Andy Pettitte’s one-year renewals have worked out very well for the Yankees. After signing for the 2010 season for essentially he is now entering the final year of a 4-year, $54.25 million contract.
Yankee fans should be thankful Curtis Granderson’s OBP dipped down to .327 last season (from .361 and .365 the previous two years). The price the Yankees paid for Granderson wasn’t very high if you think about it.
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It was love at first sight in February 2004…right around Valentine’s Day in fact. You couldn’t believe your good fortune. The prettiest girl in school really wanted to go to the prom with you??? Together you were going places. You had your ups and downs, but you thought in the end your love for each other was going to pull you through. After all, money can’t buy you love…can it?
