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About the Author

Trizz
Got summer hating on me cuz I'm hotter than the sun, got spring hating on me cuz I am never sprung, winter hating on me cuz I'm colder than yall and i will never i will never i will never fall...im being hated by the seasons so f*** yall hating on me for no reason

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So What If He Doesn't Participate

by Trizz
created July 14, 2008, last edited July 16, 2008
16
Vote

Oh dear lord, is Trizz about to write an article DEFENDING Alex Rodriguez, what's next him not referring to himself in the third person? No, no, no one step at a time....

And now we return to your regularly scheduled article...

It's the last game at Yankee Stadium, oh the agony of getting a brand new BILLION dollar stadium. I feel for you Yankee fans, I really do. If the excessive sarcasm wasn't an indication, my point is that this new stadium thing has gotten pretty hyperbole. Sure there's plenty of history there but stadiums come and go and 10 years from now the "New Yankee Stadium" will be Yankee stadium. Look at how quickly people started calling TD Banknorth Garden the Gahhhden again. But of course, since the All Star Game is coming up and you need to promote the hell out of it, lets just overdo the sappy Yankee Stadium thing, why not act like the team is leaving forever. Why not make sure the Yankee All Stars get more spotlight that they actually need. Why not bash Alex Rodriguez for not wanting to participate in a recreational event.

Oh Woe is Yankees...their billion dollar stadium will be ready in less than a year
Oh Woe is Yankees...their billion dollar stadium will be ready in less than a year

After all, he is OH SO important to the Yankees history, he brought so many championships, you can't think about the New York Yankees without mentioning A-Rod. How dare he put being efficient the second half of the season ahead of the Home Run Derby in the last All Star Game in the old Yankees Stadium in the home city where he gets more BOOS then your local liquor store. After all, the Yankees overpaid for him the least he can do is give a crap about the tradition of a team that he played for 5 years. Who cares if he loses his touch in the midst of a playoff push, at least the fans get to see him win a HR derby in the House that Ruth Built after all HE is the face of the franchise, who's Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

A-Rod finally seemed to put his team ahead of himself by not throwing off his swing by participating in the derby. Sure some may say it's bull but Bobby Abreu begs to differ not only that what if he competed and made a fool out of himself, like the man really needs ANOTHER reason to have the media hounding him. After the Madonna fiasco, in the words of one Riley Freeman, "They riding him like they at a rodeo show". So A-Rod would actually to be out the spotlight for one day, can the man live? At the end of the day, he's paid to hit and help win baseball games. Sure it would be great to see him participate in the derby, and ESPN would love the ratings boost (which is why 90% of their writers are bashing him) but he has no obligation to do so. He's playing in the game at least, give the guy a break.

A-Rod has other business to tend to tonight
A-Rod has other business to tend to tonight
Riley also wonders why everyone is riding A-Rod
Riley also wonders why everyone is riding A-Rod


This is a classic case of fans getting lonely on their pedestal.Fans think they have him on strings and say dance monkey dance your under a contract and then get disappointed when the person doesn't do what they want. This usually happens when a player demands a trade and fans run to their computer to talk sh*t and say honor your got damn contract. In this case, blogs and message boards everywhere are screaming oh its the least he can do. Sorry, but its not his job to be the face of the "first and last" Home Run Derby in the NY. Not to mention the man hasn't even participated in one in what 6 years now, the Derby could be in his backyard and he would still pass, needless to say he simply isn't a fan of them anymore.

A-Rod hasn't been in a derby in 6 years, why is everyone so upset NOW
A-Rod hasn't been in a derby in 6 years, why is everyone so upset NOW

As for the Derby itself, its becoming like the NBA Dunk Contest and the NFL Pro Bowl, the big names rather use the break to nurse injuries and chill not risk embarrassment and risking injuries by playing in meaningless recreations. After all what better thing to do on your day off than your job right. Soon enough it will only be young guys in the derby. And while people are worrying about why A-Rod isn't playing they aren't paying attention to guys like Evan Longoria and Ryan Braun who may not want to participate years later so its best to enjoy them now.

Josh Hamilton is my sleeper pick to win the derby this year....just thought I'd throw that in
Josh Hamilton is my sleeper pick to win the derby this year....just thought I'd throw that in
Enable Comment Auto-Refresher
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 1+-
I'm fine with A-Rod not in...my buddy (a yankees fan) and I were talking about this the other way...

Look, I'm a huge Chase Utley fan, but I'm not exactly enthused to see him in the Derby...for my money, I wanna see huge boppers with all-or-nothing power...I'm talking Berkman (fine) and maybe braun, but also Howard and Giambi...

Seeing guys like A-Rod just aren't that exciting...sure he's arguably the best player in baseball over the last decade, but fact of the matter is, I wanna see measuing tape distances

Why make the derby such an all-star event and just take the top 5 home run hitters from each league and make it go...

or to take jayson stark's idea...the top 4 and then add a "legend" on each side...the NL could take Griffey Jr. and maybe gary sheffield for the AL?
Permalink | Reply
AmphibiousSportsDuoSoccer Kid
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Speaking of "huge boppers" there's one piece of this that is being overlooked, and its the reason Howard and Dunn should be included. With all the records that fell during the steroid era, one that withstood it was the longest HR ever hit in Yankee Stadium, the mammoth blast by Mantle. I know the stadium has been renovated, and the derby isn't a game, but we should be able to see guys going for that record as well. What would make the derby more memorable? Random guy X hitting 12 400-foot shots or one monster shot?
Permalink
KelsdadAll-Star
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Sheffield a "legend"? In his own mind, maybe.
Permalink | Reply
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 0+-
I was about to say Frank Thomas...but he's outta the league... It was just a stab in the dark
Permalink
TrizzAll-American
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Idk i would love to see Bonds go against someone like Ryan Howard that would be epic...
Permalink | Reply
AKchrisbrooksWaterboy
91 days ago
Score 0+-
I like how Josh Hamilton is your "sleeper". I'm pretty sure almost everyone is picking him to win.
Permalink | Reply
TrizzAll-American
91 days ago
Score 0+-
no Utley is the favorite actually...
Permalink
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Utley is the favorite? No way...
Permalink
KelsdadAll-Star
91 days ago
Score 1+-
He is in my book, JuT.
Permalink | Reply
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Really? I just don't see him having the power to keep up...but we'll see
Permalink
KelsdadAll-Star
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Everyone else is a rightcenter guy, Utley has the knack for hooking balls into the corner, where there's the short porch. He won't get into the top ten in distance, but I think he'll win it.
Permalink
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
I don't really care much about the HR Derby. Juiced players hitting juiced balls isn't too exciting for me. But I think A-Rod pulling out of the Derby was a slap in the face to Yankee fans, as well as baseball fans. The guy gets paid a grotesque amount of money. He can make an appearance in the Derby. And if his swing is too easily affected, then don't change it. Just hit BP. If Nomar "Sour Puss" Garciaparra could participate in the 1999 Derby for the fenway crowd, then A-Rod can grow a pair and take some extra batting practice.
Permalink | Reply
SSreportersLegend
91 days ago
Score 0+-
You don't like the HR derby?


Chris Berman is taken abackbackbackbackbackbackback...........
Permalink
KelsdadAll-Star
91 days ago
Score 2+-
From a Yankee fan perspective, it wasn't a slap in the face. Giambi has a better chance of winning it anyway, which is probably ARod's thought process, or at least in part. And Nomar didn't win it in '99, so much for the juiced theory.
Permalink
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 1+-
abackbackback...minus 1
Permalink
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 3+-
hahaha...

seriously, I'm minusing awful jokes...and I'm not talking just puns (and the bad ones only)...I'm talking anything that legitimately makes me think; "wow, that joke was so dumb I wish i had those 5 seconds back"

"abackbackbackback..." is an obvious example...don't want to get minused, the stop using awful jokes
Permalink
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Yeah but McGwire hit 13 in a round in '99. I don't know how Yankee fans feel about him missing it, but I know if Nomar was asked in '99 and didn't participate, he would have gotten flak in Boston.
Permalink
MegECass110AAA-er
91 days ago
Score 1+-
I think Ryan Braun has a chance. I mean, come on, his last name is BRAWN...
Permalink | Reply
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 2+-
yer toeing the line there ; - ) uh yeah, I think Braun has a real shot
Permalink
MegECass110AAA-er
91 days ago
Score 1+-
Another reason tonight's Derby should be good...let's see if Berman can pronounce some towns in Central New York...

OH MY GOODNESS! That one's on its way to Schenectady! (Ske-NECK-teddy)

Look out Skaneateles! (Scan-ee-ATlas)

Hello, Pulaski! (pull-LA-sky)
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Worcester (War-chester) Utica (You-tick-uh)
Permalink
JuTMSY4Hall of Famer
91 days ago
Score 1+-
"welcome to worcestah...dollah twenty five, puhlease..."
Permalink
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
"I'll fackin cottonfish your fackin head with a Louisville fackin sluggah!"
Permalink
TrizzAll-American
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Its Wuss-stahh
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
http://en.wi...er,_New_York Oneonta would be a tough one for Berm, as well.
Permalink
DRE-LOAAA-er
91 days ago
Score 0+-
Get off A-Rod's jewels, everyone! That means you too, Madonna!
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
90 days ago
Score 0+-
Fun fact: After A-Rod participated in the 2002 HR Derby, he hit 30 homeruns in the 2nd half of the season. I guess if he hadn't messed up his swing, he would've hit 50.
Permalink | Reply
TrizzAll-American
90 days ago
Score 0+-
not to mention 4 HR in 4 games right after the derby...but of course that contradicts everything so i left that fast fact out lol
Permalink
KelsdadAll-Star
90 days ago
Score 0+-
ARod didn't participate because he knew he wouldn't win. Can you imagine the headlines in the Post today, instead of being about Hamilton, it would be about ARod's failure in front of the home crowd. I don't blame him for one bit, to be honest.
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzAAA-er
90 days ago
Score 0+-
You can't blame a guy who gets paid millions of dollars for being so terrified of losing that he avoids competition.
Permalink
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Categories: Opinions | Opinions by User Trizz | July 14, 2008 | July 2008

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