A-Rod poll

[Appling]

Another thread has good discussion on this topic (A-Rod, the New Knoblach?) but I thought this might be a good poll topic.

Before he moved to the Yankees, Alex Rodrigeuz was a great fielding shortstop. Third base is considered easier than shortstop, so shouldn't a good fielding shortstop handle third base in his sleep?

Last night A-Rod hit his 450th MLB homerun, to become the youngest ever to do that. That same hit was also his #2000 MLB hit. But the Yankees lost, and fans in the stands (mostly Toronto fans) booed him loudly.

A-Rod lost an easy pop fly in the lights: no error called, because the ball was never touched. But then he threw a ball that pulled the first baseman off the bag -- to give him a team-leading 18 errors thru 94 games.

What is happening? How did this once-Gold Glove shortstop now become a liability in the field? Here are some thoughts:

1. The Knoblach effect: Chuck Knoblach was a Gold-Glove second-baseman with the Twins, but when he moved to New York he couldn't avoid bad throwing errors. NYY fans are tough on "carpet baggers" who aren't perfect -- especially when highly paid. Chuck's throwing problems then became mental and essentially ended his career at second base. Could the same be happening to A-Rod?

2. A-Rod lacks unique skills required of a top third-baseman: Until he moved to New York, A-Rod always played shortstop. Both SS and 3B require a strong arm, and SS needs more lateral range; but 3B has special skill requirements of its own. A-Rod never had a chance to develop that skill-set before he went to NY. (If he returned to his familiar shortstop position, the errors would go away.)

3. A-Rod is too focused on his hitting: He is paid for his hitting, and he can no longer be ranked among the all-time great shortstops of baseball -- so A-Rod focuses mostly on his hitting, and he has become lazy in the field.

4. He is getting old: Not yet 31, but he started MLB a long time ago. It appears that age is catching up on A-Rod.

5. This too shall pass: A-Rod is just going thru a temporary problem. Every player goes thru a bad patch of games sometime. Alex will soon move up to become a top-notch third-baseman.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Third base is considered easier than shortstop, so shouldn't a good fielding shortstop handle third base in his sleep?


I think it just comes down to him not being comfortable over there. The position doesn't seem to fit him physically or mentally. Third base is a rare position because you have two ends of a spectrum working back to back...its a reactionary position as the ball is coming to you. No time to think. No time to negotiate the hops. Different timing than shortstop. That's one end of the spectrum. Then once you field the ball from that extreme reactionary standpoint, you have all day to throw the ball. Too much time to think. Too much time to throw. That doesn't suit everyone and Arod seems to have a tough time with it. His legacy is pretty much ruined compared to what it could have been had he stayed at SS.

:2cents:

[Chelle]

I'm shocked I keep seeing all these "A-Rod" problem threads. Maybe the problem is the media etc. keep focusing on all his problems. Send him to b-more (minus about $20mil of his salary) we'll take him.

[Mattingly]

I changed "E-Rod" to "A-Rod".

If commenting about a thread, would it be best to put this into that thread itself, rather than creating a separate thread about the very same topic (defensive liabilities)?

[SoxSon]

I changed "E-Rod" to "A-Rod".

If commenting about a thread, would it be best to put this into that thread itself, rather than creating a separate thread about the very same topic (defensive liabilities)?


I imagine the "E" was intentional, Mattingly.

[TonyStarks]

It will pass.
ARod is merely having a bad season by NYY fan standards.

Most Yankee fans refuse to cut him a break and demand God-like numbers from ARod or they will continue to be out for blood.

[Williamsburg2599]

I fear(well being a redsox fan,dream about:D) that A-rod is in a violent cycle downwards.The more he fails, the more the fans get on his case, which leads to more pressure, which leads to more failure..... and so on and so on. the diffrence between a good player and a great player is that a great player comes back when things seem to be at thier worst. This is that time for A-rod.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I think that it is the fans, however it will pass. A-Rod will pull himself out of it, and the fans will get off his case. Its like the Knoublach situation, however he will not let it get to that stage.

[KCGHOST]

I really don't know what his problem is, so I went with he really isn't a 3B.

[mrow1927]

I just think he's putting too much pressure on himself. He's overthinking everything instead of playing his game. It could be that the press and the fans are getting to him more than he's letting us to believe. He should just try to take it easy and have fun and play the game.

[Mattingly]

I imagine the "E" was intentional, Mattingly.
I hadn't even realized the hidden meaning of this.

Alex has spent lots of time doing fielding drills with 3B coach Larry Bowa, who was also at 3B in Seattle, according to homer radio play-by-play guy, John Sterling. If anything, perhaps he's thinking things out too much.

Looking back at the situation and Moose's earlier comments, since we were up 3-zip at the time and Moose was mowing 'em down, perhaps making the easier throw to 1B would've been preferrable.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/playbyplay/MLB_20060720_NYY@TOR
Blue Jays 6th
Mike Mussina pitching:
Aaron Hill: Ball, Hill doubled to left.
John McDonald: Strike looking, McDonald grounded out to shortstop, Hill to third.
Reed Johnson: Johnson reached on fielder's choice to third, Hill scored, Johnson to second on 3rd baseman Rodriguez's throwing error.
Frank Catalanotto: Strike looking, Foul, Catalanotto singled to right, Johnson scored.
Vernon Wells: Strike looking, Foul, Wells singled to left, Catalanotto to second.
Troy Glaus: Glaus doubled to deep left, Catalanotto and Wells scored.
Lyle Overbay: Strike swinging, Ball, Strike looking, Overbay grounded out to second, Glaus to third.
Bengie Molina: Molina flied out to right.
End of Inning (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error)
3B runner, 1 out, a groundout would've meant 2 outs and the end of the inning would've been in sight. Had he made the throw, an accurate one would've nailed the runner easily, perhaps allowing the 1B runner to reach 2B on the rundown, if any.

With that, perhaps better instincts at 3B on that particular play may have worked to the Yanks benefit.

[Appling]

I really don't know what his problem is, so I went with he really isn't a 3B.
Many New York fans have already forgetten that A-Rod was the AL-MVP last year -- just his second season playing an unfamiliar position. For some reason, he is not widely admired and honored for having agreed to make this position change.

I wonder: If A-Rod were traded to a team which would use him at shortstop (perhaps Detroit? Chicago? St. Louis?) might he regain his old skills and once again be a top candidate for baseballj's best shortstop ever?

I also wonder: if A-Rod and Derek Jeter switched positions, would Jeter be more likely to succeed at third base?

[sandlot]

It's obvious that A-rod just isn't himself at the moment, but there's no reason to think that this is anything other than temporary. It's unfair both to Knoblauch and A-rod to make the comparison, although I understand that poor Chuck Knoblach has become the poster boy for psycho-neural disorders among infielders. A-rod's been struggling, but he's held to such impossibly high standards by everyone -- including himself -- that it's a wonder it's only happening to him now. I've been thinking that maybe those two milestones he just passed might have been weighing on his mind, as he would have been well aware of them, and that maybe the monkey could now jump off. With Matsui, Cano and Sheffield out, Giambi pressing (and his average suffering for it), the pitching staff running hot and cold, and the New York media being their usual warm-hearted, forgiving selves, it would only be natural for the highest-paid player to want to be the guy who makes the machine work. That's a ton of pressure. It was good that Mussina gave him some support, and the fans should take that as a lead for their own behavior. A little applause that is not meant as sarcasm could go a long way. That said, the seeming absence of public warmth from Jeter is striking, and it would be interesting to know more about the mood in the clubhouse.

[Mattingly]

The problem with the whole Knoblauch comparison is that Knobby was a 2Bman who couldn't make his throws to where he was naturally expected to make them: 1B. This prompted a NY Daily News headline in the back pages:

2B or not 2B (to be ...)

Alex throws fine to 2B and 1B, so I consider these things invalid. It was mostly his sidearm throw home that was misplaced which caused ElHalo's thread.

[bluezebra]

"Third base is considered easier than shortstop, so shouldn't a good fielding shortstop handle third base in his sleep?"

Third base isn't called the "hot corner" for no reason. The ball comes at you much quicker, and is usually harder hit, than at short. If a ball gets by the short stop, it's almost always a single. If it gets past third, especially close to the line, it's usually a double.

A-Rod was the DH last night, but is back at 3B today. The Jays are ahead, 10-3, in the bottom of the 4th, and the Rodster is 0-2. Handled one grounder for a fielder's choice.

By the way, how do you "focues" on something?

Bob

[plask_stirlac]

That's probably one of the worst parts... imagine Jeter at 3B, he's no lock to keep up his current level.

A-Rod willingly changes his position and doesn't complain, Jeter can stay at SS. But not much good faith...

Was there this much disdain for Soriano's D? I know some people always complain, but A-Rod should be better and cares more (maybe to his detriment). A-Rod has relieved bad offensive players like Ventura and Boone that the Yankees used to play, and he gets on base well in addition to the power. If he's a "C" defender (with TONS of pressure), why is that the end of the world? The payroll's already gargantuan, what's the difference if he gets 50% more than Giambi (factor in positional differences now and years ago)?

Leave him alone, when hitting as well as Ortiz last year, A-Rod had a really long errorless streak and was as good as any MLB 3B.

[SoxSon]

Was there this much disdain for Soriano's D?

I think there was, when he was in NY, wasn't there?

[sandlot]

Was there this much disdain for Soriano's D.Yes, there was. Go back and look at BBF posts at the time. Unlike A-rod, who's just having throwing problems -- and who made a throw home that no one would be talking about if it had been on line -- Soriano made great plays followed by absolutely bonehead moves. There was one occasion (I'd have to go back myself to remember the details) when Soriano was astral traveling and Jeter just stood there, staring at him for the longest time, not saying a word. You knew right then that Soriano would be Yankee history, and soon he was. That's why I think any talk of a trade involving Soriano is hot air. Whatever chance there ever could have been of such a move was scotched by the way Soriano initially handed his move to the outfield for the Nats.

[plask_stirlac]

^^^ Did he have his blinders on?

Just kidding.

[bluejaysfan4ever]

If Yankee fans continue to boo him, he'll bat .250 next year.

[Zito75]

Everything the guy does is under a microscope... This has all been totally blown out of proportion. I ALMOST feel bad for the guy... ;)