04/24/24
September 08, 2010
A-Rod Makes RBI History: New York Yankess slugger Alex Rodriguez hit a solo homer Monday that gave him 100 RBIs for 14 Major League seasons. He's now alone in that category ahead of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx, who each had 13 100 RBI seasons. "It's an amazing number. It just shows you how consistent he's been and how healthy he's been in his career to be able to do something like that," manager Joe Girardi said.
Poor A Rod. Doesn't get an ounce of love from the SpoFi community (or anyone else) in spite of his incredible consistency. Sure his home runs are down this year, but if ever there was an argument to be made for a player suggesting steroids didn't necessarily help his productivity... He never did have that down year like Giambi after stopping / getting caught and being forced to go clean. He just keeps on putting up big numbers, and nobody gives a damn.
posted by MW12 at 04:36 PM on September 08, 2010
It's an impressive accomplishment. He's had just one full season in which he didn't get at least 100 ribbies.
posted by rcade at 04:38 PM on September 08, 2010
He just keeps on putting up big numbers, and nobody gives a damn.
I beg to differ but I give a damn. I may hate the Yanks with a passion but A-Rod remains my favorite player. Congrats on this achievement Alex!
posted by BornIcon at 04:47 PM on September 08, 2010
It is a remarkable level of consistency. A couple of years he just barely scraped by (I'm thinking of last year when he hit his 30th and got his 100th RBI on the last game of the season), but it's the mark of a guy who has hit in the middle of the lineup for 16 years. And certainly he's been relatively healthy.
Steroids or no, he's first ballot in my books (though not really related to RBI). Even douchebags can achieve nirvana.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:17 PM on September 08, 2010
He's a douche, but he's a great player.
Actually, the longer I've observed him, the more I think he has some sort of autism related syndrome or other diagnosible situation. This is not intended as an insult to either A-Rod or people with autism - he just really seems incapable of grasping certain social cues.
Anyhow, well done A-Rod. I wish a nicer person had broken this particular record but, hey, Ruth wasn't exactly an angel, either.
posted by Joey Michaels at 07:49 PM on September 08, 2010
"Nicer" is pretty hard to gauge in someone who is so much in the spotlight (and who you only know through that same media filter). Your "nicer" person could very well be an epic strunze in real life.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:29 PM on September 08, 2010
Would anybody like to join my new amateur baseball team, The Epic Strunzes?
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:56 PM on September 08, 2010
"Epic Strunzes" = good name for a rock band.
Also - I'm not aware of how steroids might help one hit a ball.
Great achievement for A-Rod.
posted by bobfoot at 12:10 AM on September 09, 2010
I'm not aware of how steroids might help one hit a ball
Really? Increased strength can't lead to increased bat speed, leading to just a split second more to adjust a swing? And help the ball hit the sweet spot of a faster-moving bat, making it go farther, leading to more home runs and RBI's? Further, this accomplishment has to do with longevity and consistency, both aided by health benefits and reduced recovery time from injury. I'm not an A Rod hater at all, but the claim of "steroids can't help you play baseball" doesn't really hold water.
However, I say congratulations, even in an era tainted by rampant PED issues, A-Rod has distinguished himself.
posted by tahoemoj at 03:29 AM on September 09, 2010
Well, I said I wasn't aware, not that it didn't happen. I can see the increased recovery time and increased power once the ball is hit - but I still need a little convincing that increased strength helps one get to the sweet spot. Seems to me that that's more about hand-eye coordination and good eyesight.
posted by bobfoot at 12:22 AM on September 10, 2010
Seems to me that that's more about hand-eye coordination and good eyesight.
Just like Barry Bonds, A-Rod would have been a great player without steroids. I agree taking the substances won't take a guy with zero baseball talent and turn him into Albert Pujols. And I always assumed a big reason Bonds began (and got carried away) taking banned substances was because he wanted to avoid, and recover quicker from injuries. But a player with the overall talent like Rodriguez will increase his power and bat speed, which makes a huge difference in turning a singles hitter into a guy who smashes balls into gaps and off (and over) walls.
posted by dyams at 09:13 AM on September 10, 2010
I can see the increased recovery time and increased power once the ball is hit - but I still need a little convincing that increased strength helps one get to the sweet spot. Seems to me that that's more about hand-eye coordination and good eyesight.
Not sure what the difference is when deciding how much steroids helps. You need to hit the ball on the sweet part of the bat, and you need to hit it far. They're two sides of the same coin.
Regardless, it seems a lot of players use PEDs to return from injuries and to keep their workouts going when they would ordinarily hit a wall. If that's true then PEDs help regardless of what it does when a hitter is at the plate. You can't hit home runs from the disabled list.
Actually, the longer I've observed him, the more I think he has some sort of autism related syndrome or other diagnosible situation. This is not intended as an insult to either A-Rod or people with autism - he just really seems incapable of grasping certain social cues.
I've said this for years. I have no idea what the difference is, or if A-Rod has any personality disorder, or simply awkward. But it's even more noticeable when compared to Jeter. A-Rod is awkward on the field and off the field. He's a super talented, fantastic player that seems to be just a giant dork (I have no idea how 'nice' he is).
He's the type player that I understand why a kid would have his poster on his wall, but I have no idea how an adult could love A-Rod unless he/she's only barometer is stats.
posted by justgary at 04:14 PM on September 10, 2010
Hmm .. is that 100 really big injections 14 years in a row?