Alex Rodriguez and morals

With the recent news of Alex Rodriguez allegedly taking performance enhancing drugs since admitting it in 2009, it seems that last October would be his last game as a Yankee. His poor post-season performance irked many Yankee fans. A Raul Ibanez pinch hit home run made a lot of us wonder if this was the end for A-Rod in a Yankees uniform. However when those of us who looked at this rationally we explained that it wouldn’t happen just yet. He still has a lot of time left on his contract and unless the Yankees paid for most of it, there were not a lot of options for a trade possibility.

I did what now? (Image: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)

Now is the perfect excuse and opportunity to get rid of Rodriguez. He’s becoming a distraction to the team and isn’t producing like he once did. I don’t think I need to bring up the numbers to show his rapid decline in power over the last few seasons. With the eye test we should all be aware. If you’re not positive I’ll point you to the hyperlinked “Alex Rodriguez” at the top of the page. Check it out if you need to.Over his career Rodriguez was one of the most misunderstood players. Throughout his time with the Mariners, Rangers, and Yankees I cannot name a franchise that really took him in as their own. If he perhaps decided to be a lifetime Mariner I think people’s perception of him would have been completely different. That’s not how it turned out though. He went to Texas and then New York. Texas fans hate Rodriguez and feel they are a better team now because he left. New York fans never fully embraced Rodriguez.

Think about it. Rodriguez never stood a chance. The Yankees already had a homegrown star who brought them four World Series Championships in Derek Jeter. He’s the epitome of what every franchise wants in a player. He’s classy, athletic, and clutch. Rodriguez, aside from the athletic part was the complete opposite. He has continually shown he’s socially awkward with the media. He’s admitted to taking PED’s, and he’s had marriage issues. As for his on the field production he’s had trouble of producing when it matters most.

Rodriguez should go down as a top 20 player of all-time, but it wasn’t until 2009 before his post-season woes disappeared. It’s interesting how once the new reports of Alex Rodriguez taking PED’s again came out Yankees fans acted like re-signing him was a horrible idea. In a sense the contract wasn’t ideal, but everyone forgets that without his heroic 2009 post-season the Yankees are still seeking their 27th World Series.

This takes me to the question, “Is voiding Alex Rodriguez contract morally correct?” A quick note to start, it’s unlikely that the Yankees will be able to void his contract. Yet, if possible should they seek to do it even if he’s not proven guilty? Right now it’s one man’s word against another man’s word. If there was some way Rodriguez contract was voided it wouldn’t be fair to him unless conclusive evidence was given.

We will live in a world today where everyone is guilty until proven innocent. Even those proven innocent in a court of law are still often considered guilty, but are marked to have very good defense lawyers.

I recently had a conversation on a Yankees blog about this issue. He thought I was saying attempt to void Rodriguez’s contract at all costs. That meant even if he really wasn’t guilty. I then made it clear that morally that wouldn’t be fair. Being linked to reusing steroids means one thing; it means we’re just clueless. He could have taken a banned substance or he could not have, that’s what it comes down to.

I’d like to really hear from the readers here. What do you think you would do if you’re the Yankees? Void the contract at all costs even if you’re unsure Rodriguez truly took PED’s or do one of two options. One, admit the organization made a mistake by giving him some much money for so long? Two, release him and part ways.

What do you say?