Alex Rodriguez Emerging as a Leader for the Yankees in 2016

It looks like Alex Rodriguez is putting his 20-plus years of experience in Major League Baseball to good use.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com said the 40-year-old Rodriguez has taken to social media to display how he hopes to become a leader for the Yankees in 2016.

“Rodriguez appears to be participating in this year’s Captain’s Camp at the Yankees’ training facility in Tampa, Fla., according to a photo the designated hitter posted to Instagram on Friday,” Kuty said. “Captain’s Camp is a weeks-long clinic the Yankees run before spring training, organized by Gary Denbo, the team’s vice president of player development.”

Rodriguez has seen his fair share of both successes and failures throughout his big league career. He’s done everything from winning a World Series title to serving a 162-game suspension for using performance enhancing drugs.

It is precisely this type of track record that can allow A-Rod to become a good leader.

He knows what it feels like to be on top of the world and how it feels to hit rock bottom. The Yankees’ current designated hitter and former third baseman has seen it all.

Most people probably feel like Rodriguez has no business being in a leadership position for the Yankees. Well, I’m not most people.

Yes, Rodriguez did use steroids. Yes, Rodriguez did cheat. But, he also accepted the punishment for his actions. That is certainly something the younger players on the Bronx Bombers’ roster can learn from.

After being suspended for the entire 2014 regular season, Rodriguez returned in 2015 and led the Yankees in home runs. No small feat for a 39-year-old who had not appeared in an MLB game in over a calendar year prior to the start of the 2015 campaign.

Last season, Rodriguez looked like a player who was thrilled just to be playing baseball again. He seemed to be enjoying every aspect of the game with a certain level of gratitude that wasn’t around in previous seasons.

This change in Rodriguez’s attitude has proven to me that he deserves to be a leader for the Yankees in 2016.

A-Rod appreciates the game of baseball. He understands that if you don’t follow the rules, the game can be taken away from you. These are lessons he can teach to the Yankees’ younger players.

Rodriguez can also impart some on-field wisdom for the Yankees next season.

While he no longer is an everyday defender, Rodriguez still knows how to hit. There are certainly a number of young players within the Yankee organization who would love to receive some pointers on their swing from a player who’s mashed 687 home runs in his career.

When Derek Jeter retired after the 2014 season, the Yankees no longer had a de-facto leader. While I don’t see Rodriguez stepping into Jeter’s role, he definitely will be part of a group of veteran leaders for the Yankees in 2016.

Along with guys like CC Sabathia, Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran, Rodriguez looks poised to take on a leadership role for the Yankees as they look to capture the franchise’s 28th World Series trophy.