Alex Rodriguez arrived early to the New York Yankees’ spring training facility in Tampa, Fla. this week. A-Rod was scheduled to show up with the rest of the position players on Wednesday, but he got to work on Monday instead. The team must have been so proud, right?
Wrong.
Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News reports that the Yankees were “fuming” that Rodriguez did not inform the team of his change in plans. Apparently the team feels A-Rod’s unannounced arrival is another example of him marching to the beat of his own drum.
“He’s learned nothing,” one baseball executive told Feinsand. “He’s the same old guy. He just did what he wanted to do.”
You would think the Yankees would appreciate both A-Rod’s commitment and the fact that he warded off a massive media blitz by arriving early. Roughly 20 reporters were on hand when he showed up on Monday, which is nothing compared to the amount of media members that were expected on Wednesday.
Feinsand notes that A-Rod has worked out at the team complex multiple times in the past without alerting the Yankees. When he showed up early and the team asked him to take a physical before he did anything, Rodriguez complied right away.
“No mistake that I’ve made has any good answer or a justification,” A-Rod told reporters. “It’s unexplainable and that’s on me. I’ve dug a big hole for myself and paid a price. I’m fortunate for a lot of people — especially the Commissioner’s office, the players union and the Yankees — to give me an opportunity to play the game that I love.”
Rodriguez did not sound sure when asked if the Yankees are in his corner heading into the season.
“I don’t know; you’d have to ask them,” he said. “I created a big headache for a lot of people, so I don’t blame whoever is mad at me. I understand.”
As LB previously discussed, A-Rod’s “mistakes” excuse is not valid. While he reportedly met with the team to clear the air, it’s obvious some tension still exists. For proof of that, look no further than this report about the slugger’s milestone bonuses.
H/T Hardball Talk
