Video: Alex Rodriguez, punk
posted at 12:52 pm on June 1, 2007 by Allahpundit
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It’s a few days old and wouldn’t be blogworthy on any other weekday, but on lazy Friday it’s spun gold. A-Rod insists he yelled “hah;” third baseman Howie Clark says he heard “mine,” which he naturally took to be the voice of his shortstop calling him off the play. I can’t tell from the clip but does it matter? The intent to deceive was clearly there, whatever the phrasing.
And so the debate rages, my friends: crafty ploy by a cagey veteran doing whatever it takes to win or characteristically unsportsmanlike bush-league stunt by a pampered pretty boy known for choking in the clutch? We Yankee-haters know the answer, don’t we?
Exit question ironclad fact: If Jeter had pulled this, sportswriters from coast to coast would be swooning over his “situational awareness” and competitive spirit.
Update: Damn, the video just got yanked. Let me see if I can find a replacement.
Update: Here we go. Look for the “400K” link.
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RightWinged on June 1, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Oh come on, its not that bad and not that offensive.
Defector01 on June 1, 2007 at 12:55 PM
The other A-Rod story:
A-Rod’s a Yankee Doodle Randy
Hit a strip club in Toronto with a woman, not his wife. Not that I care – at all – because I don’t. The only reason I find it interesting is that it was the strip club across the street from my apartment building – right across the street. And, I’m a Red Sox fan.
Best headline I’ve seen with regards to this one though:
Report: Alex Rodriguez likes “She-male Muscular Type.”
nailinmyeye on June 1, 2007 at 1:00 PM
No kidding. You’d need waders to navigate all the Jeter media man-love. Alex has bigger problems to deal with, though, like hoping that Cynthia forgets to count to 125…..million.
If nothing else, it’s further evidence of the Mets’ standing as red-headed stepchild of the NY media market. The Metropolitans are having a run similar to that of the 80s (minus all the cocaine), yet the Yankee train wreck still gets top billing. Hate away….
The Empire will rise again.
Kid from Brooklyn on June 1, 2007 at 1:03 PM
Watch the game tonight. I think Red Sox Nation will have a very special welcome chant for A-Rod – a play on “who’s your Daddy”
TheBigOldDog on June 1, 2007 at 1:06 PM
Ha! You’re just jealous. Being a yankee fan is just like being an American, everyone hates you when you’re on top. I question your patriotism Allah! ;)
Dash on June 1, 2007 at 1:08 PM
Dale Murphy was interviewed on the local sports radio talk show this morning. He said it was over the line and bush-league. He made the distinction between take advantage of an opponent not paying attention to situations on the field (the hidden ball trick) vs. deliberatly trying to disrupt their play on the field (calling confusing signals).
Alex is bush anyway. I seem to recall him trying to slap the ball out of a 1st baseman’s glove in a playoff game a few years ago.
The stress of playing on a crappy team is finally causing him to snap.
Mallard T. Drake on June 1, 2007 at 1:14 PM
Except the Yanks are at the bottom, literally, and I still hate ‘em!
This could get as good as the atheist/religion threads!
nailinmyeye on June 1, 2007 at 1:15 PM
American League baseball is totally unwatchable.
KelliD on June 1, 2007 at 1:21 PM
I do not even watch baseball anymore yet I still hate the Yankees.
EnochCain on June 1, 2007 at 1:24 PM
It feels really good to be a part of the Evil Empire.
Number 2 on June 1, 2007 at 1:25 PM
And rightly so. :-P
baldilocks on June 1, 2007 at 1:28 PM
I just watched the vid, and it looks like he said “mine.” I don’t care if A-rod is a Yankee or not, I don’t like the guy – he is bush league. I too remember him trying to knock the ball out of the Arroyo’s hand at first base, and also getting owned by Varitek.
nailinmyeye on June 1, 2007 at 1:30 PM
As a Red Sox fan, I despise the Evil Empire from a deep and special place in my heart, but I don’t think I’ll begrudge a little bit of deception to any team. It’s like catching a base runner in a run-down and concealing the ball in the hopes that he’ll run towards you.
flipflop on June 1, 2007 at 1:31 PM
ALL YANKEE FANS ARE BANNED.
Allahpundit on June 1, 2007 at 1:32 PM
A-Rod in Texas was the same class-act then as he is now.
What a looooozer!
PattyAnn on June 1, 2007 at 1:33 PM
Haven’t you heard? Steinbrenner is so angry about the Yankees’ performance this year, he just closed a deal today to sell the team to the Japanese. The Yankees will be playing in the Tokyo dome next year. The 2008 season’s games are being scheduled/billed as double-headers with sumo wrestling matches.
My collie says:
So much for the Evil Empire, I guess.
CyberCipher on June 1, 2007 at 1:34 PM
Didn’t shed a tear when Arod left the Rangers….now if we could just get T.O. packed off to the Giants and Cuban packed off to France.
Limerick on June 1, 2007 at 1:35 PM
From Gordon Edes, who covers the Red Sox for the Boston Globe:
Rich on June 1, 2007 at 1:44 PM
The evil empire dines on all the oozing Yankee hate. mmm…Delicious.
“Crafty ploy by a cagey veteran”
Memnon on June 1, 2007 at 1:45 PM
Haha, that was pretty funny. Seems like something we’d do back in high school. Nothing in the rule book against that, so…
And there’s no doubt A-Rod said, “Mine!” You can read his lips.
Seixon on June 1, 2007 at 1:48 PM
One of the funniest scenes I have observed was a few years ago when Alex and Veritek got into it. Alex was acting all bad and yelling at Veritek, “C’mon, C’mon.” Finally, Veritek gave him a face full of catcher’s mitt and took it to him. I think that photo even made the cover of SI.
Mallard T. Drake on June 1, 2007 at 1:55 PM
Why is it okay to have a team named the “Yankees” but not one named the “Rebels”.
/and yes I hate the Yankees too!
LakeRuins on June 1, 2007 at 1:55 PM
He was yelling “HO” in response to the 2nd baseman asking him about the blonde stripper/playboy wannabe he got caught hanging out with, stripclubing, and going into his hotel in what, 5 cities!!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 1, 2007 at 1:56 PM
Allah, I take back everything I’ve ever said about you.
KelliD on June 1, 2007 at 1:57 PM
You’d think that Allah would be happy with his Mets doing well, but one A-Rod story and he goes “unhinged” – that’s the power of the EMPIRE.
Rick on June 1, 2007 at 1:59 PM
You nailed it Allah.
How about infielders/outfielders decoying like they’re going to make a catch that they’ll never make?
How about pitchers faking to third then back to first (balk in my book)?
How about the old hidden ball trick?
How about “stealing” signs?
They’re all legal, and fround upon to varying degrees. Unwritten rules are not rules, but watch out for the bean-ball next at-bat.
peski on June 1, 2007 at 2:02 PM
Yes, and I’m sure no other pro-baseball player (or athlete for that matter) has ever done that.
Rick on June 1, 2007 at 2:02 PM
Isn’t A-Rod a Republican?
Rick on June 1, 2007 at 2:04 PM
Dale Murphy’s point was that in the incident’s you mentioned, it is the opposing team’s responsibility to be aware of where the ball is at all times. If a runner isn’t paying attention and gets the hidden ball trick pulled on him, too bad. But to run behind and between two infielders and yell as if you are the other infielder in order to confuse and cause the ball to drop: bush league.
In football it is a penalty for the defense to call bogus signals to confuse the offense. Same thing here.
Mallard T. Drake on June 1, 2007 at 2:07 PM
There’s more than one reason I love this site.
nailinmyeye on June 1, 2007 at 2:09 PM
So glad the Sox didnt end up with this loser
Viper1 on June 1, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Sure glad I’m a Cards fan!
heatherrc77 on June 1, 2007 at 2:12 PM
This makes me long for the days of Allahpundit.com.
Who could forget “Bitchslap in Beantown!” and “Abu-Jew Tosser!”
Sigh…those were the good ole days.
Tman on June 1, 2007 at 2:15 PM
I more or less agree, but like Allah said, A-Rod is getting a lot more crap about it than Jeter would have – it’s partly a matter of personality, because it’s NOT a rule.
Not the same because the football rule is a rule, and the baseball “rule” isn’t.
peski on June 1, 2007 at 2:17 PM
Jeter sucks a rod.
Sorry, I had to.
WisCon on June 1, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Yeah, I didn’t clarify that. The abuse is the same, but in football they recognize that and assess a penalty.
Mallard T. Drake on June 1, 2007 at 2:24 PM
I’m not that into baseball, but whenever I’ve gone to a game with my husband, he likes to yell “I got it” whenever the opposing team is going for the ball.
Maybe it’s bad, but he acted like it wasn’t unusual, like it was something he used to do when he played in high school.
I’m an Astros fan, by marriage. Though they kinda suck right now, which I feel like blaming on the Yankees for taking Roger.
Esthier on June 1, 2007 at 2:26 PM
Now batting for Rosie ……. Alex Rodriguez
fogw on June 1, 2007 at 2:31 PM
What would today’s media say about Ty Cobb’s style of play?
budorob on June 1, 2007 at 2:44 PM
You mean before or after the incident where he went into the stands and beat up a handicapped man who impugned Cobb’s racial heritage? The word apoplectic comes to mind when thinking about the reaction……
Mallard T. Drake on June 1, 2007 at 2:55 PM
For the record, what A-Rod yelled was “My ball!” I haven’t got the slightest problem with a player taking a chance on disrupting the other team. This is no more “unfair” than a hidden ball trick. Baserunners pause while a ground ball is coming for them, in order to block the infielder from seeing it well until it’s too late. As a first baseman, I regularly pretended that a pickoff throw got away from me. 90% of the time the runner laughs at how foolish you look, searching around for a ball that he knows is in the mitt. 10% of the time he takes off and gets nailed. Third basemen get good at faking an incoming throw to make a runner slide when he just might have had a chance at turning for home.
You want to win, so you do the extra little things that might help. When someone says this or that is “bush league”, well that phrase has its origins in baseball history, and it means something that you could get away with in the minors (Single A was once call the bush leagues), but not in the majors. Well this “bush league” move worked in the majors.
Not an A-Rod fan, not a Yankees fan. Just a baseball fan.
Freelancer on June 1, 2007 at 3:05 PM
Went to DC for Memorial Day. Wandering about with the wife we eventually arrived at the White House which had uniformed Secret Service about every 200 feet on the perimeter. We talked for a bit with the first one we came upon, and I noticed his name tag also had Massachussetts engraved on it, so I asked the obvious. Yes, they put each officer’s home state on the name tag. That’s cool.
So after he explains that, he asks where we’re from and I say NY, he lowers his hand to his holstered pistol and says “You’re not a Yankee fan, are you?” Bwahahahaha.
Actually, I really don’t remember he did that. That’s my embellishment which I’ll just keep for the young nephews and nieces. But there was a noticeable straightening in his stance and a change in the tone of his voice to complement the wry smile that came across his face. It was so funny.
And, no, I’m not a Yankees fan. It’s Orioles thru thick and thin.
Dusty on June 1, 2007 at 3:07 PM
As for the reaction to Arod vs the “what if Jeter did it”, isn’t part of the supposed difference lie in the fact that Jeter wouldn’t do it? I’m not a Jetermaniac, but if I were to substitute, say, Ripken, (is that a reasonable comparison) I think the silence you’d hear would be that of total disillusionment which, to me, is even worse than vituperative criticism due each’s place in the game.
Dusty on June 1, 2007 at 3:20 PM
Quoth the Misunderstood One himself (from The Ledger article linked above):
Barry Bonds agreed that the Blue Jays shouldn’t get steamed.
“That’s Toronto’s fault. Catch the ball,” he said. “Get over it.”
Is Bonds really the guy you want catching your back on an integrity issue?
In related news, Bonds was also heard to say: “That’s the Commissioner’s fault. Catch me on steroids. Get over it.”
Blacksheep on June 1, 2007 at 3:21 PM
Just checking to see if you were kidding.
baldilocks on June 1, 2007 at 3:33 PM
:::whew:::
Actually, I’m an Angels fan.
baldilocks on June 1, 2007 at 3:34 PM
Watched it three times. It looked like he said “mine” every time. Cheap trick.
Glynn on June 1, 2007 at 3:34 PM
I’m a Redskins fan.
-silence-
*slowly sinks back in his chair having outed himself as an idiot*
natesnake on June 1, 2007 at 4:10 PM
How ’bout those Astros??
gary on June 1, 2007 at 4:26 PM
I watched that video thinking that, for once, maybe something interesting had actually happened at a baseball game. But I was wrong.
Blacklake on June 1, 2007 at 4:40 PM
I think people just like to hate the Yankee’s. Hell, I like to hate the Yankee’s, but looking at the results of the poll on the 400k site you’d think 11,000 people have never played a game of baseball before.
Nonfactor on June 1, 2007 at 4:46 PM
Go Yankees!
hadsil on June 1, 2007 at 5:21 PM
He yelled “Mine!” while behind the other player that was about to catch the ball… no doubt about it.
Cheap. But heck, it’s the Yankmees, what do you expect?
SilverStar830 on June 1, 2007 at 5:27 PM
I was almost interested until I saw it was baseball. Scratch that, I mean “Pro” Baseball. Give me a minor league team any day over the crap that passes for this once great pastime. With all the steroids and performance enhancing that is actively supported by the league (and they do support it like it or not as baseball is the last sport to be dragged into any kind of act of cleaning itself up) it’s almost like watching a WWF wrestling match–only wrestling is more entertaining.
Pro baseball has been pretty much crap for at least the last 20 years.
Faith1 on June 1, 2007 at 5:30 PM
Pre-game Fenway Report:
Lots of blond wings.
Lots of A-Rod Signs.
A-Rod’s in for a rough night unless he can silence the crowd early.
Developing…
TheBigOldDog on June 1, 2007 at 5:38 PM
wigs, not wings – duh.
TheBigOldDog on June 1, 2007 at 5:39 PM
The Greatest Franchise in the History of Professional Sports!! Let’s Go Yankees!!
kcluva on June 1, 2007 at 6:52 PM
Because of partial deafness I have learned to read lips quite well. ARod clearly said MINE. Hmmmmm. He is a scumbag for doing that, and even more of a scumbag for lying like a little 5 yr old caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Helloyawl on June 1, 2007 at 7:29 PM
Yeah, but the fact of the matter is, Jeter wouldn’t do something like that. That’s why most Yankee fans revere Jeter, and can’t stand A-Rod.
asc85 on June 1, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Absolutely correct, and I’m a Sox fan.
Anyway, AROD doesn’t get any slack after the ball-slapping incident & his ridiculous contract, it just goes with the territory. Not to mention trying to elbow Pedroia, and yes, there is a big difference between going in hard at second, and getting up after your slide throwing an elbow…
Even Torre said it was wrong,
http://www.comcast.net/sports/index.jsp?cat=SPORTS&fn=/2007/06/01/678768.html
reaganaut on June 1, 2007 at 8:22 PM
A Rod is a winner and will win at any cost. If he yelled something that caused an error, tough crap!
NEMETI IN SYRACUSE on June 1, 2007 at 8:31 PM
Umm…go Kane County Cougars!
major john on June 1, 2007 at 9:16 PM
A-Rod has a license like 007. After all, he is a Yankee.
Hening on June 1, 2007 at 9:46 PM
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