ARod to Boston: Pro's and Con's

As Alex Rodriguez continues to put up telephone numbers in the Bronx, his negotiating leverage continues to rise. In recent weeks, ARod's "opt out" option has become a hot topic. Today the New York Daily News reported that sources say the Sox, Larry Lucchino in particular, still would love to see ARod don a pair of carmine hose.

The question for Red Sox Nation. Do WE want him?

When faced with a decision like this, I find the old "plus and minus" format works best. Make a list of the pluses and minuses and see where that takes you. So, here we go: The Pro's and Con's of the Sox acquiring ARod.

Why we want ARod:

1. The white hot spotlight that has been burning on ARod in New York has actually been good for him. This year he has finally said "F*** You" to anyone who doesn't like him, including the estimable Captain Jetes. The result: Phenomenal numbers and a first half performance that has kept the Yankees from completely going under. ARod will be well prepared to take on the Boston press after suffering the skewering of the voracious New York media.


2. There is double pleasure in the acquisition since we not only will be getting a first ballot Hall of Famer and arguably the best player in the game today, but we will be taking him away from the Yankees. Sort of like the reverse Johnny Damon signing, other than ARod will not be breaking down in his second year here as the rapidly aging Damon has done in New York. Without ARod, what does that Yankee line up look like? No Giambi. No Sheffield. No ARod. Jeter will get his wish of having the spotlight all to himself. Sort of like Kobe Bryant did with Shaq. How did that work out for him? Anytime we can stick it to the Yanks, I'm all for it.

3. ARod to the Sox will solve the revolving shortstop problem once and for all. Rodriguez can go back to his natural position since there is no established, overrated prima donna to move as was the case in NY. Julio Lugo can move to third and shut up about it while ARod resumes his role as the best shortstop in the league. Won't it be grand when he beats out his arch nemesis Jeter for the starting spot in the All Star Game? Sweet.

4. During this contract, ARod will be mounting the only real assault on what is soon to be Barry Bonds' all time home run record. As Rodriguez gets closer to knocking Mr. Big Head out of the record books, he will be embraced by the entire baseball world. How great will it be to follow the chase from Fenway Park? Perfect.

5. We've been putting up with Manny being Manny for all these years because he puts up the numbers, and without him, who will protect Big Papi? Well, sliding ARod behind Ortiz gives the Sox the huge righthanded bat they need as Ramirez eventually fades and then is released after the 08 season. As for next season when all three are here. Well, Ortiz, ARod and Ramirez doesn't sound too bad in the three-four-five holes does it?

Why we don't want ARod

1. ARod has been a major distraction for the Yankees since he arrived. Having him and the Captain trying to coexisit has paralyzed the Bombers. Removing ARod might actually let Brian Cashman restructure the Yanks in the mold of the teams of the late 90's when it wasn't about "a superstar at every position" but more the right role players making up a team. We want ARod to stay right in the Bronx Zoo, gumming up the works.

2. It will upset the entire Sox pay scale by tieing up $30 million in ARod. What do you then tell Ortiz, Beckett, Papelbon, Youkilis as they become eligible for new contracts? No one is worth that much money. Even ARod.

3. ARod will destroy the chemistry of the Sox. They have a great clubhouse. Tek and Ortiz set the tone and everyone follows. ARod arriving in that clubhouse is like the circus coming to town. No one has ever talked about what a great teammate Rodriguez is, probably because he isn't one. He would have been a great fit on the Sox during the "25 guys and 25 cabs" days, but nowadays, things are different. ARod will upset this delicate balance.

4. The Sox need to be successful during the regular season, but the real prize is in the post season. ARod will put up dazzling numbers from April to September, but come October, Rodriguez folds up faster than your morning paper. He is abysmal in the post season and is unlikely to change. We need clutch players, not choke artists.

5. ARod is not and never has been a winner. Every team he has left was better the year after he left while the team he went to did not get appreciably better. In 2000, ARod's final year in Seattle, the Mariners went 91-71. In 2001 after ARod's departure, the M's improved by 15 wins and put up an amazing 116-46 record. Meanwhile, Texas was 71-91 in 2000. But after shelling out the biggest contract in the history of baseball to acquire ARod, the Rangers improved by a grand total of 2 wins and finished 73-89. In ARod's final year in Texas in 2003, the Rangers finished a familiar 71-91. In 2004, they suffered through the loss of Rodriquez by improving their record to 89-73, a net gain of 18 wins! Meanwhile, the Yankees, who went 101-61 in 2003 without ARod, managed to post a...you guessed it...record of 101-61 in 2004. No change.

So the number say ARod is not a difference maker. He wasn't when he left Seattle for Texas and he wasn't when he left Texas for New York. And in fact his teams have improved after his departure. The continuance of that trend should ARod comes to the Sox would be disastrous.

So where does that leave us? Well in my opinion, number 5 on the con side wins out for me. Baseball, of all sports, is a game of numbers. And in the case of ARod, the numbers do not lie. He is an awesome individual performer, but does not improve a team. In fact, the opposite is true. Let him get his big raise and stay in New York and continue to screw up the Yankees.

We don't need him here.