A-Rod Not the Answer to Dodgers' Third Base Woes

by Kevin Zeni

With the recent struggles and benchings of Alex Rodriguez through the first two rounds of the American League playoffs, reporters have began to speculate that Yankees GM Brian Cashman will (if he hasn't already) look to move the disgruntled superstar during the offseason and attempt to find a more suitable third base option.

While the most prominent internet rumor names the Miami Marlins as the Yankees' most likely trade partner for A-Rod, there has also been wide speculation that the Dodgers, having already shown a propensity for spending money on big-name stars, would take a gamble on the slugger to possibly fill their third base hole, which has existed since Adrian Beltre left the team following the 2004 season.

As I'm sure you've gathered from the title of this posting, I am vehemently against the Dodgers potentially making such a move. While part of my feelings towards this topic are personal, statistics and health records will also support my arguments, which are as follows:

1) I have personally disliked and held absolutely no respect for A-Rod, following his shameful ball-slapping display against the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS. Such a move portrayed him as a cheater, even before his admittance as a steroid user.

2) Having been a steroid user, Rodriguez's body is more prone to break down in his advanced (by baseball terms) age of 37. After suffering through hip ailments the past two seasons, the Yankees have had to be gentle with A-Rod's use, giving him days "off" as the DH to preserve his body, a luxury the Dodgers will not have.

3) Rodriguez makes WAY too much money to add on to an already inflated Dodgers payroll. Alex is slated to make $114 million dollars over the five years remaining on his contract. While it is very likely that the Yankees will eat a substantial portion of his contract, the prospects the Dodgers would have to part with to facilitate such a deal would not be worth the risk.

4) The Dodgers have already suffered through an experience involving an aging superstar steroid user and got burned in the long run. The fans of Los Angeles enjoyed the early successes of Manny Ramirez, but after a run of steroid-use suspensions, quickly soured on him. Ned Colletti would be wise to learn from that mistake, especially since Manny came in with a much higher success rate in clutch situations than A-Rod.

5) I hate his stupid pouty face that he makes whenever things don't go his way.

6) His power numbers (home runs and RBIs) and batting average have decreased each of the last two seasons, and, as mentioned earlier, he lacks an ability to hit in the clutch to make up for those declining numbers. While incumbent Dodgers third baseman Luis Cruz may not be able to put up better numbers than A-Rod over an entire season, he has shown an ability to step up when he is most needed in clutch, late game situations.

So please Dodgers, don't make the mistake of adding Alex Rodriguez to next year's team. Trading for him will only end with pain and agony, which Yankees fans can tell you isn't worth the name recognition he brings to your team.