Skip to main content

Rooting for the A-Renaissance


Okay, prepare to roll your eyes. Maybe even write me off for a few weeks, but not too long, because you know, you should be coming back here to the DP once in a while. Nonetheless, after one week into the Major League Baseball Season, I am rooting for Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez. 

Yes, yes, count me on the list of those who are pulling for the guy. 

Of course, he remains the most intriguing athlete I have ever - EVER - seen in my lifetime. Bar none. In my opinion, no one is even close being as complex as A-Rod. Thus the reason he sits in the DP Page of Fame. 

However, as I said earlier this year, all of the song and dance with him releasing that humanizing piece in ESPN magazine, or his hand written apology, or even him not holding a press conference - none of it mattered other than that one burning question - can he play?

And so far, Rodriguez has shown his age with a slow bat, limited range in his one game at third base, and even a blundering appearance at first base, yet, he has been one of the Yankees best hitters so far in the early season.

Do I think he deserves his $6M bonuses for the milestone home runs. Absolutely not. However, other milestones such as 2,000 RBIs and 3,000 hits are within Rodriguez's reach this season. And that's also a big deal. 

But to be honest, Alex Rodriguez has become a figure I root for. I'm not buying into the "FORG1V3" movement, but I enjoy watching others capitalize on their second chances. And more so when the majority want to penalize them after they've served their punishment, which A-Rod has. And yes, he he definitely served his punishment. 

A-Rod hasn't embraced wearing the black hat the way Barry Bonds has in the past, but he has simply taken an approach thus far I wished he had done much earlier in his career. Being a good teammate. Staying quiet. And being about baseball. 

And quite frankly, this "A-Renaissance" has been fun to watch. And there is no doubt about it's legitimacy. And of course, it helps my team who owes him plenty of dough. 

Regardless, I'm pulling for #13 who is doing what history, father time, skeptics, and fans are looking to stop. Call me a traitor. Call me a turncoat. Whatever it is you think  a baseball fan liking A-Rod and should be, but, he's won me over. I'm buying into the comeback story that no one wanted to see, or thought they would.

The remarkable and super intriguing story that is Alex Rodriguez continues...

Recent Favorites

Dome Pondering Movie Review: The After (2023)

What is it about? In a short film, a grieving man confronts his past when he comes face-to-face with a passenger.  Who is in it? David Oyelowo - Dayo Jessica Plummer - Amanda Amelie Dokubo - Laura  Favorite Scene: It's an extremely short film, so...the final few moments.  Favorite Quote:  None. (not much dialogue) Review: This eighteen-minute masterpiece is amazing. You're absolutely taken on this ride of emotions that ultimately leaves you with a great realization of questioning what we value in life.  The lead character, in eighteen minutes, is powerful. His grief is carried through the film, exploding at the end. It very much leaves the viewer with so many questions - what was his life before the tragedy? What was his life after that moment? Did he ever reconnect with that family? Did he rediscover happiness?  Again, a very, VERY, powerful eighteen minutes that will jolt the heart, mind, and soul about life, what is important, and what we overvalue in its place.  Grade: 4/5

2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Thoughts

There's something wrong with the All-Star Game.  Yeah, we've definitely had this conversation before. Expect to pick up this very discussion (again) in July when Major League Baseball has their version in the "Mid-Summer Classic" when it is the ONLY current topic to bounce around in the stratosphere of sports discourse.  What's wrong with the All-Star Game?!  I'm not dismissing the obvious - yes, the NBA All-Star Game is very much at an alarming point of necessary refinement and change - evaluation is needed. What we saw on Sunday night was not disappointing, but outright embarrassing. Also yes, gone are the days when the game flooded your television screen at a respectable 6:30pm on NBC, and you were wowed by the athleticism and star power of the first half of the game, and treated to what felt like the world's best players playing pickup basketball on the grandest stage.  Now? Not so much. So yeah, we got the message. The outrage - and shock TV and hot t

Quick Ponder: Daily Armor

Imagine, if we can see the dents and scratches, the smashes and chaos,  on the daily armor, each of us put on. Just imagine.