As a Yankees fan, I want to apologize to baseball fans everywhere for A-Rod.

[Bleacher Creature]

What an unbelievable, egomaniacal jerk. Let's just get one thing straight, it was A-Rod and Scott Boras, and NOT the Yankees who decided to make the announcement during Game 4. Now that he's gone (and I pray that the Yanks stick to their guns), I'll be happy to boo him every chance I get.

So now, the list of A-Rod haters grows to:

Yankees fans
Mariners fans
Blue Jays fans (for the Howie Clark incident)

I would also say that he's probably not too popular in Red Sox nation either, after last night, the past 4 years in Pinstripes, and the ball slapping incident in the 2004 ALCS.

Good riddance!

[IndianaJones]

1. Hall of Famer Peter Gammons said it best regarding the timing...

Alex has never played in a World Series game, and perhaps there is a reason why.

[Bleacher Creature]

3. I saw that. . . and Buster Olney's ESPN column was just as good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3084735

A-Rod putting himself above the game

"Alex Rodriguez couldn't be at the World Series to receive an award from Hank Aaron -- a family commitment was the stated reason -- but he managed to upstage Game 4, with the help of agent Scott Boras, who announced in the early innings that his client is opting out of his contract.

The way this played out could not have been more apropos, because A-Rod needs to be bigger than the game; he needs to be more important than the Red Sox or the Rockies or any other team, or any other player. He is one of the greatest players in history at compiling statistics, the greatest ever at compiling wealth, and his next employer will have to buy into that. The World Series can't matter as much as A-Rod."

<SNIP>

[turner52]

7. ARod and Rose

This reminds me of Pete Rose admitting gambling just before the Hall of Fame ceremonies.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. We'll give you a mulligan on that one.

Especially since, you know, he didn't exactly help you guys win, which is "mission accomplished" as far as we're concerned. :-)

[KitchenWitch]

4. I imagine the Texas Rangers are glad to be rid of his sorry ass as well.

[Initech]

5. Don't forget Angels fans!

We hate him down here too. And sadly, we're the team he will most likely end up on.

[KitchenWitch]

6. Yeah, heaven knows Carl Pohlad will not open the purse to get him on the Twins

Thank the baseball gods for that.

[Initech]

8. A-Rod wouldn't do well in the Midwest.

Not that I'm saying he couldn't, but he's a big money super celebrity. He'd fit right in at Hollywood. If Arte Marino doesn't pony up the dough, I'm sure the Dodgers will.

[Bleacher Creature]

9. I didn't forget you guys. . .

Since LA is one of his possible (if not probable) destinations, the likelihood is that A-Rod will have a much better chance of alienating Angels fans once he becomes part of the team. He'll undoubtedly start pulling the same kind of tiresome crap that he pulled in New York.

The guy is a phenomenal player, but the way he puts himself above all does not bode well for team success.