Stop the presses: Hank & Reggie have an opinion

by 32 Comments

Live-blogging Hughes
Spring Training Game Thread: Thank Mo Baseball's Back

So Alex Rodriguez and Reggie Jackson went out to dinner the other night, and Reggie had some advice for Alex because, you know, he’s dealt with this kind of PED thing before. Coming jointly from Hank Steinbrenner, the invisible executive, Mr. October told A-Rod to “hit the baseball and hit it when it counts.” Hit the baseball. And hit it when it counts. When it counts? When is that? Seems to me like it would be, I dunno, ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!! Reggie also some other words for A-Rod, saying he’s disappointed in him and that when he retired he was one of the best of all time and is sad to see his career accomplishment tarnished. You really didn’t think Reggie could go that long without talking about himself, did you? Even Neyer agrees this is retarded.

Live-blogging Hughes
Spring Training Game Thread: Thank Mo Baseball's Back
  • Rich

    It’s classic passive-aggressive behavior. They’re pissed at Alex for having used steroids, but given the Yankees’ ginormous investment in him, they don’t want to risk alienating him by saying what they really think.

  • jsbrendog

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    way to go reg. haha

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.

      • jsbrendog

        that. is. amazing.

        • Arin

          Touche.

  • steve (different one)

    only in New York would this be news.

    i wonder if Boog Powell took Brian Roberts out to dinner to tell him how disappointed he is in him.

  • Steve S

    You know ultimately it is stupid because you would hope Reggie and the owner would have a greater understanding. But there is no doubt that Alex is an emotional guy and he is by his own admission affected by the mental aspects of what goes on off the field which isnt to say he is a villain. I dont think it hurts for Reggie to pull him aside and say one of those cliche phrases. I never thought Alex could have a bigger burden than what had already been placed on his shoulder by the media and fans but this steroid thing will put the biggest microscope on him, especially in those late and close situations. It may be unreasonable but its reality.

  • radnom


    Mr. October told A-Rod to “hit the baseball and hit it when it counts.” Hit the baseball. And hit it when it counts. When it counts? When is that? Seems to me like it would be, I dunno, ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!

    The playoffs, obviously. This is true. If Alex performs well, and leads the Yanks through a WS run, he will win back the NY fans.

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.

      But if he doesn’t hit in the regular season, they don’t go to the playoffs. Being productive over a 162 game season is more important than being productive in a 5 or 7 game series.

      • http://evilempire20.com/ Ryan S.

        Yes – October is why god created Mark Teixeira.

      • pat

        Please provide statistics and analysis to back that up.

      • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

        But if he doesn’t hit in the regular season, they don’t go to the playoffs. Being productive over a 162 game season is more important than being productive in a 5 or 7 game series.

        Bullshit. I saw Scott Brosius hit a clutch homer in extra innings to win a World Series game with my own eyes. Thus, I can only logically conclude that he’s the greatest third baseman ever and the sole reason we won all those titles. Plus, he’s a True Yankee®™.

        Scotty Bro >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A-Froid.

        (In case you were curious, yes, “A-Froid” is a combination of A-Roid, A-Fraud, A-Fraid, and A-Freud.)

      • JeffG

        A-Rod has already hit well in the 162 game season and that has not seemed to do it for a lot of his detractors…

        I think Reggie was trying to give him some positive focus and that can never hurt. I hope A-Rod goes on a mission this year to shut down his critics.

        • http://evilempire20.com/ Ryan S.

          He’d need a silenced 9MM pistol to shut down his critics.

    • jsbrendog

      and if the yanks win the WS and arod hits 400 with 9 hr and drives in 20 in the playoffs but strikes out once in a game 5 when theyre up 3-1 with the bases loaded and the game on the line and jeter hits 275 with 0 hr and 5 rbi but hits a game winning hr in any game then arod is ostracized and beaten in the media for being unclutch

  • Expired Milk

    When it counts like 3HR’s in a WS game?

    • Andy In Sunny Daytona

      Actually the first two didn’t mean anything because they were early in the game.

      • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

        Bingo.

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.

      It’s funny, because if you take away that game, Reggie’s career line in the postseason is .269-.350-.489, basically his career averages, if not slightly below.

      He’s also hit below .200 in the same number of postseason series that he’s hit over .300 (six).

  • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

    Monty Burns: You there, Strawberry! Go hit a home run.
    Darryl Strawberry: Sure thing, skip!
    [crushes mammoth homer off overmatched fortysomething softball pitcher]
    Monty Burns [to Smithers]: I told him to do that.

  • RCK

    Of course Don Mattingly’s comments that he wants “to be on the other side of the bash Alex thing” haven’t gotten nearly the same play in the media. Hmmm, I wonder why.

    • Rich

      That’s why, despite his abundant faults, I have to give Joel Sherman some credit. On consecutive days, he had articles that contained support for A-Rod by Segui and Mattingly. I don’t think another beatwriter has done that.

    • Mattingly’s Love Child

      Compassion isn’t sexy and doesn’t sell newspapers.

      Or maybe Mattingly isn’t a TRUE Yankee, since he never won a World Series! LOL

      • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

        Flamewar in 3… 2… 1…

  • KW

    I dunno, Neyer and this post seem to really be damning Reg and Hank for saying the obvious, well, because the answer is obvious. I’m not sure the bashing is warranted, as the “advice” is sound – if A-rod goes back to the machine he was in 2007, the fans (majority) could probably care less that he used steroids, and the fans are all that he really has to win back. But the posts really just miss the fact that Hank and Reggie both espouse that A-rod shut the hell up and just hit well and hit well in the clutch – where most fans develop their feelings towards a player or a manager. That would be pretty sound advice.

  • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

    Damn, the Dolphins signed Gibril Wilson to a five year deal.

    Really, Parcells? Five years? Really?

    • jsbrendog

      its the nfl only one is probably guaranteed haha

      • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CRsmithT1.jpg tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

        True. The Bills just cut Derrick Dockery, two years after giving him a 7yr/49M contract.

        • http://evilempire20.com/ Ryan S.

          DeAngelo Hall says hello too.

        • KW

          Not to mention Wilson himself was cut after one year