Not so fast: Alex Rodriguez backs off retirement plans
Alex Rodriguez fans can rejoice. The 40-year-old slugger may continue playing baseball forever. Rodriguez denied early reports Wednesday suggesting he would hang up his cleats following the 2017 season.
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Rodriguez told the New York Post that comments he made to ESPN were taken out of context. According to Rodriguez, he wasn't talking about retiring following the 2017 season, he was talking about the end of his current contract.
“I’m thinking in terms of my contract, which ends in 2017. After that, we’ll see what happens,” Rodriguez told The Post. “I’ve got two years and more than 300 games to play.”
Early reports suggested the 40-year-old Rodriguez would retire once his massive 10-year, $275 million deal with New York expires. Rodriguez told ESPN, "I won't play after next year. I've really enjoyed my time. For me, it is time for me to go home and be Dad."
The whole thing makes for a pretty bizarre situation, which should be expected when A-Rod is involved. His ESPN quote does seem to suggest he is leaning toward retirement once his current deal ends, but maybe he's already had second thoughts.
If and when Rodriguez eventually decides to call it quits, he'll leave one of the more complicated legacy of any recent ballplayer.
There's no doubt Rodriguez had (still has) immense talent. He was essentially Bryce Harper before Bryce Harper. The numbers are eye-popping. Rodriguez has hit .297/.382/.554 over 21 years in the majors. He's added 687 career home runs during that period. On numbers alone, he's an easy choice for the baseball Hall of Fame.
It's not that simple, of course. Rodriguez's career has been marred by steroid use. He's admitted to using steroids at times throughout his career, and was handed a 162 game suspension by commissioner Bud Selig, causing him to miss the entire 2014 season.
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Since then, Rodriguez has returned as somewhat of a folk hero. He managed a resurgent season in 2015, hitting 33 home runs, and has not been a distraction in the clubhouse. While those outside New York may always harbor angst against the superstar, A-Rod found a way to work himself into the good graces of Yankees fans again. If his production falls off over the next two seasons, though, it will be interesting to see how fans react once the ride is over.
It's possible Rodriguez will wait and see how the next two seasons go before he makes any concrete decisions about his retirement. If, say, Rodriguez finishes the 2017 season with 747 career home runs, maybe he would continue his career in order to try and beat the home run record?
That would probably be tough, as Rodriguez would have to average 30 home runs over the next two years, but it's worth considering. He did hit 33 last season, and even though he's old, he's a generational talent. It's unlikely, but it's A-Rod. Nothing he does should shock us at this point.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
