Article: Should The Twins Sign Alex Rodriguez?

[Seth Stohs]

Tonight, Alex Rodriguez will be playing in his final game for the New York Yankees. On Sunday, he and the team announced that he would get one final game at Yankees Stadium before being let go. He will become an advisor in the team’s system.

 

But there has been a lot of discussion about whether or not tonight will be the final game in the storied career of A-Rod. Many assume he will return to play for someone. In fact, some have suggested that the Twins might be a reasonable match. Though I find it rather unlikely, I do think it’s worth the discussion.Let’s start with this. Alex Rodriguez is one of the greatest baseball players of the last 25 years. His numbers speak for themselves. He arrived in Seattle about a year after being the #1 overall pick in the 1993 draft. He was a 14-time All-Star, starting at age 20. In 2,783 games, he has a career line of .295/.380/.550 (.930) with 547 doubles, 696 home runs and 2,085 RBI. He has won three MVP awards, won ten Silver Slugger awards and even a couple of Gold Gloves.

 

But for all of his accomplishments on the field, most people in and around and outside of baseball choose to jump straight to his PED usage and his elaborate cover-up. He missed the entire 2014 season because of suspension. It’s an era of baseball that we can’t move past and that’s understandable.

 

This year with the Yankees, he is hitting just .199/.247/.348 (.525) with nine homers in 64 games. He has been relegated to Joe Girardi’s bench the last few weeks. It makes sense for the Yankees to get rid of him.

 

But again, the assumption is that he will sign somewhere. If I was a betting man, I’d say he winds up signing with the Miami Marlins. It just makes the most sense. But, I did want to take just a little bit of time to consider whether it makes any sense at all for the Twins to sign A-Rod.

 

The Pros

 

While my sense as I start typing this is that the Cons will outnumber (and out-value) the Pros, there are legitimate reasons to at least consider it.

 

While 2016 has been a bad year for Rodriguez, he was really pretty good in 2015. He hit .250/.356/.486 (.842) with 22 doubles, 33 homers and 86 RBI in 151 games as a 39-year-old. He can still provide some power.

 

At 696 home runs, it would be pretty cool for a fan base to be able to watch a chase to 700 home runs. It certainly was fun watching Jim Thome chase his 600th home run.

 

Many have indicated that Rodriguez has done a very nice job as a teammate, particularly with the young Yankees players. Many have said that the Twins need a veteran leader on the roster, particularly with so many young players. Rodriguez is eloquent and fluent in both English and Spanish, and with the Twins having so many young players from Latin American countries, his voice could be helpful.

 

It would not require much money, if he chose to sign. He is owed and will be paid $23 million by the Yankees in 2017, the final year of his 10-year, $275 million deal.

 

The Cons

 

I think it’s fair to say that Alex Rodriguez comes with some baggage. The PED stuff is always a topic in the minds of media and fans. There certainly would be plenty of public scrutiny. Some of it fair. Some of it unnecessary.

 

His age-40 season has been a disaster. Age is certainly not his friend. While his 2015 season was solid, the precipitous drop in production in 2016 doesn’t bode well for his presumed productivity in 2017.

 

The Twins already have plenty of DH options. As much as it may be nice to have Alex Rodriguez around as a mentor for Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Jose Berrios, Eddie Rosario, Kennys Vargas, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and other young players, he would have to accept that he would basically be a pinch-hit option. Miguel Sano, Kennys Vargas, Byung Ho Park, Daniel Palka and Adam Brett Walker are all DH candidates, as well as DH days for Joe Mauer.

 

While the reports of Rodriguez's work with young players has been positive, there does seem to be a general uneasiness and lack of trust in him. Signing an aging veteran could be positive, but it could be destructive if it doesn't play out as you hope.

 

My Opinion

 

Certainly you have your opinions on Rodriguez the player, Rodriguez the person, or Rodriguez the legacy. Maybe there are other Pros or Cons that you would include. Feel free to (respectfully) discuss them below.

 

While I would love to watch Alex Rodriguez finish his career in a Twins uniform, I just don’t think it makes a lot of sense for the Twins. He likely would be a terrific mentor for the Twins' young players. It would be fun to watch a chase for 700 wins. However, his at-bats would likely come at the expense of some young players who either are, or hope to be, a part of the Twins future. With that, it makes it harder to justify the PR hit that the Twins might take (by some) for signing someone with such a tainted history.

In the end, I would be very excited if the they signed Rodriguez either yet this season or going into the 2017 season. I just can’t see it as making sense for the Twins.

 

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[Craig Arko]

Let me be the first to vote no, thank you.

 

He's got no ties here and we have Sano, Vargas, and maybe Park and Palka to get playing time before the end of the season.. Sounds like the Marlins are considering it, and I suppose the Rangers and Mariners might as well.

[zenser]

I will second that no vote.  Too many guys in the current log jam now.  I would rather see the young guys anyway.  I don't know how many Twins fans would be lining up to get tickets for a home game if he was sitting on 699.  I know I wouldn't be racing to the ticket booth.

[Comrade Bork]

Too bad Kepler is a lock in Right. We could have put him there.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Too bad Kepler is a lock in Right. We could have put him there.

Yeah...too bad. 

[mazeville]

Nope.

 

We have way too many corner infielders/corner outfielders/DH types. I get that he might be good for the kids. But I'd rather give those at-bats to young players. 

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

I'm in agreement with the commenters so far, and I hope that came across. I think there are plenty of pros to signing him, but in the end, there just aren't any at bats for him, and he doesn't want that.

 

[HitInAPinch]

No

 

We're in the process of building a team by bringing up young players from the minors.  According to media reports, Rodriguez has been tutoring some of the young Yankees. 

 

That's nice.  But we're talking about playing time and we already have a crunch.

 

[birddog]

No way. One more 3B/1B/DH would literally break the camel's back.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Maybe as a player/coach? Would he be up for part time batting coach? If he produces, then all the better. If he simply can't play anymore, then let him go.

 

But really, if he produces, are we as a fanbase going to be mad that someone who will never approach the career he had (Walker/Palka/Park) isn't getting his at bats? If he is DH mostly, and hits close to 2015, that is a plus for the team. If he gets here and hits like Torii Hunter post May 2015, then he will simply be more of a coach than a player.

 

But you are right, if he still wants to play I bet it is in Miami.

[Hrbek70]

(Bold font size 100) NO

[Everyday Eddy]

I would try if I were the Twins.   Not a whole lot of positives from a baseball standpoint except maybe Sano gets to pick his brain a little bit.   Consider though that Target field will be empty in September as the club now stands.   Arod chasing 700 would probably fill the place.   So business wise it's a yes.   Baseball wise it's a no.

[diehardtwinsfan]

No here as well. Wouldn't mind him as a bench role, but that seems a bit crowded.

[Vanimal46]

Hard pass. Hopefully he does find a place to play to get to 700 HRs. It wouldn't make any sense for him to do that here. 

[nytwinsfan]

NO

[Rigby]

NO

[kab21]

Not with all of the DH and 3B that the Twins have. Nor would the distraction be good for the young players development.

[Han Joelo]

If there wasn't room for Vargas to play in the second game yesterday, after homering twice in the first, I don't see how there is room for A-Rod.

 

Aside from that, not a fan of bringing a hated Twin killing Yankee on board to chase some meaningless (to me) round number.

 

I do hope next year's roster has room for some kind of high character/leader/veteran/mentor type.  

[Thrylos]

 

 

In fact, some have suggested that the Twins might be a reasonable match.

 

 

Reasonable? 

Sure.  State Hospital reasonable

 

(unless someone confused the Twins with the Saints.  Easy to happen these days..)

Edited August 12, 2016 by Thrylos

[Rosterman]

 

I would try if I were the Twins.   Not a whole lot of positives from a baseball standpoint except maybe Sano gets to pick his brain a little bit.   Consider though that Target field will be empty in September as the club now stands.   Arod chasing 700 would probably fill the place.   So business wise it's a yes.   Baseball wise it's a no.

 

I almost think the fans would boo him more than come out, if they do. Sadly, NO. There is no place for him, and he would see that too and not sign with us.

[Sarah]

Ugh, this makes me want to puke. Just go away A-Rod. Always so depressing to see a once great player just hanging on...

[scottz]

Please read the following in your best Russian accent.

 

This thread is joke, yes?

[Everyday Eddy]

 

I almost think the fans would boo him more than come out, if they do. Sadly, NO. There is no place for him, and he would see that too and not sign with us.

I don't think he'll sign with us either.   I do think the casual fan would be more likely to go watch the Twins with him on the team in September.   I also don't believe he's as despised as you say.   His 700th homerun will/would get him an ovation wherever he is

[Dave The Dastardly]

A-Rod comes with some baggage? That has to be the understatement of the year. The guy has more character flaws than Donald Trump. Well, maybe not that many.

 

As a mentor for the young Twinkies? Huh? You mean like how to avoid getting caught doing PEDS, then lying about it after the evidence was solid against him? Adding A-Rod to the Twinks would be like driving a stake in Dracula's heart. I can think of no better way to drive away what fans the Twins can still count on.

[DaveW]

I like A-Rod quite a bit, and think he is one of the best 5 or 6 players in the history of baseball. (Positional players)

I wouldn't mind picking him up once rosters expand to 40, but I wouldn't want him taking any at bats from guys like Vargas, Rosario, Sano or even Park if Park is brought back up?

Basically, I would rather have A-Rod on this team then Plouffe at this stage. I would be interested to see how A-Rod could "mentor" some of the guys. But under no scenario should he be playing every day for the Twins, or even 3-4 times a week, maybe one or two PH spots for them and a start at DH every other week?

[DaveW]

 

A-Rod comes with some baggage? That has to be the understatement of the year. The guy has more character flaws than Donald Trump. Well, maybe not that many.

 

As a mentor for the young Twinkies? Huh? You mean like how to avoid getting caught doing PEDS, then lying about it after the evidence was solid against him? Adding A-Rod to the Twinks would be like driving a stake in Dracula's heart. I can think of no better way to drive away what fans the Twins can still count on.

FWIW the Twins already have other guys on the 25 man roster who have been busted for PEDs

[DaveW]

 

 

Ugh, this makes me want to puke. Just go away A-Rod. Always so depressing to see a once great player just hanging on...

Yeah this year was rough for him, but last year he actually played pretty dang well.

[DaveW]

Also by all accounts Barry Bonds has been a good influence in Miami, and McGwire in St Louis etc.

 

Once A-Rod is officially 100% retired, I would take him 7 days a week as our hitting coach over the "home run or strike out" tendencies that Bruno is teaching.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Even if it made some sense from the Twins perspective (not sure that it does, of course), how in the world would this make sense from A-Rod's perspective?  He almost certainly will have multiple offers to join better teams in a limited role in September, if he wants.

 

The only way the Twins could get him would be to add him now before roster expansion (which most agree would be a bad idea, it would necessitate dropping someone from the 25-man roster), and/or to promise him more playing time, which most agree would also be a bad idea.  Thus invalidating the reasons why he might have been interesting to the Twins in the first place...

[leopoty]

No! We cant even find enough at bats for our already packed DH spot!

Edited August 12, 2016 by leopoty