Setting aside the fact that Alex Rodriguez allegedly has paintings of him depicted as a centaur hanging in his house, more than anything, it’s his arrogance, the perceived belief that he is far superior to every other baseball player, that is the prevalent source of why a lot of people can’t stand the guy. Well, chalk up another mark in the “Reasons Not To Like A-Rod” column. Get a look at what he said regarding the ongoing feud between himself and Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden.
For those of you catching up, the whole feud began when Braden took offense to Rodriguez crossing over his mound on his way back to first base after a foul ball during a game between the A’s and Yankees on April 22nd. Braden accused A-Rod of violating the unwritten rules of baseball and even threatened to settle the score with fists, and then later referred to Rodriguez as a “fool” and an “individualistic player.”
At first, A-Rod took the high road and tried to blow off Braden and the entire controversy. That changed Friday night before the Yankees took the field against the Red Sox.
Braden upped the ante with some comments he made during an interview with Mychael Urban of CSN Bay Area on Wednesday:
“There are things that are going to have to happen.Out of respect to my teammates, out of respect to the game. I think he’s probably garnered a new respect for the unwritten rules and the people who hold them close to their game. But I think you’re right, we don’t do much talking in the 209.”
Grr. Finally, Rodriguez couldn’t let sleeping dogs lie any longer. Responding to Braden’s latest attempt at getting a rise out of him, A-Rod took the bait, saying (via the New York Daily News):
“I really don’t want to extend his 15 minutes of fame,” said A-Rod, who chuckled and smiled often during a three-minute group interview before Friday night’s series opener against the Red Sox. “It’s tempting to sit here and go back and forth in the media for the next three months, but I’m not going to do that. It’s really just an unfortunate incident and we are past it.”
I’ll give A-Rod credit, that’s a pretty sweet burn, but it does confirm what many people have always suspected about the guy: that he is a narcissistic jerk who holds fellow major league players who haven’t experienced anywhere near the measure of success he has beneath his contempt.
Braden finally at least stated he has let the whole mess pass, saying on Friday, “As far as I’m concerned, and I’m sure he feels the same way, it’s a dead issue for me. We’ve moved on. It’s baseball time.” But should Braden have let the matter rest much sooner than he did? Absolutely. Braden took this way too far and responded to A-Rod’s “slight” with far too much sensitivity. Man up, dude.
But does that give A-Rod the right to put him down and insinuate that as a Major League baseball player, Braden needs A-Rod’s benevolent attention to experience some level of notoriety? Absolutely not. At the same time, we’re talking about a guy who practically made out with his own reflection in a mirror during a photo shoot for Details magazine, so I suppose this sort of self-centered, individualistic admiration society kind of behavior should be hardly surprising.
***
A-Rod doesn’t want to extend Dallas Braden’s “15 minutes of fame” [Hardball Talk]
A-Rod selfish, A’s Braden reasserts [ESPN New York]
Dallas Braden on Alex Rodriguez [CSN Bay Area]
New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez won’t give time to A’s pitcher Dallas Braden’s comments [New York Daily News]
Braden wants to move past A-Rod issue [MLB.com]
Yankee Alex Rodriguez [Details]
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- muddbutt - May 10, 2010 at 11:39 AM
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No offense meant Larry, but who the hell cares how much you practice your Spanish, or that you have an interest in it at all?
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- Michael - May 10, 2010 at 12:15 PM
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Braden just pitched a perfect game, against no less than the Rays, so all you Braden detractors can shut your pie-holes for a while.
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- lynne bell - May 10, 2010 at 12:17 PM
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absolutely , the only people who hate A-Rod ARE THOSE WHO ARE jealous of him. he’s one of the hardest working players in mlb. as far as braden goes that was a great game he threw . but i never heard of this rule he was ranting about . everybody should just drop it!!
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- Jaided - May 10, 2010 at 1:17 PM
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U never knew as an opposing baseball player not to step on the pitchers mount, u never played baseball. baseball is a game of respect. u never disrespect opposing players by walking through the pitchers mount. Arod is a first class a-hole everyone knows. He works hard, but he is a tainted player. (steroids) The unwritten rules in baseball are all for resspect of the game. all these non baseball players or baseball knowledge ppl piss me off with dumbass comments. Go play the game is all abouyt respect.
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- k - May 10, 2010 at 2:57 PM
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Are you calling Mark Buerhle a douche? and that was last year also against the Rays? and everybody remembers his name. He’s been consistently one of the best pitchers in baseball the last 7 years giving over 200IP per season. Get a clue, moron.
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- historydoc - May 10, 2010 at 3:40 PM
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It is absolutely hilarious to read all the indignant Yankees fans defending their boy, A-Rod, when a few years ago they were hating on him more than anyone. And for just this kind of thing–his classless, self-centered, narcissistic behavior–along with his propensity for choking in the postseason, of course. Now, he has one good postseason and he’s the darling of NYC. Braden blew the incident out of proportion, yes, but A-Rod was immediately disrespectful and dismissive and that was before he even opened his mouth. Watch the replay of it. Will I be ticked if A-Rod gets into the HOF? Yes. Because of some sort of stupid jealousy or something? Absolutely not. He’s a cheater. He cheats in every aspect of the game, he cheated in his marriage. Anyone who thinks his PED use was confined to that one period at the beginning of his career is just naive.
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- Faith - May 11, 2010 at 1:17 PM
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It blows my mind that white athlete can be arrogant but soon as an athlete of another race be bold about what they do you white reporters try and put you own insecurity on them. White people have been shown arrogance as long as I have been on this earth. It’s time that you realize that other people have just has much write as you to be arrogant. Just look at the kettle calling the pot black, it took arrogance for you to write this article talking about A-Rod. He could give a flip about you or what you think. Go A-Rod keep making these white people sick.
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- URS - May 11, 2010 at 2:24 PM
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they are both a bunch of D-bags.
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- phil weirick - May 11, 2010 at 8:51 PM
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faith– its not write its spelled right.
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- Bubba Joe - May 14, 2010 at 6:27 AM
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Aroid’s a juicer. Nuff said.
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- robert - May 23, 2010 at 3:43 PM
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A rod is not a Derek Jeter, or a Jordan or a Woods. He’s a guy who is making umpteen dollars and not concerned about winning as Derek is. He’s more into getting his day off a week and Madonna then baseball. I bet he’s won’t hit 30 homeruns this year. That guy we got on 1st base will out hit him in any category.
