Alex Rodriguez was the Yankees’ best player in 2015, and a major reason that they made a somewhat surprising appearance in the playoffs, but it still seems like the relationship between A-Rod and management hasn’t fully thawed.
Brian Cashman spoke about A-Rod to reporters, and he tempered optimism about 2016 for the slugger, despite his 33 home runs leading the team.
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“Alex, at this stage of his career, you just don’t know. I didn’t know what to expect from Alex this year and he was spectacular, one of the best, most productive DHs in the game and hopefully that can give us some comfort that we’ll see that again this year,” Cashman said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to acknowledge that you don’t know what you’re going to see or what you’re going to get.”
Cashman’s concern is valid. A-Rod will turn 41 during the 2016 season, and he faded badly in the second half of the year. Rodriguez lost 52 points on his batting average in the second half of the year, and struck out 72 times in 69 games after whiffing 73 times in 82 games in the first half. The track record isn’t great for sluggers going past their age 40 season, but Cashman could have sounded just a bit more upbeat about one of his best players from a season ago.
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Maybe Cashman still resents the stranglehold A-Rod has on the Yankees roster flexibility. The Yankees will pay four players who are beyond age 30 at least $20 million this season, and owe Rodriguez and CC Sabathia $92 million combined through 2017. That has to grind Cashman’s gears just a bit, and likely plays a part in him being a Debbie Downer.
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