A-Rod decision.

[2centsworth]

With the new world championship of baseball tournament A-Rod has a choice of playing for the American team or the Dominican team. According to ESPN he's leaning toward the Dominican team.

If he plays for the Dominican team I will cease being a Yankees fan.

[Horry For 3!]

I wouldn't want to be a Yankees fan anyways :lol

[maxpower]

I wonder if he has ever even been to the dominican republic? Born in Miami, lived in seattle, dallas and nyc. What a fraud.

[2centsworth]

I wonder if he has ever even been to the dominican republic? Born in Miami, lived in seattle, dallas and nyc. What a fraud.
that's why I say. If he doesn't play for the US the Yankees should ship his butt out. What do they give up, .175 BA in postseason?

[chode_regulator]

With the new world championship of baseball tournament A-Rod has a choice of playing for the American team or the Dominican team. According to ESPN he's leaning toward the Dominican team.

If he plays for the Dominican team I will cease being a Yankees fan.
even if hes never been there/lived there why should he not be able to represent his heritage. regardless of whether hes been there or not im sure hes still more of an idol/role model to kids there than here.
and what does him playing for another team have to do with you liking the yankees?? :huh

[timvp]

With the new world championship of baseball tournament A-Rod has a choice of playing for the American team or the Dominican team. According to ESPN he's leaning toward the Dominican team.

If he plays for the Dominican team I will cease being a Yankees fan.

:wtf

What is wrong with that? Both of his parents are from the Baseball Capital of the World so he's going to represent that country. Sounds right to me. I'm only half Dominican and I haven't been there in over a decade but if I were a baseball player, I'd play for the Dominican Replublic, too.

And as a Yankees fan, you will finally get a taste of your own medicine. ARod going to play for the Dominican Republic would give them even more of an unfair advantage. Sounds like the Yankees.

:smokin


http://www.caribbeanflags.com/images/products/DO/DOJUMFL2.JPG


P.S.

It won't be close, anyways. The Dominican Republic could take on the world and win most of the time.

[2centsworth]

My Father is Cuban and my Mother is Puerto Rican. However, I was born and rasied in the US just like A-Rod. I'm proud to be from the US and it has provided me and my family with a world of opportunities that are not available elsewhere. Now I'm super proud of my Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage but I'm an American First. I hope A-Rod is brave enough to say the same thing.

BTW, the Domican will look exactly like the Yankees. Home Run hitters in every position but no pitching.:spin


Let me add that I hate that the Yankees try to buy championships. It wasn't like that when they actually won the world series.

[Extra Stout]

Of course A-Rod is going to play for the Dominicans. He's a front-runner.

[MosesGuthrie]

Doesn't matter now...looks like A-Rod is backing out totally.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2260948

timvp, if I may ask, what would make you decide to play for the D.R.?

[Peter]

I don't seem to recall the same level of public consternation when Shawn Bradley joined the German national team. Granted, it was Shawn Bradley, but I'm seeing a double standard here.

[maxpower]

First and last of all... it was shawn bradley...he is a spare of inconceivable proportions. I never heard a thing about it so if that is any indication of how much of blip that was on the sports wire...however had it made my news radar I would feel the same way.

Now ...apparently someone with a shred of common sense spoke with AR since you know he is incapable of seeing outside of his myopic world.

[Peter]

Why is it that when someone wants to celebrate their German, Scottish, Icelandic, Norwegian or Hellenic heritage it isn't a problem, but otherwise they are selling out their country?

[timvp]

Why is it that when someone wants to celebrate their German, Scottish, Icelandic, Norwegian or Hellenic heritage it isn't a problem, but otherwise they are selling out their country?

Exactly. Mike Piazza is playing for the Italian team and nobody seems to care. ARod wants to represent where both of his parents come from and people act as though he's joining the Taliban. Some people are so damn stupid.

Piazza is like eight generation Italian ... he just gets a free pass from the Italian government because his last name almost spells pizza.

[timvp]

Doesn't matter now...looks like A-Rod is backing out totally.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2260948

timvp, if I may ask, what would make you decide to play for the D.R.?

Pride. Go to the Dominican Republic and see that people eat, sleep and drink baseball. It's all they do there. Their passion for the game is overwhelming. Where there is a stick, a rock and an open field there is a baseball game going on. That's how a country of 8 million has had over 400 professional baseball players -- or one for every 20,000 people.

I have no clue what the big hoopla is about. It shouldn't even be an issue. ARod should be able to play for the Dominican Republic if he wants without the media and the country giving him a hard time. Don't like it then start producing better baseball players. Don't be scared because we have the best hitter in the game (Albert Pujols), this generation's Ted Williams (Manny Ramirez), the most talented player in the American League (Vladimir Guerrero), the best pitcher of the past decade (Pedro Martinez), the best hitting shortstop (Miguel Tejada), the clutchest hitter in the game (David Ortiz) and the best third baseman in Alex Rodriguez.

If the baseball chips were down and I had to pick a side to represent, my no espanol speaking azz would be siding with the red, white and blue of the Dominican Republic.


http://www.caribbeanflags.com/images/products/DO/DOJUMFL2.JPG

[MosesGuthrie]

Good answer.

Hope you know I wasn't trying to be critical...just curious.

America used to have that pride in baseball. Baseball did a lot to tarnish that, IMO.
Who really cares where A-Rod plays? I don't and I like to think I am as loyal to the US as anyone. At least he parents were from that country, Piazza's family came over a long, long, long time ago. His is a mere technicality because he knew he wouldn't make the US squad.

[Brutalis]

i dont think it's a big deal what he does. really dont think baseball requires as much talent or is it as good as it used to be so whatever ARod can go play for the russian team for all i care.

[TheTruth]

Don't be scared because we have the best hitter in the game (Albert Pujols), this generation's Ted Williams (Manny Ramirez), the most talented player in the American League (Vladimir Guerrero), the best pitcher of the past decade (Pedro Martinez), the best hitting shortstop (Miguel Tejada), the clutchest hitter in the game (David Ortiz) and the best third baseman in Alex Rodriguez.
too bad Pedro can't pitch every game.

the american pitching staff should be able to carry them.

its an old, but very very true statement
good pitching beats good hitting

[2centsworth]

I just don't like decison based on RACE. It's a slippery slope. Piazza is wrong for doing what he's doing and so is anyone else thinking of it.

The decision should boil down to baseball. A-Rod was born, rasied, and came up through the United States Baseball System. His only connection to the domican is race.

If we can use race in this case then I don't see how we can't use race in other cases.

BTW, the person comparing A-Rod to the Taliban should be shot.

[FromWayDowntown]

This one is for Shoog.

BUMP

Oh yeah -- A Rod is overrated. Not similar to the Taliban, but definitely overrated.

[CharlieMac]

I don't see the big deal. He decided not to do it either way.

[2centsworth]

I don't see the big deal. He decided not to do it either way.
Making decisions based on race is a big deal.

[atlfan25]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/sports/baseball/04chass.html


Four Yankees are set to play - Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon for the United States (although Damon was put on the roster before joining the Yankees), Bernie Williams for Puerto Rico and Robinson Cano for the Dominican Republic. And Rodriguez, who said he couldn't decide whether to play for the United States or the Dominican Republic and didn't want to insult the one he didn't choose, is expected to announce this week that he has changed his mind and will play for the United States team.

[2centsworth]

ESPN is reporting A-Rod will play for the USA. Good decision.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2280183

[ShoogarBear]

This one is for Shoog.

BUMP

Okay, missed it the first time.

But still don't get it why it's for me.

timvp actually makes a good point about A-Rod vs. Piazza. (for a change)


Piazza is like eight generation Italian ... he just gets a free pass from the Italian government because his last name almost spells pizza.


The only thing more bogus than Piazza playing for Italy was when he got married . . .

[vincerodriguez23]

man if A-Rod for sure joins the US, its gonna be us versus the DR for the title

[Silver21_Black20]

This one is for Shoog.

BUMP

Oh yeah -- A Rod is overrated. Not similar to the Taliban, but definitely overrated.

I wouldn't say he is overrated, I mean, he is an amazing baseball player. His stats are always great but I don't see him contributing much team wise. He hasn't made any team better because of his play...imo.

[samikeyp]

A-Rod just needs to piss off.

[Melmart1]

A-Rod is an effing loser. As a Rangers fan, I had all the hope in the world that he would become the franchise and lead us to the playoffs. Now, I can't stand him, even the mere mention of him makes me mad. And the Rangers are STILL paying part of his salary. The one time Steinbrenner decides to pucker up and be cheap, its my team that bends over and takes it in the ass. Fuck you, A-Rod!

[GrandeDavid]

Good choice, A-Rod. You are a U.S. Citizen and that country has obviously been very good to you. I tell Brazilians that almost on a daily basis, the day I renounce my U.S. Citizenship, which would be NEVER, and become a naturalized Brazilian, then would I become loyal to Brazil. But like A-Rod, I am an American and carry that same blue passport. So I represent my country till the end, as A-Rod should. :)

[samikeyp]

Well, at least he finally made up his mind.

[vincerodriguez23]

Well, at least he finally made up his mind.

i cant believe it took him this long to make his decision. he lives in the U.S., not the D.R.

[samikeyp]

True. Then again...if Piazza can play for Italy....

Hey...that is what I should do...I have about as much Italian blood in me as he does...I should try out for the team! :smokin

[Melmart1]

Yeah, David Delucci of the Rangers is playing for Italy, and he was born in Louisiana. So I don't really get how they choose who they play for, but whatever. I would never play for Mexico, but that is just me.

[Silver21_Black20]

True. Then again...if Piazza can play for Italy....

Hey...that is what I should do...I have about as much Italian blood in me as he does...I should try out for the team! :smokin

:wtf

Are you serious...that is funny...:lol...Piazza playing for Italy...haha..Oh, Shit!