I Am Perfectly OK With Pitchers Throwing At Alex Rodriguez- Bruce’s Thought Of The Day
This isn't the 1st time and i promise it won't be the last where I will take the tough position, perhaps the unpopular position, but in my view the right position. Having said all that I hope pitchers keep throwing at Alex Rodriguez, again and again and again. He deserves it and he has earned it.
I have 3 simple reasons why I feel this way.
1st before anyone gets all ahead of themselves I am not ok with throwing at someone's head, unless it is the likes of Roger Clemens, who liked to throw at players heads and frankly deserved to be beaned. When folks call that mean or what ever, I say did Clemens care if he hurt someone bad while head hunting? No! See Mike Piazza among others.
But back to the point. Never throw at a guys head, not even the despicable Rodriguez.
Reason number 1- He has stolen money from pitchers. Using roids gave Rodriguez an unfair advantage over a pitcher. In my calculations, the cheater has only 189 clean home runs. Those came with Seattle. After leaving the Mariners after the 2000 season and started cheating, every home run should be wiped out. But think about this, how many of these juiced home runs tagged a pitcher with a loss or a blown save or a higher ERA. You get paid on those stats. How much did the pitcher lose in compensation due to being beaten by a drugged up cheater that is Alex Rodriguez?
Take money out of their pocket and you take it out of their children's pockets. Yes it is personal. How much did a pitcher lose in compensation due to a dirty player? Untold amounts. I don't blame a pitcher for wanting their evens now. How many pennant races were effected? How many possible outcomes in games and series would have changed? I can make the case that Rodriguez's cheating changed the 2009 season, playoffs, and World Series.
Reason 2- " Aroid" is a rat. No doubt I believe he did rat out Ryan Braun and his own teammate Francisco Cervelli. It gets no lower then that. As a fan I don't care if they all rat each other. However if I were a union guy ( I am not) or belonged to a union ( I do not) you know that unions brothers don't like rats. Rodriguez is a low life. He has cheated on his wife, his kids, the game, his team, his teammates. Being a rat is well within his makeup. That alone would get him knocked on his butt and drilled constantly. I hope his compatriots in the union think as I do. He has earned his drilling but good.
Reason number 3- Rodriguez's antics and cheating, his habitual cheating, and lying, and ratting have cast all players into a negative light. I realize he isn't the only one, he is just the worst of all of them. Progress being made to clean up the game is mainly due to the players not wanting to be lumped in with the likes of Rodriguez so now some of them are getting their revenge. Clean players are pissed and rightfully so. The court of public opinion, when you listen to them as I do during my radio program ( Game On With Bruce Jacobs) lumps all players that are having great years into this dark cloud. See Chris Davis or Jose Bautista to name 2 if you don't think so. Many think these players are doping, and yet there is no proof. Yes I would be hopping mad if i were a player and if I were a pitcher i would get him but good.
Interesting that from some corners I am facing more scorn then the cheating low life Rodriguez himself. That's ok. I understand people can't think through my position. Some don't care about steroids, pathetic as that is. Some think throwing at him could hurt him. Really? Where was that concern when a drugged up Rodriguez was hitting balls harder, possibly putting a pitcher in more harm's way? I will answer that. There was none and has been none and will be none cause many can't think through their initial reaction of " I can't believe you would advocate for hitting a batter" or something to that effect. Course it usually comes with more colorful language :)
So yes I am perfectly ok with pitchers now wanting to get their piece of the roid cheat. Now what the gutless Ryan Denpster did was weak sauce. Throwing behind him? Really? Lame! Just hit him and be done with it. For those whining about my position just remember this. I don't advocate throwing at his head and if Rodriguez hadn't been the cheater that he is then none of this would be happening to him. Alex's actions have caused this reaction and I say he deserves to be knocked down, hit, and thrown at. I hope it continues. I do feel bad for Yankee manager Joe Girardi who has to protect his player and will be lighter in the wallet for it. But feel bad for Alex- No chance. I say hit him and then hit him again. Rodriguez has earned this disdain and treatment!