Bob Ryan on A-Rod and "the guy I refuse to name" | Syracusefan.com

Bob Ryan on A-Rod and "the guy I refuse to name"

SWC75

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On ESPN sports reporters Bob Ryan was talking about Alex Rodriguez and decried the fact that he was moved to 3rd base so the player "I refuse to name" could play shortstop, even though A-Rod was much the superior fielder at that position. He feels it prevents A-Rod from being recognized as the game's greatest shortstop, (Over Wagner, Ripken and the guy he won't name).

1) I know Ryan is from Boston what is his problem with Derek Jeter?

2) Jeter has 5 Gold Gloves, (2004-06, 2009-10) to Rodriguez's two, (2002-2003, significantly, when were still playing shortstop- Jeter finished behind him). I've been watching the National League through Mets games for decades. Can some of our American League fans compare Jeter and Rodriguez as defensive shortstops?
 
Arod signed with the Yankees knowing he was going to shift to 3rd base. I hate this stupid argument and that the tool from ESPN has to revisit it.
 
Arod signed with the Yankees knowing he was going to shift to 3rd base. I hate this stupid argument and that the tool from ESPN has to revisit it.
I do agree that if Jeter only cared about winning, he should have deferred to the superior fielder and moved over. It doesn't fit the popular narrative for both guys though.
 
I do agree that if Jeter only cared about winning, he should have deferred to the superior fielder and moved over. It doesn't fit the popular narrative for both guys though.
even if Jeter had moved to 3rd that wouldn't have guaranteed that the team would have won more games. One could say that it could have actually caused more harm than good, Jeter could have left the team to play short somewhere else. But it's all speculation and that's why I have always hated this argument.
 
even if Jeter had moved to 3rd that wouldn't have guaranteed that the team would have won more games. One could say that it could have actually caused more harm than good, Jeter could have left the team to play short somewhere else. But it's all speculation and that's why I have always hated this argument.
of course you never know, but it does make sense to have your best shortstop playing shortstop, doesn't it?
 
It also helped ingratiate the NY fans to Arod (if only for a moment) by him moving to third. Had he insisted on SS, most Yankee fans would've hated him much sooner. Was Nomar moving to third had the Red Sox deal gone through? He wasn't traded until the following year.
 
I don't blame Jeter for not volunteering to move. I don't think most players would, but because Jeter is often presented as being more virtuous than others, I think it's fair to point out that he didn't take that opportunity to be selfless.

The "Jeter is perfect, A-Rod is a terrible person" narrative has been overdone for so long, it's nice to get some balance.
 
It also helped ingratiate the NY fans to Arod (if only for a moment) by him moving to third. Had he insisted on SS, most Yankee fans would've hated him much sooner. Was Nomar moving to third had the Red Sox deal gone through? He wasn't traded until the following year.
that's right, forgot about the Nomar situation. And if the red sox had gotten Arod one has to wonder what the WS outcome would have been in 2004.

I never hated Arod but those Red Sox homers that work in Bristol, CT helped make him a polarizing figure. Just look at Bob Ryan bringing this up today. Funny how they don't talk about PEDs and David Ortiz as much.
 
even if Jeter had moved to 3rd that wouldn't have guaranteed that the team would have won more games. One could say that it could have actually caused more harm than good, Jeter could have left the team to play short somewhere else. But it's all speculation and that's why I have always hated this argument.
Jeter would never leave the Yankees.
 
Arod will be remembered by me for that Bush League swatting of Bronson arroyo's glove in game 6 2004. Then when the umps got it right he stood there with his arms out like he did nothing and then tried to claim it was a natural running motion.

He got caught cheating twice so good bye Alex.
 
Arod will be remembered by me for that Bush League swatting of Bronson arroyo's glove in game 6 2004. Then when the umps got it right he stood there with his arms out like he did nothing and then tried to claim it was a natural running motion.
If he was Varitek or some other member of the Sox, he would have been praised for his gritty play and "cowboying up."
 
Also to cite Jeter's gold gloves is laughable. His range was awful and because it was he didn't have the chances to make errors. Gold gloves distribution has been awful recently.
The voters factor in offense to the voting which is irrelevant. Jackie Bradley was the best CF 2 years ago but couldn't hit so he didn't get a gold glove. Jeter's 5 gold gloves are laughable. He still was the 2nd scariest hitter in the clutch though.
 
If he was Varitek or some other member of the Sox, he would have been praised for his gritty play and "cowboying up."
That was a bush league incident no? There was nothing to praise he swatted the glove and tried to attack like it was a natural motion. That play was A-Rod.
 
Eh, ARod projected to be pretty good as a 3rd baseman, and Jeter wasn't switching teams and didn't have any obvious position to switch to.

Plus, ARod may have been the better shortstop, but he hadn't won.
 
Arod wanted out of Texas so bad he agreed to switch positions. Jeter had all the leverage and used it.
 
Another way to look at it (and I don't know the answer). Which would be better:
(1) Short: Arod, 3rd: Jeter
(2) Short: Jeter, 3rd: ARod
 
A-rod outgrew ss, he would have had to move anyway. Its a shame but he will be remembered for cheating and lying, and he would have been a hof without the steroids, its a shame.
 
A-rod outgrew ss, he would have had to move anyway. Its a shame but he will be remembered for cheating and lying, and he would have been a hof without the steroids, its a shame.
He did have tremendous natural ability, but there's a chance he was juicing almost from the start of his career. If so, who knows what his numbers would have looked had he played clean.
 
The American League must have had some terrible defensive shortstops between 2004-2010. Jeter was a below average defender working off the rep of one really smart play and one really gritty play in the playoffs.

I consider the fact the A-Rod took the Gold Glove away from Omar Vizquel while hw was in Cleveland as more relevant..
 
The American League must have had some terrible defensive shortstops between 2004-2010. Jeter was a below average defender working off the rep of one really smart play and one really gritty play in the playoffs.

I consider the fact the A-Rod took the Gold Glove away from Omar Vizquel while hw was in Cleveland as more relevant..
Agreed Jeter's defense was below average. He did the jump throw in the hole as his signature play but his range and zone range were both below league average. The fact he won 5 gold gloves and people use that to support to theory he was great defensively is laughable.
Jeter only had 1 season in his 5 gold gloves where he got over 400 assists and his putouts on average were below league average.

A-Rod was by far the better defender. Jeter was an average SS whose offensive numbers propped him up to gold gloves.
 
Jeter could have played 2nd base
Good point. I guess my question is: If you're going to have both guys in your infield and ARod is the better shortstop, is it necessarily better to put him there vs. asking him to move? Maybe he would have been the better 2nd or 3rd baseman too. Maybe the resulting defensive quality would have been the same or worse if ARod played short. Or not. I don't know but what do others think?
 

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