The New "Hammerin' Hank"

With all due respect to baseball great Henry Aaron, there’s a new “Hammerin’ Hank” in baseball, and his last name is Steinbrenner. With a statement that pleased this long time Yankee diehard, Hank Steinbrenner essentially told Alex Rodriguez, Scott Boras, and the baseball world, that no one player is bigger than the New York Yankees.

Reacting to the news that Alex Rodriguez was opting out of his contract with baseball’s most storied franchise, George Steinbrenner’s oldest son made points in Yankee Universe when he said the following:

"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee. He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field. I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."

Bravo, Hank. Bravo.


Steinbrenner’s words were music to my ears because as a fan, I’ve always felt this way. Playing for the greatest franchise in sports IS a privilege. When a player can call Yankee Stadium his home, play in front of 52,000 fans in that “home”, and has a chance to be linked to legends like Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio, he not only should consider it a privilege, he should consider it a very special gift.


On Sunday night, Alex Rodriguez decided to give up that privilege and return the "gift". As a Yankee fan for 40 years, his decision did not upset me, because like Hank Steinbrenner, if a player willingly gives up his pinstripes, it’s his loss, not mine.

My reasoning for not getting angry at A-Rod is simple. You see, unlike Alex, I do consider it a privilege and gift to be a fan of this team. I feel that way every time I enter Yankee Stadium, and will always feel that way whether Alex Rodriguez is there or not. In other words, I’m not concerned about any Yankee “opting out”. In my book, no one Yankee is more important than the franchise that has made us proud for so many years. I was so reassuring that Hank Steinbrenner feels the same way.

I think my words have some weight here because I was never an A-Rod basher. Many times during his tenure as a Yankee, I “went to bat” for Rodriguez and scolded many Yankee fans for giving him such a hard time. Unlike many fans, I won’t deride Rodriguez with name calling and be foolish enough to say, “He’s not that good.” Truthfully, he’s one of the best baseball players I’ve ever seen since I began following this game in 1967.


That said, the Yankees continued to thrive after the losses of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle, so I won’t be fretting over A-Rod’s departure. He doesn’t want to be here, so it’s time for him to move out quickly, so the Yankees can replace him with someone who wants the privilege, and accept the gift of being a New York Yankee.

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