2008 Woodie Awards
A-Rod trade: may not be the best move for the Yankees
Brian Mangan
Issue date: 2/19/04 Section: Opinion
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Take heart, Yankee haters - the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez isn't the end of the world. When I first got word that the richest team in baseball was acquiring the games' best all-around player, American League Most Valuable Player, and Golden Glove shortstop, my knee-jerk reaction was to be upset. But is it as bad as it seems on the surface? A closer look at the players involved paints a better picture.
Yankees Get:
Alex Rodriguez, SS
Texas Rangers Get:
Alfonso Soriano, 2B
Player To Be Named Later
Soriano batted .290 on the season with 38 homeruns and a slugging percentage of .525. Rodriguez batted .298 with 47 homeruns with a .600 slugging percentage. Soriano had 18 more stolen bases, but 20 points less in the OPS+ category (148 for A-Rod compared to 128 for Soriano).
We won't even include a player value versus salary debate, because with regard to the Yankees, that's mostly irrelevant. Examining the players alone, there's no doubt that Alex Rodriguez is the better player - but how much better?
Not as much as you would think. Soriano's performance in the playoffs last season (including a miserable .133 batting average and 11 strikeouts in the ALCS) is the freshest in our minds right now. How many times did baseball fans get to watch him strike out on a slider low and away last October? That poor showing dilutes just how great he was in the regular season, and alters how we think of his last two monster seasons.
Let's not forget that Soriano was A-Rod's double play partner in the last All-Star game - a peak performer at his own position. And don't forget that Alfonso finished third in the MVP voting two years ago, and only one stolen base short of being the first second baseman in history to be 40-40. He's been the catalyst of the Yankee lineup since becoming an everyday player in 2001.
For those of you who don't know, OPS+ is (players on-base + slugging percentage) divided by (league average on-base + slugging percentage) and delivered in a ratio. A-Rod had an OPS 148% better than league average last season, while Soriano's was 128% better. As stated earlier, Rodriguez is a superior player, but his big-name recognition has caused most of the members of the media to overreact and forget that the Yankees gave up a very good player to get him in.
Is he the answer? Despite his awesome credentials, his marketability, his huge contract, and the satisfaction that the Yankees will get plucking him from the Red Sox - I think the answer is no. The Yankees big offseason hole - after they went out and purchased an all-star team - was their gap at third base.
Now that A-Rod is there, we're good, right? Well, not exactly - since they had to trade their SECOND baseman to get a great THIRD baseman. Granted, Rodriguez will be a boost for the offense, but they won't be that much better than before.
Yankees Get:
Alex Rodriguez, SS
Texas Rangers Get:
Alfonso Soriano, 2B
Player To Be Named Later
Soriano batted .290 on the season with 38 homeruns and a slugging percentage of .525. Rodriguez batted .298 with 47 homeruns with a .600 slugging percentage. Soriano had 18 more stolen bases, but 20 points less in the OPS+ category (148 for A-Rod compared to 128 for Soriano).
We won't even include a player value versus salary debate, because with regard to the Yankees, that's mostly irrelevant. Examining the players alone, there's no doubt that Alex Rodriguez is the better player - but how much better?
Not as much as you would think. Soriano's performance in the playoffs last season (including a miserable .133 batting average and 11 strikeouts in the ALCS) is the freshest in our minds right now. How many times did baseball fans get to watch him strike out on a slider low and away last October? That poor showing dilutes just how great he was in the regular season, and alters how we think of his last two monster seasons.
Let's not forget that Soriano was A-Rod's double play partner in the last All-Star game - a peak performer at his own position. And don't forget that Alfonso finished third in the MVP voting two years ago, and only one stolen base short of being the first second baseman in history to be 40-40. He's been the catalyst of the Yankee lineup since becoming an everyday player in 2001.
For those of you who don't know, OPS+ is (players on-base + slugging percentage) divided by (league average on-base + slugging percentage) and delivered in a ratio. A-Rod had an OPS 148% better than league average last season, while Soriano's was 128% better. As stated earlier, Rodriguez is a superior player, but his big-name recognition has caused most of the members of the media to overreact and forget that the Yankees gave up a very good player to get him in.
Is he the answer? Despite his awesome credentials, his marketability, his huge contract, and the satisfaction that the Yankees will get plucking him from the Red Sox - I think the answer is no. The Yankees big offseason hole - after they went out and purchased an all-star team - was their gap at third base.
Now that A-Rod is there, we're good, right? Well, not exactly - since they had to trade their SECOND baseman to get a great THIRD baseman. Granted, Rodriguez will be a boost for the offense, but they won't be that much better than before.