Every player is getting older.
In fact, every person is getting older.
If fact, every thing in the Universe is getting older.
The only exception is Mariano Rivera, and that's just because He is the Unknowable Immortal Essence that created the Universe in the first place:
"Now that he's eased everyone's angst over his 600th homer - only to renew it by getting struck in the shin by a batting practice line drive Saturday - Alex Rodriguez can reset his sights on a far less daunting number: 25. That would be 25 homers this season, which would be his lowest total since 1997, but considering his present pace, may not be so easy to attain."
If he's healthy, he'll get 25 HRs. It's only 8 more. Also, 130 RBIs or so.
To be fair, I'm not that impressed with .275/30/130 RBIs/90 runs.
The RBIs are mostly a result of his positioning in baseball's best lineup.
"One thing is certain about A-Rod as he resumes his climb toward Barry Bonds' bogus Mount Olympus mark of 762 homers or even Hank Aaron's legit 755: He's slowing down. The combination of age (35) and injury, minus any performance-enhancing drugs, would appear to be working against him - and, if so, that is ominous news for the Yankees, who will be paying him an average of $27.5 million per season through 2017 hoping to cash in themselves on his becoming baseball's all-time home run king."
Next article he writes will be imploring the Yankees to pay Jeter whatever Jeter wants.
Look, Madden is smart enough to know that the players are not even paid for the production on the baseball field. Indirectly, sure. But ARod is mostly paid to draw people to the ballpark and eyes to the television set and, on a rare occasion for unfortunate souls who are stuck driving their cars, ears to the Sterling/Waldman radio broadcast.
Come to the park to cheer him, come to the park to boo him, just as long as you come to the park.
"It should be remembered that the 10-year, $275 million extension the Yankees gave A-Rod back in 2008 was Hank Steinbrenner's deal, not Brian Cashman's, but it is Cashman who must live with it and manipulate his roster around what figures to be a gradually fading superstar whose primary value to the team three to four years from now will be his asterisked pursuit of the home run record."
Are you really saying that you think a 39-year-old Alex Rodriguez is going to have no value as an everyday baseball player?
You're really sure of that?
Like, the Yankees are going to bench ARod during road games and then trot him out there as a DH (batting ninth) on home games, just so the home fans can trudge to a near-empty ballpark to watch a .212-hitting bum swing for the fences?
"But getting back to A-Rod's pursuit of the all-time record: It would certainly seem as if it's going to require a bit of a push for him to hit 25 homers this year alone - no telling how much time he'll miss because of Saturday's mishap - and his hip problems along with advancing age and the likelihood of him playing in fewer games in future seasons make 762 or 755 look like long-odds propositions."
ARod only needs 8 HRs to get to 25 this year. In the smallest ballpark in the whole, wide world. He'll probably get to 30 (no great shakes).
Yes, Alex Rodriguez is undoubtedly having his worst offensive year, but isn't it a little early to be digging this guy's grave?
When was the last time Evan Longoria hit a HR? (Three HRs in July.)
When is the last time Jeter hit a HR? (One HR since June 13.)
When's the last time Jason Bay hit a HR? (June 29.)
Basically, if you're not a Toronto Blue Jay, your HR production is down.
The pursuit of Ruth, Aaron, Bonds is stupid. ARod isn't really talking about it. Maybe the sportswriters should stop talking about it.
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