Two Words: Steve Howe.

Of course Steinbrenner would fight to dump ARod's contract. Not to save the Yankees' image, but to save money.

Save me the mush, it's utterly ridiculous:

"At the same time, people always wondered why Steinbrenner could be so hostile to Winfield and engage in verbal warfare with so many other of his core Yankee players, yet go out of his way to give chance after chance to noted drug abusers Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. The difference, Costello reasoned, was that Gooden and Strawberry never did anything to Steinbrenner, only to themselves."

Pettitte is probably going to get a plaque in Monument Park, OK? This idea of Embarrassing and Besmirching.

If you're serious about your anti-steroid stance, then just invalidate all the Torre-era rings.

Maybe a bold move like that would Save the Children.


"I would think by now, especially after all these new revelations and confirmations of everything that MLB prosecuted A-Rod for, Steinbrenner would be revolted at the thought of him ever wearing a Yankee uniform again. Whether he would go so far as to write him a check for $60 million and say goodbye and good riddance, no one can say. But we do know this: A-Rod himself has told his lawyers he can’t play without steroids — and proved that by beating the system right up until baseball launched its investigation of him. Does he really want to go to spring training and embarrass himself while being subjected to the daily media hordes and 'cheater' chants from fans everywhere?

This is why there has to be a meeting of the minds, between A-Rod, the Yankees and MLB, to negotiate as graceful an exit from the game as possible for him before he has to report for spring training. As bad as it’s been for A-Rod this past year and half, he was fortunate to never know what a Doberman Pinscher The Boss could be."

Madden has been pushing the ARod Apocalypse for a while now. Not sure what he'll write about in ARod's absence, but maybe he can drum up some fan interest in Brandon McCarthy, or something. A light conversation where you meet his family by the pool and talk about the pressures of playing in New York.

1) I think the remaining contract is small enough now that a buyout is a possibility. This is more of a cost-benefit analysis than a principled stand against steroid cheats. Just everyone needs to understand, you don't get to spend that money on other players.

2) The fans who are yelling "cheater"? If they are at Yankee Stadium, in the stands, it will be a miracle and a blessing for the Steinbrenners.

3) The latest unscientific poll I saw basically said 1/3rd of the fans are going to cheer for ARod. So is it really that much different than 2004?

ARod's willingness to endure embarrassment is very high. I think he will love going to Spring Training and playing baseball. I also think he's shot. The Yankees will pay him a lot of money to hit .240 and drive in 65 runs. A worst-case scenario.

All he needs is an online fake interview show and he's be the second coming of Mark Teixeira.