« Power & Speed In The A.L. | Main | Tigers Fan Thoughts On ALDS »
October 03, 2006
Personality Tests Needed?
From Bob Herzog's review of the Yankees defining moments this season:
The Philly Phlash
It was the deadline deal of the year. The Yankees acquired rightfielder Abreu and righthander Lidle from the Phillies and soon after, no one was worried about when Gary Sheffield would return from his wrist injury.
Abreu turned into an on-base-percentage/RBI machine in pinstripes and was, in Torre's words, "a perfect fit" as the No. 3 hitter in the lineup. In the deciding five-game sweep of Boston in August, Abreu went 10-for-20 with four doubles.
After the sweep, Torre sought out Abreu on the field and whispered in his ear. "I just told him we couldn't be happier to have him here," the manager said. "He's a professional and a great role model for both Melky and Robby."
Abreu said, "It means a lot to me because it means he's happy to have me here and he believes in me."
Abreu gave the Yankees every reason to believe they made a smart move, and given his age, 32, it was one with long-range implications. Abreu batted around .340 in his two months with the Yankees with an on-base percentage well above .400. He drove in runs, scored runs, showed off an excellent throwing arm and played a reliable rightfield, a position to which he has staked a claim for years to come. Said Torre, "He slipped into this lineup and this clubhouse as easy as anybody."
A (Lightning) Rod
It got so bad at times this summer at Yankee Stadium that the booing for Alex Rodriguez would begin the instant he swung and it was obvious the ball had been popped up. Before a fielder even made the catch, venomous jeers filled the air. Even an extra-inning homer that turned an apparent loss to the Braves into a walk-off victory in late June didn't earn A-Rod exemption from the fans' wrath.
Just a couple of nights later, Rodriguez went 0-for-4 and was booed all night. George Steinbrenner told a group of reporters after that game, "Nobody likes to hear that, but he's got to put up with it."
Rodriguez had to put up with plenty all season. In June, he endured a 4-for-32 skid and in August he hit rock bottom with a 2-for-27 streak that included 14 strikeouts. He also led all AL third basemen in errors, which didn't help.
"Playing in that stadium, you can never live up to yourself," Torre said of A-Rod's ordeal. "It [the booing] has become sort of the thing to do. You can't let it get to you. You just have to learn to deal with it because you can't change it."
A-Rod acknowledged that, and the booing finally abated - perhaps because fans became sympathetic and perhaps because the Yankees pulled away to their ninth straight division title. Oh, and Rodriguez did lead the team in RBIs even in what many believe has been the worst season of his career.
A Sports Illustrated article about Rodriguez in September could have proved divisive, but A-Rod thought otherwise, saying shortly after the article was published, "I've never gotten so much support in the clubhouse."
Abreu & A-Rod. Both Latin. Both good-looking. Both make a ton of money - probably more than they should, based on their recent production and the current market.
But, Abreu (according to his manager) "slipped into this lineup and this clubhouse as easy as anybody." And, A-Rod (according to himself) has "never gotten so much support in the clubhouse" until now. This implies that he got little support there to date. Why the difference?
Obviously, the answer here is that they both have a different personality. So, this begs the question - in acquiring future "mega-talents" should the Yankees be looking at personality as well as production?
I'm pretty sure that the Yankees do look at avoiding players with a history of conflicts. But, what about looking at things like the ability to join the team, play well, and avoid being on the radar of the media and the fans?
I realize that's a hard skill to measure. But, if you look at Abreu's experience this year, to date, and how things have gone for A-Rod this season, and you asked each player how their "time" in the pinstripes was this year, and if they would be willing to trade places, I think you would hear that Abreu would want no part of what A-Rod went through and Alex would love to have it the way that Bobby does now.
There's something to be said about not having a hard time in New York.
Sure, there is another factor here - performance. If you hit 50 homers and drive in 140 runs, no matter how you are, the clubhouse, etc., will find a way to deal with you - go ask Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez or Albert Belle about that. But, it's not reasonable to expect that level of play from someone all the time.
When I think of some of the recent players that the Yankees have acquired, like Jose Contreras, Rondell White, Jeff Weaver, Raul Mondesi and Kevin Brown, it tells me that they do not always take personality and/or the ability to perform in New York into account.
Rather than just roll the dice and say "Abreu, you win" and "A-Rod, you lose," doesn't it make more sense to try and look into the player's personality and their ability to successfully handle the stress of Yankeeland?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, after all.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2006 08:25 AM
Comments
You know what I would love? For the Yankee season to go by and bloggers and reporters and even fans talk only about A-Rod's at-bats and play in the field. No more psychoanalysis. No more worries about his personality, conflicts with the team, etc., etc. I've never been so sick of hearing about one player. Everything was going fine with Alex -- he was kind of pushed into the background for a while -- and then the "SI" article hit and it's been nonstop. The fact that he's batting sixth is back-page news today. You think maybe the reporters could have stopped and realized that A-Rod batting sixth is actually about Sheffield? Torre wanted to go righty-lefty-righty; he knows that Sheff, since he's back a whole two weeks and hit a whole two homers, would have thrown a fit if he was put in the six hole. Alex, on the other hand, would just accept it.
There's continued talk about A-Rod maybe getting traded to the Angels. People in California talk about it like it's going to happen -- and they are happy to have him.
I hope this happens. Not because I don't want A-Rod on this team anymore, but simply because the guy will never find peace here.
A-Rod's issue, personality-wise, before he came here was that he was arrogant. Not that he was a headcase. He didn't come here as a Jeff Weaver/crumble-under-the-pressure guy.
If the Angels take on his salary, and send back a pitcher and a prospect, I think Alex should accept that deal.
And on another topic: you should note on the site that the U.S. Attorney said the leaked Grimsley affidavit contained "significant inaccuracies." Well, at least the newspapers got a front-page story. I hope it was worth ruining the reputations of guys who probably didn't do anything wrong. You can't wash the steroid stain from yourself. Good job by the American media and whoever leaked that erroneous affidavit.
Posted by: baileywalk ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 3, 2006 09:36 AM
What gives you reason to think the Yankees or any team doesn't consider a player's personality when acquiring them?
If you hire someone for a job don't you consider how they will fit in?
Posted by: RICH at October 3, 2006 09:38 AM
And, A-Rod (according to himself) has "never gotten so much support in the clubhouse" until now. This implies that he got little support there to date. Why the difference?
==============================
ARod's $252M contract. That's the difference.
Funny, as Abreu had a "rep" as a player that doesn't give his 100% all the time...
FWIW, ARod was 3rd on the team in RSAA, behind Jeter & Giambi.
And the "ability to play in NY" has been beaten to death; you either can play, or you cannot. It doesn't matter if you're playing in NY or SEA or MIN or BOS.
As for "avoiding players with a history of conflicts?" Strawberry? Howe? Curtis? Had they not signed Bernie, they were going to go after Albert Belle.
Posted by: Raf at October 3, 2006 09:55 AM
~~What gives you reason to think the Yankees or any team doesn't consider a player's personality when acquiring them?~~
Like I wrote......Contreras, Rondell White, Jeff Weaver, Raul Mondesi and Kevin Brown.......
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2006 10:13 AM
Would the Yanks really trade ARod to Anaheim for a pitcher and a prospect? What pitcher? What prospect? Is this for real or is this the usual media stuff where someone drops a line into an article and cites "unnamed sources" which is another way of saying "I was at a bar last night and made it all up..."
Posted by: MJ at October 3, 2006 11:26 AM
"Like I wrote......Contreras, Rondell White, Jeff Weaver, Raul Mondesi and Kevin Brown......."
Then there's these scenarios:
1. They didn't consider the personalities
2. They misjudged the personalities
3. They correctly judged the personalities but believed management could get the players to fit in well.
If I had to guess I'd go with choice 2.
Posted by: RICH at October 3, 2006 12:07 PM
MJ, the A-Rod trade thing is purely a rumor, but writers here in New York and writers in Cali still talk about it. I don't think the two teams have talked, though.
The original deal floated was as follows: A-Rod for Ervin Santana, Chone Figgins and Scot Shields.
If this was the deal, I'd drive A-Rod to California myself. We could keep Shields and make our bullpen the best in the world, and then flip Santana and Figgins to the Marlins for Dontrelle (or keep them or use them in a similar trade). That would be a great deal for the Yankees.
Almost all the trade rumors center around Santana; he is always the centerpiece. The people with him vary. If I was the Yanks, I would demand Shields be included. He's probably one of the few guys Torre COULDN'T overuse (though we did think of Quantrill that way, didn't we?).
Posted by: baileywalk at October 3, 2006 01:08 PM
As much as I love ARod and as much as I'd hate for the haters to have won, I'd do that trade too. Shields is as good a setup man as there is in baseball and he'd be great Scotty/Farns insurance, moving them down to the 6th and 7th innings, making Bruney a 5th inning guy. How deep would that 'pen be then?! I haven't made up my mind on what I think of Ervin Santana but I know the Yanks have no real use for Chone Figgins. He's not much defensively and I'd rather have Damon leading off and playing CF every day. I'd see if Santana/Figgins could be flipped for a starter and an infielder to play 3rd. I wonder if Santana/Figgins and a paid-for Pavano would get the team Miguel Cabrera for the hot corner?!
Posted by: MJ at October 3, 2006 01:35 PM
RICH/Steve: I don't think it was misjudging the personalities as much as it was misjudging talent.
They misjudged Contreras & Weaver. Mondesi did as well as was hoped, White was hurt, and Brown came back in a "slop swap." I suppose he did as well as was hoped.
Posted by: Raf at October 3, 2006 02:08 PM