I was watching the Yankees-Red Sox game on TV and saw Alex Rodriguez hit his 660th career home run tying Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time list.
Amazingly, it was A-Rod’s first career pinch hit home run. He launched a 3-0 pitch from Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa into the Green Monster seats to a cascade of booes. The home run broke a 2-2 tie and proved the game winner for the Yankees.
A-Rod is supposed to get a $6 million bonus from the Yankees, but the club doesn’t want to pay it and this will likely result in the MLBPA filing a grievance on his behalf. It will get quite nasty.
Although A-Rod remains a reviled figure, he is helping the Yankees. He already has six home runs this season. If not for A-Rod would the Yankees be in first place in the AL East? As long as he hits, Yankee fans will side with A-Rod against the club.
Alex Rodriguez might have 660 home runs, but he will never be in the class of Willie Mays.
