Even though he did not play at all in 2014, Alex Rodriguez was still a name everyone was talking about, and not for good reasons. He missed all of last season due to a suspension involving Performance Enhancing Drugs, and fans of the Yankees and baseball fans in general did not appreciate him lying once again. Many fans believed he was not going to play on the diamond anymore, and many even thought he might have been permanently banned from the sport once and for all. Fast forward to today, Wednesday March 3rd, 2015, and Rodriguez is indeed back in the game of baseball. He will be DHing for the Yankees in his first taste of Spring Training against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Rodriguez arrived to camp early and the Yankee organization may not have really appreciated it because of the extra media attention he brought along with him to Florida. The buzz died down eventually, and as soon as fans saw Rodriguez hit, they began to realize that he may be able to help the team this season. He was belting balls over the outfield fence and reports indicate that he has been playing some rather decent defense at 3rd and 1st.
Now, if he has a solid Spring Training down in Florida and stays healthy until Opening Day, what should Yankee fans expect from Alex Rodriguez during the 2015 season?
Yankee fans in general should not expect numbers like Rodriguez’s 2010 season (30 HRs/125 RBIs), as he will have a lot of rust to shake off after sitting out 2014. On top of that, he will have to adjust to becoming a DH and having a consistent amount of rest days thrown into the week as well. He may play some 3rd base as well as 1st base on occasions. Having used HGH during his career, eyes will be upon him to see how well he plays without the benefits they provide now. With his right-handed bat added to the lineup, this allows manager Joe Girardi a much more balanced lineup then last season.
The answer to this article is strictly up to Yankee fans and what they would personally want to see A-Rod accomplish. The following are realistic projections for Rodriguez:
- He may not hit .300 but his average should be in the .250 range.
- 16 homeruns.
- 60 RBIs.
Those numbers do not jump off of the screen and seem rather average, but if he produces numbers similar to those, he will accomplish more than he believes. His task for the entire 2015 season is to prove to baseball and the Yankee organization that he can still produce without the benefit of PEDs and try to help this ball team make it back to the playoffs. Baseball fans will not see Rodriguez complain about his role with the team nor complain about his regular days off, and he should be happy that he will be back on the diamond wearing the traditional Yankee Pinstripes once again.
Photo Credit: MLB.com
