A-Rod leaning toward playing for Dominican Republic

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Alex Rodriguez probably will play for the Dominican Republic in next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic.

When the commissioner's office and the players' association announced commitments from players last week, Rodriguez's country was left blank. The New York Yankees third baseman, who last month won his second AL MVP award, was born in New York but his parents are Dominican.

"That seems to be pretty much where I'm leaning," Rodriguez said of the Dominican team during an interview Tuesday on WFAN radio. "I think it's going to be the team I'm going to represent, kind of like what (Mike) Piazza's doing with Italy."

Rodriguez said staying healthy was key during the tournament, which is being played by 16 teams from March 3-20.

"It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm excited about it and a little nervous, too, about obviously getting guys injured that time of year," he said. "You pull a hamstring, you're out for three or four weeks, that really may impact your whole season. I mean, you may have some type of ill effect going into even June or July."


http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AutC2_foXwSO5JZBpcw7iLARvLYF?slug=ap-wbc-dominican-a-rod&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

[dominizzo]

Hes so overrated

 

[Ray Finkle]

Of course Arod wants to play for the DP, I don't blame him, hell I would too. A line up with the likes of Vlad Guerrero, Pujols, David Ortiz, Miggy Tejeda, Soriano, and Manny Ramirez is scary add Arod to the mix and with arms like Pedro Martinez and Colon they have to be the favorites.

Of course the question will be if Arod can't come through in the clutch for his team how can he come through in the clutch for his country.

(It never gets old or less fun making fun of good old Slappy McBlue Lips)

 

[t2thejz]

Hes so overrated

Look at the guys stats and tell me hes overated.

 

[Roman529]

ARod is all about himself. Go play for the DR we don't want your fake a$$ on the USA team.

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

If you were born and raised in the United States you should have to play for the United States, period. This is a joke, all you have to do is be able to obtain a passport in a country to be eligible to play for that country. The rules for this should be changed!

 

[MikeO]

Hes so overrated

He's probably going to break the home run record and own or be near the top of most offensive categories stats wise when he retires. Barry Bonds didn't do jack in the playoffs until 2002 well into his career. Nobody calls him overrated. There have been other "GREAT" players who never even MADE the playoffs, nobody calls them overrated.

 

[dominizzo]

Look at the guys stats and tell me hes overated.

albert pujols

 

[dominizzo]

He's probably going to break the home run record and own or be near the top of most offensive categories stats wise when he retires. Barry Bonds didn't do jack in the playoffs until 2002 well into his career. Nobody calls him overrated. There have been other "GREAT" players who never even MADE the playoffs, nobody calls them overrated.

Albert Pujols is the reeel deeel

 

[MikeO]

Albert Pujols is the reeel deeel

So they are both great. Your point?????

Because Pujols is great A-Rod is overrated? You want to say Pujols is better....nobody would argue.

Once again, your point!???

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

The fact that A-Rod is playing for the DR makes me sick. I understand him wanting to respect his parents heritage but give me a break. He lives in America (unlike a lot of player who travel back to their native country in the off-season), he was born here, and has no link to his country other then his parents were born there. I am Puerto Rican but that doesn't mean I would go play for Puerto Rico if I had the choice. Why? Because I was born and raised in the U.S. so that is my first home. Puerto Rico would be my second home IMO. A-Rod is backing down from a challenge the save his ego like he always does (just like when he wouldn't let Ashton Kutcher air the episode he got Punk'd in like a *****). He knows if the U.S. craps out he would have to take a lot of the heat for being basically the best on the team. He knows if he craps out on the DR team with the exceptional talent they have (probably more then any other country) he can brush the dirt off his shoulder and keep walking. He's scared of challenges and scared to be a leader, that is why no matter what his numbers are he will never be able to carry Derek Jeter's jockstrap. I'll cheer for A-Rod the baseball player because I am a Yankees fan and I only look at the jersey (plus in reality he's not that bad of a player lol) but with that said I would trade his *** for a nice starting pitcher in a heartbeat. A-Rod doesn't play for the Yankees or the fans, he plays for himself. I can't stand him but will root for him because I am a loyal Yankees fan!

 

[FaninPatsyLand]

Once again, your point!???

His point Mike, is that the guy simply isn't a winner. He's the Anti-Clutch, and if he ever wins a ring (which I doubt), it won't be him carrying that team.. you can bet on that.

He simply sucks in the postseason... it's a great thing really.

 

[Martel]

Then he should have to live there permanentley. Screw him.

 

[Ray Finkle]

If you were born and raised in the United States you should have to play for the United States, period. This is a joke, all you have to do is be able to obtain a passport in a country to be eligible to play for that country. The rules for this should be changed!

I agree. An even bigger joke is Mike Piazza playing for Italy ONLY because he probably wouldn't even make the U.S. Team, more or less play. I wonder just how many times Piazza has even been to Italy.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The fact that A-Rod is playing for the DR makes me sick. I understand him wanting to respect his parents heritage but give me a break. He lives in America (unlike a lot of player who travel back to their native country in the off-season), he was born here, and has no link to his country other then his parents were born there. I am Puerto Rican but that doesn't mean I would go play for Puerto Rico if I had the choice. Why? Because I was born and raised in the U.S. so that is my first home. Puerto Rico would be my second home IMO. A-Rod is backing down from a challenge the save his ego like he always does (just like when he wouldn't let Ashton Kutcher air the episode he got Punk'd in like a *****). He knows if the U.S. craps out he would have to take a lot of the heat for being basically the best on the team. He knows if he craps out on the DR team with the exceptional talent they have (probably more then any other country) he can brush the dirt off his shoulder and keep walking. He's scared of challenges and scared to be a leader, that is why no matter what his numbers are he will never be able to carry Derek Jeter's jockstrap. I'll cheer for A-Rod the baseball player because I am a Yankees fan and I only look at the jersey (plus in reality he's not that bad of a player lol) but with that said I would trade his *** for a nice starting pitcher in a heartbeat. A-Rod doesn't play for the Yankees or the fans, he plays for himself. I can't stand him but will root for him because I am a loyal Yankees fan!

:clap: Wow you're on a roll tonight, again I agree with you and not because I dislike Arod or because he's a Yankee. If we were talking about Mike Piazza playing for Italy or even Curt Schilling wanting to play for France, Spain, Germany, Ireland or whatever, I'd be knocking them too.

The thing is Arod is the world's biggest phony and he realizes that DR has probably the best team on paper. So why not try to join them? He wants to hog the glory and give himself another trophy to put up in his house if they do win it. Of course if his team does win you'll be hearing how this means so much more than winning the World Series because the Baseball Classic was the real World Series to him. Listening to Arod talk and brag about himself makes me wish I were deaf sometimes....