BLS Roundtable: What's next for Alex Rodriguez?
As the hours count down on Alex Rodriguez’s career with the New York Yankees, we’re already pondering what the next phase of his life will entail.
The Yankees have made their intentions clear. They don’t see Rodriguez as a productive member of their roster anymore. However, they would like to see him stick around in an advisory capacity moving forward. In fact, that’s the title he’ll officially have upon being released at the conclusion of Friday’s game. Though he’s also free to move on from the organization, that’s a title he would officially hold through Dec. 31, 2017.
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Of course,, we all know there will be more to the next phase in A-Rod’s life than sharing wisdom and writing scouting reports. He’s Alex Rodriguez. Fading quietly into the background while wearing a suit isn’t an option. With that in mind, this week’s BLS Roundtable wonders: What will Alex Rodriguez do once the dust settles on his final game with the Yankees?
Here are answers from the Big League Stew crew, leave yours in the comments.
A-Rod the businessman
While post retirement A-Rod would have the means, opportunity and time to do basically anything he wants, I’d be most intrigued to see what businessman A-Rod could. We know he’s doing *something* over at Arod Corp, so he has office space and perhaps even business cards.
A-Rod had been pursuing his MBA the past few years, showing that he at least has an interest in the business world. Recently, he’s been dating a Silicon Valley CEO, so maybe it’s time for adult A-Rod to go all Shark Tank on us and become the next Mark Cuban. Better than hitting .204, right? (Mike Oz)
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A-Rod the broadcaster
You might not always buy what Alex Rodriguez is selling, but there’s no denying he has a way with words. He also has a knowledge of and passion for baseball that’s endorsed by seemingly everyone he’s come in contact with throughout his career. That makes him a perfect fit for broadcasting. I believe that’s the route he’ll ultimately go once the dust settles on Friday night.
We already got a taste of A-Rod the broadcaster during last year’s postseason as a pre- and postgame studio analyst for Fox during the ALCS and World Series. Most everyone agreed he fit in comfortably and some felt he added more to the broadcasts than the regular analysts. Seriously, if you can decipher anything Pete Rose is talking about, please fill us in.
I can already envision Rodriguez filling a seat on Yankees broadcasts or jumping right into a high profile gig with Fox, ESPN or MLB Network. Who knows, maybe that career choice would even propel him to running for president. (Mark Townsend)
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A-Rod the coach
During his farewell press conference, whenever he talked about being an instructor in 2017, and working with young players in the minors, his face would just light up. I hope his stint as a Yankees instructor leads him to more opportunities the coach and manage young players.
As he said, he’s been through it all, on the field and off. If there’s a guy who can relate to almost any problem a player is having, it’s A-Rod. He knows the game and he knows how to hit, and being bilingual will be a tremendous asset in any clubhouse. The Marlins saw the potential in Barry Bonds, and brought him on to be their hitting coach. That young team gets hitting tips at the feet of the master.
Another team would have to be dense not to see the value of having someone like A-Rod on their staff, as long as he wants to be there. And who knows where it could lead? Seeing A-Rod manage a Major League team someday would be an amazing second act in his unique career. (Liz Roscher)
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A-Rod the baseball player
While I would love nothing more than Alex Rodriguez announcing the creation of The Player Hater’s Tribune, a rival site of Derek Jeter’s The Players’ Tribune, I think it’s far more likely that A-Rod takes a page out of the Brett Favre playbook and keeps coming back.
Rodriguez hinted at as much Tuesday, saying he still believes he can play. While it would have been unthinkable for another club to take a shot on A-Rod prior to last season, he’s made strides improving his reputation around the game. Since the Yankees have to pay him no matter what, he could sign for the league minimum with a new club, and continue chasing records.
Let’s face it, we all know we want to see a 45-year-old A-Rod fighting for the all-time home run record while wearing an Oakland Athletics jersey. The path to that future begins Saturday! (Chris Cwik)
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
