Alex Rodriguez has not always been on the best of terms with the New York Yankees. Numerous scandals and stints in the gossip pages have overshadowed the productive player Rodriguez has shown he can become. As Rodriguez continues to sit out after hip surgery, owner Hal Steinbrenner is getting honest. He has not always been A-Rod's biggest fan.
"There have no doubt been times that we've been disappointed in him and we've conveyed that to him. He understands that. Look, everybody is human. Everybody makes mistakes. If you've got a guy over the course of 10 years, there are going to be times any of us makes mistakes in that period of time," Steinbrenner said Monday.
Rodriguez is currently signed to a 10-year, $275 million contract, one that Brian Cashman does not believe he will ever live up. Steinbrenner is singing a more positive tune, hoping Rodriguez will bounce back after healing from surgery and begin contributing. Rodriguez is currently signed through 2017. Steinbrenner understands it is a large contract, but hopes that Rodriguez will continue to act like a Yankee.
Acting like a Yankee is certainly something Rodriguez has struggled with. The 37-year old was benched last season during the playoffs after failing to perform well. In 2009, he admitted to using steroids while with the Texas Rangers. His name has been found in numerous performance enhancing drug use reports in recent years.
Currently the subject of an investigation into a PED clinic, Rodriguez is rehabbing in Tampa from his second hip surgery in four years. He is not expected to return until at least after the All-Star break. Rodriguez has won two MVP awards and Steinbrenner is confident he will get back to that kind of playing again.
"We just hope he comes back healthy as he did in '09 after the surgery and we hope he contributes in a big way. He's a heck of an athlete and if the surgery has fixed the problem, you may see good things out of him. We hope so."
The Yankees could use Rodriguez back in the lineup. The team is in a slide, dropping seven of their last eight games. They were swept by the New York Mets and lost the series to the Boston Red Sox.