Two of the strangest stories that I have encountered in the MLB this season lie with the two teams on either side of the most heated rivalry in baseball: The Yankees and the Red Sox.
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| Ortiz has 36 HRs and 101 RBIs this year |
First, earlier this month, Red Sox DH David Ortiz became the first Red Sox players in history to hit 35 home runs in six different seasons with the team. I have no problem believing that David Ortiz has done this, as he seems to end up 35+ HRs and 100 RBIs every year (both of which he has already done this year). Plus the fact that Ortiz is 39 years old and putting up those numbers is even more impressive. The part I have trouble believing is that Ortiz, as good as he is, is the first Red Sox player ever to do that.
The Boston Red Sox have one of the most storied histories in sports, which includes having some of the greatest players to ever play the game, wear the Red Sox uniform. With guys like Carlton Fisk, Carl, Yastrzemski, Manny Ramirez, Ted Williams (the greatest hitter in MLB history), and Wade Boggs having suited up for Boston in the past, it is hard to believe that none of them hit 35 home runs six times for the Red Sox. But then again, I guess the fact that it is in six separate seasons is the impressive part. Keep swinging your way into the history books Big Papi.
The other perplexing story in the league this year comes from the Empire State. The New York Yankees are likely heading to the postseason in some fashion in a few weeks. The big question is: How? Usually, when the Yankees are October-bound, the media can't get enough and the Yankees take center stage. This year however, the Yankees are having one of the quietest winning that I have ever witnessed. I didn't believe a quiet winning season was possible in the Big Apple. Maybe it's because the Mets are stealing all the attention with their improbable playoff run. Who knows?
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| Rodriguez has 2052 career RBIs (2nd all-time) |
But surprisingly, it's not the Yankees' success that I question. It's the person leading the charge. Alex Rodriguez is 40 years old and having one of the best seasons of his life. The problem is that Rodriguez is not like David Ortiz. Ortiz, as I stated before puts up great numbers every year without missing a beat. Rodriguez has missed many beats. A-Rod missed most of the 2013 season for multiple reasons and was suspended for the entire 2014 season for using performance-enhancing drugs. Missing almost a year and a half of baseball would be hard for anyone, but for a 40 year-old, it should have been career suicide. Instead, Alex Rodriguez has 32 home runs and 83 RBIs in 2015, and if it weren't for Toronto's Josh Donaldson, who is all but a shoe-in for American League MVP, Rodriguez would be in that conversation. How does a man of any age rebound from a year and half without baseball...but more importantly how does a man on the back end of his career rebound with MVP-type numbers in a market where media scrutiny is unparalleled...and do so quietly?! I hate to say it, but should the league re-test A-Rod? It's the only thing that seems to make sense.
Regardless, Boston's David Ortiz and New York's Alex Rodriguez seem to be validating the mantra that some things get better with age.
