The average resale ticket price for the New York Yankees game on Friday skyrocketed more than 500% after Alex Rodriguez said Sunday that it’ll be his last, according to TiqIQ, which tracks the price of online ticket listings.
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“We have an exciting group of talented young players at every level of our system, ” Yankees managing general partner Hall Steinbrenner said in a statement.
Again, the news was simply stunning, as one of the game’s greatest players, is leaving the sport’s greatest franchise.
Alex Rodriguez has left a legacy in his time with the Yankees, with two America League Most Valuable Player awards and playing a big part in their last championship.
In its announcement Saturday night, NY didn’t detail the objective of the gathering at Yankee Stadium. Rodriguez will be unconditionally released and sign a contract to serve as a special adviser and instructor with the Yankees through 2017, the team announced Sunday morning. I love this game and I love this team, ” a visibly emotional Rodriguez said at a news conference on Sunday. His slump has relegated him to the bench for most of the past month, with him getting only one start and seven at-bats in 14 games since July 22. “And today I’m saying goodbye to both”.
After Friday’s game, Rodriguez will be released from the final two years of the 10-year, $275 million contract he signed with NY. He’ll get that full amount. Rodriguez said he met last week with team owner Hal Steinbrenner and this plan was agreed upon. Accepting the end gracefully is part of being a professional athlete.
“No matter what happens, I’m at peace with myself”, Rodriguez said Tuesday.
With less than two months left in the season, the Dodgers plan to start their three-time Cy Young Award victor as soon as he’s ready and cleared by team doctors, no matter if it’s a regular-season or playoff game. But Rodriguez actually earned his Yankees salaries heading into this season.
Rodriguez is signed through this year and next season for 21 million a year.
He was twice found to have been aided by performance-enhancing drugs, which occurred during his three seasons with the Texas Rangers and later with the Yankees – culminating in the Biogenesis scandal that resulted in his full-year Major League Baseball ban in 2014. Some teams might like having him hit that milestone home run – regardless of the doubt and disgrace now associated with his numbers – in their uniform, in front of their home fans, with all of the promotional opportunities that could come with that occasion.
“The Yankees have a code of conduct, and I think over his career he hasn’t lived up to those expectations”, said Core, 30.
And his fan club extends to the younger generation of Yankees who do not share a 2009 World Series ring with him, as Teixeira, Gardner and Sabathia do.
Rodriguez came to the Yankees in 2004 after Aaron Boone suffered an offseason knee injury and the Yankees needed a third baseman.
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He is four home runs shy of 700 for his career.
