Pitarresi: Rodriguez popularity might grow

 

Alex Rodriguez might be the least sympathetic sports superstar since Barry Bonds.

 

Even less. There are a lot of people who like Barry Bonds, despite his acidic personality. Rodriguez seems to get little affection even from most Yankee fans.

 

 There are reasons for that:

 

The incredible amount of money he makes. The comments he made about Derek Jeter before they became teammates. His former wife’s rude T-shirt messages. His fascination with celebrity, including his real or imagined dalliance with Madonna, and his current romance with Kate Hudson. And the impression he gives, intentionally or not, that it’s his world and the rest of it are here to bring him his coffee.

 

Then there is his mediocre record in post-season play. That’s where you make your reputation, which is why it seems about half the guys in the Baseball Hall of Fame are Yankees. Or maybe it’s because those guys were so good they were always in the World Series.

 

Well, Rodriguez is now making his reputation. It is difficult to argue that he is not supremely gifted, but in 39 post-season games with the Seattle Mariners and Yankees prior to this month, he had just six home runs, drove in 17 runs, and hit .261. In this week’s divisional series victory over the Twins, he had two home runs, six RBIs, hit .500, and had a 1.000 slugging percentage.

 

And, in Sunday’s clincher, he came up with the biggest hit of the game, ruining Carl Pavano’s night – and attempt to rescue his own damaged reputation – with his home run way over the right field wall to tie things at 1-1.

 

Two things there. The Yankees, even with the Twins’ bad base running and other failures, needed that home run very, very badly. And, not too many guys would have driven that high, outside strike out of there in right center Rodriguez, with his strength, reach, eyesight and coordination, could and did.

 

If he continues to deliver, sympathy will grow, no matter his past failures and all the other baggage.