Why do people dislike Alex Rodriguez? Barry Bonds, for one, can’t quite figure it out.
Is it because he's hit 655 home runs over the course of his career? That couldn't be, because home runs are unambiguously fun. Is it because he's added 1,975 runs batted in over that time too? Probably not, because RBIs are an important part of winning baseball games, and fans enjoy winning baseball games. Is it because he's won three MVPs and been selected to 14 All-Star games? Hm, that seems unlikely.
So, really, why do people have a problem with A-Rod? Bonds can’t figure it out. We can’t figure it out. Can you?
"Why the hate?'' Bonds asked with confusion during a recent interview with USA Today. "Why hate on something you're paying to see? I don't understand it. He's entertaining us.”
Agreed. What possible reason could there be to dislike a man who just wants to toss on the ol’ pinstripes and play some ball? Is it a crime to love the national pastime?
Why would anyone in their right mind be perturbed by the presence of Alex Rodriguez? Barry Bonds can't quite figure it out. (AP Photo/ Jeff Chiu)
"We're not God,” Bonds correctly notes during the interview. “We're imperfect people. We're human beings.''
"This guy is not running for president of the United States,'' Bonds correctly adds. "He's not running for commissioner. We're not running for political office. We're just ballplayers.”
Bonds is particularly perturbed by the New York Yankees' refusal to celebrate Rodriguez's next inevitable career achievement: passing Willie Mays on the all-time home run list.
"What part of 600 home runs don't people understand?'' Bonds asks. He then quickly added, "You don't need to understand that,” which means whether you understand what “600 home runs” means or not, you should learn to stop worrying and love A-Rod.
Yet every day, it’s just, like, “I hate Alex Rodriguez” this and “Go away, A-Rod” that. Can’t a man just swing a bat and have some fun with the boys? What’s he done to you recently? It's not like he's thrown the integrity of the sport you grew up loving into question and tarnished the records of the athletes that came before him, right?
Rodriguez is under contract to make over $60 million in the next three years.