A-Rod’s Own Poor Decisions Hurt Image

On the field, the undoubtedly gifted Alex Rodriguez makes it look easy, but off the field it’s a whole different story.

For one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, the highly disparaged Rodriguez is hardly revered as one of the all-time baseball greats should be. But why is this?

Sure, A-Rod has the whole steroid scandal hanging over his head, but Rodriguez’s general distaste by the fans can be summed up in one sentence.

He tries too hard.

Rodriguez is not one of the guys. He doesn’t have that competitive fire and leadership like Jeter, the everyday ironman mentality like Ripken, or even the carefree playful spirit like Manny (when he’s not trying to leave a city). He worries too much about his image, radiates a false sense of bravado, and it seems like he wants people to know that he’s better than them.

Of course technically, though, he is. But pictures like those in Details magazine vilify the supposed hero, rather than make him seem down the earth. It makes no sense why Rodriguez would agree to a photo shoot amidst his steroid scandal. Especially since the photos were taken the day after Selena Roberts questioned Rodriguez about his steroid use and a day before she published her Sports Illustrated story that knocked A-Rod off his pedestal. Really?

Now it has come out that Rodriguez used a call-girl service and even dated the Manhattan madam, Kristin Davis, who ran the business. Did one of the highest profile athletes not think eventually this news would surface? It did for politician Eliot Spitzer. Does Rodriguez want this kind of publicity? What is he thinking?

Another tabloid attracting debacle A-Rod involved himself with was his rumored relationship with Madonna following Rodriguez’s divorce from ex-wife Cynthia Rodriguez. It seems that A-Rod puts himself into undesirable situations that make it harder for the mega-star to feel accepted. His poor judgment is one of the only qualities he lacks.

Adding to the fan aversion is Rodriguez’s poor performance in October. Year after year since Rodriguez’s arrival, the Yankees have gone down in the postseason and year after year A-Rod always gives the right answer, the answer he thinks people want to hear. It makes it so clear that Rodriguez is terrified of what the public thinks of him. It’s sad that a player so talented puts so much pressure on himself to succeed that it causes him to fail every year on the biggest stage.

Pressure was his excuse for his steroid use. He felt that he needed the extra help to maintain and live up to his image as baseball’s highest paid player. Rodriguez’s inability to handle the pressure is part of what’s tearing him apart in the news.

Now he’s trying to say that he doesn’t want the other 103 positive tests from the MLB’s 2003 survey program to be released. It almost looks like he wants all the burden from the steroid era on himself, but everyone knows he can’t handle that pressure.

“This is really about my mistake,” Rodriguez told YES Network’s Michael Kay. “You know, many nights I fell asleep thinking about who I can blame, and this guy, or that guy. And when I woke up I kept coming back to the same person; it’s me. I mean, there’s no one to blame. I hope those 103 names never come out.”

A-Rod’s authentic talent should make him one of the most beloved baseball players the game has seen, but his inauthentic actions are holding him back.