The Return of A-Fraud

If being mired in a career-worst slump wasn't bad enough, the New York tabloids jumped all over slugger Alex Rodriguez for failing for days to hit his 500th career home. The tabloids were especially harsh after the Yankees 16-3 rout of the White Sox, when the rest of A-Rod's teammates slugged eight home runs and he had zero.

One headline from the Post read "Homer Party Skips A-Rod."

Rodriguez has not homered in eight games now, but does he deserve the criticism from the press? Absolutely.

A-Rod is putting up MVP-esque numbers this year, batting around .300, with 35 home runs, 105 RBIs and 98 runs. Not to mention he's getting paid more than $25 million this year and he's talking about opting out to possibly get paid $30 million next year.

So, when your star goes into a 0-for slump, it's a fine time to criticize. When the team this star is on plays sub-500 baseball, it's fine to criticize the star who's supposed to be leading them. The Yankees went 3-4 during A-Rod's slump. Finally, when you are paying one player a quarter-of-a billion dollars and he ties his shoes wrong, it's OK to criticize him.

Rodriguez and the Yankees are having a paradoxical season. Typically the Yankees lose when A-Rod is going home run ballistic, but when the Yankees win, it usually comes without a long bomb from the third base star.

So far in July and now the beginning of August, the Yankees have slugged their way back into contention. But in New York, individual achievements are not judged on their own. Individuals are judged through championships lens and how many they can help win. That title will continue to allude A-Rod.

Blogger's Note: On Aug. 4, Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 500 home runs, sending the first pitch he saw from Kansas City's Kyle Davies past the foul pole in left field.
Photo courtesy of AP - Kathy Willens -- Rodriguez, tosses his bat after striking out in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 13-9 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 2.