AROD WON'T QUIT ON YOU. DON'T QUIT ON HIM!

No, it's not a famous quote from Brokeback Mountain. It is being reported that Alex Rodriguez is "defiant", he's "confident" and he's "refuses to quit."  You know what I say? Good! 

There is nothing better than a player that wants to play for his club.  I am tired of hearing about how Alex should have his contract bought out.  How the Yankees should "just trade him". It ain't happening.  There are so many things involved in a contract like Alex's that it's much smarter to just roll the dice and allow the guy to play and hope he contributes.  Alex Rodriguez is NOT the Yankees, he's 1 part. There are 25 guys on the field, remember? Let him come back, let him be part of the team and let's hope the guy plays well.  Let's not forget, it was the Yankees that made this deal with Alex. It wasn't Alex swindling the Yankees.  This was a business decision by the Yanks... now they have to live with it and so do we.  And Alex will now do everything he can to say he's ready to play... now let's hope he puts his money where his mouth is.

But there is one important part of all of this.  When you're bashing Alex Rodriguez, hammering him for "sucking", and being a "waste of money", all I ask you to do is remember 1 thing... he's human.  You can judge him any way you'd like, you're entitled to, you pay his inflated salary, but if I'm him and the press is beating me up on a daily basis... sooner or later you'd want to scream. And now Alex is screaming.  He told Bob Nightengale of USA Today (HERE), "...my daughters are sitting there and watching their dad. I want to make them proud. I want to make my mom proud."  Sure, he had my at "daughters" and "mom" because I'm a parent and a son... I get that.  It just puts things in perspective for me, maybe for you.

Look... we've been down this road with Alex... no doubt many of what he did, he did to himself, I'm not making excuses. All I'm saying is take what he has to say now to USA Today in perspective and not only that... read his words when he talks about his return:

"I know people think I'm nuts... I know most people wouldn't want the confrontation. Most people would say, 'Get me out of here. Trade me. Do anything.'

"But I'm the (expletive) crazy man who goes, 'I want to compete. I want to stay in New York. I refuse to quit.'

"Maybe it's stupidity, I don't know, but I'm wired to compete and give my best. I have a responsibility to be ready to play as soon as I can.''

He pleading with you.  He's begging you in the most back handed, confused and arrogant way a former star like him knows how... he just wants to be that player he was in 2009 again. The player we all fell in love with for that brief moment in the playoffs. The guy who had his ego fed.  That's his drive and maybe, just maybe this is when it happens for him again this season.

Who knows... maybe I'm too nice to ARod, but I feel for the human being first... then the player...

That's my take.

The Bleeding Yankee Blue store is opened! CLICK HERE TO START SHOPPING! Also, follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.