IMPOSSIBLE TO DISLIKE AROD

With Spring Training getting under way, and Alex Rodriguez making his much 'anticipated' return to the Yankees, we're going to be hearing a lot more about him. If only briefly. Broadcasters will be weighing in on their opinions of his performance and everything else.  It's unavoidable. Suzyn Waldman, radio broadcaster, and voice of the Yankees, already spoke up, and gave a rather unpopular opinion, the New York Daily News reports.

"I find him impossible to dislike. I'm not defending him. I think what he did was stupid more than anything else. I know he's lied. He's made every wrong decision. He says things and does things and you just want to say 'Why?' I also know you can't go wrong for dumping on Alex. This is what it's become. What's he supposed to do?"

I know what you're thinking. It's easy to dislike ARod. He lied, and cheated and has made many mistakes. And, hey, you're totally entitled to your opinion. But I think Waldman's comments are a little deeper. How many of you dislike ARod? Now how many of you actually know ARod? And before you tell me you don't have to know someone to dislike them, think of all the times your were unfairly judged by someone who didn't know you. Didn't feel so nice, did it?

Waldman knows the man. She knows a side of him not presented to us by the media. And she isn't the only person that has ever said something positive about him. His teammates always say that he is a good person to be around in the club house. Just the other day, Mark Teixeira told the New York Post  "Alex is a great teammate. Ask anyone that's played with Alex."

And let's not pretend that this hatred started with steroids. It didn't and we all know it. ARod was always judged unfairly. Some trace it back to the deal that took him from Seattle to Texas. I happen to think it started with the Rookie of the Year race between he and Derek Jeter, but that's my opinion. People want to throw stones at ARod for having gone to Texas "for the money," but Seattle didn't want him. They had no intentions of resigning him. What was he supposed to do? Let's not pretend that he was washed up. He was an incredible talent, and any team that signed him back then would have gained the best short stop in the game.

Look, say what you will about Waldman, but the lady knows her stuff. The bottom line here is that a lot of that hatred is media generated. Sure, ARod has done some stuff that is cringe worthy, and doesn't at all help to curb the media, but it gets a bit ridiculous. I mean, they printed a story attempting to destroy his character that was dedicated to his hygiene routine! And people ate it up!

Hey, if you dislike ARod, rock the hell on! If you are a die hard ARod enthusiast, more power to you. But let's remember one thing... You do not know him personally. You may dislike, or like, what he has done within the game. But let's not pretending he is the Anti-Christ. You don't know him from a hole in the wall, but the people who do know him have only ever said positive things about him.

When it is all said and done, the greatest tragedy is that no one knows him, yet he remains so utterly hated by so many. It must be a lonely existence.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

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