WHEN BYB'S RIGHT ABOUT AROD, WE REMIND YOU

I like to toot my own horn... especially when charity is involved and especially when the Yankees look good doing it.

As you know from numerous articles BYB has written, we know Alex Rodriguez messed up big time, but he also paid his punishment, being suspended for the entire 2014 baseball season.  He came back a new man and is contributing this season.  The haters have gone into hiding, and baseball appears to be back and happy again in the Bronx.

Earlier in the season, the report was that the Yankees would suggest NOT paying out Alex's milestone money when he hit his home run passing Willie Mays.  I called that despicable.  In fact, I wrote in NOT PAYING AROD FOR HIS MILESTONE LOOKS BAD FOR THE YANKEES, "...I would be simply 'outraged' that the Yankees wouldn't allow me to take my reward and give it all away to an inner city charity of even to a school in Miami to build a baseball field for under-privileged kids. I'd make it hard on the Yankees, because the Yanks shouldn't be withholding anything."

I meant it. Alex doesn't need the money, he should have it directed toward charity.  If the Yankees weren't going to pay, if I was Alex Rodriguez, I would consider that war.. and I would embarrass them at every turn insinuating that "the Yanks needed to help others with it, but they didn't want to."  Alex took the high road... higher than I would have taken.  Alex was smart. He said nothing, and instead, chatted with the Yankees and negotiated his way to get that money to work... not for him... but for others.

In the end, Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees came up with a deal that I totally applaud.  According to MLB:

"Mr. Rodriguez and the Yankees have agreed that a total of $3.5 million in charitable contributions will be made by the Club, with $1 million going to the following charities that have long enjoyed the support of one or both: the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa, and Pitch In For Baseball; and $2.5 million going to the MLB Urban Youth Foundation, which will use the money to further programs and initiatives aimed at increasing youth participation in baseball, particularly in urban areas.  Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. will determine the initiatives to be supported by the $2.5 million contribution after consulting with Mr. Rodriguez, and taking into consideration the focus of Mr. Rodriguez’s past charitable contributions.

Neither party will have any further comment on the specific terms of the agreement and both look forward to focusing their energies on winning another championship for Yankees fans."

This my friends is wonderful.  I especially love the parallels between our piece which came out in April... and this press release released by MLB.  It just goes to show that great minds think alike, and BYB has it's finger on the pulse.  How do I know that?

This:

@BleednYankeeBlu I just got a tweet from MLB that the @Yankees are donating $3.5m to charity regarding Alex's bonus money

— Joanie Giammarino (@Joangyankee) July 3, 2015

@BleednYankeeBlu @Yankees As always!

— Joanie Giammarino (@Joangyankee) July 3, 2015

I love our audience.



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