2012 ALDS: Alex Rodriguez Continues Postseason Disappearing Act for the Yankees
October 9, 2012 · Jamal Wilburg · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Alex Rodriguez should be a ghost for Halloween.
With the exception of the 2009 postseason, the New York Yankees third baseman has made a career out of disappearing in October.
In 2009, A-Rod had his best postseason, as he helped the Yankees win the World Series. That postseason, he batted .365 with a .500 OBP and six home runs.
Outside of that outlier, his postseason career with the Yankees has been lackluster, pathetic and just plain sloppy. He has 52 hits and 52 strikeouts in 204 at-bats.
So far this postseason, Rodriguez is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in two ALDS games against the Baltimore Orioles. Since 2010, he has been batting a very pedestrian 10-for-59 (.169) with 17 strikeouts and no home runs.
Monday night in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles was no different as he wasted an opportunity to put the demons behind him in one of the biggest moments of the game.
It was actually the moment you dream of as a kid playing baseball in the backyard. You know the dream where you step to the plate in the ninth inning, down a run with two outs.
That was A-Rod’s moment, and he struck out swinging, tying the series at one game.
According to Katie Sharp from ESPN Stats & Info’s Twitter account, Rodriguez is the most prolific final at-bat choke artist in major league history.
A-Rod now has 4 game-ending strikeouts in the postseason. That’s the most of any player. Ever.
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) October 9, 2012
Despite Rodriguez’s repeated inability to deliver in the postseason, Yankees manager Joe Girardi has no plans to move him further down the lineup, according to the official MLB Twitter account.
“Right now, I don’t plan on having any changes to our lineup.” – Joe Girardi on A-Rod, who is 1-for-9 with 5 Ks in #ALDS
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2012
The Yankees need Rodriguez to perform to his talent level consistently as the ALDS goes to New York for the final three games.
Unfortunately, history tells us that A-Rod in October is more trick than treat.
Jamal Wilburg is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
Like him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter or visit his website.
Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com
Yankee Tickets
Shop Yankee
