Posted By:
Jeff LichtmanRyan, I'm not sure it's fair to say that ARod has choked in THIS post-season. No doubt he has in the past, but the sample here is too small and he's faced possibly the best two pitchers in the AL thus far. I think that's the point of the "apologists" (at least I hope it is).
I'm not a Yankee fan and NY has destroyed the guy in the press. You're wrong to think that NY has embraced him in any way or apologized for his shortcomings. I'm not sure I can recall a NY athlete in recent times who has been abused as badly by the press and fans despite the fact that he's about to win a second MVP while playing here.
As for his proclivity to choke, he batted .458 in the 9th innings of games this year with like 8 HRs. He nearly singlehandedly brought the Yankees back from the brink many times this year. He was easily the best clutch hitter in baseball this year.
All that being said, at least in NY, until you produce a championship you're nothing here. I think NYers are tougher on their stars than any other city. Do you think the newspapers in Seattle, Texas, etc ever got on him like they do here? There are very few ARod apologists here. Even Yankee fans hate him which, in my opinion, is a disgrace.