Former Yankees great Alex Rodriguez wants the team to honor his legacy by retiring the No. 13 he wore during his time in the Bronx. However, there is no unanimity over the appeal. Radio host Sal Licata has gone a step further warning the Yankees against any such action claiming that this could be an embarrassment.
“If they retired A-Rod’s number, it would be the biggest embarrassment ever,” Sal said
The fate of Alex Rodriguez’s No. 13 with the New York Yankees was brought up in a recent interview with the former player. The ex-Yankee expressed his disappointment over the Yankees assigning his number to Joey Gallo in 2021, indicating that they were unlikely to retire it.
Sal slams any idea of Yankees retiring Alex Rodriguez’s No. 13
There were arguments suggesting that Alex Rodriguez’s number should have been retired. BT was among those who supported this idea, which took Sal by surprise.
Between 2004 and 2016, Alex Rodriguez served as a pivotal figure for the New York Yankees, securing numerous All-Star selections and significantly contributing to their 2009 World Series triumph. His achievements as a Yankee, including his 351 home runs, which places him sixth on the franchise’s all-time list, provide a strong case for the retirement of his No. 13, alongside the esteemed group currently honored in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
Sal conveyed his opinion that retiring Alex Rodriguez’s number would be highly embarrassing, primarily due to Rodriguez’s off-the-field issues and the fact that his sole significant postseason contribution came in 2009. He questioned whether Hideki Matsui‘s number had been retired and expressed a preference for retiring Matsui’s number instead. Sal also wondered about the retirement of Jim Leyritz’s number, implying that it hadn’t been retired.
BT pointed out Alex Rodriguez’s outstanding performance during the 2009 playoff run, his two MVP awards, and his excellent play at third base, which he transitioned to for his 12 years in New York. However, Sal couldn’t overlook the character concerns and the feuds Rodriguez had with his own organization during his time with the Yankees.
“He’s a freaking embarrassment. He’s not a real Yankee,” Sal said. “All the bad blood, all the awkwardness, all the lying…was he even that good?”
The Yankees permitted Joey Gallo, one of the most calamitous free-agent acquisitions in recent New York history, to don the number upon joining the team in 2021. Alex Rodriguez conveyed that the situation had left him feeling unhappy.
Sal expressed strong negative sentiments about Alex Rodriguez, describing him as an embarrassment and asserting that he didn’t consider him a genuine Yankee. He cited the various issues, including conflicts, awkward moments, and dishonesty, and questioned whether Alex Rodriguez’s on-field performance had been exceptional. Sal characterized A-Rod as tainted due to his involvement in cheating and lying, and he listed specific instances of behavior that he found objectionable, such as slapping someone’s hand to dislodge a ball from a fielder’s glove and taunting opponents on the basepaths. He humorously suggested placing Alex Rodriguez in a hypothetical “bush league section” of Monument Park.
What do you think? leave your comment below.
Before they retire A Rods number let’s unretire Billy Martin’s number 1 he was a true disgrace
Yankees should retire A Rod number 13,he did got us 2009 WS championship