Alex Rodriguez interview audio from today
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc, Podcast on Feb 19, 2007 
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Here is A-Rod’s interview today, totally uncensored. You’re getting what he said to the writers from beginning to end.
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He talks about his relationship with Derek Jeter and the opt-out clause in his contract. Plus a few other subjects.
“I think it’s time to cut the bullshit.”
Beautiful. Let’s see some of that nasty..
How was his weight?
I hope he plays with an added edge all yr.
Good for A-Rod.
Love that last question and the response.
it’s time for alex to take reggie’s advice and get mean. take off the gloves, be honest. stop being everything to everyone and start doing what’s right. win.
this is great, i’m so used to the edited little sound bites, it makes things so much easier to understand when you can hear the whole statement, as well as the question he was asked.
Great audio Pete
And Pete sounds like you got that mic – thanks!
Initial reaction. Good start.
btw pete,
who was the writer to ask alex to “renounce his option”?
it seemed like a pretty dumb think to ask alex to do. it’s his contract, you can’t simply make a public statement saying “i alexander rodriguez renounce my option!” the guy has a huge contract, it’s simply can’t be expected by a reporter to have a guy with the largest contract in the history of the game to start making changes to it in an interview the first day he reports to spring training.
i know that beat writers have a hard job, but sometimes i think that the “just get a reaction” aspect of the job makes the profession look bad. asking the guy to “renounce” his opt-out clause is just plain out goofy.
Poor Jeter, media is going to MOB him tomorrow. Wonder if he’s already thinking out his answers … ?
Nice audio Peter!
That was a priceless interview….nice to see/hear that Alex has a little bit of an edge to him! Loved the attitude about the contract LMAO. I wouldn’t give up my options now either……a lot can happen in 7-8 months.
Thanks for the audio. It is so nice to finally hear the entire thing instead of what the editor wants you to hear!
Hopefully this is a new side of Alex and won’t just be nice!! I like the newer tougher Alex!!
Good god, whoever was pressing ARod has totally lost my respect.
All he was looking to do was trying to make Alex make a mistake with a word; because if he did, it’s front page news tomorrow. ARod did a hell of a job in picking his words, because that writer was determined to trap ARod, but ARod wiggled free.
I grew up a Derek Jeter fan. For the firs time ever I am disappointed in Derek because he put his relationship with Arod ahead of whats best for the team. I mean this is the sort of thing that teenage girls do. Its time for these two to man-up sit down get everything out in the air they dont have to be best friends but they have to get passed this because coming from someone as young as myself this hole situation is extremely childish.
The whole thing makes a lot more sense in unedited form than it did in the soundbites. The story I read totally took the “I was embarassed” quote out of context. Alex sounds like somebody you can go to war with in those quotes. Like everybody has been saying, if he can get a little edge to him and take the gloves off, maybe get a little nasty – it would be great for him. I hope he has a great year, obviously. I’m rooting for him like always.
Agre with Seth, & Jay Destro. That was so clearly an attempt to try to catch him in a trap, it was slimy. I mean, the guy can’t win–if he “renounces the option” he loses out on a contractually agreed upon benefit. If he refuses to adopt the “I WILL be a NYY” sentence, then he can be portrayed as a self-interested selfish jerk. Really slimy stuff–clearly looking for sensationalism. I am very interested to see the headlines tomorrow.
Alex’s stock has gone up in my book.
i was also taken aback by the writer who kept pressing alex about his contract and renouncing his option. there will never be an athlete who decides before a season starts that he will “renounce his option,” and one would have to be an absolute moron to expect someone to say so. does this kind of questioning happen often? i hope that writer’s employer renounces his status as employed.
It’s about time Alex got mean , no more BS to think Jeter can defend Giambi known steriod abuser over Alex hard working Yankee, the only thing that will make me happy is Alex knocking Jeter out in the clubhouse the stuff Jeter gets away w/ in NY sometimes. GO ALEX DO IT !! DO IT FOR ALL OF US YANKEES FANS THAT CAN’T STAND HEARING JETER IS THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE 4 TITLES IN THOSE YEARS FROM THE JETER HOMER CREW !!!
I’m sorry people but it has to be sai.
I have no idea why part of my post came out crossed out. I meant it all.
It’s about time Alex got mean , no more BS to think Jeter can defend Giambi known steriod abuser over Alex hard working Yankee, the only thing that will make me happy is Alex knocking Jeter out in the clubhouse the stuff Jeter gets away w/ in NY sometimes. GO ALEX DO IT !! DO IT FOR ALL OF US YANKEES FANS THAT CAN’T STAND HEARING JETER IS THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE 4 TITLES IN THOSE YEARS FROM THE JETER HOMER CREW !!!
I’m sorry people but it has to be said.
sorry for the double post Pete delete the first one.
Alex Rodriguez gets much respect from this interview. I’ve seen media harrassing athletes before just to get a sound-bite, and I thought Alex handled himself like a champ in this one. Way to go ARod! I’ll be cheering all of the Yankees but ARod you have some new respect from me as well.
Peter, my post is really posed to you.
I wonder how much of this is really “a new A-Rod.” Is this how he typically has sounded in the locker room? Is his disposition similar to that of last year in mid-February?
I’m not sure if this is a bigger and better Rodriguez than what we’ve seen. It may just be a more off-the-cuff Rodriguez than what we are fed in Sportscenter and YES clips.
But, Peter… let me know if I’m barking up the wrong tree here.
thanks.
I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying these interviews… this is just GREAT stuff.
I can imagine he would be REALLY popular with the Players Association too, if he started renouncing options right,left and center.
BRAVO AROD!!!! (**insert standing ovation here**)
He’s going to have another MVP season. I can feel it.
It is sooooooo nice to get to hear the entire conversation instead of the crap I am sure we will hear on ESPN and in the papers tomorrow. He sounded like he is really ready to stick it in the ground this year and take no bull—-. Expect a big year from him. I wonder like the poster above if this is usually how he is, or if this is something new and we have just never been given access to anything other than what the media wants us to hear/think. Sounds to me like he plans on staying around NY for a few years, too. Everyone in Yankee land should hope that is the case.
A hug first step for ARod. No dancing around the big elephant in the room. Now, he just has to play, no soap opera and go from there.
If that interview upsets Jeter than its time for Jeter to grow. He is the captain of the Yankees and he did nothing to help this guy out last year. Ok, fine, payback for the Esquire story. Cost him the MVP, but he got his “payback”.
Now, its time to grow up, cut the crap, and be a leader of the entire team, not the team, minus ARod.
I liked it. I like the new hardcore A-Rod. Screw what people think and do his job. He is gonna have a big year. Watch out BloSox
A great session… a great interview.. plain.. simple n honest..
thanks for the audio Pete..
Pete.. who was the writer asking those moronic questions.. trying to corner him..
Yeah it seems like Jeter is the one who needs to grow up here. It is years later already! Alex shouldn’t have said what he said, but it is in the past. And I heard on the radio today that right when the article came out Alex drove to Jeter’s house to apologize, he realized after he said it, he shouldn’t have. Be a man and grow up Jeter stop holding this resentment.
I didn’t read all the comments before I posted but wow, what a difference being honest and sincere does to win over the fans. I haven’t heard Arod applauded like this in a long time.
The writer asking those questions sounded like Joel Sherman that idiotic loser.
Unedited AROD. Gotta love it!! Man, he definitely has an edge to him…..and thats great in my opinion. Hopefully he can translate that to the playing field. Its also great that he got the Jeter-Arod relationship question out of the way. Hopefully its the last time we have to hear it, because frankly Im even sick of hearing about it.
Pete, AWESOME as always!!!!!
Media: “You’re saying you are not going to be a free agent next offseason?”
A-Rod: “Yes. I want to be a Yankee.”
There, now shut up about the no-trade clause!
Thanks for the audio Pete.
Gotta jump on the “Bravo, Alex” bandwagon, and yes it does sound like some of the media are out to create some news. It’s ok to ask about the option, but continually hammering away at it is bad.
Russell I agree but you will probably hear that at least 1mil times more between now and November.
I’m already sick of ARod. How about “no comment” re the option or whether he and Jeter are best of pals? Instead, on his 1st day back, we have to hear a whole new “no lying BS” take on something that has nothing to do w/ a ballgame.
Enough already!
the bronx zoo is back!!!!!!
A-rod will definitely be more relaxed now. The truth shall set you free!
All you Jeter haters also need to shut up. He was just fed up having to deal with crazy, neurotic Alex. Now that Alex has a close friend (Man-cave-itch as someone affectionately called him here) he’ll be a happy camper. Guys can just focus on playing baseball.
Russell: wrong, wrong, wrong. Alex never said he would not opt out. He said he wanted to be a Yankee. That quite likely means he wants to be a Yankee as long as he gets an extention.
We gave him ample chances to say he would not opt out and never said that. He said he “wanted” to be a Yankee. Not that he “will” be a Yankee. Big difference.
When I present this audio, it’s to show you what the give-and-take is like You have to learn how to read between the lines.
Read that Esquire statement carefully. How would you feel if your ‘friend’ said those things about you?? How would your family feel?? It’s no wonder that Jeter will not befriend ARod again if this is how ARod treats his friends.
If ARod is so needy – let him spend more time at home with his wife, Cynthia, the psychologist.
Jamie,
That was Joel Sherman. Bronx Zoo? Please, we should be so lucky. Those teams won two World Series and those teams had guys that HATED one another.
Jeter and ARod don’t hate one another. They just aren’t as close as they used to be which, in the grand scheme of things, means nothing.
Why address it? Better to do it on the first day, then have it take over the entire season, like last year.
At some point, ARod has to “man up” if he is going to survive NY. I take it as a GREAT sign he has chosen to address it and not be so meely mouthed.
Its a big step in the right direction for him, if he has any designs at all at remaining a Yankee past this season.
So Pete, the Feinsand bit about Bernie’s ‘friends’ deserting him? That was Mark “reading between the lines”?
Clearly the most edgy comment in the whole interview:
“You go from sleeping over at somebody’s house five days a week, and now you don’t sleep over. It’s just not that big of a deal.”
Love the audio of A-Rod. I agree with many of the posters that it is nice to hear it unedited. Can’t wait to hear Jeter’s reaction tomorrow. Thanks, Pete. keep up the good work!
Why should ARod not opt out? Why should he limit his options right now in this crazy baseball marketplace? No disrespect at all to you Peter, or to the guys on the beat but, its patently absurd to have Joel Sherman drill him demanding his “renounce” his opt out clause.
No player of ARod’s ability, with an opt out clause in place, would NOT opt out given the present marketplace.
The Yankees are paying ARod $15 million a year, a BARGAIN for a guy of his skills. He’s going to opt out, its probably 80-20 this is his last year as a Yankee, and life will go on either way.
A 32 year old guy, with his talent, is going to get 7 years, $150 million, minimum, this off-season. The Yankees may not pay it, but somebody will. Its just the economics of baseball.
For any writer to ask a player to not exercise his contractual rights doesn’t pass the laugh test.
As a Yankee fan, I am going to enjoy the last year of ARod in pinstripes and hope he goes out a winner. I don’t delude myself that he owes me anything other than 100% effort while he is a member of my team.
If he can get a better deal from another team after the season, more power to him.
If Yankee fans don’t like it, maybe they should stop booing the guy at every at bat because that’s not exactly an inducement for him to stay a Yankee beyond this season.
let’s also remember this
alex is 31 years old, married and has a kid.
you don’t necessarily go out with your single “gets his dates by flipping pages through maxim” buddy every night after the game.
I really hope that when ARod walks away from his contract he takes his sycophant fans with him. Bashing Jeter for not fawning over ARod is just stupid.
If there were a way ARod could be traded right now I wish they would do it. I no longer care what they get in return. Another year of this circus will be excruciatingly painful.
It’s amazing to listen to these reporters ask the same questions over and over again to try and trap the athlete. Then they’ll twist it how they want it to come out in the story they write. It’s pathetic! Let the 2006 season go and focus on 2007. What’s in the past is in the past. I hope A-ROd has an awesome season so these guys will shut up. Get over it and let’s play ball!
Circus or not, Arod produces in the regular season. And we wouldn’t have won the AL East in 2005 without him. Too many Yankee fans expect the Yankees to waltz into the playoffs and win the AL East every year like it’s a given. Wake up people, the Sox and the Jays have some pretty good teams and nothing is guaranteed and we’re going to need all the help we can get – including arod’s. Without him, we’re playing for the wildcard. I don’t care if Arod burnt Jeter’s house down, as long as they can work together and win a WS, then keep arod. Keep him for the next 10 years so long as WS’s come with him.
I agree, Paul. I never thought I’d see the day when Jeter is bashed because of Arod and the constant drama that surrounds him. Arod himself said that they just grew apart, yet people here just think they know the ins and outs of his relationship with Jeter and resort to bashing Jeter for not forgiving arod for his esquire comments. Maybe he forgave him, but they’ll just never be as close again. That’s life. That doesn’t make him childish, nor should he have to be subjected to relationship advice by people that don’t even personally know him. I’m so sick of all this…they can clearly coexist on the field and that’s all that matters. Like Arod said, cut all this bullsh-t and just let them play some baseball already. Ridiculous.
I agree, Jen. This interview by ARod was really one of the most honest I have heard from him, and the first time I heard a complete one.
Guys do not have to have sleep-overs to play effective baseball, yet some above continue to bash Jeter. ARod himself said he is 31 and does not need someone stickup from him even when reporters pressed him on this issue, and some fans above still (STILL!!) harp on it.
Those fans should watch more reality shows so they can vote people off islands or whatever they do.
seriously, some people seem to have more of a problem with this whole issue that the person that’s actually involved
one thing that i think he could have excluded was his comment about the sleepovers lol…sox fans are having a field day with that
lol, let the Sox fans have a field day with that one.
They have precious little else, if thats all it takes to float their boats.
After reading this interchange btw Paul and Jen, I have to point out, like 3 people bashed Jeter. Where are the AROD sycophants?
I really liked the interview. My estimation of AROD just grew. Its a shame the quotes taking the lead on ESPN is the “lying” word. I am so over it. I almost wished you worked for ESPN Pete, this way you can actually play the whole interview on SC and then they can stop taking his quotes out of context.
And as a AROD, Jeter, and Yankee fan, I think it would be beyond absurd for Alex to say no I am not opting out in FEBRUARY, then everyone in the media would ask when AROD will pull a Saban. You people are looking ridiculous.
Oh, and shame on the first person that asks Jeter about AROD’s quotes.
“So Jeter, you guys don’t have sleepovers anymore, your thoughts as to why?”
Pete, do you think Alex told Jetes ahead of time he was going to make these comments, making sure Jeters had time to plan not being around for comments until the next day? (Gives Derek time to see the “fallout” and think about how he wants to “react.”)
And not to beat a dead horse, Pete, but it’s a godsend to be able to hear the full interview. Being 40, I only realized half my life ago that some writers try to “make a story” with their idiotic “gotchya!” questions. But to finally hear unedited versions like this? It just helps us understand things a little bit more, and that’s a very very good thing. Thank you!!
Alex is married now with kids and Jeter is still bachelor. They went different ways, of course the friendship has changed. Alex just doesn’t want to throw Jeter under the bus again by saying while Jeter is out partying and chasin ladies(which is perfectly fine), he’s at home with the fam. It’s just the public image thing getting in the way of the truth.Jeter just found a new flank man that’s all. People are taking this too far.
First off, Pete thanks for the audio, sometimes the fans need to hear what the player actually said and in what context, this may be my favorite blog. Secondly, Joel Sherman needs to get a grip and what’s up with his blogs, is he writing a column or a blog?
Pete, read between the lines…who couldn’t figure out that he wants an extension, look at what DL Drew received from the Sawxs, Scott Boras is a genius.
All in all, it appears that A-Rod finally understands what it is like to play in New York, go out and perform and who gives a s$@! what people think about you. And to all the people who care what DJ is going to think or what their relationship is all about, WHO CARES! It is baseball not a reality TV show.
Lastly, as much as I think Jeter is one of the best player the Yankees have had in a while, when the Yankees won those four rings, they had four No. 1′s and their lucky to have one now. So remember it’s all about pitching.
OK – Here’s the exact quote from Esquire, April 2001. This is how Alex treats his friends? Remember, this is not an off the cuff interview, this is a planned magazine article. Alex has never said why he felt the need to malign Jeter like this – it is he needs to explain this, not Jeter.
“He’s never had to lead,” Rodriguez was quoted as saying in April’s edition of Esquire. “He can just go and play and have fun. He hits second — that’s totally different than third or fourth in a lineup. You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie (Williams) and (Paul) O’Neill. You never say, ‘Don’t let Derek beat us.’ He’s never your concern.”
Why does the fact that a relationship changes over time mean there is a “rift” between A-Rod and Jeter? A-Rod is married with a kid. Frankly, I’d be a little concerned if he spent 5 nights a week at Jeter’s place like he used to. I don’t have the same relationship with friends as I did 10+ years ago – they’re still friends but things change as people’s lives change. Can’t people stop putting every little thing under the microscope and let these guys go an win another championship??
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