From the manager who groomed Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees who played with him to the legends who wore the pinstripes ahead of him, the Bombers’ icons at Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day almost unanimously say A-Rod has paid his dues and deserves all the praise he has received in the wake of Friday’s 3,000-hit milestone.
After Rodriguez missed an entire season due to PED allegations, he became a pariah around baseball. But both his attitude and his play — coming into Saturday hitting .277 with 13 home runs, including Friday’s historic 3,000th hit on a longball despite turning 40 next month — has won over not only his teammates, but fans and former Yankees alike.