Alex Rodriguez has had a rather colorful career in MLB, but he shone the brightest in black and white! His journey to joining the New York Yankees was not simple, without doubts or speculations. Rodriguez was a two-time Gold Glove winner and had won back-to-back MVP awards, but he had to change his position if he wanted to wear the pinstripes. And he agreed! By now, fans were scratching their heads, wondering if their star was out of his mind to make this decision. Well, it turns out they were right.

Well, turns out this narrative is indeed true. A-Rod did decide having a couple of drinks. Secondly, his decision to join the Yankees didn’t seem to make much sense, given that his relationship with Derek Jeter had been strained. With A-Rod joining, rumors began circulating that Jeter was nervous someone was coming for his position. But Rodriguez later revealed that he would rather leave the Yankees than ever take Derek Jeter’s spot.

Alex Rodriguez was never after Jeter’s throne

Alex Rodriguez had won his second consecutive MVP award—a huge achievement. But he wasn’t happy; he just wanted out of the Texas Rangers. At one point, it looked like the Boston Red Sox were going to lock him in, but then the Yankees managed to scoop up the star. However, there was a catch—A-Rod had to play third base. Whether Rodriguez couldn’t stand another moment with the Rangers or the vodka shots were clouding his judgment, he said yes. A-Rod later revealed on The Captain show, where he was with his once friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend Derek Jeter, that he agreed to Brian Cashman’s third baseman offer at the MVP dinner. “And then I, by my third cocktail I go, ‘yeah! Maybe I’ll play third base,’ and two weeks later it happened (the trade),“ said A-Rod.

Derek Jeter mentioned that he was shell-shocked when he heard that Rodriguez had decided to play third base and not compete for shortstop. However, while that decision may have been made on the spur of the moment, it shows that sometimes even the swiftest decisions can be the best for you.

Captain Clutch even commended A-Rod for being professional and never bringing up the topic of playing any other position. “He never asked to play shortstop. Never brought it up. I never heard any whispers about it, ‘cause he had committed to playing third base.“ Later on, A-Rod revealed he had told Derek Jeter, “If George Steinbrenner called me into his office tomorrow and said, “I’m moving Derek out of shortstop and I’m putting you; I go back to Texas. 

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Alex Rodriguez had made plenty of slip-ups when talking about Derek Jeter over the years, and while this gesture didn’t erase everything that was said, it certainly helped mend the relationship a little.

A-Rod and Captain Cluth mending their friendship!

Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter didn’t meet for the first time in the Yankees locker room or by playing against each other in the big leagues. Their friendship goes way back to their college days. However, not every friendship lasts, and this is what happened. In this story, Alex Rodriguez was cast as the ‘villain’ and Derek Jeter as the ‘hero.’ The reason? A-Rod’s unsolicited remarks! Things with Jeter started to go sour when A-Rod mentioned in an interview that Jeter ‘never had to lead’ in his baseball career. Such incidents dented their relationship so much that they didn’t want to talk about each other—Jeter almost ignored the topic altogether.

However, their relationship seems to be on the mend, as we saw when Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both attended the Old Timers’ event. The two engaged in fun banter with each other. Jeter pulled his pal’s legs by saying that A-Rod always wears his pinstripes at home, so he doesn’t miss them. But hey, even Kobe and Shaq mended their relationship, so why can’t we have a great example in MLB? 

While things seem to be great between Captain Clutch and A-Rod, there might still be some work needed with the New York Yankees. Rodriguez had a couple of hiccups with the team, including his suspension for the use of PEDs and his unceremonious exit from the Yankees lineup. He has yet to have his jersey number retired and still doesn’t have a plaque at Monument Park. Do you think things will improve here too? Let us know!