Kyle Tucker's decision to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to draw reactions across baseball, as many were very upset. However, others realize that it’s unfair to do so, including former New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez.
Speaking recently about Tucker’s signing, Rodriguez showed that he understands the decisions players have to deal with regarding trying to win and make as much money as they can.
"I'm thrilled for Tucker. Anytime players work hard, they have a short window to make their money. And I'm very happy for Tucker. Listen, it would be so hypocritical for me to dog the Los Angeles Dodgers when I played for the New York Yankees and we were spending more money than anybody.
“When a team does well, Mark Walter and Todd Boehly, they've done a phenomenal job. In many ways, they've been role models for my (business) partner Marc Lore and I, to do all the right things. The fans follow, the winning follows and everything else falls out,” he said.
Rodriguez’s comments show an understanding of both sides of the spending debate, one that always comes up whenever the Dodgers land another star player like Tucker.
During his playing days with the Yankees, Rodriguez was part of an era that showed which teams can spend, as New York’s payroll was a lot bigger than most others.
From an ownership perspective, he also pointed directly to the Dodgers' leadership, as we have to give credit where credit is due at some point. The Dodgers front office is really good at its job and it’s as simple as that.
Rodriguez also understands that due to his ties with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Regardless, he said what most Yankees fans should feel, as there’s no reason to get upset at the Dodgers for something all New York fans want the team to do.
The Dodgers, for now, are the marquee team in baseball and the Yankees can’t do anything about it until they go out and do the same thing. It doesn’t seem like the front office and ownership plan to do so, which means the Dodgers should continue to run baseball until another team does.