Acquiring Rodriguez was a smart move

With Major League Baseball’s Spring Training right around the corner, New York Yankees owner… With Major League Baseball’s Spring Training right around the corner, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has hit the jackpot.

Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez was traded Monday to the Yankees for second baseman Alfonzo Soriano and a player to be named later. That’s just what the Yankees need – another All-Star.

Current Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will remain at his position and A-Rod will move over to third base to replace Aaron Boone. Boone tore his ACL in a pick-up basketball game a few weeks ago.

A-Rod is doing the right thing by moving to third and not causing controversy. He is demonstrating that he is a team player and is willing to do whatever it takes to win and hopefully he will continue with that attitude.

As I am a Baltimore Orioles’ fan, this deal hurts, but after contemplating going to New York to put my fist through Steinbrenner’s face, I must step back and applaud Mr. Steinbrenner. You deserve my seal of approval, because I said that the Boston Red Sox should have traded outfielder Manny Ramirez for A-Rod, but kept Nomar Garciaparra and had him or A-Rod switch to second base – preferably A-Rod, since Garciaparra already owns the position. Then if Boston was unable to retain Garciaparra at the end of this season, it would still have an All-Star shortstop to fall back on.

But I guess the light bulb didn’t click on for Theo Epstein and the Red Sox to try to have both players on the team. For whatever reason, they thought that getting rid of both Garciaparra and Ramirez was the answer.

Boston was also hopping to pick up Chicago White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez in the process. Well Mr. Steinbrenner, it pains me to give you credit, but congratulations for having a brain and not being cheap.

Now New York will go on to win another American League East pennant as long as its new acquisitions stay healthy. The Yankees now have the ability to score a ridiculous number of runs every night, and there was talk on Sports Center Monday morning that this team may rival the Yankees’ 1931 squad that scored more than 1,000 runs in a season.

I just cannot fathom how the Red Sox are consistently their own worst enemy. Unfortunately for Red Sox fans, the curse will continue. This time it is as the result of losing the best player in the game of a different era that wears No. 3 on his back.

Baseball legend Babe Ruth, who also donned No. 3, was sold to the Yankees after the Red Sox won the 1918 World Series. Ever since the sale, Boston has failed to win a crown. This has got to be devastating. In both of these instances, the errors that worked out in the Yankees’ favor concerned money.

The Red Sox were unable to get this deal done back in December, and there was just a gut feeling that Steinbrenner would swoop in with his money. I wrote a column as a sophomore that bashed Steinbrenner for buying his championships.

Well that was at age 19, and now, as I prepare to turn 22 next month, I guess I have matured and I actually am not mad at Steinbrenner. I actually admire what he did to make sure that his team came out on top.

Before this deal was made, the talk was that the Toronto Blue Jays, Orioles, and Red Sox were going to make a serious run at wrestling away control of the A.L. East, but that seems almost impossible now.

But I’m not too upset because my Orioles realistically only had a shot at the A.L. Wild Card spot this season. I just feel bad for the Red Sox because they always seem to get a raw deal.

Hopefully Boston’s strong pitching additions will pull it through, because it will not be able to out-slug New York this season. Maybe in the future Boston will learn to spend the money in order to ensure that it has the best product on the field.

Kevin Nash is the assistant sports editor for The Pitt News and wants to make it clear that he still hates the Yankees, but respects Mr. Steinbrenner’s smart acquisition.