NEW YORK — Eight years after his turbulent tenure with the Yankees ended, Alex Rodriguez heard cheers in his first appearance at Old-Timers’ Day on Saturday and was in awe of Aaron Judge.
A year after captain Derek Jeter debuted at the event, Rodriguez was introduced as part of a ceremony honouring the 2009 Yankees, who won the team’s most recent championship.
“I was actually surprised that I got an invitation,” Rodriguez said at a news conference following a lengthy on-field ceremony. “Honoured, honoured, very happy. I told my daughters right away and it’s a great thrill.”
Rodriguez played his last game on Aug. 12, 2016, and was cut the following day as the Yankees promoted Judge. Judge homered in his first at-bat and is on the verge of becoming the fourth player with three 50-home run seasons and the first to achieve the feat in three of his first nine seasons.
“Aaron is such a unicorn,” Rodriguez said “I love the game of baseball so much and I’ve never seen a player quite like him that looks like an NFL tight end, you know 6-7, 282 pounds, under 10 per cent body fat. The guy is a specimen.”
“I personally can’t relate to it,” Jeter said. “It’s amazing. It seems like he just continues to get better and better.”
Rodriguez was acquired in a trade from Texas in 2004 when third baseman and current Yankees manager Aaron Boone tore his left ACL in a pickup basketball game. He appeared in 1,509 of his 2,784 games in 12 seasons with the Yankees, a tenure that included a year-long suspension in 2014.
Rodriguez finished with 696 homers, fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) and fell from 35.7 per cent to 34.8 in the most recent voting for the Hall of Fame.
Rodriguez missed the first 28 games of the 2009 season following hip surgery. He homered in his first at-bat in Baltimore and hit .286 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs before hitting .328 with six homers and 18 RBIs in the postseason.
Rodriguez was introduced immediately after Johnny Damon and right before 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and 2009 ALCS MVP CC Sabathia, who retired after the 2019 season.
“I’m a year away from 50 and you understand the magnitude and the gravity of winning, how difficult it is and do with it with such great guys with such high character, with a great manager and unbelievable, underrated coaching staff, it takes a village to win a championship and I cherish it,” Rodriguez. said. “I only have one and I’m just glad I was part of being part of that team.”
Jeter was introduced last like the great Joe DiMaggio used to be. A recording of late public address announcer Bob Sheppard boomed: “Now batting, number two, Derek Jeter.”
Sixth on the career hits list with 3,465 hits, Jeter was introduced after fellow members of the “Core Four”: Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. Bernie Williams also was introduced after missing last year’s event because of shoulder replacement surgery.
Overall there were 17 members of the 2009 team honoured along with manager Joe Girardi, who also moderated a Q-and-A session with radio analyst Suzyn Waldman.
It was the third straight season the Yankees did not play the old-timers’ game.
“I’d be afraid I would hurt myself,” Jeter said.
In addition to the 2009 honourees and members of the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 championship teams, several members of the 1978 title team were present, including Lou Piniella, Willie Randolph, Roy White, Mickey Rivers and Bucky Dent.
The widows of five-time manager Billy Martin, captain Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer were also introduced as part of an event that began in 1947 when Ty Cobb and Ruth first appeared.