"I can't pretend to play dumb and stupid...I'm bright" - When Alex Rodriguez reflected on efforts to improve himself for Yankees
The legacy of Alex Rodriguez is going to be a topic of discussion for decades to come. Despite being one of the most talented players to don a uniform in Major League Baseball, his brash attitude and admitted use of perfromance-enhancing drugs left him with plenty of detractors.
The former New York Yankees slugger was a polarizing player throughout his tenure with the club. From his massive contract and personal life to his roller coaster relationship with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez found himself under scrutiny from the media and his coaches alike.
In an article written by the great Tom Verducci in September 25, 2006, the long-time MLB insider highlighted the relationship between Rodriguez and his manager at the time Joe Torre. Despite Rodriguez working hard off the field, he was in the middle of a funk, something that seemed to defend by believing that the way he studied the game helped his game, while some believe he did too much.
"I know that's not a great quote to give, but I can't pretend to play dumb and stupid," Rodriguez said after stating, "I can't help that I'm a bright person."
The relationship between Rodriguez and the rest of the club strained back and forth throughout the season with fellow stars like Jason Giambi even requesting Torre to be harder on Rodriguez. Eventually Joe Torre had no choice but to get real with his superstar.
"This is all about honesty. And it's not about anybody else but you. You can't pretend everything is O.K. when it's not. You have to face the reality that you're going through a tough time, and then work from there," Torre said to Alex Rodriguez.
The New York Yankees went on to lose 3-1 to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Divisional Series. Even though Alex Rodriguez managed to put together a strong season statistically, finishing the year with a .290 batting average, 35 home runs, 121 RBIs, and a .914 OPS, it was not on the same level as he had produced in the seasons prior.
Alex Rodriguez and Joe Torre have attempted to repair their relationship over the years
The awkward and strained relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Joe Torre was well-documented during their time together. There have been a number of interviews and quotes given from each party about the other, however, following their tenure together, the pair have attempted to move on from the past.
The pair have spoken and texted each other over the years, as well as even being seen at Wimbledon back in 2019. While things may never be a buddy-buddy relationship, the fact that both of them have put some of their problems behind them is something that Yankees fans have waited for, as the battles between them became old after several years.