Alex vs. A-Rod

Alex Rodriguez has a new three-part docuseries on HBO.  As is often the case when somebody has something to promote, he hit the late-night talk show circuit to discuss the show (as well as that incredible World Series!).  I haven't seen the documentary yet, but I have seen a few of his interviews, and there was one thing about them that really struck me.  They were refreshingly honest.

He had a winning lottery ticket and he knew it.  He was one of the greatest baseball players of his generation and one of the best in history.  A-Rod was bound for Cooperstown.  Then he did something incredibly stupid that completely changed the trajectory of his career.  With that one decision, he threw away his guaranteed place in the Hall of Fame.  And he has no one to blame for that than himself.

So, what's refreshing about that?  A-Rod knows he's the only one to blame and he accepts it.  More significantly, he takes responsibility for the reason why.  There are so many players who are widely assumed to have been taking steroids but have never admitted it.  A-Rod acknowledges that he did.  He made a terrible decision and is suffering the consequences for it.  Consequences that he brought upon himself.

Granted, this isn't the first time A-Rod has admitted his steroid use.  He first did so in a 60 Minutes interview a few years ago.  But still, to hear him be open about the fact that, yes, he did do it and, yes, he regrets it is refreshing.  Beyond that, it looks like it's cathartic.  Telling the truth has lifted an incredible weight off his shoulders.

The documentary is titled "Alex vs. A-Rod," which highlights the dual nature of being a public figure.  In private, he's "Alex," just a man living his life.  "A-Rod" was his public persona.  The superstar baseball player who was as hated as he was beloved.  Reconciling that dual identity can't be an easy thing, and it became so much harder for "Alex" was "A-Rod" was a pariah.

One of the things I'm looking forward to the most about this documentary is how nothing was off-limits.  That's not always the case.  In fact, it too often isn't.  How many "tell-all" documentaries don't really tell us much of anything?  Especially when the athlete in question is involved in the development of the project, it becomes less of a "tell-all" and more a sanitized version of the story that they hope will make people perceive them the way they want.  Not here.  It was no holds barred.  A-Rod and his family told their story.  The full story.  Problematic parts and all.

It's a familiar story by now.  A-Rod was a highly touted prospect, the No. 1 pick in the Draft.  He lived up that promise and then some, turning into a genuine superstar!  During the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid player in history.  He was also a polarizing figure.  Those who loved to hate him felt vindicated after he was suspended for the entire 2014 season.  A-Rod admitted to taking PEDs during his time with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03 (including his 2003 MVP season), which is when public opinion about him first started to turn.  Then he was traded to the Yankees, which made it worse.  Then he came back from his suspension and was a downright villain until his retirement in 2016 (and even for a few years after).

Across three parts, the documentary will cover his entire career arc, from the high schooler who signed with the Seattle Mariners to the highly paid superstar to the guy who retired with the Yankees two decades later a shell of his former self.  And it, of course, deals with his steroid use.  How could any documentary about A-Rod not?  That, unfortunately, has become what defines his career.  For as good a player as he was and the ridiculous numbers that he put up, his 211-game PED suspension and his not being in the Hall of Fame because of it are the first things that come to mind when people think of A-Rod.

If not for the steroid use, A-Rod would've been a sure-fire Hall of Famer.  In a 22-year career, he hit 696 home runs, the fifth-most in history.  He had 3,115 hits and 2,086 RBIs, won three MVPs and two Gold Gloves, and made 14 All*Star teams.  And, of course, he was a member of the Yankees' 2009 World Series championship team.  (It really puts into perspective how long it's been since the Yankees' last championship when you consider the fact that three Hall of Famers--Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, CC Sabathia--and one would-be Hall of Famer--A-Rod were on their most recent World Series-winning roster.)

Much like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez has the numbers that would've otherwise made him a Hall of Fame lock.  His Hall of Fame candidacy is still a major source of debate, as an argument can certainly be made that he belongs in regardless.  Yet A-Rod hasn't broken 35 percent of the vote in the four years he's been eligible, and that doesn't seem likely to change until he falls off the ballot in 2031.  He knows that, too.  And he knows the reason why.

Does Alex Rodriguez think that, based on his numbers, he belongs in the Hall of Fame?  Yes.  But he doesn't have a vote, and he's come to terms with the fact that he's unlikely to get in.  Which is entirely on him.  Craig Melvin asked him about it on the Today Show, and A-Rod's answer was very blunt: "I'm definitely not going in the Hall of Fame.  I knew the rules, I broke the rules, and if that's the penalty, that's completely on me."  You can't help but respect his acceptance and taking accountability (even if the accountability came way too late for some).

What's incredible is how becoming a broadcaster has also rehabilitated his image.  Throughout his career, A-Rod's baseball knowledge was widely respected.  Throw in the fact that he's good looking, and a career in broadcasting seemed like a natural fit.  Which it was.  He started as a game analyst on Sunday Night Baseball and now puts his baseball knowledge and passion for the game on display as part of FOX's highly regarded studio crew with David Ortiz and Derek Jeter.  A-Rod the Broadcaster isn't just smart, he's something A-Rod the Player wasn't for so many.  He's likeable.

None of that makes up for his tanking his own Hall of Fame chances by taking steroids for absolutely no reason whatsoever.  Some people will never be able to overlook that, which is completely understandable.  I hope he touches on his reasons for doing it during the docuseries.  Because he's never really said why.  And, frankly, people want to know!  You had the golden ticket!  Why did you throw it away?!  And for what?!  That question, more than anything else, I hope is answered in "Alex vs. A-Rod."

This documentary probably won't change any minds about Alex Rodriguez.  I doubt there will be any groundbreaking revelations, either.  But, if we can finally get some insight into his reasons for taking PEDs, it'll be well worth the watch.