Hal Steinbrenner may consider adding Alex Rodriguez to Yankees lore in Monument Park.
Rodriguez and the Yankees reached a deal earlier this week to keep the famed slugger with the team in 2017 as a special advisor. But Hal went further and did not dismiss the idea of Rodriguez joining the greatest to put on a Yankees uniform.
“It’s a bridge to cross when we come to it, but he has done a lot for this organization, on and off the field,” Steinbrenner said Mondy on ESPN Radio with Michael Kay. “And I’m talking about players way back, even Cano, who he was a mentor to. He’s done a lot for this organization on the field through the years, but also off the field that people don’t know about. He’s been a great mentor.”
Rodriguez has been a staple in Major League Baseball for 22 years, 12 of those spent with the Yankees organization, which he loves. He notched at least 50 homers in three separate seasons. Not only did he nearly reach the 700 home run mark as a Yankee, he hit 351 of his 696 in pinstripes.
Steinbrenner avoided giving a final answer either way if Rodriguez would have a place in Monument Park. But he continues to state how important Rodriguez has been to the process of mentoring young players.
For Rodriguez, he has a chance to teach the next up and coming generation of Yankees.
“We talked about Tampa in the conversation. We have two of top five or six overall prospects, both shortstops [Gleyber Torres and Jorge Mateo], by the way, young kids. I can’t think of a better guy than Alex to come in here and really spend time with them than Alex,” Steinbrenner said.
With Rodriguez on board with the Yankees in 2017, it does not appear we have seen the last of A-Rod around Monument Park and Yankee Stadium.
