Alex, It Is Time

(UPDATE: This was written before A-Rod's 2013-14 suspension, and was based on statistics and other information that was available at the time.)

He will win his third American League Most Valuable Player award next month. He will likely finish his career with over 3,000 hits. And he is the likeliest candidate to surpass Hank Aaron as the all-time leader in home runs -- and surpass Barry Bonds' illegitimate total as well.

And yet... Alex Rodriguez will have the rest of his career measured by the 29 days from October 4 to November 1, 2007. Maybe by fewer days than that.

If the Yankees do not win the World Series, it won't matter how well he did in the postseason, he'll still be blamed for the losses of '04, '05 and '06, if not for '07. And if he doesn't do well this time, but the Yankees win it all anyway, then he's Alex Rodriguez of the World Champion New York Yankees and that's what matters.

He has performed this season like he knew it was time to put up or shut up. All he has to do now is put up for another 29 days. Shouldn't be a problem, right?

Right?

If he doesn't, then it will be almost as humiliating as what happened in aptly-named Flushing.
Almost.

Hopefully, Chien-Ming Wang will have the Sinker of Doom will be working tonight, and the Yankees will straighten out C.C. Sabathia's lopsided cap. We're 6-0 against the Indians this year, including 3-0 at Jacobs Field. I would certainly accept a split, especially if Game 1 were the win. Yanks in 4.