Pay-Rod? Not for $35 million a year

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At the moment, it appears his mental approach to the game is sound. But A-Rod is one of the sports world’s leading neurotics. Remember those patches of inferior play last season, followed by public discussions of his own fragile mental state?

It’s courageous for anybody to seek counseling while going through depression or difficult times. Yet he seems to be a completely different person this year. Unless he had a remarkable breakthrough after a visit to Jiffy Shrink, what that tells me is that the promise of money and stature keeps him focused, whereas the traditionally foremost reason to motivate an athlete — winning a championship — is a distant second or third.

And while we’re on the subject …

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I realize it takes an entire team, not one man, to win a title. Pitching is more important than hitting. But after this, his 14^th major league season, he never will have played in a World Series, let alone won one. Maybe it is because he just hasn’t been on a team that had enough talent. Or maybe it’s because he has been, but he didn’t infuse his team with the kind of leadership qualities that picks everybody up and keeps them moving forward determinedly through good times and bad.

Any team that signs A-Rod should also have extra room in the cargo hold for his baggage. If it isn’t a “Stray-Rod” front page with a stripper, it might be a gentle feud with a teammate (in the past two years it was Derek Jeter; at A-Rod’s next stop, who knows?), or another obscene message on his wife’s shirt, or fending off criticism when he does stuff perceived as Little Leaguesque like trying to knock the ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove in 2004, or yelling to distract an opponent like he did this season against Toronto.

Rodriguez isn’t just a baseball player. He’s a reality show, one that wears on everybody who watches.

He isn’t a bum. He’s arguably the best player in baseball. He’s worth the money he’s making. But is he worth a lot more than that? Is he worth $35 million per season, or more? Does he deserve — gulp! — a piece of the team along with his salary, as has been mentioned in some quarters?

Agents like to talk, especially when they know that dropping preposterous numbers to the press about their clients will eventually result in historically huge contracts. The Red Sox and Cubs may indeed make lucrative bids. But in the end, it’s likely that the only fat cat desperate enough to cough up top dollar for this candy bar is George Steinbrenner.

Only it’ll be less than $35 million per season, no matter how many bombs Boras drops into print.

A-Rod is worth a lot. He just isn’t worth that much.

Michael Ventre is a contributor to MSNBC.com and a free-lance writer based in Los Angeles.

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