A-Rod to play with D.R.

[Royce]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2106934

A-Rod: 'I want to say it out loud: I am Dominican'

DETROIT -- Alex Rodriguez feels determined to help the Dominican Republic play a key role in baseball's first World Classic, which will take place in March.

That's why the Yankees third baseman has already decided which country he will represent in the most important international event in baseball's history.

"I am going to play for the Dominican Republic, and I am going to make the Dominicans feel proud," Rodriguez said during the All-Star Game.

"I want to say it out loud: I am Dominican," added Rodriguez.

Major League Baseball, the Players Union and the International Baseball Federation have already announced baseball's first World Classic on Monday, with 16 countries slated to participate.

Rodriguez is one of the many baseball players who has dual citizenship and has the choice of representing the country he prefers.

Spanish version
Read this story in Spanish on ESPNdeportes.com.

Rodriguez is son of Dominican parents, but was born in New York. Along with other Dominican players born in the U.S., Rodriguez could play for the United States if so chooses.

"I am Dominican, and that's the flag I will represent in the World Classic," said Rodriguez. "We will have a great team, and we will try to win the title so that all the Dominican people will feel proud of their ballplayers and of their own nationality," he said.

The Dominican Republic will share Pool D, which will play the first round in Florida, with Australia, Venezuela and Italy. The two best teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

The Yankees third baseman was one of the five Dominican players to occupy successive places in the batting order for the American League lineup at the All-Star Game. Rodriguez batted second, a place he has been comfortable with during his last two seasons with the Yankees.

David Ortiz, the designated hitter, was the third player in the batting order, leftfielder Manny Ramirez was the cleanup, shortstop and eventual MVP Miguel Tejada was fifth and outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was sixth.

"Our country is a baseball power. With players like Miguel Tejada, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and others, we are going to keep the Dominican flag at the top," concluded A-Rod.

[PissedPrincess]

Gimme a break. AROD's more American than me. He was born and raised in this country. Dominican my ass. :hmm:

[Thedatch]

Gimme a break. AROD's more American than me. He was born and raised in this country. Dominican my ass. :hmm:

eh...let him play for the dominican...then billy mueller can play on the US team...im cool with that.

[PissedPrincess]

No. You should play for your country of orirgin.

[Thedatch]

No. You should play for your country of orirgin.

if he has nationality in the dominican, that makes him a citizen of that country, just like I am an American Citizen, even though I lived most of my life in the netherlands.

[PissedPrincess]

I know he can, I just think he shouldn't. I realize I shouldn't bash the guy here. It's just so painfully obvious AROD needs to belong, that he is now jumping on the DR bandwagon.

He NEVER cared about being Dominican till Ortiz became hip. I guess I feel sorry for him. All that money and talent, and he's just a scared lonely kid.

[PissedPrincess]

if he has nationality in the dominican, that makes him a citizen of that country, just like I am an American Citizen, even though I lived most of my life in the netherlands.

Are you a citizen Datch? Did you take the test?

[Thedatch]

I know he can, I just think he shouldn't. I realize I shouldn't bash the guy here. It's just so painfully obvious AROD needs to belong, that he is now jumping on the DR bandwagon.

He NEVER cared about being Dominican till Ortiz became hip. I guess I feel sorry for him. All that money and talent, and he's just a scared lonely kid.

yeah, i agree with you on that.

and as to me taking the test...I didnt need to...my mommy was american, so i got an american birth certificate :tongue:

[rockin500]

All that money and talent, and he's just a scared lonely kid.


you can always give him a hug. :)

[Royce]

He NEVER cared about being Dominican till Ortiz became hip. I guess I feel sorry for him. All that money and talent, and he's just a scared lonely kid.

First off, he's married. Second, I doubt Ortiz has anything to do with it, except for the fact that he's a good player.

[rockin500]

First off, he's married. Second, I doubt Ortiz has anything to do with it, except for the fact that he's a good player.
you can be married and still be a lonely kid inside. ive known a couple (both on the female and male side)

[PissedPrincess]

First off, he's married. Second, I doubt Ortiz has anything to do with it, except for the fact that he's a good player.

What does him being married matter. :confused: We all know AROD's in therapy. It is just my opinion that he is searching to belong somewhere, and he's trying to jump on the Ortiz/Tejada/Manny/Jones DR lovefest.

Nothing personal, you're actually a decent guy........for a Yankee fan. :D

[Thedatch]

Jones? as in Andrew Jones? cuz he's gonna be representing the Netherlands, yo! at least that's what he was in the home run derby.

[rockin500]

actually, yah, hes from curacuo isnt he? (how many players are from there? i do know sausage beater-errrr Randall Simon was from there but not sure who else)

[PissedPrincess]

Yeah, he's Venezuelan.

[Kiwideus]

Looks like A-Rod will play for DR because he has Dual citizenship and he can choose which one he wants to play for.

We will wait and see what Bud Selig and WBC say :notme:

[Thedatch]

Yeah, he's Venezuelan.

andrew jones isnt venezuelan...bobby abreu is from venezuela...

[milky_way]

If he has Dominican citizenship, then who cares? This is A-Rod's decision and he can make it for whatever reasons he wants.

Scott Rolen isn't going anywhere :banana:

[Thedatch]

actually, yah, hes from curacuo isnt he? (how many players are from there? i do know sausage beater-errrr Randall Simon was from there but not sure who else)

not a lot, since it is a very small island...Sidney Ponson is from Aruba though, which i believe is still a Dutch colony. So he would be eligeable to pitch. (are the dutch even playing in this?)

[PissedPrincess]

Scott Rolen isn't going anywhere :banana:


Rolen. :ugh: Mr. 0-for the world series. The Americans are gonna get killed. :(

[Thedatch]

Rolen. :ugh: Mr. 0-for the world series. The Americans are gonna get killed. :(


:laff: isn't it kinda sad that the all american sport's greatest players currently are not american?

I'm not complaining though...diversity is always good, but it's america's past time afterall...

[milky_way]

Rolen. :ugh: Mr. 0-for the world series. The Americans are gonna get killed. :(
LOL, I think our pitching will pull us along for awhile until we hit the DR who will proceed to whoop us :ugh:

[I Are Baboon]

I don't think any country can match the depth of USA's pitching, and good pitching always wins out over good hitting.

As far as A-Rod is concerned, I've never heard him say much about the DR (not that I pay attention). He lived, what, a few years of his middle-childhood there? He was born and raised in NYC. :laff:

But yeah, who cares. The USA doesn't need him. How many teams has he lead to a championship again???

[Durango53]

:laff: isn't it kinda sad that the all american sport's greatest players currently are not american?

There can be some intresting thought on this....

For me I look at it like this. Most of the very big stars or are from the DR, Caribbean, and from that area. Now this is what I think. Baseball can be a cheap sport. You can get somekind of ball and a stick and you will have a baseball game. So those people down there most of the time dont have that much money and so they spend all there time throwing and hitting year around.

Now here in the USA we have so many sports. Football, baseball, hockey, Basketball to name 4 of them that we roll around to for the time of the season. And it is hard to play baseball here in Wyoming in the winter time with it being 10 degrees snow up to you bun hole and the wind blowing 50 MPH. So you do the winter sports.

It is just we here in America have so many diffenet things to do and change around to that we divide our talents.

Just what I think but I love to see the sport get out and other countries getting better at it. :thumbsup:

[Thedatch]

There can be some intresting thought on this....

For me I look at it like this. Most of the very big stars or are from the DR, Caribbean, and from that area. Now this is what I think. Baseball can be a cheap sport. You can get somekind of ball and a stick and you will have a baseball game. So those people down there most of the time dont have that much money and so they spend all there time throwing and hitting year around.

Now here in the USA we have so many sports. Football, baseball, hockey, Basketball to name 4 of them that we roll around to for the time of the season. And it is hard to play baseball here in Wyoming in the winter time with it being 10 degrees snow up to you bun hole and the wind blowing 50 MPH. So you do the winter sports.

It is just we here in America have so many diffenet things to do and change around to that we divide our talents.

Just what I think but I love to see the sport get out and other countries getting better at it. :thumbsup:


that's a very good point...much like many african/brazilian players being so amazing at soccer...all you need is a ball, and a couple of friends and you've got a game. You can even play by yourself.

[Durango53]

You can even play by yourself.
Datch are you ok????

First you got to bring down this little guy ---> :lmao:

And now you are talking like this!!!!!!! :eek:

;) :D

But I got your point and yes I feel that is why the US is not a world power in soccer.

And with the cost of playing football, hockey and such it is way out of cost for those people and here we are lucky to have schools pay for most of them.

[Thedatch]

Datch are you ok????

First you got to bring down this little guy ---> :lmao:

And now you are talking like this!!!!!!! :eek:

;) :D

:laff:

well...I have been away from my girlfriend since late may...and have another 5 weeks to go till i get to go back to school... :ugh:

but other than that I'm A Okay :D :lmao: <------ and he had it coming...dirtying up our site like that!

[SportsChick237]

A-Rod i think will do anything to make people notice him. I mean his playing is enough, but whatever, hes in therapy, that should be explanation enough.

[milky_way]

Explanation for what? :confused:

[Kiwideus]

I reckon he might have issues that he is dealing with, that is a good thing that he goes to therapy to get make things better.

[SportsChick237]

I'm glad hes trying to make things better for himself, and i am not knocking therapy casue once i was contemplating it. i jsut feel like hes constantly our for attention, if its not one thing its another. just stick to your skill in the game, and stop trying so hard.