That’s it. After Games 3 and 4 of the World Series, I don’t ever want to hear anything about A-Rod being a choker ever again.
With his ninth-inning, tie-breaking double following a true World Series rarity – two stolen bases on the same play by Johnny Damon – Rodriguez is within one more Yankees victory of placing himself in the company of those he most envies, the pinstripers who can call themselves champions.
In Game 3, A-Rod hit an opposite-field home run to tie Bernie Williams’ club record for home runs in a postseason (six). In Game 4, with two outs in a tie game in the ninth inning (and after Captain Clutch Jeter had struck out earlier in the inning), A-Rod hit a double to left to drive in the go-ahead and eventual winning run. And all this while the Phillies have been pretty much throwing at him. I’m not saying the guy has been great in the past, but the days of labeling A-Rod as a choker have to be over. There are few situations that would have added more pressure than his at bat last night in the ninth, and A-Rod delivered. He’s been a one-man wrecking crew this postseason and as far as I’m concerned is the new Mr. October. I know that everyone was drooling at the thought of bashing him again after his poor performance in Games 1 and 2, but A-Rod has clearly moved on.
Besides, Ryan Howard has been choking like an amateur filling in for Audrey Bitoni.
