Alex Rodriguez had a few moments to spare before the New York Yankees took the field for batting practice the other night. He walked behind the batting cage at Angel Stadium, directly toward the man wearing the red polo shirt with the Angels logo.
Arte Moreno shook hands with Rodriguez, introduced him to his wife, exchanged pleasantries. This was an L.A. power lunch, without the lunch.
In the blue, perhaps the best player in baseball. In the red, perhaps the best owner in baseball.
"He's phenomenal," Rodriguez said. "He does such an incredible job with this franchise."
Two days and two losses later, Rodriguez trudged off that field, into the visiting clubhouse, then onto a bus that would carry the Yankees to the nowhere that is the rest of their season.
And, just as that bus left Angel Stadium, the Angels players hopped, skipped and jumped out of the home clubhouse and back onto that field, in raucous celebration of the American League West championship.
The Angels clinched their ticket into the playoffs, their chance at a second World Series championship in seven years. In that time, the Yankees have none.
In his otherwise distinguished 14-year career, Rodriguez has yet to play in the World Series. And now, for the first time in 15 years, the Yankees won't even make the playoffs.
For his own good, if not for the good of the Yankees, perhaps Rodriguez should have signed with the Angels last winter.
In conversation, he is unfailingly polite. But ask him if he wonders whether he made a mistake by signing with the Yankees rather than the Angels, and he directs a steely glare at you. If a human could shoot a laser beam from his eyes, Rodriguez would have done so.
He speaks slowly, emphasizing every word, raising his voice ever so slightly.
"I didn't sign a one-year deal," he said.
The Yankees will be back, no doubt. They have money to throw at every problem this winter, millions more than the usual mega-millions, because of the grand opening of the new Yankee Stadium.
If CC Sabathia tells the Yankees he would prefer to play in California, the Yankees might try to buy California and move it to New York.
"I have tremendous faith in this franchise," Rodriguez said.
The Yankees might nonetheless endure another year without the playoffs. The Boston Red Sox spend wisely and develop well, the Tampa Bay Rays have a terrific starting rotation with no one older than 26, and one of these years the Toronto Blue Jays might hit, before Roy Halladay's arm falls off.
