Keep winning MVPs and those fans will keep on loving you...course with A-Rod, there will always be a faction that just can't stand him. It's what happens when a) you try to be on pretty much everyone's good side and b) you sign a contract worth a quarter of a billion dollars. Still, you can't fault the man for taking what management wanted to give him at the time nor can you say that A-Rod hasn't been one of the most valuable players in league history. You can dislike him personally but you cannot dispute that he has put it all out on the field (including in the playoffs, give or take a few series...).

Interesting article from Sports Illustrated about the recent baseball awards dinner in NY. It talks about A-Rod recieving his award from one of his idols, Mr. Cal Ripken and provides quotes and a few tidbits about other awards recipients and the people who were called to present them with the awards. Mariano Rivera was also in attendance and won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award, which was presented to him by GM Brian Cashman. Statistically speaking, Rivera really should have garnered more votes for the Cy Young than the man who won it, Bartolo Colon (and as an aside, both really should have been eclipsed by the real Cy Young of the 2005 season - Johan Santana). Nevertheless, congrats to both Yankees (and all the other players and coaches) who won awards.