The relationship between the New York Yankees and Alex Rodriguez has been full of strange twists and turns. This latest chapter is no different, with A-Rod seeming to be gone and then now seeming to be back again as a result of a complicated series of negotiations and apologies and servings of humble pie.

I will admit to being one of those fans who has complained in the past about A-Rod’s production in clutch situations and his utter lack of production in the playoffs (at least since Game 4 in Boston in 2004). On one hand it is so apparent that A-Rod is amazingly talented and he makes it look so easy sometimes, and then he makes it look so damn hard at other times. But on the other hand, baseball is a sport in which getting a hit 33% of the time makes you a superstar. Baseball is a game of failures and imperfections, so maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on A-Rod when he strikes out to end a game, making his line for that night: 3-5 with 1 homer, 4 rbi, and one strikeout.

Now that it seems like A-Rod is going to be back with the Yankees not only in 2008 but for the next decade, I am trying to come to terms with him. I buy into the “Steinbrenner doctrine” which states that anything less than a World Series title equals failure. Yet I am also a fan that loves regular season baseball because teams play almost every day of the week, it represents a cherished daily summer routine. You lose on a Friday night, you’re right back on the field at 1:05 pm on Saturday afternoon to try again. The next game is always right around the corner. And being a fan of the Yankees, I have become incredibly spoiled since the mid-‘90s because I am used to the fact that my team will win many, many more regular season games than they’ll lose. Winning makes following the regular season that much more fun. Sorry to all you Kansas City and Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay fans out there.

This all relates back to A-Rod because having him on my team goes a long way towards making every regular season successful. He’s going to hit at least .300, he’s going to hit at least 40 homers, have at least 100 RBI. He’s going to win some games almost on all his own. A-Rod being on the Yankees gives them a great chance to make the playoffs every year. There is the catch, because once the postseason comes, everything seems to fall apart for A-Rod and the Yankees.

I am waiting for that day when A-Rod carries the Yankees to a championship. Then the experience will once again be complete. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to those walk-off grand slams against Baltimore in April and 8th inning go-ahead RBI doubles in Boston in late August.