Demise of a Role Model

By Daisy Gomez (San Diego, CA) 

Tonight, Alex Rodriguez played his last game for the Trenton Thunder. After a hip injury placed him temporarily in the minor leagues, Rodriguez faced a penalty not only with Major League Baseball, but also with his fans.

According to ESPN, Rodriguez faces a suspension of at least 214 games for using performance-enhancing drugs, among other allegations. Seats at Arm & Hammer Park sold out within 24 hours of the announcement of where Rodriguez’s potential last game would be, according to the Thunder’s general manager, Will Smith.

“Rodriguez is a great player, and people are exaggerating the drug accusations that are being made,” said Pedro Santiago, a 59-year-old fan. “Rodriguez is not the only player who uses drugs, he was just one that was caught. People are just jealous because he is rich now, and before he was so poor, he lived on food stamps.”

Smith estimated that there were 3,000 more fans at tonight’s game than at typical Thunder games. But that did not mean that all who showed up were fans of Rodriguez. While some fans cheered for Rodriguez the entire game, others thought his suspension should last longer than a few games.

“It is very unfortunate that Rodriguez is engaged in another scandal like this,” said Lauren Bosak, a 33-year-old from Laurensville. “Players should be role models, but sadly, that is not always true. The investigation of the athletes is very inconsistent. If he wants to take drugs and ruin his career, then he should face the consequences. If that means that he spends the rest of his life suspended from baseball, then so be it.”