“The Only Choice You Have is..”: Alex Rodriguez Once Used Mike Tyson’s Infamous Biting Incident to Explain Polarizing 2004 Flashpoint

Alex Rodriguez has had a notable career throughout his twenty-two seasons in MLB. He went through some major ups and downs in both his personal and professional life during those years. A young player full of talent, he was a little hot-headed at times. And while everyone makes mistakes, things are a little different when one is in the spotlight. As such, A-Rod’s infamous moments are remembered even today. One of them is the notorious 2004 ALCS game.

That was Rodriguez’s first season in Pinstripes, and he probably wanted to make an impression. But ultimately, things did not go well. While the former shortstop ran to first, he encountered Bronson Arroyo standing in his way. Call it a deliberate move or call it a reflex – he knocked the ball out of his hand. Rodriguez has talked about the incident in the years since and once, he even compared himself to another quick-tempered athlete.

Alex Rodriguez refers to Mike Tyson to explain his ball slap

It was the Yankees vs the Red Sox, Game 6 of the ALCS, both teams desperate to head to the World Series. And A-Rod’s move made the game even more memorable. He?made an appearance in The Captain, the docuseries about Derek Jeter, where he spoke about the incident. “Here’s the thing man, in the heat of the moment – I remember Mike Tyson bite a couple ears off. You’re trying to represent the who city of New York, you’re trying to win, there’s enormous pressure,” he said.

The retired athlete went on to say, “The only choice you have is, just, Karate Kid something. In retrospect, I should’ve just sat there and let him tag me and you know, be a good boy.”

Mike Tyson, of course, is known for the angry way he took on his opponents. He was a phenomenal boxer because of that, but sometimes things went a bit too far. Like the match-up with Evander Holyfield, when he bit off Holyfield’s right ear. Tyson tore a one-inch piece of cartilage and was suspended from boxing, although later reinstated.

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While A-Rod’s move was nothing so bodily harming, it does give a perspective on what goes on in a player’s mind during a difficult situation.

What happened to both teams after that?

Well, the Yankees lost. The Red Sox proceeded to the World Series and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0. The Bronx Bombers only won one championship after that, in 2009. It’s the only World Series title Rodriguez has won in his career, and it was hard-earned.

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But unfortunately for fans, it has been a long 13-year drought since then. Will 2023 be the year it ends?