Will the old ARod ever re-emerge?

Will we ever see the old Alex Rodriguez again? That is one of the key questions for the New York Yankees heading into 2012.

ARod went all the way to Europe to seek treatment for his ailing knee and shoulder, apparently with the full blessing of the Yankees. Evidently, ARod will go anywhere and try any experimental or controversial treatment, all in a bid to get back on the fraudulent path that will take him to the all-time home run record in baseball (which he hopefully won’t hold for very long).

I’m not surprised the Yankees signed off on the procedure. Fully understanding now that they have saddled themselves with a contract that will choke them for the next six years, the Yankees have to be hoping against hope that somehow Rodriguez becomes a fraction of the player he was when they signed him to that ill-advised pact. If he doesn’t, the Yankees will find themselves with nothing more to show from ARod and quite possibly only one World Series championship for all the money they threw in his direction.

For his part, ARod is promising he will return to greatness. I find myself extremely conflicted over that possibility. I dislike ARod for all the chaos, drama and shame he has brought to the Yankees. Yet, I know that if he doesn’t do well, the Yankees are unlikely to return to the World Series and add another championship banner. So I find myself the most reluctant ARod supporter, cringing as I applaud his home runs, unwilling to celebrate his individual accomplishments, but hoping he can somehow regain his previous form and contribute to another title.