Image via Yahoo! Sports

Spring Training is in full swing, and down in Tampa, the Yankees are getting geared up for the 2014 season without one of their biggest sticks. A-Rod is AWOL.

Ronn Torossian explains…Alex Rodriguez’s Grapefruit League locker remains open – and empty – but the Yankee star has yet to make an appearance in, or out of, uniform with the team this year. However, the disagreement that turned into a PR disaster for the All Star slugger took a step in the right direction for A-Rod recently with the announcement that he has dropped his lawsuit against Major League Baseball.

A-Rod had sued MLB and the players union back in January in a last ditch attempt to get his 162-game suspension overturned. The suspension was handed down after Rodriguez was found to have taken banned substances, and later tried to obstruct MLB’s investigation of the incident.

The substance issues were bad enough, but Rodriguez compounded them first by obstructing the investigation and then filing the suit. Fredric Horowitz, the arbitrator involved in the dispute, shortened Rodriguez’s suspension from 211 down to 162…and any playoff games in 2014.

A-Rod called the move one that was made in “bad faith,” and accused the union of not providing fair representation. The language of the suit caused some fans to accuse A-Rod of childishness, of whining when he should just fess up and take his medicine. And, this being New York, those were the nice things being said. Sure, Yankee fans want to see A-Rod back in a Yankee uniform, but they have little stomach for a season of distraction and complaining from a star that many said they won’t miss in the playoffs anyway.

And the issue could not have come at a worse time for Yankee public relations. Derek Jeter is retiring at the end of this season, and the Boys in Pin Stripes are eager to spend the year saying goodbye. Even still, Bronx born Ronn Torossian – and many other Yankees fans – are upset.

 

 

Discover more from Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian’s Professional Profile on Muck Rack
GuideStar Profile for Ronn Torossian Foundation
Ronn Torossian’s Articles on Entrepreneur
Ronn Torossian’s Blog Posts on Times of Israel
Ronn Torossian on SoundCloud

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.