Alex Rodriguez is widely considered the best all-around player in baseball. He has the biggest contract, and his trade to the Yankees (instead of the Red Sox) was the major story line of the off-season. The big problem with A-Rod, though, is that his former teams keep having breakout seasons just after he leaves.

A-Rod’s first full season in Seattle was 1996. In 1995 the Mariners had won the AL West with a .544 winning percentage (79-66 in a strike-shortened season). In 1996 the Mariners fell to a .525 winning percentage and finished 2nd in the division. Rodriguez’ last year in Seattle was 2000, when they finished a very respectable 91-71 and took the American League Wild Card. A-Rod signed with Texas in the off-season, and the next year the Mariners won an astonishing 116 games to win the AL West.

The year before A-Rod arrived in Texas the Rangers went 71-91. Rodriguez spent three years in Texas, and they won between 71-73 games each year, so his presence was basically a wash. This year, though, their first year after A-Rod, the Rangers are in the playoff hunt with only a week to go, currently sitting at 86-70 with 6 games to play.

Last year the Yankees finished 101-61, and this year they’re at 97-59 with 6 games to play. So his presence has basically been a wash for the Yankees this year.

To recap: when A-Rod arrives he makes little or no impact on his team’s win total. When A-Rod leaves, however, the team’s win total skyrockets (see chart below). Maybe the Yankees knew this and acquired A-Rod only so they can dump him in the off-season, thus guaranteeing a great year for the Yankees next season?