Four (or Five!) Reasons Why

…A-Rod Is A Grinch

1. Despite earnings of nearly US$200 million over the past decade, tax records show that A-Rod has donated an average of $30,000 per year to his AROD Family Foundation over the past eight years. In 2002, he contributed only $5,500! While he has made contribution to a myriad of other charities, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, his Foundation should be at the masthead of his generosity.

 2. The Foundation, in which A-Rod surely has an active participation, distributed to the community an average of only $13,000 per year between 1998 and 2006. In 2006, the Foundation gave away $5,090 despite collecting $368,000 at a fundraiser.

3. A-Rod has amassed an empire of apartment complexes, but has done little to improve the standard of living at them. In fact, he has upped the late fees to $100, from $50, on units that generally rent for about $600 per month. Granted, it may not actually be him hiking the fees, but he is ultimately accountable for their management as CEO of Newport Property Ventures.

4.  In exchange for A-Rod’s 500^th homerun ball, the fan that caught the ball was offered little from the Yankees. Jason Zillo, the team’s media relations directors and A-Rod appointed negotiator, offered Walter Kowalczyk a bunch of autographed memorabilia, noting, “We have a lot of future Hall of Famers.” With his salary, A-Rod could have done a little better than that and Nonsportsmakelike Conduct agrees.

5. After getting busted for “spending time” with a woman that wasn’t his wife, he made up for it by buying her a $6,000 necklace. For the average Joe with an average salary, the equivalent would of a stick of gum. Kobe broke out a $4 million bauble. (Then again, A-Rod’s wife didn’t have to go through a rape trial.)

For more on A-Rod’s financial empire, click here.