Cal Ripken Jr. remains upset with Alex Rodriguez over an incident at the 2001 MLB All-Star Game, which resurfaced as a topic on Tuesday when the All-Star game returned to Seattle.
During the 2001 game, Ripken Jr., then set to retire at the end of the season, was initially slated to play third base for the American League, while Rodriguez was the starting shortstop. In a gesture meant to honor Ripken Jr., Rodriguez suggested switching positions so Ripken could play shortstop one last time. However, Ripken was not pleased with the idea and wanted to stay in his assigned position. Rodriguez physically nudged Ripken to persuade him to switch, which did not sit well with the Orioles legend.
Discussing the incident before the 2023 All-Star game, Ripken admitted, “Well, now that you brought it back up, I was kind of p***** at you, to be honest with you.” He explained his reluctance, noting he had not played shortstop in a while and had concerns about handling a double play with his oversized glove.
Ripken, who spent his entire 21-year career with the Orioles and retired in 2001, was mindful of his words during the game as he was wearing a microphone. Despite his annoyance at the time, he went on to retire with significant records to his name.
