Full Name : Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez
Born : July 27, 1975
Hometown : New York, New York
Height : 6' 3
Weight : 225 lbs
Bats : Right
Throws : Right
Major League Baseball debut : July 8, 1994 for the Seattle Mariners
Family : wife, Cynthia; daughter, Natasha
Primary Position : Third baseman
One of the greatest heroes in baseball history, Alex Rodriguez will no doubt be selected to the Hall of Fame. The records that this athlete has set have brought the game to another level, and the most amazing part about it is that he is only thirty-one years old.
Born on July 27, 1975, Alex experienced a rough childhood when his family was constantly commuting from America to the Dominican Republic and then back to America again. Sadly, his father left him when he was only seven years old, leaving Mrs. Rodriguez in charge of the family. He grew up in Miami, Florida, and it was here that he first established himself as a talented young athlete. Attending Westminster Christian High School, Rodriguez put up phenomenal numbers, batting over .400 and stealing 90 bases throughout his high school tenure. Gatorade eventually named him the National Baseball Student Athlete of the Year, a notable honor. In 1993 Alex went as far as trying out for team USA, an attempt that was never undertaken by a high school student. Alex's recognition earned him the reputation as one of the country's hottest baseball prospects.
After passing up a college opportunity at the University of Miami, Rodriguez opted to enter the MLB amateur draft in 1993. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners, and was even given a three-year contract worth over one million dollars. This goes to show just how heavy of a prospect Rodriguez was at the time. It didn't take long for Alex to make his presence known in the majors; on July 8, 1994, Rodriguez made his debut as the Red Sox hosted the Mariners at the famous Fenway Park. He was just 18-years-old at the time, making him the third shortstop since 1900 to play at this young age. Unfortunately, due to the infamous MLB strike that occurred during that year, Alex's playing time as a youngster was limited to just 54 at-bats that season.
It was during the 1996 season that Alex earned the nickname A-Rod, as he was elected an all-star (the youngest all-star in history) due to the outrageous power that he was showing next to his ability to make consistent contact. He went on to win the batting title that season, posting an exceptional .358 average. Sadly, he finished second in the MVP voting to Rangers' Juan Gonzalez, which went down as one of the most controversial balloting in MLB history.
Throughout the rest of his career in Seattle, A-Rod established himself of one of the game's most impact players. In 1997 he hit for the cycle, a feat that had only been accomplished by one other Mariner. In 1998, A-Rod became a proud member of the 40-40 club, belting 42 bombs and swiping 46 bases. His term as a Mariner came to an end after the 2000 season, and it was at this time that A-Rod earned his paycheck. The Texas Rangers picked up Alex that off-season and gave him the largest contract in MLB history at 10 years, $252 million. Despite the transition to a new ball club, A-Rod continued to put up stellar numbers, and even set the record for most home-runs in a season (52) by a shortstop. The 2002 season also brought him much success, as he hit 57 dingers and even won his first Gold Glove award, a feat that he always desired to accomplish. In his last full season as a Ranger, he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award, batting .298, hitting 47 homers, and driving in 118 RBI's, in addition to winning his second consecutive Gold Glove. Unfortunately, the Rangers were forced to unload his contract and say good-bye to their MVP icon.
A deal with the Boston Red Sox seemed to be in the books, but it fell through and A-Rod became a New York Yankee instead. The Rangers ate up $67 million of the $119 million left on his contract, which was still a financial burden for the organization to cover. After joining the Yankees, A-Rod witnessed immediate changes, moving from shortstop to third base and wearing number 13 instead of 3. Despite these changes, Rodriguez shined as a Yankee, and even won another MVP award in the 2005 season. He set a new record, compiling 47 homers, the most ever by a third-baseman. He also went on to become only the second player in MLB history to at least hit 35 homers, score 100 runs, and drive in 100 RBI's in eight consecutive seasons. During one game, Alex drove in 10 RBI's, a feat that was only completed by one other Yankee. Surprisingly, his phenomenal performance as the everyday Yankee third-basemen did not earn him the respect he deserved from the fans of New York. During the 2006 season he started receiving several boos and listened to fans shout out to him at almost every home stretch? But why, was it the outrageous amount of money he was receiving? It could have been the selfishness of the Yankee fans who always seemed to want more than what they were given. Either way, Alex, at just 31-years-old, has plenty of time to continue to impress fans across the country and show them what "A-Rod" is all about.
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