Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez

Position	Doggy stlye with Jeter
Team	New York Penises
Years of Experience	his parents use to beat him
Age	30
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	225 lb.
Bats	Homosexualy
Throws	-	College	Cant even read
2006 Salary	$25,680,727
Place of Birth	P-Town, Mass
Selection	1st round amateur draft, 1993
Drafted by	Seattle Mariners
Major League Debut	July 8, 1994
Nickname	Fag Pussy, Fuck ASS, Dink, Corey Gibbons Condardo

Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975 in New York City), nicknamed A-Rod, is an American-Dominican baseball player. He is currently the starting third baseman for the New York Yankees, although he began his career as a shortstop. Rodriguez is widely regarded as one of the best players in the Major Leagues.

Rodriguez was drafted out of high school by the Seattle Mariners. He later signed an unprecedented $252 million free-agent deal to play shortstop with the Texas Rangers, where he was dubbed one of a Holy Trinity of shortstops that played in the 1990's and 2000's. He was then traded to the New York Yankees in 2004, where he moved to third base to accommodate Derek Jeter. In 2003, he became the youngest major-leaguer to reach 300 home runs; on June 8, 2005, he became the youngest with 400.

On November 17, 2003, Rodriguez won the American League Most Valuable Player award while with the last-place Texas Rangers. It was the second time the award had gone to a player whose team finished last in the league (Andre Dawson won the award for the last-place Chicago Cubs in 1987). The following month, the Rangers tried to trade Rodriguez and his hefty salary to the Boston Red Sox. The Players Association blocked the deal, because the Red Sox wanted to cut Rodriguez's pay. Before the 2004 season, he was traded to the Yankees, the first reigning MVP to be traded.

On November 14, 2005, Rodriguez won his second MVP award as the Yankees' third baseman.

Beginnings

Born in New York City, Rodríguez moved with his parents to their native Dominican Republic when he was four. They moved to Miami, Florida four years later. There, Alex's father announced he had to go to New York for a short time; he never returned. Rodríguez has said in interviews he can forgive his father for abandoning the family, but that he will never forget.

Rodríguez was a star player at Miami's Westminster Christian High School. His skills were rewarded with a baseball scholarship to the University of Miami, but Rodriguez would never play college baseball. He was recruited by the Seattle Mariners, who made the 17-year old the No. 1 pick of the amateur draft in 1993. He rose rapidly through the Mariners organization and made his major league debut at 18, one of the youngest players to appear in a game at shortstop.

Early career with the Seattle Mariners

After his major league campaign in 1994 was cut short by the players' strike, Rodríguez split most of 1995 between the Mariners and their AAA club, the Tacoma Rainiers, 30 miles away, before joining the major league roster permanently in August. In the Mariners' playoff run, Rodriguez made a pair of postseason appearances. Memorably, he consoled second baseman Joey Cora, who cried after the Mariners' loss in the 1995 American League Championship Series.

Rodríguez took over as the regular shortstop the following year and became a superstar, hitting 36 home runs and pacing the American League with a .358 batting average. He also led the American League in runs, total bases, and doubles; these were great numbers even by the standards of the Kingdome, one of the American League's best hitter's parks. He came close to being the youngest MVP in baseball history, but fell 3 points short to Juan González in the voting. He may have been denied the honor by the two Seattle-area sportswriters who gave him 8th- and 9th-place votes in the balloting.

Rodriguez was a favorite with Mariners fans. He hit for the cycle with them in 1997, but hit only 23 home runs and batted .300 that year. The Mariners won the division but were quickly eliminated from the playoffs. Nonetheless, Rodriguez recovered with authority in 1998 by becoming just the third member of the 40 home run/40 stolen bases club, with 42 HR and 46 SB. In 1999, despite missing over 30 games with an injury and playing the second half of the season at Safeco Field, a considerably less hitter-friendly ballpark than the Kingdome, he matched his previous year's HR total.

A-Rod entered 2000 as the cornerstone of his franchise, which had recently dealt superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey, Jr. Rodriguez put up great numbers as the team's remaining superstar; he hit 41 more HRs and batted .316 while playing in the best pitcher's park in the AL. The Mariners won the AL Wild Card in 2000, and Rodriguez hit well in the playoffs, but his team lost to the New York Yankees in the 2000 American League Championship Series.

Texas Rangers

Rodriguez became a free agent after the season and declared that he wanted to go to a World Series-caliber team. His initial contract demands reportedly included over $250 million in salary (though not all in one year), a private jet, and an office in the ballpark. He was unable to make a deal with the Mariners, and he eventually chose to sign with the Texas Rangers, who were last in their division in 2000, but winners of three of the previous four AL West championships). The Rangers gave him what was then the most lucrative contract in sports history (since surpassed by British footballer David Beckham.) The contract is still the most expensive in American sports history, and A-Rod even ended up actually getting his $250 million: his 10-year deal with the Rangers was worth $252 million.

Ironically, the Mariners went 116-46 the year after Rodriguez left, which is the best regular-season won-lost record in modern Major League history.

Rodriguez' numbers only rose in Texas. He hit 52 home runs in 2001, and followed that with a major league-best 57 home runs in 2002, the most ever for a shortstop, while also winning his first Gold Glove Award. The Rangers finished last two years running, a showing that likely cost Rodriguez the MVP award when he finished second in 2002 to fellow shortstop Miguel Tejada, who played for a championship-caliber team.

Rodriguez's last season with Texas, 2003, was another productive year: he hit .298 with 47 home runs, won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award and was named the league's MVP, despite the fact that the Rangers remained mired in last place.

Following the 2003 season, Texas set out to move Rodriguez and his expensive contract. They were able to agree to a trade with the Red Sox, but the MLBPA vetoed the deal because it called for a reduction in salary. Assuming that Rodriguez would be staying put, the Rangers attempted to reestablish his position in Texas by naming him team captain. The uncertainty of this situation was reflected in his famous statement to the media: "I'm probably pretty sure it will work out for the best."

New York Yankees

File:A Rod makes contact.JPG

Alex Rodriguez taking his position at 3rd base at the beginning of a new inning

On February 15, 2004 Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias). The terms required the Rangers to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's contract. Since New York already had a star shortstop in team captain Derek Jeter, the trade developed only after New York's third baseman, Aaron Boone, suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing a game of pickup basketball, and Rodriguez agreed to switch positions to third base. Rodriguez also had to switch uniform numbers, from 3, which he had worn his entire career but which is retired by the Yankees in honor of Babe Ruth, to 13.

In his first season with the Yankees, Rodriguez hit .286 with 36 home runs and 106 runs batted in, his seventh consecutive season with at least 100 RBI. He finished 14th in balloting for the American League MVP Award. Near the end of the season, Yankees manager Joe Torre moved Rodriguez to the No. 2 spot in the batting order.

Rodriguez's first season in pinstripes culminated in a dramatic playoff series against the team he almost ended up playing for, the Yankees' bitterest rival, the Boston Red Sox. In a controversial incident during Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series, at Yankee Stadium, Rodriguez slapped the baseball out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo's glove (which is against the rules) during a tag play at first base. Derek Jeter scored all the way from first, while the ball rolled down the right field line. Rodriguez was initially called safe at first, but the umpires quickly huddled and called Rodriguez out. Even though this was only the 2nd out of the 8th inning, and even though Jeter's run stayed on the scoreboard, a near-riot ensued. Neither team was pleased by the outcome of the play: the Red Sox felt that Jeter would not have scored if Rodriguez had not interfered with the play, and of course the Yankees felt that Rodriguez should have been safe at first. The Sox won the game 4-2. The Yankees went on to lose Game 7, and the Red Sox went to win the World Series.

File:AlexRodriguezInterference.jpg

Alex Rodriguez was called out on the attempted tag by Bronson Arroyo

In his second season with the Yankees, Rodriguez hit .321 with 48 home runs and 130 RBI. On April 26, 2005, Rodriguez hit 3 home runs off Angels' pitcher Bartolo Colon and drove in 10 runs during the game. He continued to hit home runs and produce RBIs during the season, eventually beating out Boston's David Ortiz for the 2005 American League MVP Award. But as the Yankees lost in the Division Series to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Rodriguez went only 2 for 15 without a single home run or RBI.

On April 3, 2006, the first game of the 2006 season, Rodriguez became just the fourth Yankee to hit a grand slam on opening day.

Playing style

Rodriguez is often referred to as being as close to "perfection" as a player can get; his swing and defensive play are both known for their fundamental soundness. [1] In the field, he has great range, especially when moving to his right side, which also helps to showcase his strong arm. A tall player with long arms and a crouched stance, Rodriguez can cover most of the strike zone, and can hit almost any pitch for a home run. Rodriguez won Gold Gloves for defensive excellence at shortstop in 2002 and 2003.

2005 season highlights

Rodriguez had one of his finest seasons in 2005. Among the highlights:

• On April 26, 2005 he went 4-5 with 3 home runs (2-run HR, 3-run HR, and grand slam) and 10 RBI against the Angels.
• June 8: Hit his 400th career home run, becoming the youngest player in Major League history to do so at 29 years and 316 days old. Ken Griffey, Jr., the previous record holder, reached 400 home runs at 30 years, 141 days.
• July 27: Turned 30 years old. Rodriguez had more home runs, runs batted in, runs scored, and hits than all-time leaders Hank Aaron (HR and RBI), Rickey Henderson (Runs), and Pete Rose (hits) did in their twenties.
• August 13: Set the record for HR hit by a right hander at Yankee Stadium in a single season; passing by Joe DiMaggio and Gary Sheffield.
• August 30: Became first right-handed Yankee hitter to hit 40 home runs in a season since Joe DiMaggio hit 46 in 1937.
• September 24: Tied Joe DiMaggio with the most home runs by a Yankee right-handed hitter with his 46th home run of the season.
• October 1: Blasted his 48th homer of the season, setting the record for the AL and tying him for most homers in a season for a third baseman in the major leagues with Adrian Beltre and Mike Schmidt. He now holds the records for most homers in a single season for two positions, shortstop and third base, becoming the only major leaguer ever to hold single-season home run records for two positions.
• October 26: Was named the shortstop on the Major League Baseball Latino Legends Team.
• November 14: Was named American League MVP for the second time. He became the fifth player to win MVP awards with two different teams, joining Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Frank Robinson and Barry Bonds.
• As of the December 2, 2005 issue of USA Today, Rodriguez's contract was worth the most in Major League Baseball, $62 million more than that of Derek Jeter; both players had signed for 10 years.

Miscellaneous

• His 2005 salary of $25,705,118 is the highest in Major League Baseball.
• Throughout Rodriguez's 10-year, $252 million deal, he earns a total of $0.87 per second, during the offseason and all.
• His former teams have improved their records in the first season after his departure. In 2001, the Mariners won 25 more games. In 2004, the Rangers surpassed their dismal record by 18 games.
• In 2003, Alex Rodriguez gave $3.9 million to the University of Miami to renovate its baseball stadium. The new facility will be named 'Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park.' Rodriguez had signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Miami, but later opted to sign with the Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez, who was also recruited by the university to play quarterback for its football team, remains an ardent Miami Hurricanes fan and can frequently be found at Hurricane sporting events, as well as working out at the school's athletic facilities in the off-season.
• He married the former Cynthia Scurtis on November 2, 2002: the couple's first child, Natasha Alexander, was born on November 18, 2004.
• After vacillating between playing for the Dominican Republic and the United States, Rodriguez, on January 17, 2006, declared his intention to play for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic. [2]
• When he comes up to bat at Yankee Stadium, he currently comes out to the song Numb/Encore by Jay-Z and Linkin Park.

External links

• AROD.com - Alex Rodriguez's official website
• Player Information from Yankees.com
• Template:Espn mlb
• Career statistics from MLB  · ESPN  · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs  · Baseball Reference (Minors)  · Retrosheet
• Yankee forums