Alex Rodriguez has been making headlines in baseball -- for better and for worse -- for the better part of two decades now. Despite being one of the most prolific hitters in baseball history, Rodriguez has truly had his ups and downs in his career; the 18-year-old kid that was taken by the Seattle Mariners in 1993 is now nothing but a distant memory. When he hit his first home run in 1995, he had a long bright future ahead of him. 676 home runs later he has generated incredible controversy and as served as the poster child for the MLB’s war on steroids.
By 2000 he was a perennial all-star and seemed to be on the fast track to a shrine in Cooperstown; he knew it too. The “A-Rod” character that the public has become so used to was in full force. A-Rod signed a 10-year 250 million dollar deal with the Texas Rangers, which was at the time the biggest contract in sports history. This launched him to A-list celebrity status and Rodriguez seemed to develop quite the ego. After winning a MVP award in 2003 and just three years after signing his enormous contract he waived his no-trade clause and was traded to the New York Yankees. General manager Brian Cashman had developed no-nonsense reputation, and Steinbrenner was without a doubt the most powerful owner in baseball managing its most powerful team. The Bronx is a place where the expectations are World Series or bust. There is certainly no room for a guy with a big ego.
His first season in New York was probably his quietest. He hit 36 home with 106 RBI’s. The Yankees infamously blew a three-game lead in the ALCS to rival Boston Red Sox. Game 6 of that series was the beginning of a string of some questionable actions on the field for Rodriguez. After hitting a routine ground ball to the pitcher’s mound, in one of the most childish actions ever seen at Fenway he slaps the ball out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s glove. At that moment he became the Yankee Boston fans absolutely loved to hate.
Even with an MVP performance in 2005, all of his regular season accomplishments were overshadowed by his abysmal postseason performances. Yankee fans watched as Rodriguez had back to back historically bad postseasons posting a sub .150 batting average. Now he’s earned a reputation of not being a clutch player, but to his credit was unfairly compared to former Yankee greats like Reggie Jackson. At this point he was getting scorched in the local media, and even his teammates. The term “A-Fraud” was born.
Trouble just seemed to find Rodriguez at every turn. He was criticized for screaming at an infielder, trying to distract him from fielding a routine pop up. This just added more fuel to the fire. Forget that this guy had almost 600 homeruns; he was a flat-out prima donna.
Then came the steroid controversy. He infamously went on "60 Minutes" proclaiming over and over that he had “never used performance enhancing drugs” Then in 2009 "Sports Illustrated" reported that Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 survey testing. Days later, he admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs during his time in Texas, citing immense pressure to live up to expectations. He reiterated that he has not doped since joining the Yankees. So now it’s a known fact that this guy is a liar, and in the eyes of most, a cheater. The timeline of events from 2010-2014 solidify Rodriguez’s fall from grace. He had become a disgrace to America’s Pastime.
Feb. 28, 2010:The
Dec. 3, 2012:The Yankees announce that the third baseman will undergo surgery to repair his left hip. He is expected to return in four to six months, about midway through the 2013 season.
June 4, 2013:ESPN reports that MLB is looking to suspend about 20 players for their connection to the Florida-based Biogenesis clinic. Rodriguez is included on the list.
At this point his career was almost laughable. Even Yankee fans were routinely booing him. No one believed a word that came out of his mouth. He truly had become a fraud.
In August of 2013, Rodriguez finally got what many believed he had long deserved a 211-game suspension (He later appealed and the suspension was reduced to one full season) So for the first time in what had seemed like ages “A-Rod” was irrelevant, completely out of baseball for a year. But now in July of 2015, that year off has proved to be a blessing in disguise for Rodriguez.
Just last Friday, at the age of 39, Rodriguez hit three homeruns in a win over the Minnesota Twins. He has shocked the baseball world as his numbers to date are incredible after a year off and three previous seasons of mediocrity. As of Friday July 24 he has 23 home runs, 58 RBIs and is hitting .277. Again, 39 years old and having undergone two major hip surgeries in the last four seasons. He hasn’t cracked the 20-homerun mark since 2010 and we are only 90 games into this season. He has certainly been a pleasant surprise for the fans and in the clubhouse. I mean this is a guy you weren’t even sure was going to make the team out of Spring Training. Rodriguez even said it himself, “I don’t know what to expect this year my last three years I have just been bad.
There seems to be a noticeable change in his behavior as well. If you watch Rodriguez this season he looks like he is simply having fun out there. One year away from the game seems to have made him more appreciative of the game and humble. For once, he is staying out of the tabloids and keeping interaction with the New York media short, and sweet. The Yankees themselves had a ton of question marks going into the 2015 season, and Rodriguez’s performance has had a positive impact on the clubhouse.
Yankees first basemen Mark Teixeira said last week “He is our MVP and he has really become a great leader for our younger guys,”
Yankees Manager Joe Girardi deserves a lot of credit and should be in the conversation for manager of the year as his Yankees are running away with the division with an 8 game lead in first place. Last year he did an outstanding job managing the Derek Jeter farewell tour and keeping his guys focused during months of media distraction. Now this season he deserves a lot of credit for Rodriguez resurgence. He knows when to play him at the DH spot and is taking his age into account and resting him when he needs it. Rodriguez has had a controversy-free season so far. That is the first time that can be said about him in ten years, and most importantly he is producing on the field.
He turns 40 on Monday but certainly isn’t showing it. Rodriguez is on pace to hit 39 home runs which would be the most of anyone his age since the great Henry Aaron did it in 1973.
One solid half of a season definitely does not erase the errors of his past, but Rodriguez is on his way to a very successful season and another shot at the postseason. For now the nickname A-Rod and all that comes with it eludes him and for once it seems he is just "Alex."
