Position:
Short Stop
Third Base
Teams:
Seattle Mariners (1994-2000)
Texas Rangers (2001-2003)
New York Yankees (2004-present)
Career Statistics:
Batting Average: .303
Home Runs: 613
Runs Batted In (RBI): 1,831
Slugging Percentage: .571
On-Base Percentage: .387
Hits: 2,672
Alex Rodriguez was drafted with the first overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in 1993 and was immediately sent to play for Seattle's AAA affiliate, the Calgary Cannons. During the course of the 32 games he spent with the ball club, he compiled 37 hits in 119 at-bats, for an average of .311. He also managed 6 homers with 21 RBI. He quickly rose through the ranks and finally made his major league debut at short stop for the Mariners on July 8, 1994. He was aged 18 years, 11 months, and 11 days. Regrettably, his rookie season was cut short by the 1994 Major League Baseball Strike.
The following season, he traded much of his time between the Mariners and their AAA club, the Tacoma Rainiers.
In 1996, however, he blasted 36 home runs, drove in 123 runs, and achieved a batting average of .358, which was the highest for an American League right-handed batter since Joe DiMaggio hit .381 in 1939. This was also the third highest average ever for a short-stop. He also lead the American League in runs (141), total bases (379), and doubles (54), while coming in second in hits (215), extra base hits (91), third in multi-hit games (65), fourth in slugging percentage (.631), eighth in RBI (123), and eighth in on-base percentage (.414). He came in second place in a hotly contested MVP race that year, which was eventually awarded to Juan Gonzalez. By the time A-Rod left the Mariners after the 2000 season, he had a batting average of .309 while hitting 189 homers, driving in 595 runs, and scoring 627 runs.
Rodriguez became a free agent after the 2000 season and eventually signed with the Texas Rangers in what was, at the time, the most lucrative deal in sports history: a 10 year deal worth $252 million. In his first season with the Rangers, he lead the American League with 52 home runs, 133 runs scored, and 393 total bases. He became the first player since 1932 with 50 homers and 200 hits in a season. He followed this phenomenal season with an even more impressive one in 2003: 57 home runs, 142 RBI, and 389 total bases, while also winning his first Gold Glove Award. In 2003, his last season with Texas, he finally won the American League MVP award.
Wanting to offload the enormous cost of keeping A-Rod aboard, the Texas Rangers agreed to trade him to the Boston Red Sox, but the trade was blocked by the Major League Baseball Players Association, who vetoed the deal because it meant a cut in salary for Rodriguez. So on February 15, 2004 the Rangers traded A-Rod to the New York Yankees for second baseman, Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias). In addition, the Rangers agreed to pay $67 million out of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's contract. This trade also necessitated a move to third base for A-Rod, as the short stop position was already filled by superstar, Derek Jeter.
In his first season as a Yankee, Rodriguez hit .286 with 36 home runs, 106 RBI, 112 runs scored, and 28 stolen bases. In 2005, Rodriguez hit .321, leading the American League with 124 runs scored, and 48 home runs, while driving in 130 runs. He became only the fifth player to ever win an MVP award with two different teams. He won the MVP award yet again in 2007, with 54 homers, 156 RBI, a .645 slugging percentage, 1.067 OPS (on-base plus slugging), 376 total bases, 299 times on base, 85 extra base hits, .422 OBP, and 95 walks. Also in 2007, A-Rod signed a 10-year, $275 million contract with the Yankees, which would have him playing until he is 42 years old.
In 2009, Rodriguez finally won a World Series ring, beating the Philadelphia Phillies seven games to four. A-Rod batted .365 and hit 6 home runs during the Yankees's 15 game post-season. In 2010, A-Rod became the seventh player in major league history to hit 600 home runs, while also being the youngest to do so at 35 years and 8 days old. On September 29, 2010, he hit his 30th home run of the season, which set a record with 13 straight years of at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI.
After years of denial, Alex Rodriguez finally admitted to using steroids while he was a member of the Texas Rangers, citing "an enormous amount of pressure to perform" during an interview on ESPN. He insists that he has been clean all the years that he has been playing in New York. Again the question has to be asked; Does steroid use nullify all of a player's achievements? I don't believe so. While steroid usage can provide enormous gains in muscle growth, many of the players who have used or been accused of using, did not enjoy the tremendous success of A-Rod or Barry Bonds. Steroids provide one with assistance in strength and muscle growth, not talent. This obviously must lead one to the conclusion that these players possess exceptional talent and made terrible errors in judgment while trying to compliment that talent. While A-Rod may not have put up the same numbers had he not been using steroids, I feel confident that his numbers would still remain incredibly impressive. And if he speaks the truth, and has not used steroids since becoming a member of the Yankees, it makes his numbers all the more astounding. And until a positive drug test comes back that shows his talents are being chemically supplemented, what other choice do I have then to place him at number ten?
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