Alex Rodriguez Biography

Alexander "A-Rod" Rodríguez (born July 27, 1975 in New York City), is an American baseball player. He is currently the starting third baseman for the New York Yankees, after having been an All-Star shortstop for the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez is known for signing the richest contract in sports history, a 10-year, $252 million dollar deal.

Rodríguez was a star player at Miami's Westminster Christian High School. Rodriguez signed a letter of intent to play baseball for the University of Miami and was also recruited by the university to play quarterback for its football team. Rodriguez turned down Miami's baseball scholarship and never played college baseball, opting instead to become eligible for the amateur draft at the age of 17.

He was drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in 1993. Rodríguez rose rapidly through the Mariners organization, and made his major league debut in July of 1994 at the age of 18.

Alex Rodríguez's first major league campaign lasted just one month; the season was cut short by the 1994 baseball strike. Rodríguez then split most of 1995 between the Mariners and their AAA club, the Tacoma Rainiers. Rodriguez joined the major league roster permanently in August, where he got his first taste of postseason play, albeit in just two at-bats.

The following year, Rodríguez took over as the Mariners' regular shortstop and emerged as a star player, hitting 36 HR (home runs), driving in 123 RBI (Runs Batted In), and pacing the AL (American League) with a .358 batting average. He also led the AL in runs, total bases, and doubles. Rodríguez came close to becoming the youngest MVP (Most Valuable Player) in baseball history, finishing second to Juan González in the voting by three points, 290-287.

In 1997, Rodríguez's numbers fell somewhat, hitting 23 HR with 84 RBI and a .300 batting average that year. Rodríguez rebounded in 1998, however, becoming just the third member of the 40 HR/40 SB (Stolen bases) club, with 42 HR and 46 SB. In 1999 he again hit 42 HR, 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.

Rodríguez entered 2000 as the cornerstone player of the Mariners franchise, which had recently dealt superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey, Jr.. Rodríguez put up great numbers as the team's remaining superstar; he hit 41 more HR with 132 RBI and batted a .316 batting average. He hit well in the playoffs too, but Seattle lost to the New York Yankees in the ALCS (American League Championship Series) despite Rodríguez's .409 batting average and .773 slugging percentage.

Alex became a free agent in 2000 and eventually signed with the Texas Rangers, who had fallen to last in their division in 2000, but had won three of the previous four AL Western division titles. The contract he signed was then the most lucrative contract in sports history: a 10-year deal worth $252 million.

Rodríguez's power hitting numbers improved with his move to Texas. He hit 52 HR in 2001, and followed that with a major league-best 57 HR in 2002 (the most ever for a shortstop), while also winning his first Gold Glove Award, awarded for outstanding defense.

Rodriguez's last season with Texas, 2003, was another productive year. He hit .298 with 47 HR, led the AL in slugging and runs scored, and won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award. Following five top-10 finishes in the AL Most Valuable Player voting between 1996 and 2002, Rodríguez won his first MVP trophy.

On February 15, 2004 Rodriguez was successfully traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (eventually Joaquin Arias). The Rangers were obliged to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's contract.

On July 27, 2005, Rodríguez turned 30 years old. Through age 29, Rodriguez had more home runs, more runs batted in, more runs scored, and more base hits than all-time leaders Hank Aaron (HR and RBI), Rickey Henderson (runs), and Pete Rose (hits) did in their twenties. Rodríguez's 2,000th hit, on July 21, 2006, was also his 450th home run. Six days shy of his 31st birthday, Rodríguez became the youngest player in baseball history to reach 450 home runs (surpassing Ken Griffey, Jr. by 267 days).