Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez was born 27 July 1975, nicknamed A-Rod, is a Dominican American professional baseball player. He at present plays third base for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He formerly played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. In 2007 he became the youngest player in most important league history to hit five hundred home runs. Rodriguez is measured to be one of the best all–around baseball player. When Rodriguez’s was growing up his beloved baseball players were Dale Murphy, Keith Hernandez and Cal Ripken. The New York Mets was his desired team when growing up.
Rodriguez with his family migrated to Dominican Republic the native of his father when Alex was four year old, but they later relocated to Miami, Fla. At Westminster Christian High School he became an outstanding ballplayer. In the year 1993 he was selected by the Seattle Mariners as the first overall pick for a Major League Baseball draft. He made his introduction with the Mariners at age 18, playing shortstop. He batted .419 with 90 steals in 100 games. In his junior year Westminster won the high school national championship. He was first team prep All-American as a senior, hitting .505 with 9 home runs, 36 RBI, and 35 steals in 35 tries in total of 33 games. He became the USA Junior Baseball Player and Gatorade’s national baseball Athlete of the year. Rodriguez was the first high school player to ever try out for Team USA in 1993, and was regarded as the top outlook in the country. Rodriguez’s first victorious season came in 1996, when he accumulated a league-best .358 batting average with 36 home runs and 123 runs batted in. Alex sustained to produce exceptional statistics with his offensive game and continued with his team for over six seasons. Remarkably in 1998 he turned out to be the third player in league history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season. At the time season 2001, the Texas Rangers signed a contract with Rodriguez for 252 million dollar. This was the richest deal yet given to an athlete at the time.
With the Rangers, Rodriguez sustained to have great offensive seasons. “A-Rod” as he was often called, won Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors in 2003 with a .298 batting average, 47 home runs, and 118 runs batted in. After that period he was traded to the New York Yankees. In 2005 he posted a .321 batting average, with 48 home runs and 130 runs batted in, to succeed his second MVP title. Rodriguez performed his 500th home run at Yankee Stadium on August 2007 at the age of 32, becoming the youngest player to achieve that feat. The 2007 season was Rodriguez’s best, yet he had a .314 batting average, with 56 home runs and 154 runs batted and he was named MVP for the third time. He also won Gold Gloves and Sliver Slugger in addition to his MVP awards.
