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Arod PDF Print E-mail
Written by Denise I Smithson   
Known as A-Rod to fans and teammates, Alex Rodriguez plays third base for the New York Yankees. Born in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood, Rodriguez moved to the Dominican Republic at the age of four. However, the family soon returned to the US and settled in Miami. Soon after, is father abandoned Alex and his mother, moving to New Jersey.
by DeniseISmithson


Known as A-Rod to fans and teammates, Alex Rodriguez plays third base for the New York Yankees. Born in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood, Rodriguez moved to the Dominican Republic at the age of four. However, the family soon returned to the US and settled in Miami. Soon after, is father abandoned Alex and his mother, moving to New Jersey.

In Miami Rodriguez would begin his baseball career playing for his high school team. It was here that Alex would go All-American his senior year and be the first high school player to ever to try out for Team America.

He signed a letter of intent to join the University of Miami baseball team after finishing high school. However Rodriguez instead opted to forgo the scholarship and instead enter the amateur draft.

He was quickly picked up by the Seattle Mariners, where he played as the third 18 year old short stop since the turn of the century. His star was rising, but the season was cut short due to the Major League strike of 1994.

Rodriguez did not let the strike slow him down much and in 1996, he had his break out year. He took over as the Seattle Mariners short stop and quickly showed everyone what he was made of batting an impressive .358 average with 36 home runs and 123 RBI's. This was the highest average of an American League right hand batter since DiMaggio. Plus it was the third highest ever for a short stop if any league. The year would continue with Alex having the highest totals in runs, hits, doubles, extra base hits, and slugging, ending the year as Major League Player of the Year and nearly the youngest to boot.

Rodriguez played with the Texas Rangers briefly before signing with the New York Yankees in 2004. As a Yankee, Rodriguez continued to be a record-setting player, winning MVP in 2005 and 2007. Despite his performance on the field, Rodriguez has often been criticized by fans for failing to deliver under pressure. Rodriguez is unrattled by the criticism, saying: "I could care less. In my career, I've been hearing it for a long time. It will never stop until you win five or six World Series in a row, and hit a Joe Carter home run. I've done a lot of special things in this game, and for none of that to be considered clutch, it's an injustice." No matter what some fans may think, Rodriguez is highly valued by his team, signing a 10-year contact in 2007 with the Yankees for $275 million - with the prospect of more should Rodriguez manage to break the home run record.

Lately however rumors and scandal have moved from his professional to his personal life. Reported sightings of him in a strip club with another woman, his impending divorce and allegations of an affair between him and Madonna have blazed across the media. Rumors that have only been reinforced by Madonna's own pending divorce from Guy Ritchie.

About the Author:

How much do you know about baseball? Nothing But Sports is a great place to brush up on your sports trivia and learn how to swing that bat.

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