Alex Rodriguez

Alexander Emanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975 in New York City), nicknamed A-Rod, is widely regarded as one of the best players in Major League Baseball and at a young age already is being talked about among the all-time greats.

Early career with the Seattle Mariners

After his major league campaign in 1994 was cut short by the players' strike, Rodríguez split most of 1995 between Seattle and their AAA club 30 miles away in Tacoma before staying on the major league roster in August, making a pair of postseason appearances on the Mariners' playoff run. Memorably, he consoled second baseman Joey Cora, who cried after the Mariners' loss in the League Championship Series.

Related Topics:
1994 - 1995 - Seattle - AAA - Tacoma - Postseason - Second baseman - Joey Cora - League Championship Series

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Rodríguez took over as the regular shortstop the following year, and became a superstar, hitting 36 home runs and pacing the American League with a .358 batting average, and leading the league in runs, total bases, and doubles; great numbers even by the standards of the Kingdome, one of the American League's best hitter's parks. He came close to being the youngest MVP in baseball history, but fell 3 points short to Juan González. He may have been denied the honor by the two Seattle-area sportswriters who gave him 8th- and 9th-place votes in the balloting.

Related Topics:
American League - Batting average - Doubles - Kingdome - Juan González

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Rodriguez was a favorite with Mariners fans. He hit for the cycle with them in 1997, but slumped that year with only 23 home runs and a "mere" .300 average; the Mariners won the division but were quickly eliminated from the playoffs. He recovered with authority in 1998 by becoming the 3rd member of the 40 home run/40 stolen bases club, racking up 42 HR and 46 SB. Despite missing 30+ games with an injury and playing home games at Safeco Field (a considerably less hitter-friendly ballpark than the Kingdome) for the second half of the season, he matched his HR total in 1999.

Related Topics:
Hit for the cycle - 1997 - 1998 - Stolen base - Club - Safeco Field - 1999

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A-Rod entered 2000 as the cornerstone of his franchise, which had recently dealt superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey, Jr.. Rodriguez put up great numbers as the team's remaining superstar, and hit 41 more HRs in 2000 as he hit .316, doing so playing in the best pitcher's park in the AL. Winning the AL West in 2000, Rodriguez hit well in the playoffs, but the Mariners lost to the World Series champion New York Yankees in the LCS. He still made an appearance in the Series, sitting in the stands of Shea Stadium watching his friend Derek Jeter play in that year's all-New York World Series between the Yankees and New York Mets.

Related Topics:
2000 - Randy Johnson - Ken Griffey, Jr. - World Series - New York Yankees - Shea Stadium - Derek Jeter - New York - New York Mets

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