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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Alex Rodriguez Biography


Name : Alex Rodriguez

Birth Name : Alexander Emanuel Rodriguez

Date of Birth : 27 July 1975

Place of Birth : New York City, New York, USA

Height : 6' 3''

Nationality : American

Profession : Sportsman (Baseball)

Nicknames : A-Rod
Pay Rod

Alex Rodriguez Trivia

* Signed a 250 million dollar contract to play shortstop for the Texas Rangers in 2000.
* Led the American League in Home Runs in 2001 with 53, his first season with Texas, and the most in a season by a shortstop.
* In 1998, became the 3rd member of Baseballs 40-40 club (40 home runs and steals in the same season).
* 1996 American League Batting Champ.
* 5-time All Star.
* Played for the Seattle Mariners from 1994-2000, helping the Mariners to 3 Playoff appearances.
* Drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in 1993.
* Youngest of 3 children.
* Moved back with his parents to their native Dominican Republic when Rodr�guez was 4, then moved to Miami, Florida 4 years later. There, Alex's father announced he had to go to New York for a short time; he never returned. Rodr�guez has said in interviews he can forgive him for abandoning the family, but that he will never forget.
* Married longtime girlfriend Cynthia Scurtis in a small ceremony in Dallas, followed by a reception at his 7,500-square-foot mansion. Among the guests were Cal Ripken, Rodr�guez's boyhood idol. (2 November 2002).
* Was a high school baseball teammate of Doug Mientkiewicz.
* Became the youngest (27 years, 249 days) player to hit 300 home runs, breaking the record set by Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (27 years, 328 days) [2 April 2003].
* Texas Rangers All-Time Slugging Percentage Leader (.615).
* Traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later. Prior to the trade, he agreed to switch positions from shortstop to third base. [February 2004]
* Announced he and his wife Cynthia are expecting their first child. The couple - who dated on and off for 6 years before they got married - is featured in the May 2004 Vogue and in Sports Illustrated's 2004 swimsuit issue (1 June 2004).
* Made major league debut on 8 July 1994.
* Went 0-for-4 in Game Seven of the 2004 ALCS, in which the Boston Red Sox became the first time ever to win a pennant after being down 3 games-to-none. Given his enormous salary and perks, and the highly publicized trade that brought him to the New York Yankees (with a $184 million players payroll in 2004, the highest in all of sports) in the offseason, he has been roundly criticized in the Big Apple for his poor performance.
* Welcomed first child, baby girl Natasha Alexander, in Miami. Weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and 19 inches long, she was born a week before her due date (18 November 2004).
* In 2005, became the youngest player in Major League History to reach 400 career home runs, at the age of 29, and the only player ever to reach the milestone before turning 30. Many believe he is on-pace to surpass Hank Aaron on the all-time home run list.


Alex Rodriguez Detailed Biography

Alex Rodriguez, born as Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez, was born on 27th July 1975 in New York, NY. Alex Rodriguez is lovingly also recognized as A-Rod and is one of the finest players in MLB who plays as #13 third base for the New York Yankees. At a very young age Alex Rodriguez has made a place for himself in the world of professional baseball and is being considered among the all-time greats. Alex Rodriguez made his major league career debut with the Seattle Mariners. Before having been traded to the New York Yankees he also signed an extraordinary free agent deal with the Texas Rangers. Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in major league history to reach 300 home runs in 2003. Alex Rodriguez was raised up in Miami, Florida by his parents where he became a leading player of Westminster Christian High School. In 1993 Alex Rodriguez's talent and passion for baseball was rewarded when he became the Seattle Mariners #1 pick of the amateur draft in 1993 at the mere age of 17. At the age of 18, due to his extraordinary playing skill Alex Rodriguez got an opportunity to make his major league debut as a shortstop. In 1994 due to the players' strike Alex Rodriguez split his most of the 1995 season between Seattle and their AAA club. Alex Rodriguez made couple of postseason appearances on the Mariners' playoff run. Alex Rodriguez even lend his supportive hand to the second baseman Joey Cora who broke down in tears after the Mariners' loss in the League Championship Series.

The following season Alex Rodriguez started contending as a regular shortstop and became a superstar par excellence. Alex Rodriguez's skills earned him an instant recognition and he became one of the most desired of the Mariners fans. In 1997 Alex Rodriguez's club drooped and was sidelined from the playoffs. In 1998, Alex Rodriguez improved and rebounded with great zeal and became the 3rd member of the 40 homers/40 stolen bases club, racking up 42 HR and 46 SB. In 1999 though Alex Rodriguez remained on injury/reserved list but managed to match his HR total. In the season 2000, Alex Rodriguez became the basis of the Mariners and persisted to compile the great numbers. Alex Rodriguez hit 41 more HR's in 2000 as he hit .316, doing so playing in the best pitcher's park in the AL. But the Mariners lost the LCS title to Rodriguez�s prospective team, World Series champion New York Yankees. The following season Alex Rodriguez joined the Texas Rangers as a free agent. This deal was the most unprecedented contract in American sports history. Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year contract worth an astonishing $252 million. Due to this act Alex Rodriguez is regularly booed every time he returns to the Pacific Northwest. With Rangers he delivered records which were even better than before. But unfortunately in the following two seasons the Rangers made no real improvement. This sluggishness even cost Alex Rodriguez the MVP award.

The 2003 season proved to be more promising for Alex Rodriguez. Alex Rodriguez hit .298 with 47 home runs, won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award and became the league's MVP. Alex Rodriguez also received his first ever, American League Most Valuable Player award on 17th November. In December, the Rangers tried to trade Alex Rodriguez and his remuneration to the Boston Red Sox, but the deal was blocked by the Players Association. On the other hand, the Red Sox wanted to cut Alex Rodriguez's salary. On 25th January 2004, he was named captain of the Rangers and was traded to the Yankees three weeks later. With Yankees Alex Rodriguez plays as a third base to let Yankees captain Derek Jeter contend as shortstop. Moreover Alex Rodriguez was given the #3, the number which is associated with Babe Ruth. But in the spring training of the same season he appeared with #13 on his jersey. Yankees manager Joe Torre moved Alex Rodriguez to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, directly behind Jeter in the second quarter of the 2004 season.


Source: netglimse.com

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