The Legacy of Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod mulling over his future legacy. Photo courtesy of Elise Amendola of the AP

In the present, Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) may be an unwanted salary burden on the New York Yankees roster. Playing sparingly for the pinstripes, he has since announced he will be ending his professional career and moving to an adviser role with the Yankees.

His career was not always spent on the bench. A-Rod is a recipient of the Most Valuable Player Award three times, was a member of the American League All Star team fourteen times and even won a couple of Gold Glove awards in an era defined by great defensive shortstops, like Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra.

Drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in 1993 out of high school, he began the 1994 season quickly skyrocketing through the Mariners farm system before making his debut at shortstop on July 8, 1994. The expectations placed on A-Rod were enormous, much like the hype that surrounded Bryce Harper in present time. The only difference was, the Mariners already had multiple, integral pieces in place for a potential playoff run. A-Rod would be the icing on the cake for them.

A young Alex Rodriguez in Seattle. Photo courtesy of Bob Leverone Sporting News.

A-Rod would go on to headline a roster that included Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez, perennially making it to the playoffs, but never sealing the deal. A-Rod used up his service time never making it past the American League Championship Series with the Mariners. By the time free agency hit, A-Rod was already a four time all-star at a vital position and would receive a lofty paycheck.

That lofty paycheck would be a 10 year, $252 million deal. Not only was the deal the most expensive in MLB history, but it was more than $50 million larger than the next closest deal. That was a deal that caught many experts by surprise because Texas had been dwelling in the cellar of the division for the last season and had multiple needs to spend money on.

Despite three strong seasons in Texas, where A-Rod hit a combined 156 home runs, won a gold glove and a MVP award, Texas looked to move him due to the financial burden it put on the team. A potential deal to the Boston Red Sox, before the start of the 2004 season, was vetoed by the player’s union due to A-Rod voluntarily reducing his salary. This led to the New York Yankees trading for A-Rod, a move that seemed like a slap in the face to Red Sox Nation (Who ended up getting the last laugh during the infamous “Four Days in October” during the playoffs that season).

A-Rod celebrating winning the World Series in 2009. Photo courtesy of Charles Wenzenburg of the N.Y. Post.

A-Rod continued his dominance on major league pitching for much of his reign on the Yankees. A-Rod won two of his MVP awards with the Yankees, along with clubbing 30 home runs at the heart of the lineup when the Yankees won the World Series in 2009. A-Rod had often been the focal point of criticism come playoff time in New York, as his postseason numbers were never strong. All that changed in 2009 when A-Rod went on to hit for a .365 batting average and six home runs in 15 games for the Yankees in the postseason.

A-Rod’s career is not without controversy; however, much like the rest of the late 90’s and early 2000’s for baseball, A-Rod was often a focal point of talks concerning potential steroid abusers. A-Rod has come out and admitted to using steroids while in Texas from 2001-2003. He was not punished for the admission of guilt as there were no penalties for steroids at the time and he claimed to have stopped using them once he joined the Yankees.

Later, news surfaced that A-Rod would be suspended for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, which would lead to him sitting out all of 2014 after a lengthy appeals process. The DEA released notes in November of 2014 where A-Rod admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, which painted A-Rod as a liar due to him vehemently denying using any performance enhancing supplements through much of the 2014 season.

A-Rod has consistently put up numbers that would normally paint a player as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Yet, the steroid controversies in Texas, along with Biogenesis, make the decision a lot more difficult. No known steroid user, including Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds, have cemented a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame yet. A-Rod will always be remembered as an outstanding baseball player, with his countless all-star appearances and three MVP awards. Only time will tell how badly the steroids will tarnish A-Rod’s ultimate legacy.