年薪: 2千5百萬美元(約台幣7億5千萬)
Alex Rodriguez, Baseball Player
Born: 27 July 1975
Birthplace: New York, New York
Best Known As: Baseball`s quarter-billion-dollar superstar
Name at birth: Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers in 2000, making him the highest-salaried player in professional sports history. Rodriguez played his first major league baseball game at age 18 and became the starting shortstop for the Seattle Mariners at age 20. Nicknamed [A-Rod,] he hit .358 with 36 homers in 1996, his first full season in the majors.
His power, defensive skills, charisma and fan-friendly Hispanic heritage made him an attractive free agent after the 2000 season, and Texas owner Tom Hicks signed Rodriguez to the unprecedented $252 million deal. Rodriguez played well for the Rangers (winning the American League MVP award in 2003), but the team finished last in its division for three straight years, and some felt that Rodriguez`s mammoth contract had hobbled the team.
In 2004 Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees, where he moved to third base to play alongside Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter.
Rodriguez bats right-handed, throws right-handed, and wears uniform #13... Seattle made him the first pick in the first round of the 1993 amateur draft... His first appearance in the majors was on 8 July 1994...
In 1998 he had 42 homers and 46 stolen bases, making him the third-ever member of baseball`s [40-40 club] (Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco were the other members).
Alex Rodriguez taking his position at 3rd base at the beginning of a new inning. 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 today and at a young age is already being talked about among the all-time greats.
Starting his major league career with the Seattle Mariners, he signed an unprecedented free-agent deal with the Texas Rangers, before being traded to the New York Yankees. Rodriguez began his career as a shortstop, but switched positions to third base upon joining the Yankees.
In 2003 he became the youngest player in major league history to reach 300 home runs. He has been married to the former Cynthia Scurtis since November 2, 2002: the couple`s first child, Natasha Alexander, was born on November 18, 2004.
On November 17, 2003, Rodriguez won his first American League Most Valuable Player award. It was the second time in MLB history that a player of a team finishing last in the league was given the award (Andre Dawson also won the award for the last place Chicago Cubs).
The following month the Rangers tried unsuccessfully to trade Rodriguez and his hefty salary to the Boston Red Sox. The Players Association blocked the deal, however, because the Red Sox wanted to cut Rodriguez`s salary. Then on January 25, 2004, he was named captain of the Rangers. Less than three weeks later, he was traded to the Yankees, the first reigning MVP to be traded in the history of Major League Baseball.
Beginnings
Born in New York City, Rodriguez moved back with his parents to their native Dominican Republic when was 4. They 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. Rodriguez has said in interviews he can forgive his father for abandoning the family, but that he will never forget.
Rodriguez was a star player at Westminster Christian High School. His skills were rewarded when the Seattle Mariners made the 17-year old the #1 pick of the amateur draft in 1993. He made a rapid rise through the organization and made his major league debut at just 18 years of age, becoming one of the youngest players to appear in a game at shortstop.
Early career with the Seattle Mariners
After his major league campaign in 1994 was cut short by the players`strike, he 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. One of his most important contributions in the playoffs was consoling second baseman Joey Cora, who memorably broke down in tears after the Mariners`loss in the League Championship Series.
He took over as the regular shortstop the following year, and immediately 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 Gonzalez; possibly denying him this honor were the two Seattle-area sportswriters who voted for the award, as they gave him 8th and 9th place votes.
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 nonetheless won the division but were quickly eliminated from the playoffs. He recovered with authority in 1998 by becoming the 3rd member of the 40 homers/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.
The Mariners entered 2000 with A-Rod as the cornerstone of the franchise, having dealt superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey, Jr. in the past two seasons. Rodriguez continued to put up great numbers as the team`s remaining superstar, and hit 41 more HR`s 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.
Texas Rangers
A free agent after the season, Rodriguez, who wanted to go to a Series-caliber team, was immediately rumored to be heading to the Mets because of his appearance at Shea, but instead chose to go to the Texas Rangers (last in their division in 2000), signing what is the largest contract in American sports history, a 10-year contract worth an astounding $252 million. Because of the contract, considered outrageous by many fans, Mariners fans that loved him immediately turned on him for taking the money and running instead of staying with a winner; to this day he`s regularly booed every time he returns to Seattle.
Despite the enormous pressure carried by the contract, Rodriguez continued to produce, and has been even better than before. He hit 52 home runs in 2001, and followed that up with a major league best 57 home runs in 2002, the most ever for a shortstop. He put a bookend on that year by winning his first Gold Glove Award. Unfortunately, the Rangers made no real improvement in the two years he played there, finishing last both times, and it likely cost him the MVP award in 2002, as he finished second to fellow shortstop Miguel Tejada. Although Tejada had lesser numbers than Rodriguez, he played for a championship-caliber team. The Mariners didn`t miss him; they won 116 games in their first year without him.
Rodriguez`s last season with Texas, 2003, was another productive year for A-Rod. He hit .298 with 47 home runs, won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award and was named the league`s MVP, despite the Rangers remaining mired in last place.
New York Yankees
On February 15, 2004, after a period in which he had been courted by the Boston Red Sox and named as the Rangers`captain, Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later. In the trade, the Rangers will have to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez`s contract. Since New York already had a star shortstop in team captain Derek Jeter, the trade developed only after New York`s third baseman, Aaron Boone, suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing a game of pickup basketball during the off-season. After Rodriguez agreed to switch positions and play third base, the deal between New York and Texas was consummated.
In addition to moving from shortstop to third, Rodriguez had to make another change upon joining the Yankees. He had worn uniform number 3 his entire career, but that number on the Yankees is retired in honor of Babe Ruth. There was some speculation as to what his number would be, but in spring training he showed up with uniform number 13, answering the question.
Rodriguez performed well in his first season with the Yankees, hitting .286 with 36 home runs and 106 runs batted in, his seventh consecutive season with at least 100 RBI. Near the end of the season, Yankees manager Joe Torre moved Rodriguez to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, directly behind Jeter, which is the position he most enjoys.
Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004In Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Rodriguez batted in the 8th inning, with one out and Jeter on first base. Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo fielded the ball near the first-base line and went to tag Rodriguez for the out. Rodriguez swiped his arm at Arroyo`s and dislodged the ball, which rolled down the line. Jeter crossed the plate on the play, and Rodriguez wound up on second base. Red Sox manager Terry Francona objected and, after a discussion among the umpires, Rodriguez was called out for interference. By rule, Jeter`s run was nullified and he was sent to second base. The Red Sox would go on to win the game, 4-2, en route to an improbable recovery from an 0-3 series deficit to win the American League pennant, and later, the 2004 World Series.
Salary
During the 2005 season, Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid player in Major League Baseball, as $25,705,118.00
a championship-caliber team: 冠軍水準
productive year: 有成效的
consummate: 完成;實現
speculation: 推測
commits interference: 犯規
improbable recovery: 不可能的逆轉
(from an 0-3 series deficit to win the American League pennant_
文章定位：
