New York Yankees’ slugger Alex Rodriguez was with the club for 12 seasons before he decided to announce his retirement from Major League Baseball on August 7th, 2016. He met with media that day where he said, “I love this game, and I love this team. Today, I’m saying goodbye to both. I never thought I could play for 22 years.”
Struggling to say these words as he was fighting back tears, you could see how much A-Rod loved playing in the Bronx. It was always believed that when he was apart of the Rangers and Mariners, Rodriguez wanted to be in pinstripes playing with his close pal Derek Jeter and the rest of that legendary squad.
Rodriguez was a 14-time All-Star, six of those selections representing the New York Yankees. He won the MVP award three times (2003, 2005, 2007), twice as a Yank. A-Rod won one World Series ring with the Yankees during the 2009 magical season.
Statistically, A-Rod goes down as one of the best players in baseball history and definitely Yankee history. However, many baseball fans will argue that. With his run-in with Performance-enhancing drugs, his 696 home runs and 3115 hits are overlooked. Another thing to note about Rodriguez’s ignorance of the MLB drug policy, it will most likely prevent him from entering the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Regardless of the decisions he made, Alex Rodriguez is one of the best to ever wear pinstripes and to walk on a ball field. A-Rod is still around the game, however, and continues his career with broadcasting Sunday night baseball for ESPN.