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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.
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