One of baseball’s most polarizing figures will retire in the near future, as Alex Rodriguez has announced he’ll stop playing once the 2017 MLB season comes to an end.
The New York Yankees’ designated-hitter will see his 10-year, $275M contract run out after two more seasons and he has openly stated his desire to not extend it any further. Considering he will be 42 once his current deal expires it’s hard to see him playing for much longer.
His legacy will certainly be one to analyze and there’s no question that there will be a huge debate whether he belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame or not. His numbers are undeniably good but there’s always been a dark cloud above him due to the way he acted both with his teammates and with opposing teams.
And we can’t forget about the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs, too.
Rodriguez was once known as the face of the game due to his achievements on the diamond and his personality off of it. He, however, managed to bury that image thanks to a cocky attitude and a sequence public lies about the use of PEDs that made him miss the entire 2014 season due to a suspension imposed by the league. After a long investigation that had him in the eye of the storm, Rodriguez acknowledged the use of illegal substances between 2001 and 2003 after he denied it time and time again.
You might love him or hate him but the fact that Rodriguez will likely retire as one of the all-time greats to ever play the game is almost undeniable. He currently sits fourth in the all-time HR list with 687 and he’s coming off a 33-homer campaign. If he can keep up that pace then he could easily top other legends such as Babe Ruth (714) and possibly Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762) meaning there’s a legitimate chance he retires as the all-time homerun leader in Major League history.
It remains to be seen how the rest of the league reacts when Rodriguez plays their final games, however. Let’s not forget he was booed both at Yankee Stadium and other venues when he returned to the field after his year-long ban and he’s not exactly the most-liked athlete in the league.
The MLB hasn’t announced a Farewell Tour for him – contrary to what they did Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, two other Yankee legends that hung up the cleats in recent years – and there might not be anything special prepared for his retirement either.
Whatever the case is, A-Rod will likely finish his career as one of the best infielders in MLB history and the accolades will speak for themselves: Rodriguez made the All-Star Game 14 times, won three MVP awards (2003, 2005 and 2007), was named Silver Slugger 10 times (both at 3B and SS) and also collected two Gold Gloves (2002 and 2003). To top it all he’ll retire with over $400M earned in contracts alone, becoming the first athlete in the US in surpassing that mark.
We can hate him, love him or be completely indifferent about him but one thing is certain: the retirement of Rodriguez will certainly mark the end of an era in Major League Baseball, and we can’t deny he will go down as one of the greats to ever play the game even if his name will be tainted forever.