Here is a look at Alex Rodriguez, former New York Yankees infielder, who is in fourth place for the most career home runs in Major League Baseball history. He was suspended for the entire 2014 season after an investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Personal:
Birth date: July 27, 1975
Birth place: New York, New York
Birth name: Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez
Father: Victor Rodriguez, shoe salesman and baseball player
Mother: Lourdes (Navarro) Rodriguez, automotive plant worker
Marriage: Cynthia (Scurtis) Rodriguez (November 2, 2002-2008, divorced)
Children: Ella and Natasha
Other Facts:
His family moved from New York to the Dominican Republic when Rodriguez was four-years-old, then moved to Miami when he was in the fourth grade.
His father left when Rodriguez was nine, and his mother raised her three children as a single parent.
Co-wrote two children’s books, “Hit a Grand Slam” and “Out of the Ballpark.”
Has been romantically linked to celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez.
Baseball Records and Achievements:
Rodriguez ranks fourth all-time highest in home runs, and has hit the most of any active player.
He is the 29th member of the 3,000-hit-club.
Three-time American League MVP: 2003, 2005 and 2007.
Has been elected to the All-Star Game 14 times.
All-time grand slam leader.
Ten-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Two-time Gold Glove Award winner.
Timeline:
Early 1990s – Attends Westminster Christian School in Miami.
June 1993 – MLB first overall draft pick, chosen by the Seattle Mariners to play shortstop.
July 8, 1994 – Major league debut at shortstop with the Seattle Mariners. At the time, he is the youngest player to be brought up to the majors since 1984.
1996 – Is invited to the All-Star Game for the first time.
August 12, 1998 – Makes his 100th major league home run.
September 19, 1998 – Becomes the third player ever to join the “40-40 Club,” hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in one season. He ends the season that year with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases.
1999 – Has surgery on his left knee.
December 2000 – Signs the largest contract ever in professional sports at that time, a ten-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers.
October 2002 – Pledges $3.9 million to the University of Miami’s baseball program. The Hurricanes’ renovated baseball stadium is later renamed Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
August 4, 2007 – Becomes the youngest player to hit 500 home runs.
November 2007 – Signs the largest contract ever in American sports at that time, a ten-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees.
December 2007 – During an interview with Katie Couric on “60 Minutes,” Rodriguez denies taking performance-enhancing drugs and says he is not tempted to use them.
February 9, 2009 – Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers.
March 9, 2009 – Has surgery on his right hip. He rejoins the New York Yankees about a month into the season, on May 8th.
August 4, 2010 – Becomes the youngest player to hit 600 home runs. Only eight players have ever reached this milestone.
July 2011 – Undergoes surgery on his right knee.
January 16, 2013 – Has arthroscopic surgery on his left hip.
January 31, 2013 – The Miami New Times publishes a story alleging more than a dozen professional baseball players, including Rodriguez, and other athletes were named in records kept over several years by the now-closed Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami.
August 5, 2013 – Major League Baseball announces that it is suspending Rodriguez for 211 regular season games through the 2014 season amid allegations involving the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Twelve other players are also suspended for 50 games each.
August 7, 2013 – The MLB Players Association files a grievance on his behalf, appealing the suspension. Rodriguez is allowed to play while the suspension is appealed. He has been in the Yankees’ lineup since returning from injury on August 5.
September 30, 2013 – Rodriguez’s arbitration hearing to appeal his suspension begins.
October 3, 2013 – Files a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court against MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig, alleging they “engaged in tortious and egregious conduct with one and only one goal … to destroy the reputation and career of Alex Rodriguez.”
October 4, 2013 – Files a medical malpractice lawsuit against Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Rodriguez drops the lawsuit in 2014.
October 7, 2013 – MLB files a motion to move Rodriguez’s lawsuit from state court to federal court, in hopes of dismissing the suit.
November 20, 2013 – Walks out of an arbitration hearing after learning MLB Commissioner Selig will not testify, saying later that he’s done with what he calls a “farce” and an “abusive process.”
January 11, 2014 – Rodriguez officially loses his appeal and his 211-game suspension is reduced to 162 games, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz rules. He will miss the 2014 MLB season.
February 7, 2014 – Drops his lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The lawsuit had been seeking a dismissal of a 162-game suspension.
November 5, 2014 – The Miami Herald reports Rodriguez privately admitted in late January 2014 to using steroids, during a meeting with prosecutors and federal agents who gave him immunity.
February 17, 2015 – Releases a hand-written apology, taking “full responsibility for the mistakes that led to [his] suspension for the 2014 season.”
May 7, 2015 – Hits his 661st home run, passing Willie Mays to take fourth place on baseball’s all-time home run list.
June 19, 2015 – Earns hit 3,000 at Yankee Stadium in a seven to two game against the Detroit Tigers.
August 26, 2015 – Rodriguez faces a $100 million lawsuit filed by his former brother-in-law, Constantine Scurtis. Scurtis files a 12-count complaint against Rodriguez claiming he used their company to commit fraud.
August 7, 2016 – Announces he will play in his final major league game on August 12 at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays. After the game, Rodriguez will be released from his player contract and become a special adviser and instructor with the Yankees through December 31, 2017.
March 7, 2017 – Is hired by Fox Sports as a full-time MLB analyst.