Alex Rodriguez has blown our minds this year, and it certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed. Each week, Rodriguez silences more of his critics with his solid performance at the plate, and in turn we read a new column in the paper on how he’s changed this season.
So, by now, we know A-Rod has turned things around in his life. He’s surrounded himself with good people, he’s worked hard, and he’s played well. That’s all well and good—but he is now 40 years of age. For Ryan Braun, or Melky Cabrera, or Nelson Cruz to have done that would have been a bit more comprehensible. With A-Rod, it’s tough to grasp.
You can turn to some of Rodriguez’s teammates as prime examples of just how difficult it is to do what he’s done.
Carlos Beltran broke into the league at 21 years old and immediately cemented himself as one of the most talented players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year in 1999 with a .293/.337/.454 slash line. Now, at the age of 38, fans are beginning to question whether or not he deserves a spot in the Yankees’ lineup. Before his resurgence this season, Mark Teixeira looked to be declining at the age of 33, battling injuries and struggling at the dish. His wrist has held up this season, but it remains to be seen what the team will get from Teixeira at 36. And, while pitching is a different animal, CC Sabathia hit a steep decline at the age of 32, and is now the weakest of the Yankees’ five starters.
Age has caught up to all three of these veterans, and it happened before 40.
Rodriguez’s greatest feat might be staying healthy for the entire season, playing in 90 of the team’s 97 games. While he’s occupying the DH slot, and not playing in the field, anyone at that brittle age is subject to at least soreness, which Rodriguez says he doesn’t really experience.
Via Hardball Stats, Rodriguez will become just the fourth player in major-league history to homer as a teenager and as a 40-year-old. He started raking at a young age, much like Beltran, and has not only held his own at this age, but dominated.
Rodriguez has a higher line-drive rate (26.5 percent) than Yoenis Cespedes, Albert Pujols, and Manny Machado this season. He’s tied for the league-lead in home runs since the All-Star break with Carlos Gonzalez and Mike Trout at five. He’s still one of the best in the game.
Only six players in the history of the game have hit 30 home runs at 39 or older: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Steve Finley, Darrell Evans, Willie Stargell, and Cy Williams. Only five have driven in 100 runs at that age. Rodriguez has a legitimate shot to do both, and cement himself as one of the greatest players ever. What he’s done at 39 has been remarkable, and we can only imagine what he will do now at 40.
Happy Birthday, A-Rod. Continue to raise our eyebrows. Continue hitting home runs. Continue to do things like this:
The game is a better place with you performing the way that you are.
Lead photo courtesy of Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports