The Historic Rise of Alex Rodriguez

Creator: Mike
Twitter: / srsmike
KZbin: / srsmike
Baseball fans and the general public know A-Rod. To this day, he may still be the most popular baseball player on Earth, not for reasons without controversy. But to get to the top, there had to be a rise, even if some may want to call it tainted.
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[@SRSMike]

I apologized to my mom for making her miss the A-Rod autograph signing

[@WhiteGuyNextDoor]

Just think, A-Rod coulda been your dad 👨‍👩‍👧

[@whitecoffee1427]

@@WhiteGuyNextDoor A dad

[@ProgShell]

Just for context for that scene towards the end where Mariners fans booed him, go ahead a look up when Griffey or Ichiro came back in opposing uniforms and see how the Seattle crowds reacted. Way different.

[@theamateurobserver]

I went to an Ms Yankees game in Seattle a while back, every time A-Rod came up to bat both Yankees and Ms fans absolutely showered him in boos. It was great

[@TheKrazyk2010]

I'm a Mariners fan and as much as I was crushed that Alex Rodriguez left, he did something that basically anyone else would have done and also not to knock on this video or anything, but the Seattle Mariners organization did not make a serious effort to retain Alex Rodriguez, they initially gave him a low ball offer with a 5-year 95 million dollar contract with a team option after 2002, you would have to be an idiot to take that contract knowing your own talent, after the rejection, key members of the Mariners front office organization or actually on vacation during the free agency It is unfortunate that the Mariners fans are not showing him the love that he deserves, what about the other players that left the other teams, they initially got booed but then moved on after that like when Vince Carter and Toronto eventually reconciled and even Brett favre reconciling with Green Bay, there's got to be a time and point where the Mariners fans forgive him and rally him to at least be on the Mariners Hall of Fame and retire his number

[@davidlafleche1142]

A-Rod should have settled for whatever the Mariners could afford to pay him.

[@Rymann_23]

@@davidlafleche1142 no he’s right. Mariners low balled and cheaped out. I don’t blame ARod for leaving but the kind of person he became after getting that money is why most people hate him

[@Ruderickle2424]

I downloaded a complete 1994 MLB roster for MLB the Show. And I made a good version of A-rod. Traded all my prospects for him and he became a Marlins legend in my fantasy world. While Jeter became a Royals legend lol

[@XenonSwift]

As a Rangers fan, when we signed Corey Seager, it was getting a lot of comparisons to A-Rod signing. I hope it’s just different since Seager is now surrounded by other stars. The Rangers didn’t have anyone else but A-Rod when they signed him. I wonder how different the Rangers could’ve been if he stayed with them for whole 10 years.

[@Ashura96]

I shudder just thinking about the idea of him staying the full 10 years.

[@stevendeckert6373]

Their offense was insane a couple of those years with Ken Caminiti, Ruben Sierra, A-rod, Pudge, Rafael Palmeiro...and no pitching as I recall.

[@Rymann_23]

@@stevendeckert6373 same as the 2022 rangers lmao

[@T_K7]

Well they did try to get Kyle to join him lol

[@jonathanponce9932]

Corey Seager just led you to a world series, congrats bro🫡

[@Blankford777]

4:04 shout-out Towson Tigers!

[@mastermindmartialarts]

People forget how amazing he was. I remember those days. He ruled baseball.

[@wukilla8ee]

Yea he put up numbers during the regular season BUT when it came to crunch time, pressure, the playoffs. He tanked!! Can't stand Arod

[@DeafInLeftEar]

A-Rod is the Anakin Skywalker of the MLB.

[@unkledoda420]

Also before he was even drafted out of high school he developed a friendship with Jose Canseco, the godfather of steroids in the MLB. ARod claims he never used roids til he went to the Rangers, I think there's a good chance he's been using since before he even got to the majors.

[@jollyboyjoe8619]

“Steroids” is a real broad term. He probably was using phytosteroid which is technically a steroid. But once got to the rangers he probably started using more serious stuff that has more effects on you.

[@kielmaguire5121]

As a lifelong Mariners fan I liked him a lot, until Texas. I drafted him in the 23 round on my fantasy draft in 96. Helped me win a bunch money so he has a spot in my heart

[@dukedematteo1995]

I think he was probably clean from 04 to 2010.... there was testing, they were all over him and he was still producing. Once he had that hip problem and hit 16 HRS one year and clearly lost his pop, was 35 yrs old, he decided to juice again to so he could chase Bonds record.

[@dvon1097]

I agree i bet he was clean until he got older

[@soarinskies1105]

His highschool team says he was doing roids even back then. If that’s true there is a good chance that his whole career was built on the back of steroids, so I really can’t see how at any point he had been clean.

[@dukedematteo1995]

@@soarinskies1105 what do you mean? So from 04 to 10 he just magically beat testing?...every year,? despite it being random? Nah, he used pre 2004 when there was no testing and nobody cared about steroids, stopped when fans and media did their hysterical 180 when they starting caring all at the same time after Balco, then he decided to use again when he was older, banged up, and thought this Bosch guy had figured out loopholes around the testing. It was too risky for most guys to use post 2004. The media was destroying people's reputations and anyone caught was crucified in terms of public opinion.

[@brandanellis2953]

@@soarinskies1105yup because that dude was clearly telling the truth truth. Would you look at that, turned out his high school teammate was full of shit

[@mg659er]

Manny Ramirez batted over .632 in my HS My little town called NYC

[@AndThatsBaseball]

HE KNOWS ABOUT THE MILKSHAKES

[@RetroBaseball]

Only 5 minutes in and this is already amazing! wonderful job Mike!

[@DocEsquire]

Great video, Mike. You’re definitely my favorite SRS contributor! Keep up the great work.

[@drewengel7073]

The only reason I like A-Rod is because he finally is making the Timberwolves play to their potential as a new owner. As a Twins and Mets fan, I hate A-Rod, the baseball player, but as a fan of the Timberwolves, I love him.

[@Warum.2439]

He loves the Mets so he’s with you haha

[@patheticcircus3774]

You are so right about the hall of fame there’s a lot of players that belong in there for what they did on the field the story needs told not erased Pete Rose Barry Bonds Roger Clemons A Rod Kurt and there’s more they all belong in the hall

[@thelonewanderer105]

A-Rod could have been the greatest baseball player of all time.

[@trublaze]

@Larry one of

[@packerpf]

@Larry nah can't be a habitual cheater and a long paper trail to boot and be considered in any greatest discussions you've disqualified yourself by being a cheater

[@JramLisztfan]

@Larry Bonds is better but Arod is the best SS (he should have played SS over Jeter)

[@Jimmy_Hopkins15]

@Larry not anymore hes a cheater

[@chernandez212331]

@@Jimmy_Hopkins15 still is one of the best ever lmao, cry all you want but that fact ain’t changing

[@TheIcemancometh13]

Don't mind me. I'm just dreaming of an alternate Mets universe where they had Manny, Piazza, AND A-Rod on the same team.

[@Brandon-dy1rk]

A Rod signing with the Mets would’ve been amazing, the subway series battles would’ve had a much different history to it

[@JHardyExTReme]

When I was in school the other kids could only name 2 baseball players, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

[@davidlafleche1142]

I'll always remember A-Rod for swatting the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove, then Jeter, in the dugout, INSISTING A-Rod should be called safe. What a bonehead move that was! Every Little Leaguer in the world knows you can't do that!

[@BrockMolden]

Have you heard of Joe Mauer? 605 avg senior season. His football stats was low key nice too.

[@mcray0309]

My brother worked at a chicken place, on of the customers did something with the Yankees, PR or some bullshit. The guy said the the two nicest players were Jorge Posada and ARod. Posada apparently gave cash to the club house employees at Christmas. He also said Derek jeter was such a douche he wouldn’t even acknowledge the clubhouse people. In fact I’ve meant multiple people who meant Derek and not one said a nice thing about him. Sucks bc jeter was my hero. The media makes good people into villains and make manipulators our hero’s.

[@dvon1097]

Same i know people who met him and said hes a dick allegedly. Meanwhile ARod was nice to fans. Same with Mariano

[@joel8692]

Yup I've heard the same things about Arod treating the club house staff great and giving them good tips for doing things for him like getting coffee or McDonald's for him or even taking his car to the carwash for him during the game. One of my childhood friends worked in the visiting team clubhouse at Yankees stadium and met Arod when he played for the Texas rangers. Arod would tip him for doing favors for him all the time and once arod became a Yankee he became his personal assistant in the clubhouse. When Arod won MVP in 05 he gifted my friend a brand new E class Mercedes Benz from his dealership and when he won MVP in 07 he gave him 50k as a gift to put a down payment on a house.

[@nomorefielders]

It’s very comforting to know Alex Rodriguez has always been kinda awful at doing commercials

[@ClaraInstalledAimbot]

I love the John Olerude appreciation

[@Em-Jayyy]

As lifelong Mariners fan who grew up watching A-Rod in Seattle, I really appreciate this video. People seem to downplay his years as a Mariner but we still have fond memories of him before he left for the money. A-Rod has a complicated legacy in Seattle but I hope that one day, we might be able to put aside the negativity and welcome him back into the Mariners family.

[@milehighmiles6914]

Watching your videos make my day

[@BaseballAF]

sheeeesh very enjoyable content, and shows the dichotomy of how perception of a player can change, even one as good as A-Rod really glad he didn't buy the Mets tbh

[@caleb4521]

You should make one of these about Josh Hamilton!

[@felixmarvin1199]

*insert Dr Rockzo meme here*

[@adrianturner9170]

I loved Johnny O still have my autographed '93 world series ball

[@GeeEm1313]

He was very underrated.

[@doughy-planet5849]

8:36 is that batting average stat supposed to be worded differently or are we pretending that Wade Boggs, Rod Carew, and George Brett didn't exist?

[@ynsimha7663]

for Shortstops I guess.

[@michaelcornwall]

My parents were from Seattle, and the 90s mariners stories are always so awesome. I always grew up with my dad calling him gay rod, but like anytime they talked about a rod for the mariners so fondly.

[@koh9277]

I went to university of Miami, people would regularly go to baseball games, get milkshakes, and leave, they’re amazing

[@tfarm7015]

It's a good day when Stark Raving Sports posy a video

[@2krez254]

Wait you went to the Tyler show? Presuming it was in Miami, that was insane, I could have met you and got a photo, what a shame! Hope you enjoyed it!

[@swagilicious7605]

Fun fact Juan Gonzalez was a 3x all star and 2x mvp

[@teen_laqueefa]

He never gets any love

[@dvon1097]

yeah man he was incredible

[@RupertMumphrey]

Should be a 0x MVP

[@awesome123306]

A-rod was the final out of the mariners winning there 116th game shocked you didn't show that

[@datfatcat9323]

He’s #6 on my all time list

[@Zack_410]

Solid spot

[@dvon1097]

hes definitely top 10. I cant put him above Bonds, Mays, Hank, Babe, and Junior tho

[@ynsimha7663]

@@dvon1097 For me, the ranking goes like this - 1. Willie Mays 2. Babe Ruth 3. Hank Aaron 4. Barry Bonds 5. Stan Musial 6. Ken Griffey 7. Alex Rodriguez 8. Randy Johnson 9. Mickey Mantle 10. Lou Gehrig / Ted Williams (Top three are purely based on opinion, you can go any which way with those three)

[@Joeb12]

Teezo shoutout?? You go to the CMIYGL tour?

[@nickmcgruber7052]

The Aniken Skywalker of Baseball

[@jamesesterline]

I'd love to see a video about Mark Prior or Barry Zito

[@GeeEm1313]

Man. Mark Prior would have been great if Dusty Baker didn't use him like a plough horse. Kerry Wood too.

[@viviandavis129]

What a beautiful video

[@andygreeley5196]

Hey we wore corduroy pants back then. You just accepted it

[@dmoody4628]

Greatly narrated

[@dexxxhundo1365]

I used to have most of his rookie cards but I know life happens

[@aayankyeyune313]

Good job stark raving sports

[@andykratoska5791]

His contract with Texas was exactly double the previous largest contract before that (Kevin Brown, 126 mil)

[@Shingerrr]

srs is so insanely underrated it’s insane.

[@LordWafflestomp]

Idk why everyone hates Alex Rodriguez... I think everything he's done with Saosin on drums has been *chef's kiss* and he's a Latin Grammy Award winner for... Oh wait... wrong Alex Rodriguez.. oops

[@tj-mb3fy]

The teezo cameo in this vid is crazy

[@Saints9Fan]

“Next to my lane kiffin pin” haha

[@BowDisciples]

The fantano clip was epic

[@patrickflint1106]

Adjusted for inflation his Texas contract is worth 402 million.

[@poocrafter2]

A-Rod lost the 1996 MVP race by all of 3 points. He damn near went and won the MVP and honestly should have at the age of 20 in his first full season and without doping

[@Rymann_23]

Mariners: Arod? Nah *Drake looking away disgusted* Mariners: Jrod: hell yeah now were talkin

[@ndrocca]

IMO, if it wasn’t for the steroids and his poor reputation, we’d all unanimously put him in the GOAT discussion.

[@Zack_410]

Should be there anyway

[@dvon1097]

hes already in the GOAT discussion

[@robwasilewski9273]

1999 and 2000 mvp award should have been Pedro Martinez

[@qfmarsh64]

I had more commercials in this video than A-Rod did.

[@justingerald]

People forget how good he was.

[@CDJProduction3]

nah the super mario party hr derby is stupid difficult

[@matthewvanzandt6589]

I need to know who those other shortstops were

[@justvibing2497]

Great video, now i will add war stat is useless

[@Chr1ShawnKPD]

He's commentating MLB games rn, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets in the HOF

[@donpietruk1517]

It's his way of sucking up to the media so they'll elect him into the Hall. If he gets in and Bonds doesn't I'll have a fit.

[@patheticcircus3774]

One more thing it’s so wrong how these writers have that power to keep them out

[@cubanyc5025]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💪

[@LDQBBQ]

Ranger fans don't look back at his career here fondly either. While he was certainly the best player, it never felt like he wanted to be here or that he was one of us. His comments since leaving the Rangers have only made Ranger fans like him even less, and many fans forget or simply ignore his time here. It's a real shame that he squandered an opportunity to be the best and most likable player of all-time, but he has only greed and ego to blame for that. Of course having a quarter of a billion dollars would change anyone, but it changed him for the worse permanently.

[@astromo1]

banger

[@CharmCityGamer]

My boy, thanks SRS! Someday A-Rod will join his buddy Jeter in Cooperstown!

[@user-cv8qe9ru8c]

The 80s Joel reference 😂

[@marleychronic8530]

If A-Rod was drafted by the Yankees, Red Soxs, are at least the Atlanta Braves, his career would've went differently for the better.

[@faded87]

I feel so stupid for now just realizing seattle is in washington

[@mashiachadonai]

where's part 2.

[@jamesredbow6346]

A rod. My guy. AAAAAAAAARODDDDDD

[@Warum.2439]

If Barry Bonds gets a pass, so should A-Rod. Barry had his dad to guide him. Alex, from a poor background, had no father and a mother who he relied on for much advice. Tough way to grow up when you compare how you evolve as a person

[@bradleylabant6121]

Check out James triantos high school stats

[@uniqueishot]

2:54

[@cosmoid]

Imagine if the M's had A-Rod for 2001. They'd have won 120+ games

[@MrSuperXToast]

Love the Joey Freshwater button!

[@benhaney9629]

People forget that he was an elite defensive shortstop.

[@benhaney9629]

Unlike Jeter...

[@benhaney9629]

The fact they put A-Rod at third base was crazy.

[@justvibing2497]

War is useless stats. Arod was the chosen one. Also mvp should go by overall stats not voting b.s. his numbers make him top 5 of all time. War is useless stats

[@joel8692]

Nah I think WAR has him ranked close to where he truly ranks. He's 16th all time with 117 WAR and if u remove the pitchers and only list the position players I think Arod should be ranked from 8-15.

[@jamesgilmore69]

Best BA in the American league in 60 years?? Boggs .361 in 82 - .368 in 85' - .363 in 87' - .366 in 88'. Brett .390 in 80'. Carew .388 in 77'.....shall I continue?

[@jamesgilmore69]

Also when you showed Arods 97' season you mixed up some of his 96' stats along with it like stolen bases, doubles, war, tb, runs, & XBH

[@user-lv8lg2gi3k]

His steroid use was suspected to have started in high school, he started training with and hanging out with Jose canseco his junior year of high school there’s a shot none of those seasons were clean

[@djdudjiddj7490]

You seen the baseball don’t exist vid

[@Uns_Maps_8]

Did he start having supplements before the 1996 season?

[@siloshroom2132]

My favorite player of all time! Because of him I got into baseball as a kid

[@zachlee7945]

how is it possible to have a 145ops+ and only 3 war

[@vinnythewebsurfer]

The Anti-Jeter.

[@tomsnowden6201]

Alex Rodriguez's little photo is nothing compared to the shit we see kids doing to day with their social media.

[@briannagreen9817]

You are missing a lot of information in regards to the fact that he demanded more money before signing with the mariners and was also part of the reason ken Griffey left for the reds. Yes his stats are undeniable but he always been difficult.

[@Warum.2439]

Demanding more money is how negotiations work. Do you not ask for a raise?

[@joel8692]

Nah Griffey left because he knew the mariners wouldn't be able to pay him the money he wanted

[@Extinguisher10]

Eagle was great! Then Lowe's bought them out.

[@williamscaffidi3954]

Best BA in 60 years?? Didn't George Brett hit .390 in the 70s?

[@StarkRavingSports]

Meant to say BA by an AL righty hitter but left out the righty hitter part lol

[@blakespicer9234]

I’ve always thought it was dumb that every one hates A-Rod he’s always been my favorite baseball player

[@GeeEm1313]

Good for you.

[@Extinguisher10]

Damn it, stop it with the references that make me feel old! I'm not old! You're a towel!

[@Christopher-cm6he]

Let's just make one thing clear A-Rod was an amazing player people hate on him because of how good he was and that's just a fact just like with Kobe when he was alive people hated on Kobe because he shot a lot and he couldn't carry a team by himself etc. A-Rod got tested multiple times and then of course he lied about steroids and then he popped for steroids and then admitted to steroids and then it was just a cool thing to do to hate on him. He was a once and a generation talent and unfortunately it went to his head and unfortunately he became a prick. I think people were misconstruing the baseball player and the person. The baseball player was truly an amazing talent the person however, was just a f****** horrible person

[@vicpicksinvesting5380]

Arob was supposed to break the all time home runs record..he was very close..only needed 3 more seasons?

[@TheJonesmonster55]

4 atleast maybe 5… looks at Albert’s power decay rather quickly same would have happened to him. The climb from 700 to bonds would have been so tiring

[@pjny21]

That hip injury kinda ended it.

[@Warum.2439]

Hip injury put him out for a year and the year and half suspension put him out of it too. Half a season and he would’ve passed Babe Ruth. 714-696 is only 18

[@Warum.2439]

@@TheJonesmonster55 his power never really diminished as drastically. Given he missed a couple szns with the suspension and hip injury he would be there. Not to mention that Miami wanted to sign him before he retired but the Yankees didn’t allow that to happen

[@chriscreaturo8809]

Love me a villain

[@diegochavez9286]

one of my favorite players of all time

[@jaybx9831]

It’s crazy his best years were when he was clean he was insanely talented shît sucks his legacy is so tainted now.

[@Jay_nicola]

How do you know when he was and wasn’t ?

[@Rod693]

He’s my unvle

[@LOON3Y2OONS]

I’m a huge Yankees and Arod fan but he shouldn’t be in the hall of fame. He knowingly did the wrong thing and these are the consequences.

[@Warum.2439]

Then no steroid user should be in, like Ortiz

[@lukewilliams6364]

Fucking love your videos