Editing Alex Rodriguez (section)

===Seattle Mariners===
====1994–1995====
In 1994, Rodriguez made his professional baseball debut as a [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] player with the [[Appleton Foxes]] of the [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] [[Midwest League]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Team History – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-41061520|access-date=August 7, 2016|work=[[Minor League Baseball]]}}</ref> He was promoted to the [[Jacksonville Suns]] of the [[Class AA]] [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]]. He played in 17 games for Jacksonville, then was promoted to Calgary for 32 games before moving up to the major leagues.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rodrig006ale|title=Alex Rodriguez Minor Leagues Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=July 3, 2011|title=Five former Jacksonville Suns on All-Star Game rosters|url=http://jacksonville.com/sports/baseball/2011-07-03/story/five-former-jacksonville-suns-all-star-game-rosters|access-date=August 7, 2016|work=[[The Florida Times-Union]]}}</ref> On July 8, 1994, Rodriguez debuted in the major leagues as a starting shortstop, just the third 18-year-old major league shortstop since 1900.<ref name="b-r">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrial01.shtml |title=Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Edes|first=Gordon|date=June 23, 1996|title=Around The American League|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-06-23/sports/9606220258_1_mike-henneman-cruz-lousy-job|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429191633/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-06-23/sports/9606220258_1_mike-henneman-cruz-lousy-job|archive-date=April 29, 2014|access-date=April 29, 2014|website=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|publisher=}}</ref> He was also the first 18-year-old major league player since 1978 and the youngest position player in Seattle history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carson |first=Alex |title=MLB Power Rankings: The 50 Greatest Players in Seattle Mariners History |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/587134-mlb-power-rankings-the-50-greatest-players-in-seattle-mariners-history |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> He remains the last 18-year-old to play in an MLB game, as of the end of the 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Youngest |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Youngest_leagues.shtml |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Rodriguez recorded his first major league hit when he singled off of [[Sergio Valdez]] on July 9 at [[Fenway Park]].<ref name="b-r first hit">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS199407090.shtml|title=July 9, 1994 Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref> Rodriguez played in 17 games for the Mariners, compiling a .204 batting average, two RBIs, and three stolen bases. In August, The Mariners [[option (baseball)|optioned]] Rodriguez to the [[Calgary Cannons]] of the [[Class AAA]] [[Pacific Coast League]] (PCL).<ref>{{cite book|last=Stewart|first=Wayne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GrX1RfqAJo8C|title=Alex Rodriguez: A Biography|date=January 1, 2007|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|isbn=9780313339752|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Glew|first=Kevin|date=October 19, 2012|title=CBN: Looking back on A-Rod's Calgary days|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/alex-rodriguez-memories-from-calgary-days/|access-date=October 19, 2012|website=[[Sportsnet]]}}</ref> In 32 games for Calgary, he had 37 hits in 119 at-bats for a .311 batting average. He also compiled six home runs and 21 RBIs.<ref name="b-r minors">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=rodrig006ale |title=Alex Rodriguez Minor League Statistics and History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Alex Rodriguez Cannons 1.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Rodriguez batting for the [[Calgary Cannons]] in 1994]]
Rodriguez split most of the 1995 season between the Mariners and the [[Tacoma Rainiers]] of the PCL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rockne |first=Dick |date=April 24, 1996 |title=Hard-Working Rodriguez Could Be No. 1 Wunderkind {{!}} The Seattle Times |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19960424/2325739/hard-working-rodriguez-could-be-no-1-wunderkind |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brock |first=Corey |title=Rodriguez Has No Doubt He Should Stay In Seattle |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/jun/15/rodriguez-has-no-doubt-he-should-stay-in-seattle/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=The Spokesman-Review |date=June 15, 1995 |agency=The News Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Alan |title=Alex Rodríguez |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/alex-rodriguez/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |language=en-US}}</ref> He hit his first major league home run off Kansas City's [[Tom Gordon]] on June 12. Rodriguez permanently joined the Mariners roster in August and got his first taste of postseason play, albeit just two at-bats. Again, he was the youngest player in Major League Baseball.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 American League Awards, All-Stars, & More Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1995-other-leaders.shtml |access-date=2023-07-22 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> During the 1995 season, Rodriguez played 48 games for Seattle, batting .232 with five home runs, 19 RBI, and four stolen bases.<ref name="b-r" />

====1996–1997====
The following year, Rodriguez took over as the Mariners' regular [[shortstop]] and had his breakout season. He led the [[American League]] (AL) with a .358 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], the highest for an AL right-handed batter since [[Joe DiMaggio]] hit .381 in 1939 and the third-highest ever for a shortstop. He also had 36 home runs with 123 RBIs.<ref name="ap081216">{{cite news|last=Fusaro|first=Nick|date=August 12, 2016|title=Unlike Jeter, A-Rod leaves Yankees without fans' love|url=http://news10.com/2016/08/12/unlike-jeter-a-rod-leaves-yankees-without-fans-love/|access-date=August 12, 2016|work=[[WTEN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> At 21 years and one month, he was the 3rd youngest AL batting leader ever behind [[Al Kaline]] (20) in 1955 and [[Ty Cobb]] (20) in 1907, and the third-youngest player in history with 35+ homers. He was also the first major league shortstop to win a [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions|batting title]] since 1960, and the first in the AL since 1944. At age 20 years, 11 months, he was the youngest shortstop in [[MLB All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] history. He also led the AL in runs (141), total bases (379), and [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (54) and ranked among the league leaders in base hits (second, 215), extra-base hits (second, 91), multi-hit games (third, 65), slugging (fourth, .631), RBI (eighth, 123), and on-base percentage (eighth, .414). Rodriguez posted the highest totals ever for a shortstop in runs, hits, doubles, extra-base hits, and slugging, and tied most total bases, and established Seattle club records for average, runs, hits, doubles, and total bases, in a season that statistical analysts consider the best ever by a shortstop.<ref>{{cite web|author=Sheehan|first=Joe|author-link=Joe Sheehan|date=September 7, 2001|title=Aurilia makes sure Giants aren't one-man show|url=http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/bp/1249068.html|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=}}</ref>

The ''[[Sporting News]]'' and [[Associated Press]] selected Rodriguez as their Major League Player of the Year. He finished second to [[Juan González (baseball)|Juan González]] in balloting for the [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award]]. He finished three points behind González (290–287), matching the second closest AL MVP voting in history.<ref name="b-r 96 MVP">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.shtml |title=1996 Awards Voting |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref>

In 1997, Rodriguez batted .300 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs. He [[hitting for the cycle|hit for the cycle]] on June 5, becoming the second Mariner, and at 21 years, 10 months, the fifth-youngest player in history, to accomplish the feat.<ref name="b-r cycle">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET199706050.shtml |title=June 5, 1997 Seattle Mariners at Detroit Tigers Box Score and Play by Play |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref> He was the fan's choice to start the [[MLB All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] at shortstop for the AL team, becoming the first player other than Ripken to start at shortstop in 13 years. It was the first All-Star start of his career and his second All-Star Game in two years.<ref name="b-r 97 All-Star">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1997-other-leaders.shtml |title=1997 American League Awards, All-Stars, & More Leaders |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref>

====1998–2000====
Rodriguez rebounded in 1998, when he set the AL record for homers by a shortstop and became just the third member of the [[40–40 club]], (with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases) and one of just 3 shortstops in history to hit 40 home runs in a season. His 43.9 [[Power-speed number]] was, through at least 2008, the highest single season Power/Speed Number ever.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Power-Speed #|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/power_speed_number_leagues.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814001336/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/power_speed_number_leagues.shtml|archive-date=August 14, 2010|access-date=August 4, 2010|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|publisher=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> He was selected as Players Choice AL Player of the Year,<ref name="player's choice">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_plch.shtml|title=Players Choice Awards|website=[[Baseball Almanac]]|access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref> won his second [[Silver Slugger Award]],<ref name="b-r 98 Silver Slugger">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1998-other-leaders.shtml|title=1998 American League Awards, All-Stars, & More Leaders|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref> and finished ninth in the MVP voting.<ref name="b-r 98 MVP">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1998.shtml|title=1998 Awards Voting|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref>

In 1999, Rodriguez had a .310 average, 42 home runs, and 111 RBIs,<ref name="b-r" /> despite missing over 30 games with an injury and playing the second half of the season at [[Safeco Field]],<ref name="Safeco open">{{cite web|url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9565|last=Drosendahl |first=Glenn |title=Safeco Field, the Seattle Mariners' long-sought stadium, opens on July 15, 1999 |date=September 11, 2010 |website=[[HistoryLink.org]] |access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref> a considerably less hitter-friendly ballpark than the [[Kingdome]].<ref name="sea park factors">{{cite web|title=Seattle Mariners – Stadium|url=http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Ballparks/Sea/#analysis|access-date=March 12, 2014|website=Baseball-Statistics.com|archive-date=June 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618212834/http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Ballparks/Sea/#analysis|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the time, he was the youngest-ever player to record 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases, at 23 years and 309 days of age.<ref name=alden/> In April 2015, [[Mike Trout]] reached the same milestone at 23 years and 253 days old.<ref name=alden>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/angels-outfielder-mike-trout-smashes-100th-career-home-run/c-118949336|title=Trout goes deep; youngest to 100 HRs, 100 SBs|first=Alden|last=Gonzalez|date=April 18, 2015|access-date=April 18, 2015|work=[[MLB.com]]|archive-date=April 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418110737/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/118949336/angels-outfielder-mike-trout-smashes-100th-career-home-run|url-status=live}}</ref>

Rodriguez entered 2000 as the cornerstone player of the Mariners franchise,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000-03-19 |title=Mariners' Rodriguez plans to take charge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/portland-press-herald-mariners-rodrigue/148786070/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |work=[[Portland Press Herald]] |pages=6D |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> which had recently traded superstars [[Randy Johnson]] and [[Ken Griffey Jr.]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Schmuck|first=Peter|date=April 27, 2001|title=Retooled Mariners building a winner|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2001/04/27/retooled-mariners-building-a-winner/|access-date=April 27, 2014|website=[[Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=}}</ref> Rodriguez put up great numbers, hitting 41 home runs with 132 RBIs and a .316 batting average.<ref name="b-r" /> He set a career high for [[Base on balls|walks]] (100) and became the only shortstop to have 100 runs, RBI, and walks in the same season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hartnett|first=Sean|date=August 2, 2013|title=Hartnett: A-Rod Could Have Been King, Instead Leaves Behind Shattered Legacy|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/08/02/hartnett-a-rod-could-have-been-king-instead-leaves-behind-shattered-legacy/|access-date=April 27, 2014|website=[[CBS New York]]|publisher=}}</ref> He hit well in the playoffs as well (.409 batting average and .773 slugging percentage),<ref name="b-r" /> but Seattle lost to the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[2000 American League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Dowd|first=Kevin|date=July 24, 2012|title=For the Seattle Mariners, it's the end of the Ichiro Era|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/baseball/2012/07/24/for-the-seattle-mariners-its-the-end-of-the-ichiro-era/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727013419/http://blog.seattlepi.com/baseball/2012/07/24/for-the-seattle-mariners-its-the-end-of-the-ichiro-era/|archive-date=July 27, 2012|access-date=April 27, 2014|website=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|publisher=}}</ref> He was selected as the Major League Player of the Year by ''[[Baseball America]]'' and finished third in the AL MVP voting.<ref name="b-r 2000 MVP">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2000.shtml|title=2000 Awards Voting|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=March 12, 2014}}</ref>