[新聞] A-Rod speaks in MLB.com exclusive
From: http://tinyurl.com/3dwyz7
06/27/2007 5:15 PM ET
A-Rod speaks in MLB.com exclusive
Yankees star grateful for All-Star votes, comfortable with NYC
By Geremy Bass / MLB.com
BALTIMORE -- Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez made one thing very clear in an
exclusive interview with MLB.com before the Yanks' contest against the
Orioles at Camden Yards on Wednesday.
"I don't consider myself a celebrity," he said.
Approximately 2.5 million All-Star votes from fans around the country may say
otherwise.
Celebrity or not, Rodriguez spent time in front of cameras thanking fans for
their support and discussing the spectrum of topics that cross fans' minds on
a daily basis.
Rodriguez currently leads all Major Leaguers in All-Star voting and is poised
to make his 11th All-Star appearance in July. He's never finished first in
the balloting and said, despite the Midsummer Classic's reputation as a
secondary topic in players' minds, he holds the voting and the game itself in
high esteem.
"Especially because I get criticized so much from so many angles, it's
refreshing and very humbling for me to be the No. 1 vote-getter in all of
Major League Baseball," he said. "It's always been one of my goals, because
as a kid, I never missed an All-Star Game. It's such a fun game, and right
now it has tremendous ramifications for home-field [advantage] in the World
Series. It's something that I take tremendous [pride] in."
With the year he's having at the plate, it seems only fair that he's the top
dog in the ballots. Heading into Wednesday's action, Rodriguez leads the
Majors in home runs (28), RBIs (77), total bases (194) and runs scored (72).
He attributed much of his first-half success this season to finally finding a
comfort level playing in New York.
"I've always said it takes some people six months, a year, maybe two years to
get used to New York," Rodriguez said. "For me, perhaps, it's taken a full
three and a half years. I'm at that point where I've let all distractions get
out of the way and really focused on the game. I really enjoy the game and
don't worry about what's being written and what's being said.
"I couldn't care less about what's written. What I care about is how you play
the game, how your teammates and coaches feel about you. When you get over 2
million votes, that's something that I'll never forget."
Even off the field, living the New York lifestyle has taken some getting used
to for Rodriguez. He said he and his wife have learned to enjoy the city's
pulse by going out to restaurants and plays with regularity.
"I've had some of the best ups and some of the worst downs in New York from a
performance point of view," he said. "If you realize that this is the best
and this is the worst, you might as well go out and have fun. You just have
to embrace New York and enjoy New York."
It's important to remember, however, that there was life before the Big Apple
for Rodriguez. He attributed much of his growth and success to Lou Piniella,
who managed him for seven years in Seattle, and Edgar Martinez, with whom he
played alongside for the Mariners.
Their guidance, he said, led him to what he's become -- a force on the field
and the leader of arguably the most potent lineup in baseball.
"I make it a point to be here early, stay here late and be available for my
teammates," Rodriguez said. "But leadership is not something that comes with
great numbers, home runs, or RBIs. It's something that's anointed to you by
your teammates, your coaches and your manager. And for me, the way I lead is
through example."
Rodriguez has also led the wave of fan interaction by launching arod.com in
2006. He enjoys letting fans into his personal life and professional career,
one of the reasons he agreed to a one-on-one interview with MLB.com after
politely declining approximately 60 other offers, said Steve Fortunato,
Rodriguez's business spokesman.
"He thought MLB.com is doing a great job and would be a great forum for him,"
Fortunato said. "He wants to help promote the All-Star voting and just
thought it would be a good way for the fans to hear him speak."
After mentioning everything from the children's books he's written to the
eclectic range of Madonna to Jay-Z on his iPod, Rodriguez gave insight into
what the future holds for the 31-year-old standout.
"There are no guarantees in life, but like some famous athletes have said,
'99.9 percent chance I would never coach or manage in the Major Leagues,'"
Rodriguez said. "But I do have interest in owning a ballclub someday, and I
have interest in putting into practice my crazy work ethic that I have in
baseball in the business world."
If his future team mirrors the success he's had over his 14-year career, he's
got a World Series champion in the making.
--
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