Alex Rodriguez .296/.380/.552, 3110 hits, 695 home runs, 2083 RBI, 329 stolen bases
On the surface, Alex Rodriguez would appear as though he would automatically be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he retires from the MLB. However, his PED usage and poor reputation throughout the game have caused a great deal of damage to his chances of being enshrined in Cooperstown.
That is truly unfortunate, because Rodriguez was one of the best hitters that had ever played the game. The leader among active players in runs, hits, homers, RBI, walks and total bases, Rodriguez is closing in on the 700 home run club, which would make him one of four players ever to reach that milestone. He is also one of four players with over 2000 RBI, putting him amongst the truly elite players in the history of the game.
Rodriguez also has quite the trophy case for his individual awards. A 14 time All Star, Rodriguez won three MVP awards, two Gold Glove awards, and ten Silver Sluggers. His career would be beyond even the wildest fantasy of the vast majority of people to ever play the game of baseball, as Rodriguez could claim to be among the top ten players ever under normal circumstances.
However, Rodriguez will also be remembered for his PED ties. He was originally linked to BALCO, and reportedly failed a PED test in 2003. Jose Canseco called Rodriguez out for his usage in his tell-all book ‘Juiced’ in 2007, and Rodriguez was later banned for the latter part of the 2013 season and all of 2014 due to his to BioGenesis, which supplied several players with PEDs before being shut down by the FBI.
Add in his noted narcissism, and it may be little wonder that Alex Rodriguez gets little support for the Hall of Fame when he eventually becomes eligible. It is unfortunate, because he truly has had one of the great careers in MLB history.
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