Alex Rodriguez Has Defied Insurmountable Odds

Just like that, Alex Rodriguez‘s turbulent time as a Yankee has come to a close. Just a few years ago, this exit would have been unthinkable.

For Alex Rodriguez, all he had left to do was to enjoy the moment. It was his last time ever putting on a New York Yankees uniform. The last time he’d ever be going out to take batting practice. The last time he’d be able to play the game that has defined him.

After going 1 for 4 with an RBI double, Alex Rodriguez’s time in the limelight that is New York, was officially over. When Saturday, August 13th hits, he’ll no longer be on a major league roster.

He was greeted by a sold-out Yankee Stadium crowd on their feet, as they filled the Bronx air with cheers, when he stepped to the plate for his last-ever, first at-bat of a game.

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Promptly, he smacked a double to the gap, the 548th of his illustrious career, that scored Brett Gardner all the way from 1st base. As the 41-year-old pulled into second base, he clapped his hands and shouted in excitement, perhaps thinking, “I still have something left.”

After going quietly offensive for the rest of the night, Alex Rodriguez came out to third base in the ninth, for one batter. It was a moment of nostalgia for Yankees fans everywhere. It brought them back to the glory days of Alex making highlight reel plays, or jumping up and down in joy when he won a championship in 2009.

It signified the end. The end of an era.

In his post game interview with the YES Network, Alex Rodriguez, gazing up at the fans smiling, said “I can’t say enough about these fans. I’ve given these fans a lot of headaches over the years. And I’ve disappointed a lot of people, but like I’ve always said you don’t have to be defined by your mistakes. How you comeback matters too, and that’s what New York’s all about.”

Think about all of this for a moment. After Rodriguez was suspended for all of the 2014 season, he was the ultimate villain, the most hated man in baseball. Fans of the sport, and fans of the Yankees didn’t want him back, ever.

After the lying and cheating, it seemed like Alex Rodriguez’s fabled career was coming to an end.

But now, it’s the exact opposite. Most fans called for Joe Girardi’s head when they saw Rodriguez wasn’t in the lineup everyday leading up to his last game. Fans wanted curtain calls, and they wanted to see a generational talent get his last shot, despite all he had put them through.

Well, he got it. And it’s fair to argue that no other athlete in professional sports has successfully changed their image in the way A-Rod has.

From signing countless autographs, owning up to his mistakes, and being honest with his once-dishonest self, Rodriguez has done the right things.

Next: Tyler Austin or Aaron Judge?

While it won’t show up on the stat sheet, he earned the most important accolade of his career tonight. He regained the respect of those who had once despised him.