In 1996, Alex Rodriguez tossed up an unprecedented rookie season. His .358 batting average led the league while popping 36 homers and 123 RBI. He also led the league in runs (141), doubles (54), and total bases (379). Factor in some great defense and you could argue not only that he's never been better, but that this was the greatest season ever for a shortstop. How do you follow this up? Well you can't really, but you can go on to be the best player of your generation and such a natural talent even accusations from a (sadly) credible source in Jose Canseco were laughed off despite the fact that his books have been eerily accurate to this point. When A-Rod's home run totals spiked to near 60 in '01-'02, people credited it to his natural improvement and the bandbox nature of his home stadium. When he got noticeably bigger after his trade to the Yankees, it was attributed to getting older, or adjusting to his new position of third base. All these red flags and even the biggest A-Rod hater wouldn't think to pin performance enhancing drugs on him.
What makes Rodriguez different from Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and other all-time greats who have recently fallen under the cloud of steroids? He represented the purity of the game. An immense talent with an unquenchable need to succeed, and a willingness to work as hard as was necessary. This was the ideal that would topple the manufactured stats of the steroid era. Sure all the records were tainted, but A-Rod would heroically raise the bar in a matter of years. Now, he'll still be breaking all the records in the next decade, but it will only perpetuate the stigma of cheating that rots the heart of America's Pastime like a cancer. We won't be seeing another player like Alex Rodriguez for a long, long time. What a shame that it will be good riddance.
