A-Rod’s Search for 600 Home Runs

Relax

Since #599, which took place on July 22, and as of August 3, 2010, Alex Rodriguez is 9-46 (.196) in 12 games with no home runs. Out of the 6 other players to hit 600 home runs or more; Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), and Sammy Sosa (609); A-Rod has already gone the longest stretch between games in seeking #600.

It may be easier said than done, but A-Rod just needs to forget about 600 and just go up to the plate with the mindset of getting on base. While in his slump, the Yankees have already lost hold on their lead in the AL East, currently behind the Tampa Bay Rays by a game. It is obvious
that a home run is on Rodriguez’s mind every time he goes up to bat because every time walks to the plate he is swinging for the fences, needless to say, unsuccessfully. 600 is a significant milestone, but A-Rod is making too much of it. Like the 599 home runs before it, 600 will come, but he can’t keep putting it so high on a pedestal because as we can see it isn’t just hurting him, but his team as well.

Can He Take the Heat?

For years, A-Rod has been known to crumble under pressure, resulting in years of underperforming in the playoffs. It is evident now more than ever that Rodriguez certainly has trouble in big moments. This may not be a World Series, but getting to 600 home runs is a landmark that very, very few ball players can call their own, and would certainly catapult him into elite status as a big bat because joining the 6 other players on that list is definitely nothing to sneeze at. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that A-Rod will hit another home run, and at his current pace he has a chance to break the all-time home runs record, but in order to do that he just needs to see it as just another home run.

Eventually, the aura of getting that 600th home run will fade and just as everyone begins to lose patience and divert their attention elsewhere, he’ll hit it. But in order to get to that glamorous 700 and eventually even 763, he’ll need to calm himself and just look at every at bat as just another chance to get on base.