A-Rod at 40: The best and worst from the controversial Yankee slugger
Best – 2009 World Series
If there has been one running take-down of Rodriguez during his MLB career, it has been his postseason play. Having been to the big dance 11 times during his career, the feared slugger has been rebuffed at the plate, slashing .263/.369/.464 with 13 home runs and 41 RBI. While that may not seem terrible, the numbers are heavily weighted by one magical fall when Rodriguez put it together and helped guide the Yankees to the 2009 World Series title.
Coming off what had arguably been a down year (.286/.402/.532, 30 HR, 100 RBI), Rodriguez found his stroke again during the 2009 playoffs. Starting with a 3-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, A-Rod went 5-for-11 with two home runs and six RBI. He followed that up with 9-for-21 showing with three more home runs and six RBI in a 6-game series win over the Los Angeles Angels. Finally, he would go just 5-for-20 with a single home runs and six more RBI in a 6-game series win over the Phillies in the Fall Classic.
Overall, Rodriguez would hit .365 with five doubles, six home runs, and 18 RBI in 15 postseason games on the way to the 2009 World Series championship. It would be his first and only visit to the World Series, but in a career marked with postseason failures, it was Rodriguez’s shining moment.
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