(Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
In Chapter four, Roberts tells the intriguing story of how Rodriguez temporarily fires his agent, Scott Boras, and has a friend negotiate with Seattle to get him $1.269 million. The package included a $500,000 signing bonus, a major league deal, and a guaranteed call-up in September of 1994.
Readers will like chapter three
It tells about his almost fantasy-like high school years when MLB owners and scouts fawned all over him. The pressure was intense. Roberts said he was so much sought after that baseball considered him a 17-year-old demigod.
But my favorite part of the book has to do with his struggles as a player and how Rodriguez overcame himself to become the player he is today.
It was his rookie year with Seattle. After the month of April, during the bitter cold of 1996, this discouraged 20-year-old was hitting only .105.
He needed help, so he turned to Jim Fanin, a motivational guru or faith healer. Fanin taught Rodriguez how to set goals and to use the power of visualization.
These were his goals
1. Becoming a household name
2. Meeting Cal Ripkin, Jr. again—and having Ripkin, Jr. remember him
3. Making the All-Star Game as a rookie
4. Being advertised as baseball’s newest superstar
5.Winning the batting title his first year
Visualizing is a technique used by most great athletes, especially golfers and basketball players who have to get the ball in the “hole.”
For example, do you recall NBA Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone? In his early years with the Utah Jazz, he was a notoriously bad free throw shooter until he started putting himself into a trance with a chant before each shot.
Baseball players using techniques like Fanin’s include star pitchers Orel Hershiser and Randy Johnson and second baseman Joey Cora, who first told Alex about Fanin and helped him get started with visualizing while they were teammates in Seattle.
To Alex, success became S.C.O.R.E: Self-discipline, concentration, optimizing, relaxation, and enjoyment.
This was his mantra. He believes he hits solid with an accelerated bat head because of his mental exercise, his mantra. He says it in his mind each time he steps away from the on deck circle, moving towards the batter’s box.
For this and other reasons, Roberts’ "A-Rod" is a good read, not only for young, struggling players, but for everyone wanting to accomplish great goals in life.
Don White is a former AP newsman and publishes several blogs including Yankee Wizard http://YankeesWizard.blogspot.com
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