Alex Rodriguez Batting Lesson, Replica WS Trophy Sells for $70,000 at Auction

On Tuesday, one fan submitted a $70,000 winning bid for a batting lesson with former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and the rights to his 2009 World Series replica trophy in the All-In Challenge auction.

The entirety of the bid will be donated to the Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry foundations in an effort to provide relief for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of publication, the All-In Challenge—started by Michael Rubin, the founder and executive chairman of Fanatics and a limited partner of the Philadelphia 76ers—had raised over $23.2 million.

The personal batting lesson with Rodriguez will last one hour, and the prize also includes two plane tickets, two nights at a hotel, the choice of MLB ballpark where the lesson will take place and transportation to and from the stadium.

Rodriguez may have been a controversial figure later in his career—he admitted to steroid use and was suspended for the 2014 season—but there's no doubt he could hit. He finished his career as a .295 hitter with 696 home runs, 2,086 RBI and 2,021 runs. He was a 14-time All-Star, three-time MVP and World Series champion in 2009 with the New York Yankees.

Were it not for the steroid controversy, he would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and remembered as one of the greatest hitters in MLB history. As it stands, his Hall of Fame status is murky. He's not eligible until 2022, and the Baseball Writers' Association of America has not voted in other prominent figures associated with baseball's steroids scandal, such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire.

But that doesn't mean a one-hour lesson with Rodriguez would be anything less than awesome. His insights into one of the hardest skills to master in all of sports would be invaluable.

Well, except to the fan who dished out $70,000, money that will go toward an excellent cause.