Alex Rodriguez Will Be Next to Break the Home Run Record

It's something that began to be widely acknowledged and understood throughout baseball circles after A-Rod's torrid April. Regardless of what Barry Bonds does or does not do, Alex Rodriguez will be there lurking. He is next in line, he is the savior and the hope. He is the reason you can ignore Barry Bonds, and the reason to discard Bud Selig. In a year when Carlos Delgado, Derrek Lee, Lance Berkman, and Jason Giambi have combined for 17 home runs, Alex Rodriguez has 18. Back when Jeter, Tejada, Nomar, and Alex formed the fab-four shortstops in the American League, it is now A-Rod who has surged ahead. Certainly his Central Park suntans, and perennial playoff plunges have served as distractions. But there is one thing they cannot cloud, and that is the reality of the amazing talent we are witnessing.

Here are the facts: Alex Rodriguez was the youngest player to hit 300 home runs, the youngest to 400 home runs, the youngest to 450 home runs, and later this season, he will be the youngest player to eclipse the 500 home run mark. At 31 years old, A-Rod is making a mockery out of the home run record. He has 482 career bombs, placing him 24th on the all-time list. It will not be easy -- it takes 20 seasons of 40 home runs to reach 800 in a career -- which will in all likelihood secure the record. At the rate Alex is going, the question is: which will come first, 40 years of age, or the career home run record?

While there are many aspects of Alex's personality and actions that you may not like -- the purple lipstick, the limp-wristed slapping, the dirty slides, the playoff choking, the monstrous contract -- there is no debating his superb talent. The best part about Rodriguez, like him or hate him, is that he is maximizing his potential, and living up to any and all expectations that could have possibly been bestowed upon him. Oh yeah, and one more thing, (fingers crossed if you want to see history) Alex Rodriguez has been able to stay healthy.