Night-and-Day A-Rod: It's all about A-ROD at his best postseason '09

Hello fellow NY Yankees die-hard fans, and also, all you A-ROD and Yankees haters...

A-Rod launches Yankees to brink of World Series

At some point in the past two weeks, the superlatives lost their meaning. It now goes without saying that A-ROD has reached some other postseason dimension. Doubt if you must, but Alex has proven it time and again and again. And again...


Here's the latest daily dose of proof: Rodriguez homered for the third consecutive postseason game on Tuesday night's game to increase the Yankees' lead to five runs in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Angels -- a game New York won, 10-1.



Keeping in line with the magnitude of Rodriguez's previous postseason heroics, it is a lead the Yankees never relinquished.

Rodriguez's homer was his fifth of this postseason, tying him for second most in Yankees history in a single postseason behind Bernie Williams, who hit six in 1996.

Reggie Jackson, who holds the all-time record for home runs in a World Series with five, likened his famous power binge to the one Rodriguez is currently enjoying. But Jackson also said that this has been a long time coming for Rodriguez, one of the finest talents of a generation who has, for whatever reason, never consistently been able to translate his regular-season successes into October.

The scene has now been set time and again. Rodriguez, who had shown an utter inability to hit in postseason play since Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, now appears to be making up for lost time. Since going deep twice in a three-game AL Division Series sweep of the Twins, Rodriguez has bashed three homers in the first four games of this ALCS.

Perhaps most amazingly, after going 15 consecutive postseason games dating back to 2004 without an RBI, Rodriguez has now driven in a run in eight straight October contests dating back to the final game of the 2007 ALDS. That streak ties the record shared by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig and Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who has driven in runs in all eight of his team's games this postseason.

Thoughts on A-ROD from fellow Yankees' teammates

"When you're as good a player as Alex is, these are the things you can do," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Other players can be locked in, but they're not going to put up the numbers he is."

"He looks comfortable, man," Yankees captain and shortstop Derek Jeter said. "Sometimes, if you get a hit here or get a hit there, your confidence goes up. I'm not saying he lacks confidence, but he looks right now like it's a big help."
(Derek may just be a bit jealous that A-ROD has taken the spotlight off his '09 spectacular season, and that A-ROD is so far the MVP of both the ALDS and ALCS playoffs, and if he continues his postseason dominance, then may wind up MVP for the World Series '09)

"I think he's proven that he's probably the best player in the big leagues," catcher Jorge Posada said.

"When I grow up, I want to be like Alex Rodriguez," Swisher said. "I don't know how it feels, but it's got to feel like it's a beach ball coming in. He's just doing a tremendous job. There have been so many people who have played this game, but I don't know how many can do what he's doing right now."

And his production has been a major boost for the Yankees, who now stand within one victory of a World Series berth despite receiving little offensive production from Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Hideki Matsui.

There is plenty more time for A-ROD to rewrite the history books and to rewrite his forgettable postseason past.

A-ROD on his '09 postseason performance

"I know you guys are looking for something profound," A-Rod said, "I'm just in a good place. I'm seeing the ball and hitting the ball. You have to stay in the moment, enjoy the moment. I had a blast out there tonight. That was a great game."

When asked if he feels as if he officially has put bad postseason rep behind him, he said, "Well, I'm not sure about that. I will say that in other postseasons I've failed and sometimes failed miserably. It certainly feels good to come through for my team and help the team win."

A-ROD talks to FOX Sports:
http://arod.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7079263

Rodriguez has constantly spoken this month about being relaxed at the plate, and focusing mostly on enjoying himself. As far as the Yankees are concerned, whatever works is fine with them.

All that matters to them is the .870 slugging percentage he's posted in October coming into Tuesday night's game, which was surely on the rise after his fifth-inning home run.

Go A-ROD and Go Yankees!!!

* World Series # 27 only a few games away..

NOTES: The Yankees already put some World Series tickets on sale online today.