Alex Rodriguez- Growing Up I AS NAMED ALEXANDER EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ-I was born in New York City on July 27, 1975. I stayed in NYC until I was four, when my family moved back to my parents' native land - the Dominican Republic. It was there that I first learned to play baseball. Four years later, my family moved back to the United States and settled in Miami, Florida. Not long after that,my parents got divorced and my father left town. MY mother took two jobs to support me,my brother Joe and my sister, Suzy. Seeing my mom struggle to work two jobs made me determined to become a professional baseball player and make a lot of money. Alex Rodriguez - From A-Rod to PayRodI was a star baseball player at Westminster Christian High School, where I played shortstop. I took extra batting practice and started lifting weights to add more power to my star swing. MY extra training paid off, and I finished my high school career with a .419 average and 17 homers in 100 games. I also caught the attention of baseball scouts and I was picked in the first round by the Seattle Mariners in the 1993 entry draft. In 1996, my first full season with the Mariners, I hit 36 homeruns and became one of the youngest players to make the All-Star team. Over the next two seasons, I would make a name for myself as one of the first shortstops who could hit for power. In 1999, I became just the third player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season. MY big numbers at the plate also meant big numbers for my paycheck. After the 2000 season, I left the Seattle Mariners to sign a ten-year contract with the Texas Rangers for a whopping $252 million! Alex Rodriguez - The Best Baseball Player Ever?I continued to be a run-producing machine after moving to the Rangers, but I was often questioned about my massive salary ($25.2 million a year)! I hit 52 homeruns in 2001, which broke the record for homers in a season by a shortstop. In 2003, I was named the American League MVP, after hitting 47 homeruns and driving in 118 runs. Despite my personal success at the plate, the Rangers as a team still sucked and continued to finish in last place. In 2004, I realized I wasn't happy just being a good looking baseball player who makes a mountain of money. I also wanted to play for a winning team. On February 16, 2004, I agreed to be traded to the New York Yankees. The move to New York meant I would have to play third base instead of shortstop, but I felt it was a small price to pay for a shot at winning a World Series. If I continueD to put up big numbers and leads the Yankees to another World Series or two, I could go down in history as one of the best baseball players of all time. Alex Rodriguez - Did You Know?When I was a kid, my favorite players were Keith Hernandez, Dale Murphy and Cal Ripken Jr.. I haVE impeccable grooming habits. I get my hair cut every 10 days and have a monthly manicure and pedicure. I also floss my teeth four times a day. I have three dogs - a Golden Labrador named Shorty and two German Sheperds named Ripper and Gypsy. I have a wife named Cynthia, who is a teacher. we were married at a private wedding in Dallas in 2002. now i have a daughter called natasha alexander rodriguez.