600 or bust

In every sport there are some records that are a very big deal. In baseball, one of those records is hitting over 600 home runs. Only 6 players in the history of the game have ever managed it in their careers. Yesterday Alex Rodriguez, third-baseman for the New York Yankees, hit number 599, so the wait is on for that all-important next hit.

Alex Rodriguez, often referred to as A-Rod, may be someone you recognize. His marriage ended in 2008 just months after his second child was born when he was romantically linked to Madonna. Several strippers also came forward alleging that they had been having affairs with the Yankee great as well. His wife soon filed for divorce due to "marital misconduct" and "emotional abandonment" of her and the children.

Fans try to get in A-Rod's head

A-Rod managed to move on from both his wife and Madonna pretty quickly. In 2009 he had a highly publicized romance with Kate Hudson. She was often photographed at Yankee games and was thought of by many New Yorkers as a good luck charm for the Yankees. Indeed, they ended up winning the World Series that year.

Hudson and Rodriguez have since gone their separate ways, and the baseball star has recently been linked to actress Cameron Diaz.

Besides his skills on the field and with the ladies (he reportedly has a painting of himself as a centaur hanging over his bed), A-Rod is also known for his involvement in the steroid scandal that has been darkening baseball's reputation for a number of years now. Despite various accusations, Rodriguez initially denied steroid use in a 2007 interview with Katie Couric. After proof surfaced that he had, in fact, tested positive for steroids earlier in his career, A-Rod came clean and admitted to taking steroids from 2001-2003, saying "I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time."

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A-Rod has since become a spokesperson for a foundation that educates youth about the dangers of steroid use, and seems to be trying to repair his reputation. There are some, however, who will always believe that his records, including 600 home runs when he gets there, have lost the meaning that they might have had if steroids hadn't been a factor.

The Yankees play the Kansas City Royals tonight so A-Rod will get his chance at 600. This record's meaning is sure to be debated for years to come.