Alex Rodriguez is a baseball player.
In Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , the 500 home run club is a group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers . Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . In baseball , a home run ( abbreviated HR ) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) is an annual Major League Baseball ( MLB ) award , given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League .