Alex Rodriguez

Name at birth: Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez

Superstar shortstop Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers in 2000, making him the highest-salaried player in professional sports history. Rodriguez played his first major league baseball game at age 18 and became the starting shortstop for the Seattle Mariners at age 20. Nicknamed "A-Rod," he hit .358 with 36 homers in 1996, his first full season in the majors. His power, defensive skills, charisma and fan-friendly Hispanic heritage made him an attractive free agent after the 2000 season, and Texas owner Tom Hicks signed Rodriguez to the unprecedented $252 million deal. Rodriguez played well for the Rangers (winning the American League MVP award in 2003), but the team finished last in its division for three straight years, and some felt that Rodriguez's mammoth contract had hobbled the team. In 2004 Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees, where he moved to third base to play alongside Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter. He has had an uneasy time with the New York media and was criticized by fans who felt his post-season failures outweighed his regular-season excellence. At the end of the 2007 season -- during which he batted .314 and hit 54 home runs -- he opted out of the final three years of his contract, then re-signed with the Yankees in a new 10-year deal worth a reported $275 million.