A-Rod The Miami Mentor
Via the Miami Herald -
New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez is used to being followed by fans.
But one college-age kid who followed Rodriguez around the University of Miami athletic facilities for days was not after an autograph.
Hurricanes first baseman Yonder Alonso, 20, wanted to completely emulate the reigning MVP in his workout regimen — from the stationary bike and lifting weights to running 120-yard sprints, batting practice and fielding ground balls.
What started out as nothing more than a dream has led to a possible lasting friendship.
Alonso walked up to the star one morning in December as Rodriguez rode a stationary bike in the UM weight room.
”I told him whatever race he would do, I would beat him,” Alonso said. “He found that pretty funny, and after that [he] said all right, lets go run.”
For more than five weeks, Rodriguez and Alonso arrived at UM by 6 a.m. and would finish by noon. Sometimes they would have a light workout in the evening, practicing fielding, hitting and running.
”I’m very private about my workouts, and he’s really the first kid in 10 years that has joined me like this,” said Rodriguez, 32.
Alonso, who starred at Coral Gables High, had a stellar sophomore season last year. Baseball America has rated him as one of the top five collegiate players in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft.
But he wanted to improve and help UM capture the College World Series. Most of all, he wanted to learn from Rodriguez.
No truth to the rumor that Joslyn Morse has said to Alex: “You better hope this Alonso can play. Because, I’m sorry, but, I can’t be with someone whose protégé is a hack.”
I’m friends with Matt DeSalvo, we played together in college. He told me that out of all the established Yanks on the team last year, A-rod was the biggest mentor to the “kids.” Matt had an old ratty suit when he was called up. A-rod took Matt aside and told him to go downtown and pick out any three suits that he wanted from A-rod’s suit store of choice and they would be on him. Pretty cool story, if you ask me.