Pic of the Week

Alex Rodriguez takes a curtain call Thursday after
hitting his 661st career home run, passing Willie Mays
on the all-time list.

Alex Rodriguez played in 28 of the New York Yankees' first 30 games this year, and while his batting average (.248) isn't impressive, his on-base percentage is a very usable .348 and his slugging percentage is a strong .546.

Not bad for a guy who the tabloids were describing all winter as a veritable cripple who would likely be unable to take the field.

And, of course, on Thursday he passed Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. You may discount that as you wish; you are free to regard A-Rod's steroid use as worse than Mays' amphetamine assistance. (Rodriguez probably used those too.) Rodriguez has hit 661 regular season homers, and every one of them resulted in real runs in real games. They all counted.