“We had to pay $600, and that was a lot of fu***ng money” - Alex Rodriguez opens up about early life struggles and the influence his mother had on his career

Alex Rodriguez, a former New York Yankees great, spoke on "The Pivot" podcast in April 2022, hosted by former NFL stars Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and Ryan Clark, and shared his emotions in a candid conversation. The one-hour episode called "Floyd Mayweather Gets Deep with Alex Rodriguez" was shot at Rodriguez's investment firm, A-Rod Corp's headquarters in South Florida.

Rodriguez began the episode by saying he belongs to a modest family. He went on to talk about how his mother sacrificed everything and worked two jobs as a single parent, so he and his siblings could chase their dreams.

Alex said that, when the Seattle Mariners picked him in the 1993 MLB Draft, his mother and sister were his agents. The Seattle Mariners gave him a $1 million signing bonus and a three-year, $1.3 million contract. Nonetheless, Alex said that his mother was adamant about not settling for a $1 million agreement, instead of negotiating with the Mariners for $1.5 million.

"Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 1st round (1st) of the 1993 MLB June Amateur Draft from Westminster Christian School." - @Scouting_Baseball

A-Rod has never come across as more authentic and relatable as he did on this episode of "The Pivot" podcast. He said there was a time when his family had to pay a rent of $600 every month, and it was a lot of money for them. Every 18 months, Rodriguez's family moved to a new place because the landlords kept increasing the rent.

Every time A-Rod's mother told him they were moving, Alex Rodriguez said to himself, "Boy, if I could ever trade places with the landlord and own it."

Keeping these childhood struggles in mind, Alex purchased his first duplex almost 20 years ago, which also gave a headstart to his investment and entrepreneurial career. Currently, Rodriguez has a massive investment portfolio and is a real-estate mogul.

"Alex Rodriguez's first investment was a single duplex in Miami in 2003. Today, the former Yankees slugger has turned @ARodCorp_into a business empire." - @Micheal LoRe

Alex Rodriguez also shared his opinion regarding creating assets and reducing liabilities for a financially secure life. He also explained the difference between an asset and a liability in colloquial terms.

Alex said, "Assets put money in your pocket while liabilities take it away!"

"I would like to help out in financial literacy for the Hispanic community and the athletic community." - Alex Rodriguez

Alex didn't hesitate to speak about his PED suspension, which was the most prolonged suspension in baseball history. Since Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs during his Major League Baseball career, he was suspended for the whole 2014 season. Pleading with the audience, he told everyone listening to the podcast who may be going through a difficult time not to quit since he wouldn't be sitting there now if he had.

Alex said, "Such a humiliating time in my life. I let down so many people. I let down my mother and my two daughters. That was the perfect example of overeaching and being surrounded by wrong people."

"Alex Rodriguez says his PED suspension cost him his reputation and more than $40 million." - @Bleacher Report

Alex Rodriguez: Being a "cool dad" vs. the "protective one

Alex Rodriguez with his daughters, Ella and Natasha.

On "The Pivot" podcast, Rodriguez shared intimate details about his life. Alex claimed that his father, Victor Rodriguez, abandoned him, his siblings, and his mother when he was just 10 years old. While growing up, his lack of a father's embrace motivated him to be a perfect father to his two daughters, Ella and Natasha. A-Rod also mentioned the difficulties that come with balancing being a "cool dad" while simultaneously being protective. When Alex discusse how he co-parents with his ex-wife Cynthia and her husband, Angel Nicolas, while raising their daughters together and going on joint family vacations, he quipped that their family is very 2022. Isn't that the coolest? Because it clearly shows their emotional maturity.

"Alex Rodriguez and Ex Cynthia Scurtis Have a 'Good Relationship Now,' Put Their Kids First." - @People

Before concluding, he discussed how his life's highs and lows shaped him into the man he is today and encouraged everyone to never to give up, no matter what.