"If I told people he was going to hit .340 with 60 homers and 150 RBIs there isn't a person alive that would say I was crazy because that's how good he is," Jackson said. "You can't say that about [David] Ortiz or about Manny [Ramirez]. Maybe you can say that about [Albert] Pujols, but maybe not. The only thing about [A-Rod] is he has to get his mind right."
Jackson believes that to be an elite hitter, a batter must have a lot of bat range, which he described as getting the bat on the right spot of the ball at the right time to provide maximum distance.
"The only guy with more bat range than Alex is Pujols," Jackson said."
I've never in my life seen so talented a hitter fall apart like Rodriguez has with the Yankees. It's a testament to his skill that he's batted .299 with 119 home runs and 357 RBI's in 3 seasons with NY, while being 2/3 of the player he can be. This is a man who can easily win a triple crown if he finds his mantra, and like Reggie opined, the only other player that can be said about is Pujols. Pujols isn't as quick or as strong, but uses every last ounce of his talent every day while Rodriguez takes a night off now and again to soothe his fragile ego.
If it's prove-something time in his mind, he'll have a Mantle-at-his-best, like season
1956: .353 average, 52 home runs, and 130 RBI.
He led the major leagues (a record for the modern era) in all three categories, along with runs (132), total bases (376), and slugging percentage (.705).
If this was the movies, Alex would have posted similar numbers last year, the 50th anniversary of something never before accomplished, but Yankee fans will gladly settle for fun in 51.
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