Rodriguez earning his pinstripes

Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th home run yesterday, an accomplishment only a handful of players have achieved. He did it in New York, on his home field at Yankee Stadium. Yet, the hoopla around the homer was fairly restrained, particularly considering this is the age of the media hyping everything, whether events warrant it or not.

I suspect that even though Rodriguez finally won a World Series last year and came through for the Yanks in the clutch in the playoffs, he probably still isn't considered a "real Yankee" by some fans. Add in the controversy surrounding his steroid use before joining the Yankees, and this milestone home run was bound to lose a bit of its luster, even in the Big Apple where sports stars are front-page news.

I enjoy watching A-Rod play. For a fairly big guy, he's graceful both at the plate and in the field. He's not a cartoon character like sluggers Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa were. In addition to hitting the ball over the fence, Rodriguez hits for average, catches the ball and has a good arm. He can even steal a base. This all makes him a candidate to be considered one of the all-time greats, more in line with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle than the less-complete Bonds or Sosa.

However, A-Rod may never be an absolute fan favorite in the Bronx. First, he is not a home-grown Yankee like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera or Jorge Posada. He hit most of his home runs while playing for Texas and Seattle. I won't deduct too many popularity points for that because Reggie Jackson, Greg Nettles, Catfish Hunter, Babe Ruth and other beloved stars also played elsewhere before coming to New York. But let's face it, players who came up through the farm system do have an edge in Yankee lore.

Rodriguez never got the personality thing right. He doesn't seem genuine. He seems more suited for Los Angeles. New Yorkers tend to like authenticity. His new strategy of only talking minimally to the media hasn't endeared him to the public but at least he hasn't shot himself in the foot lately. Look, Mantle was a creep. I met him and I wasn't impressed. Everyone knows the stories of Mantle's drinking problems. Thurman Munson was gruff and crude, according to my father who had encounters with him off the field. But those guys were also gritty, and New Yorkers appreciate guys who will get dirty, brawl on the field and shout at the opposing bench. No one did those things better than Lou Piniella and Billy Martin -- two of my favorite Yankees.

Alex stays clean and pretty. Other than a throw-down against the Red Sox a few years ago, A-Rod just plays ball. And that's fine, too. As long as he keeps hitting home runs and turning double plays, he'll move up in Yankee status. It's just going to take some more time.

I suspect Rodriquez will end up with a monument at Yankee Stadium. His number 13 may be retired. A generation who never saw Martin manage, Mantle with knee braces blasting towering homers or Ron Guidry blowing away batters might think more of A-Rod than fans my age do. That's OK. Every generation tends to think their stars shine the brightest. I will add, however, that being a true Yankee fan also means knowing at least something about the many fantastic players who roamed the outfield and ran the bases long before ESPN, free agency and color television. Being a true Yankee fan means passing down that knowledge of guys like Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford to the next generation. Take note of Jeter, Rodriguez and Rivera because one day you'll be telling your kids and grandchildren about them.