Baseball Legend Alex Rodriguez Enters a New Era of Personal Style

Alex Rodriguez. One of the all-time great athletes in the history of professional sport. Businessman. Accomplished television broadcaster. Father. And incredibly fashion forward. We all know A-Rod’s many MLB accomplishments—including hitting over 600 home runs, over 2,000 RBIs, over 3,000 hits, and being a World Series Champion and 14-time All Star.

Now the baseball legend is in a new chapter of his career. KayRod Cast on ESPN2—an alternate broadcast of ESPN’s long-standing MLB game of the week Sunday Night Baseball—has quickly become a hit. The show is already garnering 15.7 percent of the overall Sunday Night Baseball audience of 1.6 million, the most for a regular sports alternate presentation. Becoming a regular on-screen persona also means that A-Rod's sense of fashion is on display weekly, so we wanted to hear a bit about how his style has developed over his career.

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Check out the interview below.

ONE37pm: Thanks for chatting with us A-Rod! Let’s go back to the beginning. How did your love of style begin, and who/what influenced you?

Rodriguez: Hmm. That’s a good question! I think it probably started right at the beginning with my father. He was always very formal by nature, and I always watched him with his suits and stuff. That was probably the first time I was influenced. Also, I was born in New York, and I was intrigued by Wall Street—Wall Street with Michael Douglas is actually my favorite movie, and I was always pulled in that direction by watching people on Wall Street take the train with a briefcase. It was cool to watch.

ONE37pm: Okay, now let's take it to the beginning of your career. In those first couple of years, what was your style like off the field?

Rodriguez: It transformed a bit because I started as a teenager at 18, and then I ended at 41. Going from a teenager to 41 is a big change, and I’ve always been more about the button-up side because I’ve always felt more comfortable in my uniform. I played for 25 years and always had a baseball uniform on, and now in business I just feel more comfortable going to the office, because once I get home, I like to relax in my pajamas. In the office, my mindset is: if my uniform is on, I’m here to work.

ONE37pm: As your profile began rising to you becoming baseball’s biggest superstar, all eyes were on you. How did your style change then as you were being seen in public a lot more outside of the field, attending events, red carpets, etc.?

Rodriguez: I think what never changed for me was style being less about how it looked and more about how it felt. Style is something from the inside out. I started thinking less about how something would look, and more so about how things made me feel about myself that day. That could be going somewhere that requires a tux, or just going someplace with a white t-shirt, Jordans, and some cool shades. Again, I think the biggest thing is less about looks and more about feel.

ONE37pm: Who are your favorite designers or brands?

Rodriguez: I love Jordan Brand, and back in the day I really enjoyed how Giorgio Armani fit. Pat Riley was somebody who was a trendsetter back in the 80s with the Showtime Lakers and I always liked the way he dressed as well.

ONE37pm: Alright, now let’s take it to the present. You now are on-air in a different way. What goes into your preparation for the looks you are wearing?

Rodriguez: I would say the same thing. My approach to style hasn’t changed, and I would say it’s still about feeling. Sometimes you feel like you want to rock a dark outfit. This morning I was happy because we got a big win yesterday so I wanted to wear something colorful. It’s also a feeling.

ONE37pm: So who is A-Rod now as opposed to that 18-year-old?

Rodriguez: I would probably say a little bit more measured and buttoned up. While it’s sometimes fun to free flow a little bit, I would say not too much has changed.

ONE37pm: You’ve accomplished a lot in so many different ways. Is there anything else on your list that you want to do?

Rodriguez: The hardest and most rewarding thing in my life is being a father to two girls. I have one that’s going to Michigan this fall, and I have a freshman. I actually enjoy their style! One of my favorite things to do is take them shopping. We can walk around for four or five hours, and I think I wear them out. I love when we go to different stores and some of their favorite stores. That’s really enjoyable to me.

ONE37pm: What style advice do you give to your daughters?

Rodriguez: My encouragement is to always be you. Dress for yourself, not for others, and feel good about it. Style is another form of expression. I always encourage them not to think in a limited way, whether that’s about life, business, school, or fashion, and that’s what I tell them. 

Tune into the KayRod Cast at 7pm ET every Sunday on ESPN2.