How Lee Elia Made Alex Rodriguez a Star

Scott Boras collected millions off of Alex Rodriguez' talent, but a guy who really brought it out hasn't even asked for credit. He's getting it, though, thanks to the The Everett Herald's Kirby Arnold, who has heretofore untold tale of why Lee Elia ought to be getting part of Boras' cut.

Because A-Rod grown up in Miami hitting with Jose Canseco, Elia tells Arnold, he used to keep his hands very high when he hit. The style worked well in the minor leagues, but wasn't doing him any favors once he reached the majors.

(I'd forgotten just how extended and dismal A-Rod's 1995 stint was--he hit a Bloomquistian .238, and it wasn't just a small sample size--A-Rod had nearly 150 at bats that year.)

"There's only been three or four guys I've ever met in my life who've been successful holding their hands up here," then-Mariner hitting coach Lee Elia told A-Rod during the spring of 1996. "If you want to stay there, stay there."

Responded Rodriguez: "If you want to try another way, let's try another way."

Lou Pinella held A-Rod out of exhibition games until the two could get A-Rod's new stance right--which got Woody Woodward in trouble; Arizona fans wanted to see the phemom.

Finally, A-Rod was ready. Elia picks up the story: "There have been millions of times when someone you're working with looks like he's responding and you say, 'He's there!' And then he goes into a game and goes 0-for-4. I remember sitting through that game and I had everything crossed--my fingers, my legs, my arms, everything. He ended up with two doubles to right-center. That was one of his big problems; he had been trying to pull everything. From there, he really started to grow."

Grow is right--A-Rod hit .358 in 1996, and was on his way to a Hall-of-Fame career--and, to date, more than $170 million in salary. Maybe hitting coaches should start working on commission, too.

You can buy that Lee Elia card (see--low hands) for $2.25 at CheckOutMyCards.com.