With A-Rod's new approach, new hardware

Trying to 'simplify,' three-time MVP vital to Yankees' title run

Anthony DiComo / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- The individual accomplishments are there to consider, to pore over and savor, and still, Alex Rodriguez won't take the bait. Two days after the most dominant postseason of his life ended with a World Series title, Rodriguez attempted to reflect -- every which way but inward, of course.

"It'll probably take two or three [days] to really think about what we accomplished here as a team," Rodriguez said after the Yankees' ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes on Friday.

As far as individual accomplishments go, Rodriguez will allow others to do the talking. And that makes sense, because his numbers in the World Series -- a .417 average, one home run, six RBIs and five runs scored in Games 3 through 6 -- were among the finest on the team. His contributions in the first two rounds of the playoffs were even greater.

But Rodriguez also constructed a fine regular season in 2009. And in '08. And '07 and '06. His proficiency in putting up gaudy statistics has been well known for years in the Majors, almost as popular a topic of discussion as his misfortunes in the postseason.

Yet Yankees captain Derek Jeter has endured poor postseason series at times, and no one has harped on it because of the team successes he has had. Rodriguez never enjoyed that benefit, driving in one run over his previous three postseasons combined, while the Yankees bowed out in the first round of all three.

In many ways, Rodriguez's career has been measured by those shortcomings. But no longer.

Rodriguez finally has his ring.

"It's a difficult process, that's for sure," Rodriguez said. "But we had a great team. I wish we could continue to just show up and play for no reason. No umpires, no scorers. Just show up and have fun, like a softball league."

Now, when critics discuss Rodriguez, they must talk about his World Series title in addition to his 583 career home runs.