Alex Rodriguez is authentic

Alex Rodriguez has come a long way.

That was an unconscious observation as this 2009 baseball season unfolded. How profound was his turnaround, though; it hit me like a ton o’ Mizuno Maples.

A FOX Sports poll asked readers whether A-Rod has proven himself with his 2009 playoff showing. Or is he still a postseason patsy? Or, is it TBD, get back to me after the World Series?

Undoubtedly, Rodriguez has already visited redemption.

It’s not because of his 2009 statistical output (.286 average, 30 homers, 100 ribbies). His contributions in this year’s postseason (including 12 RBIs, a total that trails only Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard’s) aren’t the deciding factors, either. They’re merely byproducts.

Yankees fans may disagree; the numbers mean everything, they could say. Yeah, not ’til we see No. 27, mutter Bronx residents in Paul O’Neill Pinstripes. The majority of Phillies fans don’t care. A-Rod isn’t popular in many circles.

But he seems to have reached a point where none of that matters. He has, with support, liberated himself. He admitted faults and mistakes. He made peace. He demonstrated resolve. And he no longer needs validation.

In February, Rodriguez took plenty of heat when reports surfaced that he, as a member of the Texas Rangers, had tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. I was one of many quick to criticize a man whose cleats I had never laced up.

A-Rod a cheater? Just disappointing. A liar? Heartbreaking – although not exactly shocking. Enter introspection and understanding.

A-Rod has a different demeanor these days

He was conflicted. He was always seeking approval. He was trying to meet aspirations that others had earmarked for him. He just wanted everyone to like him, damn it! Those desires had coaxed him into this seemingly rock-bottom place, with shame as its face.

I found myself – initially, with a tinge of self-loathing – pulling for and even identifying with him.

Rodriguez no longer wanted to be that person; he became a sympathetic figure – well, at least to a few. He seized his opportunity. And he did it with a handicap; a torn labrum in his right hip kept him out until May.

He was anxious but patient. He returned from surgery a week ahead of schedule. In his first at-bat, of his first game, he hit Orioles hurler Jeremy Guthrie’s first offering into the seats.

It was merely a round-tripper, but it sounded like a resolute man had popped the cap on a volcano spewing magma in geyser-like fashion.

It wasn’t all gems and rhinestones after that, but he stayed the course. All because of a belief that he discovered, nurtured and rode right through the playoffs. And now he’s finally in the World Series.

I can’t stop rooting for him. And I’m a diehard Phillies fan. Last year I saw things I thought I might never see and didn’t want to end.

I’m still in the Phils’ corner. But if the Yankees win, I won’t be upset. Everyone deserves another chance.