Who is Alex Rodriguez - The Best Baseball Player Ever!

In early July 2008, rumors started swirling that Alex Rodriguez and Madonna were have an affair (both were married at the time). It all started when Madonna used Alex's seats to attend a Yankees game with her children and then Alex was seen leaving her Manhattan apartment after midnight on several occasions.

On Monday, July 7, 2008, Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce.

You can see the complete filing on The Smoking Gun.

"The petitioner has exhausted every effort to salvage the marriage of the parties," Cynthia Rodriguez said in the filing. "However, Alex has emotionally abandoned his wife and children and has left her with no choice but to divorce him."

Cynthia Rodriguez's lawyer, Maurice Kutner, declined to elaborate on the filing, which does not mention Madonna or any other alleged paramours by name.

"Cynthia has made it very clear to me that she wants to take the high road and protect her children and herself. There's no vindictiveness here," Kutner said. "She wants to resolve the issues between Alex and herself in an amicable fashion."

They have 2 children, daughters Natasha Alexander, 3, and 2-month-old Ella Alexander.

Cynthia filed for divorce just days after A-Rod was linked to Madonna in the tabloids. Cynthia is visiting the Paris home of rocker Lenny Kravitz, who said she came to France to get away from all the hoopla.

Was named 2007 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP)

8/4/07 -- A-Rod hit his 500th career home run against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium

Hit his 15th career grand slam against Barry Zito of the A's at the 2006 season opener. (April 3, 2006)

Was named 2005 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP)

6/8/05 -- Became the youngest player in MLB history to reach 400 career home runs (Came off Milwaukee Brewers' left-hander Jorge De La Rosa).

5/4/04 -- Against the Oakland A's, A-Rod became the youngest player to hit 350 career home runs.

Was named 2003 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) 11/17/03

A-Rod wins his second Gold Glove Award at shortstop (2003).

Alex Rodriguez and Philadelphia Jim Thome lead the major leagues in 2003 with 47.

4/3/03 -- A-Rod became the youngest player to hit 300 career home runs.

A-Rod wins his first Gold Glove Award at shortstop (2002).

Rodríguez is named "Player of the Year" by The Sporting News for 2002.

In 2002, A-Rod led the Major League in home runs (57), RBIs (142) and total bases (389).

A-Rod hits his 53rd home run and breaks his own home run record mark for shortstops. (September 9, 2002)

Won back to back "AL Player of the Month Awards" (July & August 2002)

At 26 years old, A-Rod became the second-youngest player in MLB history to reach 250 career home runs. (April 30, 2002)

12-time, All Star.

Led the American League in home runs in 2001 with 52.

In 2001, A-Rod breaks the record for home runs in a single season by a shortstop (Ernie Banks' record of 47 in 1958). Hits 52 home runs in 2001.

Played the entire 162 games during the 2001 season.

Won the Hank Aaron Award in 2001 as the league's top offense player.

In 2001, received the Josh Gibson Legacy Award from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for winning the A.L. home run crown.

In 2001, was selected to the A.L. Silver Slugger team for 4th straight year and 5th time overall.

Drove in 135 runs in 2001, the 5th most ever for a shortstop and most since Banks in 1959 (143).

Became the highest paid player in baseball when he signed a $252 million dollar contract with the Texas Rangers in 2000.

Led the American League in 1998 with 213 hits.

Led the American League with a .358 batting average in 1996.

Was second in the A.L. MVP voting in 1996

Led the American League in Runs in 1996 (141) and 2001 (133).

Has a career post-season batting average of .340 (18-53) in 15 games.

Made his Major League debut on July 8th, 1994.

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York. The Yankees are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1901 as the Baltimore Orioles, moved to New York City in 1903, then becoming known as the New York Highlanders as well as the New York Yankees, and becoming solely known as the "Yankees" in 1913. From 1923 to the present, the Yankees permanent home has been Yankee Stadium. In 2009, they are scheduled to move into a new stadium, also to be called "Yankee Stadium".

The Yankees have been Major League Baseball's most successful franchise with 26 World Series championships and 39 American League Pennants. They have more championships than any other North American franchise in professional sports history, passing the 24 Stanley Cup championships by the Montreal Canadiens in 1999.