"October. That's all Alex Rodriguez is thinking about these days.

It's hard to blame A-Rod for wanting to put the regular season in the rear-view mirror after enduring an injury-riddled second half that has seen him play only 10 games.

"There's no question that we're in a franchise that, the most important month is October," Rodriguez said. "Obviously with a good performance and the team attaining its goal, I think everyone would agree that everything would be forgotten."

A-Rod wasn't having a monster first half by his lofty standards, but his .295 average, 13 home runs and 52 RBI were good enough to earn him a spot on his 14th American League All-Star team. But instead of playing in Phoenix, the third baseman was in Miami, undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Six weeks later, A-Rod returned to the lineup in Minnesota, excited to contribute down the stretch as the Yankees chased down another AL East title.

It took less than nine innings for another injury to strike - one that altered the course of the rest of his season."