"It's like the girl you never think about dating, you meet and...whoa" - When Alex Rodriguez made honest admission about $252 million Rangers deal

Alex Rodriguez might be one of the most polarizing players in MLB history. The three-time MVP Award winner had a long and successful playing career, however, his antics left some fans divided on the infield slugger. While fans can debate his legacy now that his playing days are behind him, during his prime he was one of the most talented players to ever grace a baseball field.

After 7 successful years with the Seattle Mariners, Alex Rodriguez hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2000 season, making him easily the most sought-after name on the open market. A number of clubs were involved in the race, however, the slugger ultimately signed a then-record 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers, a move that even surprise A-Rod himself.

"People hadn't talked about Texas, so I hadn't given it much thought. It's like the girl you never think about dating, but then you meet and...whoa," Rodriguez said of the surprising decision to join the Rangers in a 2000 article by Tom Verducci in Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez put together an incredible 2000 season with the Seattle Mariners, posting a .316 batting average with 41 home runs and 132 RBIs as a 24-year-old. It's clear to see why he was such as coveted free agent target, according to A-Rod at the time, it came down to three different clubs before ultimately choosing Texas.

"In the last weekend it was Texas 1, Seattle 2 and Atlanta 3 in my mind. Texas really won it, but the Mariners made it a lot easier by the way they treated me," Rodriguez said back in 2000 after signing with the Rangers.

Compared to the impressive recruiting videos and impression left by then-Rangers owner Tom Hicks, the Seattle Mariners presentations were subpar. After years of disappointment, Rodriguez was fed up and seeking a better opportunity to win, bringing him to Texas.

Alex Rodriguez later said that he regretted his decision to join the Texas Rangers

At the time that A-Rod signed his deal with the Texas Rangers, it was the richest deal in MLB history, something that proved too much to turn down. Years after his decision to sign with the Rangers, Alex Rodriguez said that he regretted chasing the money to go to Texas as opposed to following his heart and joining the New York Mets.

“I went for the contract when my true desire was to go play for the Mets,” Rodriguez said in a 2008 interview with the Daily News.

It turned out that Alex Rodriguez's time with the Rangers was not meant to last the duration of the contract. Only three years after signing the mammoth contract, Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees, the team that he would finish his career with 12 seasons later.