▁stre ak ▁in ▁American ▁League ▁history ▁since ▁Lou ▁Ge hr ig ▁did ▁so ▁in ▁ 1 3 ▁straight ▁seasons ▁( 1 9 2 6 – 3 8 ). ▁Despite ▁this ▁success , ▁it ▁was ▁perce ived ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁less er - ac com pl ished ▁seasons ▁and ▁was ▁har sh ly ▁critic ized ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁season . ▁He ▁has ▁commented ▁that ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁was ▁his ▁most ▁difficult ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁professional . ▁▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁When ▁Rod rig uez ▁reported ▁to ▁camp ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁he ▁had ▁reduced ▁his ▁body ▁fat ▁from ▁ 1 6 % ▁the ▁year ▁before ▁to ▁ 9 %. ▁He ▁made ▁light ▁of ▁this ▁fact ▁during ▁a ▁Late ▁Show ▁with ▁David ▁Let ter man ▁sketch ▁that ▁was ▁fil med ▁during ▁Spring ▁training , ▁which ▁featured ▁him ▁sh irt less ▁being ▁rub bed ▁down ▁with ▁sunt an ▁lot ion . ▁He ▁revealed ▁to ▁the ▁press ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁J eter ▁were ▁no ▁longer ▁close ▁friends . ▁Rod rig uez ▁also ▁reduced ▁his ▁high ▁leg ▁kick ▁at ▁the ▁plate , ▁increasing ▁his ▁bat ▁speed , ▁making ▁him ▁less - apt ▁to ▁strike ▁out ▁and ▁a ▁more ▁dangerous ▁h itter . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Yan ke es ' ▁fourth ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁Rod rig uez ▁hit ▁two ▁home ▁runs ▁against ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Ori oles ▁at ▁Yan kee ▁Stadium , ▁including ▁his ▁ 1 4 th - care er ▁grand ▁sl am ▁to ▁end ▁the