Another day, another oh-fer for Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees third baseman continues to chase home run number 600. A-Rod has been stuck on 599 for almost two weeks and in that time, interest in him achieving that milestone has been overshadowed by interest in him not hitting it. Countless numbers of pictures have been taken of Rodriguez’s swings, but not one has been truly worth anything, and the annoyance is starting to show as of late.

Rodriguez has not hit a home run since July 22 against Kansas City. Since then, he’s hit .196 including an 0-for-16 slump. He has just eight RBI and three extra base hits, but has struck out 10 times over that stretch. This may be the worst time for a slump in his entire career. Over 100 of the specially-marked A-Rod balls have been used in games now, and not one of them has left the park to the benefit of the New York Yankees.

The pitchers are probably just as to blame as A-Rod for extending the slump. Nobody wants to be known as the guy who gave up 600. Pitchers have been pitching around him, throwing all kinds of junk, and Rodriguez has been helping them out by swinging at it and getting himself out. If he would show a little more patience and be the kind of hitter he’s been for his career, he would likely have hit 600 and maybe more by now by forcing at least some of the pitchers to pitch to him and not away from him.

When a player approaches a milestone, it becomes awfully difficult to not think about it. In A-Rod’s case, you have to think that it’s difficult for him to think about anything other than 600. He has struck out four times in his last nine at bats and has been swinging at some very bad pitches as of late. Frustration seems to be getting the best of him. A-Rod will hit 600, but the way he’s going now, 600 may still be a long time coming.