By Jim Molony / MLB.com

Alex Rodriguez went 5-for-24 (.208) in six games last season at Yankee Stadium. (Ben Margot/AP)

The unprecedented trade, now just awaiting approval from the Commissioner's office, of a reigning Most Valuable Player to a team that will now open the season with five starters who drove in at least 100 runs last year -- and five who posted on-base percentages of .393 or better --raises the question of what to expect now that A-Rod's perennially potent bat is likely headed to the Bronx.

"At Texas, especially his first year, there were times you could pitch around (Rodriguez) when certain other guys weren't hitting," one Major League scout said. "Now you drop him in a lineup that already has (Jason) Giambi, (Jorge) Posada, (Hideki) Matsui, (Derek) Jeter and now (Gary) Sheffield, that's strong, home or road, and (it doesn't matter if it is) righty or lefty (opposing), they will score a ton of runs and he'll see more pitches to hit than he has the last couple of years.

It's official: Yankees land A-Rod • A-Rod introduced to the media • Team coverage: Yankees | Rangers • Commissioner Selig approves trade ANALYSIS • Schlegel | Singer | Bauman • Yankees lineup now truly scary • Better numbers in store for A-Rod? REACTION • It's all good between Jeter, A-Rod • Yankees abuzz down in Florida • Baseball abuzz • Steinbrenner 'pretty excited' • Yanks president responds to critics • Rangers wish ex-teammate well • A-Rod hot topic in Red Sox Nation • Quotable: Players, managers, GMs • A-Rod move surprises Pettitte HISTORY • A-Rod picks a uniform number • Timeline: A-Rod era in Texas • Babe to A-Rod: Yanks' big deals • Key acquisitions in Yankees history • Departing MVPs rare in history • A look at history's best left sides FANTASY • Fantasy analysis of the deal • Get A-Rod on your team by playing Ultimate Fantasy Baseball SHOP • A-Rod Jersey | Soriano Jersey TICKETS • Yankees World Tour 2004 • Buy Yankees tix | Buy Rangers tix FAN FORUM • News alerts & newsletters: Sign up • Vote: NYY batting leader? SIGHTS & SOUNDS Sample on A-Rod: 56K | 300K Interview with Reggie: 56K | 300K NYY Press conf. 300K Audio NYY conf. call | TEX press conf. A-Rod introduced to media More: A-Rod | NYY mock lineup A-Rod Opening Day HR: 56K | 300K A-Rod's 300th HR: 56K | 300K A-Rod spends some time with Access Baseball: 56K | 300K Soriano ties NYY record for most leadoff homers: 56K | 300K Soriano has two homers against the Orioles: 56K | 300K Complete trade coverage >

"(The Yankees) won't have as much speed without Alfonso Soriano, but when you have that many guys who can get on base and knock the ball out of the park, they won't miss Soriano. This lineup means a lot more offense, more breathing room for that pitching staff and more headaches for (opposing pitchers)."

Rodriguez struck out 126 times for the Rangers last season. He probably won't feel as compelled to chase as many pitches this season with the likes of Sheffield and Giambi hitting behind him. Sheffield fanned just 55 times last year and had an on-base percentage of .419.

Also impacting A-Rod's offensive production will be the new schedule. By moving from Texas and the American League West to the Yankees and the AL East, Rodriguez will be getting more at-bats against more pitching staffs he has hit well during his career. This includes Toronto (a .343 career average against), Baltimore (.327), Boston (.289) and of course Texas (.318) -- a staff he hasn't faced in three years. Rodriguez is also a career .294 (47-for-160) hitter with 10 homers and 26 RBIs at Boston's Fenway Park.

Conversely, because of the unbalanced schedule, Rodriguez will see two of the staffs that have given him the most problems during his career -- Seattle (.286) and Oakland (.274) -- less often than he did when he was playing in the AL West. Rodriguez owns a .225 career average at Oakland's Network Associates Coliseum and .274 at Seattle's Safeco Field.

"I don't think (Yankee Stadium) will hurt his hitting at all," the scout said. "(The Ballpark at Arlington) is more of a hitters' park than New York, but it won't matter in A-Rod's case since he's a guy that uses the whole field. A guy that hits gap to gap would be (affected more)."

In 14 games against the Yankees last year, Rodriguez hit .289 (11-for-38) with three homers and nine RBIs, but most of that damage was done in Arlington. He was 5-for-24 (.208) with two homers and two RBIs in six games at Yankee Stadium. For his career, Rodriguez is a .289 (50-for-173) hitter in the Bronx, with 14 homers and 32 RBIs.

Though he has power to all fields and is considered a spray hitter, the right-handed hitting Rodriguez has exhibited more power to left than center or right. He has hit 104 homers over the last two seasons with 53 going to left, 31 to center and 20 to right field.

Of course, the demands of learning a new position can sometimes detract from a player's offense. And there is another potential stumbling block for A-Rod: He has hit only .254 against AL East member Tampa Bay, his second-worst average against any American League team. He hit only .121 against the Devil Rays last year, including .090 (2-for-22) at Tropicana Field.

Jim Molony is a writer for MLB.com based in Houston. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.