Maybe Alex Rodriguez IS serious about taking control of his off the field career and reshaping his image. Many people including myself have said for years that A-Rod is lacking the visibility and endorsement earnings his brand deserves. A-Rod plays for the iconic Yankees in the biggest media market in the United States. He's a three-time MVP with good looks to boot. And as I asked just a few weeks ago, when is the last time you saw A-Rod in a national commercial?

A-Rod's brand may be on the verge of taking off though. After signing a 10-year contract with the Yankees that will keep him in New York for the foreseeable future, he has signed a management deal with former record company executive Guy Oseary according to the DAILY VARIETY. Oseary has helped stars such as musicians Madonna and Lenny Kravitz manage their brands. He's also a partner in a company called Untitled Entertainment. That company's client list includes Hilary Swank, Penelope Cruz and Ashton Kutcher.

Looks like Scott Boras will have less and less to do with A-Rod's future moving forward. No real surprise here even if Boras had done a good job with A-Rod's recent negotiations. A-Rod is locked up for the next 10-years with his baseball contract and Boras' company is not equipped to secure major marketing deals.

If you look at athletes like Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning and obviously Michael Jordan, their "brands" have all been managed very carefully. From the companies they partner with on endorsement deals to the way they handle themselves with the media, everything is done with a plan in place.

A-Rod is very eloquent, but you get the feeling that he's been winging it to this point in his career. He's also looked uncomfortable at times in front of the bright lights of the New York media. With some direction from a professional like Oseary, he will probably be able to take his brand to a level its never previously been and he should be much more comfortable in the process.

A-Rod could very well wind up being MLB's all-time HR King and the face of the league for the next 10 years. We all know that MLB does a terrible job marketing the personalities of its players, so its very wise in my opinion, that A-Rod is taking this step.

If Rodriguez can somehow put a championship ring on his resume (ala Peyton Manning this past January), the sky will be the limit for him. He's got all of the individual talent in the world and if he can add the title of "champion", it will make a big difference in the way his brand is perceived. That's the one major knock on him right now - he's done nothing in the post-season when it matters most.