SI's bombshell: A-Rod tested positive for steroids
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for A-Rod, they do. SI. publishes an explosive story.
In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.
Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.
When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "You'll have to talk to the union," said Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman since his trade to New York in February 2004. When asked if there was an explanation for his positive test, he said, "I'm not saying anything."
Phone messages left by SI for players' union executive director Donald Fehr were not returned.
Wow, I didn't see this coming. I'm stunned. I wake up late on Saturday and get the phone call. Just as the pieces were beginning to come together for the 2009 Yankee season, this explodes on the scene.
PAer jeter2jeter writes:
For a guy that's worried so much about public perception, how badly do you think this is going to end up ruining his confidence. Even if this rumor turns out to be untrue, there will be an untold amount of controversy, innuendo, heckling, and etc. for A-Rod. (I guess the nickname A-Fraud has a different meaning) I bet the Yanks now wish the only media headache they have to deal with is Manny and Joe Torre. Let's see what happens.
And we thought spring training was going to get off to a rocky start for ARod because of Torre's book, but this makes that look like chump change. The Yankee fans will crucify him if he can't defend himself. Is this the straw that breaks the Camel's back?
The NY Times has this:
At various moments, including a December 2007 interview on CBS’s "60 Minutes" with Katie Couric, he flatly denied that he had ever used steroids or human growth hormone.
"For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?" Couric asked.
"No," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he never felt tempted to use the substances.
"You never felt like, ‘This guy’s doing it, maybe I should look into this, too? He’s getting better numbers, playing better ball,’" Couric asked.
Just a year ago, Rodriguez was forced to confront accusations from José Canseco that he had used steroids. In Canseco’s second book on steroids in baseball, "Vindicated," Canseco wrote that in the late 1990’s he introduced Rodriguez to a trainer he identified as Max who was a "fan of steroids." Canseco said that Max, later told him that Rodriguez had "signed on."
Rodriguez denied Canseco’s assertions.
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Comments
We will see
This man always seems to be the center of attention here in NY, but one thing he has done is thrive under pressure (well in terms of the regular season I should say). I have never thought A-Rod would be one to use anabolic steroids, but I can’t say that anymore. I am not completely surprised, though I wouldn’t like to admit that one of my favorite players took advantage of the rules to improve his outer worldly talent. Now, I’d like to see the source that proves that this is a fact before passing final judgment, even though the persecution is going to be raining down left and right.
by MartyMcFly on Feb 7, 2009 3:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
A-Roid
is a phony, a liar, a criminal, a drug user, , a slumlord, a clubhouse cancer, and worthless in October.
Good thing the Yankees have invested so heavily in him for the next decade.
by BrianByron on Feb 7, 2009 4:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Oh well......
…..what’s done is done.
A-Rod should come right out, hold a press conference, admit what he did, he should ensure that any testing done since then has been clean, he should go out of his way to prove that year in and year out from this point forward that he is CERTAINLY clean.
If he does that, people will at least show SOME respect——he’ll have to earn it over the rest of his career. But I it’s possible. Anything less than that and he’s just gonna be roasted non-stop.
He needs to be honest and humble. If he can keep up the numbers over the rest of his career while we can ensure he’s clean, then people may be able to respect what he did in the past.
L!
by Ragnar808 on Feb 7, 2009 4:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
if only the Yanks had known this
a year and a half ago, before they signed him for a decade. man, it’s always something with him!
by Travis G on Feb 7, 2009 5:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
is there a reason why this came out now
and not years ago?
by Travis G on Feb 7, 2009 5:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It was supposed to be sealed information. Only to be known by those who tested / MLBPA.
It appears to have been leaked.
The MLBPA said that information and documents relating to the results of the ’03 tests remain both confidential and under seal in California by court order.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090207&content_id=3806844&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Remember this boys and girls. If more than one person knows a secret…It ain’t a secret.
Still, your point of the timing of this revelation is certainly strange.
The psychology of the American (and Western) consumer is going to have to change. The previous bubble economy we witnessed in the late 20th and early 21st century is unsustainable.
by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Feb 7, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i believe
he opted out of his contract last year knowing he had to sign another huge one before this came out.. because he knew it was gonna
by Soriano NY 12 on Feb 7, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A-Rod knew
Looks like A-Rod knew this was coming out on Thursday and then today Boras tells us that A-Rod is out of the country….
Classic A-Rod.. run like a boy and not stand and face it like a man..
by Nicks2Cents on Feb 7, 2009 5:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
A-Roid
I’ve hated that dude ever since he replaced Soriano! Talk about selling your heart and soul. Of course he’s a roid head. all the bush league bullshit. I want to hear him booed on the first day in the new yankee stadium! Punk! Just when I was getting excited about our prospects this season. who the hell wants to see us succeed now?! Who wants that sort of attention?! They still haven’t recovered from the Giambi mess! The guy’s a lightning rod anyway, now we’re just going to be the laughing stock of the majors. If I was him, I’d just retire now. He just became a joke. Who cares about his numbers! Every time he’s on the field will feel like the game is void. How can you cheer him in the clutch. How can you be happy when he hits that game winning home run?! It’s all bullshit! Go away! Get your asterisk somewhere else!
by Fire Arod on Feb 8, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

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