Alex Rodriguez

[dgreco]

tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003.

No other info yet it was the lead on ESPN

[UNHWildCats]

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 (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/teams/rangers), Alex Rodriguez (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/players/5275) 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.

Though MLB's drug policy has expressly prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991, there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003. The results of that year's survey testing of 1,198 players were meant to be anonymous under the agreement between the commissioner's office and the players association. Rodriguez's testing information was found, however, after federal agents, armed with search warrants, seized the '03 test results from Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., one of two labs used by MLB in connection with that year's survey testing. The seizure took place in April 2004 as part of the government's investigation into 10 major league players linked to the BALCO scandal -- though Rodriguez himself has never been connected to BALCO.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/index.html?eref=T1

[bluehenbillk]

Not a shocker, you'd think he would learn from other's PR blunders. Palmiero, McGwire, no habla Sosa, Clemens, Bonds to name a few that killed their own careers.

[Thunderstruck84]

Not a shocker, you'd think he would learn from other's PR blunders. Palmiero, McGwire, no habla Sosa, Clemens, Bonds to name a few that killed their own careers.
I don't think you can question his judgement in relation to those other guys. This happened in 2003 when there were no mandatory penalties and more importantly the names were never supposed to be released to the public. It's still poor judgement on his part however.

[SuperJon]

If anyone is shocked by this they're an idiot.

[aust42]

And the MLB steroid saga continues in the headlines. When will this end? Let it go and move on. Baseball purists who cry about their precious homerun records being broken by "cheaters" need to get over it and realize MLB players have been using steroids throughout the vast history of the game. If you think it all started in the mid 90's your naive.

[JMU DJ]

xlolxxlolxxlolxxlolxxlolxxlolx I always suspected... he wasn't as bad as McGuire, Sosa or Bonds... but he definitely had/has the physique of someone on roids.

[Ronbo]

They are all taking them and have been since the 70's. Throw out the hall of fame and all the record books. They are worthless. Football is probably the worst. I'll wager 90% take them there. In Baseball you are only getting the tip of the iceberg. Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Football. They are all cheaters. Not one guy can be trusted because big money is involved and they will do anything for the money.

These money making teams have been turning a blind eye to this for 30+ years.

[LacesOut]

They are all taking them and have been since the 70's. Throw out the hall of fame and all the record books. They are worthless. Football is probably the worst. I'll wager 90% take them there. In Baseball you are only getting the tip of the iceberg. Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Football. They are all cheaters. Not one guy can be trusted because big money is involved and they will do anything for the money.

These money making teams have been turning a blind eye to this for 30+ years.

Agree completely.

And I have no problem whatsoever with any athlete taking them, from any sport. Hell I know I would, with the kind of money that todays athletes make.

[bluehenbillk]

I don't think you can question his judgement in relation to those other guys. This happened in 2003 when there were no mandatory penalties and more importantly the names were never supposed to be released to the public. It's still poor judgement on his part however.

So it makes it different than Clemens how? I can see the headlines in New York this week, "A-Fraud" and "A-Roid".

[JoltinJoe]

So there's no steroid to help you hit in the clutch?

[Thunderstruck84]

So it makes it different than Clemens how? I can see the headlines in New York this week, "A-Fraud" and "A-Roid".
It makes him quite a bit different from Clemens:
1) He didn't lie about it under oath to a congressional committee
2) He was one of 103 others who anonymously tested positive for steroids as agreed upon in the CBA between MLB and the players union - therefore this never should've been brought to public attention just like the other 103 have not

A-Rod has a lot bigger beef about his whole steroid mess than Clemens, Bonds, McGwire, or Sosa could have. Still doesn't change the fact that it was bad judgement for him to do it in the 1st place.

[aust42]

If MLB would have just dealt with it initially like the NFL did no one would have cared. The NFL acknowledged steroid use and implemented testing and procedures for non compliance and moved on. No one cared. Why does the media keep making a big deal of it? Why in the hell Congress got involved is way beyond my comprehension. The testing for steroids in 2003 were supposed to be confidential and the names of the players who tested positive were never supposed to be revealed. What a shame.

[blueballs]

Isn't it ironic that reports of yet another cheater surface just a couple of days after the gala for Henry Aaron's 75th birthday, which raised over $3,000,000 for charity and was attended by icons from all over the world including ex-presidents?

On one hand you have cheaters like McGwire, Rodriguez, Bonds who cheat at their profession, cheat on their wives, and are jerks to fans; and on the other hand you have the Hammer, who with class and grace took more bullets in his career from blatent racism and bigotry than the others combined times 100 in pursuit of his goals yet never comprimised or lost his sense of class.

All one needs to know about Aaron and the way he was slighted during his playing days can be garnered from checking out his numbers for the 1959 season, when he led the NL in BA, Slugging %, OPS, hits, total bases (400), win shares, runs created, extra base hits, times on base (278), was an all star, won the gold glove, was in the top three in OBA, HR, doubles, RBI, yet only finished third in the MVP voting.

That is why Henry Aaron is the real home run king and these other scumbags are just pretenders to the throne. Check out the Hammer's career stats sometime and tell me how much money, fame and fortune he would have in todays game given that performance and the class he demonstrated. The 21 time all star (let that number sink in a minute) is an icon and his stature rises as we find more and more character flaws in todays coddled "stars."

Happy 75th to the greatest!!!!!!

[Seawolf97]

If anyone is shocked by this they're an idiot.


Couldnt agree more. If they arent on drugs then they seem to be thugs aka Pacman, Buress etc. I really cant get too excited by pro atheletes or there teams.
Considering the money they command and the public role model they want to project many of them are dissappointments. Now what 10 year old wants to be another A Rod?

[BDKJMU]

And the MLB steroid saga continues in the headlines. When will this end? Let it go and move on. Baseball purists who cry about their precious homerun records being broken by "cheaters" need to get over it and realize MLB players have been using steroids throughout the vast history of the game. If you think it all started in the mid 90's your naive.

Hate to break it to you, but players weren't juincing in the early 1900s, the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, probably 60s'. Roids weren't around then. You think players in Ruth's era were juicing? Come on! xrolleyesx

[blueballs]

Wonder if the Red Sawx fans will start calling him "A-Roid?"

[JMU DJ]

Wonder if the Red Sawx fans will start calling him "A-Roid?"

That's a given... along with A-Fraud... I hope the other steroid shoe drops on the BoSawx... that would make it for me, and hopefully clear out the annoying sawx bandwagon fans... Oh, look at me, I grew up in Tuscon, Arizona and my family is from Michigan but don't question my sawx fandom, I've only been supporting them since 2004!

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/ap_varitek_arod_080727_ssv.jpg

Look at that Roid Rage! Tek was probably juiced too. Would explain his declining numbers if he laid off the needles. (most likely his advanced age though, as players numbers should decline when they get older... unlike some other roided out players) :D

[JayJ79]

Hate to break it to you, but players weren't juincing in the early 1900s, the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, probably 60s'. Roids weren't around then. You think players in Ruth's era were juicing? Come on! xrolleyesx

they also didn't have personal trainers, nutritionists, advanced workout facilities, protein supplements, etc. etc.

The historical "greats" of yesteryear are heralded because they stood out in comparison to those they competed against in their day.

But I'm guessing that if you took Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, or whoever, even in their prime, and somehow transported them into today's time (perhaps through the use of a magical Iowa cornfield or something), I doubt they would be able to do squat against today's major league players. The game, the players, and the level of competition have evolved greatly since then.

Some of that "evolution" is perhaps through questionable means (steroids and the like), but much of it has been through advancement in nutrional science, traning regimens, and other specialiation.

[JMU DJ]

I hadn't realized it was the players union, who is responsible for defending and protecting the players, was responsible for the release of the 104 names. The list was supposed to be destroyed, but it was held onto and eventually subpoenaed by the Federal government during the BALCO scandal. Had the list been destroyed, none of this would have ever happened. Way to go players union xlolx

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/02/08/rodriguez.union/index.html

[Gil Dobie]

tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003.

No other info yet it was the lead on ESPN

I now christen you A-Roid xrulesx
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/national_lampoons_animal_house_01.jpg

[Ivytalk]

It's time for A-Rod to sink slowly in the west...his 15 minutes of fame are up.xrolleyesxxcoolx

[ngineer]

So much for him 'breaking' Aaron's HR record. Some thought he was on a pace to do so. Now, even if he does, he's in the same boat with Bonds.xsmhx