Thursday, April 30, 2009

New Book Says A-Rod Juiced As A Yankee

UPDATE 2:46 p.m.: A-Rod was asked about these allegations and as you might expect he didn't have much to say.

From the New York Post:

"I'm not going there," Rodriguez said in Tampa, Fla., according to ESPN. "I'm just so excited being back on the field playing baseball. My team won two games up there (in Detroit), so hopefully I can come back and help them win some more."

Asked if he was familiar with the latest reports, Rodriguez replied, "I'm not going there. I'm not going there."

From Tracy Connor:

Alex Rodriguez may have bulked up with steroids as early as high school - and was suspected of juicing while playing for the Yankees, a bombshell new book reports.

Although the slugger insists he dabbled in steroids only while with the Texas Rangers, the book "A-Rod" strongly suggests he didn't give up performance enhancers when he came to New York.

Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts, who broke the story that A-Rod flunked a steroid screening in 2003, reveals fellow Bombers nicknamed the third baseman "B---h T--s" in 2005.

That was after he put on 15pounds in the off-season and seemed to develop round pectorals, a condition called gynecomastia that can be caused by anabolic steroids, she writes.

In addition, an unnamed major-leaguer is quoted as saying Rodriguez and steroid-tainted pitcher Kevin Brown were seen together with human growth hormone - HGH - in 2004.

Two other anonymous Yankees said they believed A-Rod was using based on side effects they saw - and a clubhouse staffer said management wondered if he was using banned substances.

"No one ever asked Alex directly that I know of, but there was a lot of suspicion in house," the employee is quoted as saying.

The book also accuses Rodriguez of using steroids while he was in high school:

Rodriguez put on 25 pounds of muscle between his sophomore and junior years, and word was that his connection was a dog kennel owner.

A former high school teammate told Roberts the future No.1 MLB draft pick was on steroids and his coach knew it.

Another student said the son of coach Rich Hofman admitted he saw Rodriguez use steroids.

Hofman said it was news to him. "Whatever he was doing, he was doing it somewhere else," he said.

Roberts dishes up a highly unflattering portrait of A-Rod as a needy me-firster who had to have his ego constantly stroked.

In one shocking disclosure, the book accuses A-Rod of "pitch tipping" when he was with the Rangers - letting a friendly opponent at the plate know which pitch was coming in lopsided games.

Rodriguez expected players he helped would do the same for him when he was having an off night and needed to get his batting average up and it wouldn't affect the outcome of the game.

Look, as a Yankees fan I don't want to believe any of this. But I'll be honest, it's very hard for me not to. After all we already know he's a cheater, so is it that much of stretch to believe he cheated before and/or after he admitted he cheated?

Personally, I don't really care, but we all know this will be big news. All I really care about is if he can hit like he's supposed to.

I also have a feeling these are just the first of many things to come out of the new Selena Roberts' book.

28 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Tired of hearing about this....Yeah the guy has issues, did steroids, self-absorbed, etc...Until they show he failed a test after the new testing policies were implemented, I dont know why we're still obsessing over this. A lot of people did steroids along with A-Rod. Its pretty sad to see the media try to destroy someone's life like they do with his.

Vinsanity13 said...

Very very sad news. It seams like every time something good comes out about Alex (his good rehab right now) someone has to release something about him for everyone to hate him even more.

Guys, help the Frenchman that I am: What does exactly "B---h T--s" refer to?

Anyway, I previously didn't want the other 103 names released, because of all the unfairness that would have created besides A-Rod (you know, it's not because one guy has been waterboarded that every other guy has to be as well).

But now, with all the comments about those "juiced Yankees" coming from everywhere, on every forum, every website, I want those 103 names released. With 103 names and 30 teams, I bet you have at least one player from every Major Leagues club, or that has taken roids while being in every club.

If A-Rod pays too much for that, release the others. No man has to take the blame for every others.

SteveB said...

Get ready... the circus is coming to town soon.

The media will play this up big time every day until they think the public doesn't care any more. But personally, I don't give a sh!t about it. Really. Not even a little itty bitty one. The only question I have is-- IS HE 'USING' NOW? So I want A-Rod tested like every other ballplayer, and if he tests positive, he deserves everything he gets. Otherwise, let's play ball.

As for Selena Roberts-- it seems to me that she's in love with A-Rod. If not, then she needs to get herself a different hobby. Gardening, maybe.

SteveB said...

Vinsanity13--

the other letters are--
itcit

(pardon my french)

daneptizl said...

I want to see the other 103 names.

SteveB said...

Never gonna happen that those other names get released. Neither the Union nor MLB wants those names out & there is an injunction about it anyway. That's one reason why I dislike what Roberts has done. Someone broke the law by giving her A-Rod's name-- I wish that would be investigated, but somehow the guilty manage to escape prosecution. The she released his name, knowing about the injunction. Roberts may be correct about her information, but she has shown she has no scruples-- and her publishing company too. I hope the book tanks.

Vinsanity13 said...

Thank you SteveB, everything's clear right now, and a bit sader too.

I tell you what, it's very hard right now being the Alex Rodriguez fan that I have always been since I discovered baseball.

Anonymous said...

only person stroking arod's ego is............

Selena Roberts she seems to be obsessed with the guy.

Peter F. said...

Anon,

Interesting you say that. I have this feeling that Selena Roberts has such an incredible crush on AROD and realized that he would never look twice at her, so like a girl in the school yeard who kicks you in the shins because she likes you, she continues to slander him. How about the timing of it all? Coincidence that AROD is ready to come back and the story breaks...I think not!
HERE IS ALL I WISH FOR AS A YANKEE FAN: When the media circus swarms around AROD and starts asking about this new round of allegations, he says, "GUYS, I HAVE TURNED OVER A NEW LEAF. I AM HERE TO PLAY BASEBALL AND WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES. I WILL NOT DISCUSS ANYTHING OTHER THAN TODAY AND TOMORROW'S BASEBALL GAME. PERIOD."

SteveB said...

Vinsanity13, baseball is the greatest sport ever invented. People say it's slow, boring, because they don't see enough action on the field. But when you 'get into it', and play along with what the manager, pitcher & batter are all thinking with every pitch, & then see how subtle things can affect the game, like how the fielders edge one way or the other depending on the game situation & pitch selections, baseball becomes an exciting ballgame for every single pitch throughout all nine innings. --Sometimes moving just a couple of feet on a hunch may change the whole ballgame - see 1978 Yankees-RedSox playoff game, inning 9, RF Lou Piniella during Jim Rice's at-bat (I think it was Rice anyway). Lou moving a couple of feet over before the pitch affected the game just as much as Dent's HR did. Don Zimmer even mentions it in his autobiography.

Besides that, ballplayers are human, just like we are. They are not flawless. They look for any edge they can, and that's been going on forever & always will, particularly because of how much money is involved now. All you can do is set up the rules & enforce them as best as you can.

Anonymous said...

Snooze fest. yeah well whatever selena. people are sick of all this roid talk. most athletes have stuff in their past whether its roids, drugs, booze, women, gambling, guns. you could fill an encyclopedia with past and present nba and nfl players issues

SteveB said...

Hey Peter F-- unfortunately A-Rod has a knack for putting his foot in his mouth every time he opens it & the media knows it. Another reason it will be a long time before it goes away.

This book was supposed to be released in April, at the start of the season, but was pushed back to coincide with A-Rod's return. It goes back to my lack of scruples comment above.

Mario said...

Steroids will never even begin to go away until baseball gets rid of @ least 2 people, BUD SELIG & DONALD FEHR among others... The union needs to be broken & their antitrust excemption needs to be taken away, that will begin to help...

Mario said...

yeah me too, someone needs to leak the other 103 names....

Vinsanity13 said...

SteveB, don't get me wrong, I never said baseball wasn't the greatest sport in the world, I deeply think that.

I just said that A-Rod really challenges my "fanness". But I remain faithfull.

Greg Cohen said...

Mario, you're right. Nothing will change until those two are gone. They are the ones that really should take much of the blame for this. It happened on their watch.

Anonymous said...

fuck you selena roberts

Anonymous said...

^^^Agree. This steroid era was fading out until she came along and tries to make a quick buck.

Anonymous said...

BITCH TITS!!!!

ROFLMAO

Anonymous said...

Selena Roberts is an idiot. She is single handedly dismantalling the sport of baseball...and for what? The person gain of turning a very small profit on what will be a terribly unsuccessful book? Sports has given Selena Roberts her entire career as a sports writer and what is she giving back? I hope that not only all Yankees fans but ALL FANS OF BASEBALL decide to never buy this book as it will be supporting Selenas selfish and ruthless attempt at ruining the sport and ruining the repuations of the athletes we love. People can say what they want about Arod, but the truth is, Arod is not the tragedy in baseball, Selena Roberts is.

Mike B. said...

I surely hope that all of the names are revealed one day soon. It might never happen, but I can hope....

Mike

Anonymous said...

LOL people like selena roberts should get whats coming to them, what gives them the right to write such crap about a person and not have to suffer any consequences. FOR SHAME.
i mean the stuff about him stealing signs REALLY????? . o wait thats right every fucking player tries to do that , wow selena i hope you choke on that fucking money.

Anonymous said...

and Roberts delaying the release until around the same time Arod starts playing baseball again....absolutely heartless. I wish I had her email address so I could send hate mail to her everyday for the rest of her life.

Danny said...

All of sound like such Bond's appologists. These are adults who knew they were doing something wrong, stop with the phony outrage because a Yankee happens to be involved now.
Did anyone put a gun to A-Rod's head and make him live on front street all the time?
Was it the media that made him make his failing marriage a spectacle?
Was it the media who made him put himself out there and opt out of a contract in the middle of the world series?

He makes himself the show.
This is what happens when you are constantly putting yourself outhere with no thought whatsoever.

NY Sports Jerk said...

Selena Roberts is a hack. I've had it with her nonsense and wrote a lengthy criticism of her today.

http://newyorksportsjerk.blogspot.com/2009/04/awwww-christ-here-we-go-again.html

Danny said...

Dude, A-Rod is not the victim here. He's been paid a lot of money to play baseball based on the perception that he was the most talented clean player in the game.

Anonymous said...

Arod gets alot of money for playing baseball very true and Hey he cheated .At least he doesnt make his money by detroying other peoples lives. I mean Selina did do this twice right ? Anyone remember how she made up the whole " Duke Rape Thing" and got fired from the NY Times??

Danny said...

Anonymous you're absolutely right Selina Roberts should be forced to answer for ruining those young men's lives. The point I'm making is that A-Rod has had a very big hand in the downward spiral his life has taken. Those kids were innocent victims who made easy targets based on the fact that they were perceived to be white privileged athletes, so they made easy villains. A-Rod was nothing but loved nation wide, he did most of the damage himself to his reputation.