Alex Rodriguez Admits Steroid Use As A Ranger: UPDATED VIDEO

***UPDATED 3:35PM*** Scroll down to watch A-Rod admit using steroids to ESPN's Peter Gammons

NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez admitted Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03 when he played for the Texas Rangers.

"Back then it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid," the New York Yankees star said in an interview with ESPN. "I was naive, and I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, you know _ and being one of the greatest players of all time.

His admission came two days after Sports Illustrated reported he tested positive for steroids in 2003, one of 104 players who tested positive during baseball's survey testing, which wasn't subject to discipline.

"It was such a loosey-goosey era. I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naive, not asking all the right questions," Rodriguez said. "To be quite honest, I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using."

SI.com reported he tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone.

"And I did take a banned substance and, you know, for that I'm very sorry and deeply regretful. And although it was the culture back then and Major League Baseball overall was very _ I just feel that _ You know, I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time. I'm sorry to fans. I'm sorry for my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I ever thought about substance of any kind, and since then I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that."

Rodriguez directly contradicted a December 2007 interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," when he said, "No" when asked whether he's ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance.

"I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field," he said then. "I felt that if I did my, my work as I've done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level."

Comments

[wordvarc]

Steroids and Madonna.

A "Cheater."

A-Rod's sideways.

He was pride before a deep fall.

From great potential to most expensive player; now and forever a "Cheat".

Other sports tolerate thugs and cheaters but this is Baseball, 'America's Game.'

[spiderbucket]

Boycott PRO sports until their salaries and ticket prices come back down to Earth.

[plzchuteme]

AND continue to boycott baseball until they send Bud Selig packing and bring back Judge Kenesaw
Mountain Landis.

[Mulvaney]

A-Rod, Bonds, McGuire, Clemons. What is the Hall of Fame to do? And will A-Rod's baseballs have an asterisk on them? Or will the fact that he has several years remaining on his Yankee contract mean that his steroid use as a Ranger be forgiven?

[wordvarc]

He'd be banned for betting $20 on a game but is allowed to admit (at least) 3 years of steroid use?

Without severe consequences the game will be further diminished.

[blackhole2008]

SO, why did MLB commision this big investigative study on steriod use last year, when it already had these test results?

[foxfan]

By agreement with the playr's union these test results were supposed to be anonymous and were to have been destroyed.

[blackhole2008]

A-Roid

[Biff Stiffley]

Wow! That is SOOOO clever!

[RBN]

Doesn't Elijah Cummings have something better to than to call A-Rod testify in congress? This guy Cummings is a clown.

[GrainOSand]

What -- there is no superman or wonder woman? Stop the frickin’ presses. Let us ponder this astounding realization for the next ten years or so. Let us rewrite the history books, and pretend we did not know that we would reap what we sow. The perversions of humankind as they play out in valuation or market consideration...is telling.

Do you know about Christmas time in July? Do you know that all role models live inside of hearts that are open and minds that are clear, inside of you and you and you. Do you know that love for your fellow person must be sincere? Our wishes, prayers, and hopes go out for Mr. Rodriguez. Only haters begrudge him his wealth when they consume (feed) the very system that perverts his value. That is what is behind much of the outrage -- haterism, many wish to trade places with the brother. Cheating is wrong...no doubt about it. The cheating that goes on in sports where performance is enhanced though illegal substances is but a microcosmic example of a systemic problem. Who should have made more money on 9/11 -- the firefighters and police officers or the CEO’s? Yet the valuation says that CEO’s are worth ten to one hundred times what a true public servant is. The skids are greased all over America and we know it.

“Everybody knows the system is rotten”

...and the old mule skinner said, you got to get your priorities straight son...times is hard.

[carnelld]

I wonder will A-Rod be hounded out of baseball like Barry Bonds ? I wonder if Anyone will call for A-Rod's home runs not to count as they have done with Barry Bonds?

I wonder if Major League Baseball teams will conspire against A-Rod and not allow him to play baseball as they did Barry Bonds this year?

Oh...........I forgot. Barry Bonds is Black.

[Eriq]

What are you saying? That Bonds should be given a free pass because of his race? That makes you a racist, carnelld.
Better think these things through a bit better before posting.

[Nobrun]

I got the exact opposite: that A-Rod should not be given a free pass because of his race.

[plzchuteme]

Barry Bonds was not hounded out of baseball. He got old and hurt and could not play the field anymore. Just because he wanted to play another year doesn't mean that he should, or that anyone wants to pay handsomely for a washed up player. Besides, Barry Bonds is nor Mr. Personality and does your clubhouse no good unless he is producing big time. I didn't see clubs lining up to sign Roger Clemons this past year and he arguably could have been more productive than Bonds.

[Biff Stiffley]

Actually Barry Bonds was forced out of baseball. His last year he played 126 games, hit .276 with 28 HR and knocked in 66 RBIs. He also got on base 48% of the time, which is phenomenal. He still had plenty in the tank. There is plenty of evidence that several teams were interested in signing him, but then mysteriously changed their minds.

[opines]

Because Alex Rodriguez is unpopular with much of the baseball media, his vilification for steroid use will be over-the-top compared to more popular (with the media) admitted users, e.g., Andy Pettitte.

Because the use was so widespread and the uncertainty over who used and who didn't, Commissioner Selig should proclaim that the years, say 1978 to 2008 will be known as the Steroid Era and an asterisk applied to all records during that era.

Though unfair to non-users, the impossibility of knowing who did and who didn't makes it unfair to single out admitted users or suspected users for special penalties.

From 2009 forward, the punishment should be 10 year banishment from baseball if steroid use is proven. But absent leadership from Selig, the media will continue to selectively vilify those they dislike and the attendant distraction from the onfield competition will continue to tarnish Major League Baseball.

[plzchuteme]

We don't know all of the people who have committed murder either, so does that mean that we should not sanction those who we do know about?

[RogerTheShrubber]

I was astonished last night that a Washington Post reporter wasted valuable time at Obama's press conference by asking about his position on Rodriguez' admission. With everything going on in our country and the world, this clown throws a softball (pun intended) about something that pales in comparison to everything on the President's desk. Professional sports are contributing to the decline of this country, IMHO.

[JSDKoeln]

I know. I think that that reporter needs a new job. I am so tired of people knowing more about sports than how the government works. sports are not going to save the country... not sure government will either, but at least it's its job to try to do so!

[bongstradamus]

I agree, I kinda wish Obama had politely said, "This is not why we are having a press conference, we can talk about A-Rod some other time."

Obama needs to be able to keep on message, not make a huge left turn to talk about baseball. That reporter should have known better than to ask that question as it has no bearing on the Presidency or the situation the nation finds itself in.

Keep it on the sports page.

[Biff Stiffley]

What everyone here should be worried about is the illegal seizure of the drug test information by the federal government. The feds' original warrant was for the 10 players that were associated with BALCO. When the MLB went to destroy the rest of the records, as per their agreement with the Player's Union, the government quickly increased the scope of their warrant and seized the entire batch of results. All of this occurred back in November 2003. Since then 3 different federal judges in 3 different jurisdictions have ruled the governments seizure unconstitutional. Each time the Feds have appealed, the latest appeal taking place on December 2008. A ruling has not come forth yet. If it goes like the previous 3, the feds will lose that one too. These results were leaked in order to make the upcoming ruling impotent.
Link: http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/pdf/20090209_mlbpa_statement.pdf

[Benmyoho]

They say that steroids shrivel your manhood. Could this be why Esther (aka Madonna) gives A-Rod the cold shoulder treatment?

[ishok]

It's funny watching how the media goes through their "wow I'm so surprised "act... all over again.
Like groundhog day.

[mergina]

Who cares? Sports are a joke in America. These greed jockies don't play the game for the love of it as they did so long ago. They are in it for the Money, and if turning themselves into an injected thing to make themselves more appealing in hopes of cashing in, they do. Baseball totally died 2-3 greedy strikes ago.
How anyone can be a fan of present day sports is a mystery to me.

[JSDKoeln]

Well... I agree that sports are a joke in America, but I don't blame the players. It's how the business is set up--and, more importantly, it what the American public demands. The players are just doing what is needed to play a game they love or once loved. Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is. America is so obsessed with bigger and better. Well, that's the only way these footballers and baseballer, etc., can get there! There is enough blame to go round and round!

[Operation-Nation]

Barack Obama, and many others, are naive about baseball. The presidents exact words were, "If you're a fan of Major League Baseball, I think it tarnishes an entire era, to some degree. And it's unfortunate because I think there were a lot of ballplayers who played it straight." Sure the few guys who didn't cash in during the "Steroid Era" played it straight. You have to give Alex Rodriguez credit for basically doing everything he humanly could to EARN that $25.2 million per year salary he seemingly feels guilty about collecting. Two important points that continue getting lost in this whole thing: steroids were not banned from baseball prior to 2004 and the test these people obtained on A-rod from 2003 were supposed to be confidential. So much for trusting your employer. Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks says he felt, "personally betrayed" when he heard this news. All A-Rod did was try his best to maximize Hick's investment. And Hick's repays him with insults. The president is absolutely correct about college football needing a playoff; but dead wrong about A-rod and major league baseball.

http://www.operation-nation.com