Alex Rodriguez admits illegal drug use

[Benevolent One]

Alex Rodriguez "admitted" using performance enhancing substances from 2001-2003 while in Texas with the Rangers. He would not say what the exact drugs he took were, but said they were illegal performance enhancers. When asked what kind he took he claims that he didn't know exactly what they were. He also carefully avoided the word "steroids".

The reason he "came clean" was because word leaked out that he failed a steroid test in 2003. That test showed two different types of illegal substances. He is hoping to control the damage done by this discovery. He is still hoping to get into the Hall of Fame and hopes that by admitting to this brief time period of usage he can still have 15 years or so where he was allegedly "clean" to earn HOF admission.

First of all, there is no way I believe that he only did this for 3 years or that he doesn't know exactly what he took. This is damage control PR at it's finest.

Secondly, who cares how long he took it? Either he cheated or he didn't. Obviously he did. He lied about it over and over in interviews over the years, but now we are supposed to believe that he is telling the "whole truth" now.

Yeah Ok, A-Fraud anything you say.

 

[Mopardh9]

The more i thought about what AROD said in his interview the more i thought he was just doing it so he could plead his case to the Hall of Fame. He doesn't want to miss out on that, on all his records, and the such. Too bad AROD... you will always be associated with PEDs, no matter how much you say you are sorry. I wonder how many other names will be leaked of the 104?

 

[mike honcho]

Didn't like him then and don't like him now.Can't really believe he's made it this far.He's a joke.

 

[barelypure]

Put aside the personalities, what should be done about steriod use? Testing always lags way behind the drug creation. Some of the stuff you don't know they've used even if you test the next day. The allegations are a result of circumstantial evidence (muscle gain, mood, etc.) and accusations rather than hard evidence. Should the MLB just say screw it do whatever just if you get caught by the Feds you pay the price.
Maybe Dayton needs a basement just for the cheaters.

 

[SlowNeasy]

i think the HOF voters will pay attention to whether players have been credibly accused of abusing steroids. they are performance enhancing drugs and imo disqualifies them for consideration in the HOF. bonds, a-rod, clemens (probably) and all others that abused the sport. it's that simple.

 

[buckaroo]

i think the HOF voters will pay attention to whether players have been credibly accused of abusing steroids. they are performance enhancing drugs and imo disqualifies them for consideration in the HOF. bonds, a-rod, clemens (probably) and all others that abused the sport. it's that simple.

The problem is, where do you draw the line? There are 103 other names on that list that hasn't been made public and we don't know how many others might have been juicing. It's gotten to the point that everyone is suspect.

 

[muggle not]

Life isn't always fair. Those that have been caught have no right in the HOF. There are many that did not take steroids. Not fair to them or to us the fans to say, I am sorry it was a mistake. Pay the price for the fraud they tried to pull on us.

 

[barelypure]

But that's why you'd have the Cheater's wing. Think how popular it would be in attracting even more visitors. Besides Pete Rose could get in then...

 

[buckaroo]

Life isn't always fair. Those that have been caught have no right in the HOF. There are many that did not take steroids. Not fair to them or to us the fans to say, I am sorry it was a mistake. Pay the price for the fraud they tried to pull on us.

If the union had destroyed those test results as they should have, we would have never known about A Rod. Would you agree that there could be players make the HOF that did juice but were never found out? That would surely be a mistake but then again, who would know. Poor A Rod was outed but we still don't know who those other 103 players are...yet.

 

[Benevolent One]

But that's why you'd have the Cheater's wing. Think how popular it would be in attracting even more visitors. Besides Pete Rose could get in then...

That's a pretty good idea. But then again, you'd have to move almost every player already in the Hall over to the cheater's wing for stealing signs, argueing that they caught a ball they know thay trapped, etc.

Ty Cobb was, by all accounts, one of the meanest, nastiest, dirtiest, most racist bastard that ever walked the planet. He's in the Hall, but guys like Pete Rose aren't. I'm not condoning what Pete did. I'm just saying that the Hall of Fame is supposed to be about your performance as a player. Rose has more hits than anyone who ever played the game. He should be in. If you want to put a note on his plaque that he bet on baseball while managing, fine.

 

[Benevolent One]

I don't know how you go about voting these guys into the Hall of Fame now.

There is no way you can know every player who cheated by using performance enhancing drugs. Therefore, without a positive test, it is just conjecture on who you think did it.

Not voting Mark McGwire in just doesn't make any sense to me. He hit over 600 home runs. It seems fairly obvious to many people that he did performance enhancers. You don't think it is possible that he got that big by using legal products like Andro (which was legal at the time he was taking it)?

It just seems really stupid to me that these voters are making such judgements without the facts being known.

 

[muggle not]

If the union had destroyed those test results as they should have, we would have never known about A Rod. Would you agree that there could be players make the HOF that did juice but were never found out? That would surely be a mistake but then again, who would know. Poor A Rod was outed but we still don't know who those other 103 players are...yet.

Yep, there probably will be some players that make the HOF that were cheaters. There are also some criminals that get away and will never be put in jail. However, those that are caught should be prosecuted and pay the fine. It is unfortunate that all the players that cheated aren't known. IMO, they have disgraced the game of baseball and themselves. I have no sympathy for A-Rod, to me his records are now meaningless.

There is no sport more important to me than baseball. I loved and played it from my childhood days. We played the game in "fields' and rode our bikes 10 miles to play kids in other towns. It is sad to see some players today that show no respect for the game. We had a team in our town that is now mentioned in the HOF for there love of the game, I was a few years too young to play for them but watched all of the home games:
Madera Pioneers

The MADERA PIONEERS were a local baseball team that played across CLEARFIELD COUNTY. the team was first organized in 1932, with the final season in 1946. they were titled the "playingist team in CLEARFIELD COUNTY." this title came from the fact that the PIONEERS played over 80 games per season, winning over 60% of their games each season. among the team members were:

Three PIONEERS went on to play professional baseball: MOHNAL, RUSSIN, & FENCHAK. RUSSIN played for MILWAUKEE and was later sold to LITTLE ROCK. now, the PIONEERS live on forever in the BASEBALL HALL OF FAME in COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. if you happen to visit the HALL OF FAME, look for the title "PIONEERS RESUME PLAY: WORK CONQUERS ALL."

 

[SlowNeasy]

I wouldn't vote Mark McGwire in. Ted Williams and Harmon Killebrew were pretty big men and I have no doubt that they earned their way into the HOF. If known steroid users get in without a medically approved need for them keep them out. Baseball should at least try to maintain it's integrity and fans should be able to believe that HOF'ers earned their way in. Yes some will slip in that didn't deserve it but at least TRY to maintain the HOF's integrity.

Does anyone really believe that Hank Aaron isn't the legitimate all time home run king instead of Bonds? Give me a break.

 

[buckaroo]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I've been known to clash before. What does HOF stand for anyway. Hall Of Fame. I ask you, is Mark McGwire famous or what. What made him famous? His accomplishments. While it hasn't been proven that he was a juicer, we all pretty much believe that he was but look at the public, they want to deny him because of what they think, not what has been proven. In those very early days, we don't know if any of those players were doping or not, but it wasn't something that was even looked at back then. Shoeless Joe is kept out of the HOF for what reason? One of the most storied ball players ever, and as it seems, he'll never be in the HOF. One of my all time baseball heroes is Mickey Mantle. As a kid, I looked up to that man with so much envy that I would fight anyone who said that Roger Maris was better. Yet the Mick was such a boozer that his antics made Charley Hustle look tame. And who's to say that his boozing didn't help him on the field. Maybe just a bit more aggressive who knows.

I'm not one who is going to say that using performance enhancing drugs is okay, but when you ban one, another can appear and so on. It's got to be a big headache with the union and baseball to try and keep up with all the new drugs etc. The 90's and much of the 00's will always be remembered as the juice years in baseball, and nothing will change that. Everyone who played during that time will be suspect and that just isn't right. I've listend to some of the players who have mentioned that and they worry that they will always be suspected of using the drugs, even if they didn't show any improvement. So far those who have been castigated for using drugs have been top performers anyway. Maybe they wouldn't have been as good, but they were already better than the others.

And why are some players pretty much given a pass while others aren't? If you admit, unless you are Barry Bonds, there is a sort of forgiveness. But if you don't admit it, you are guilty as charged. Doesn't seem very fair to me. This is one problem that MLB is having at the moment that has tarnished their sport. I'm sure they'll get over it just as the NFL pretty much has. But I guess until MLB has their Lyle Alzado, a man who dies from junicing, maybe it will continue.

 

[muggle not]

If anything, the drinking by Mantle and the Babe probably hurt their performance on the field.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on steroids and baseball. No one though will change my opinion on who should be in the HOF. I can almost quarantee you though that a Ted Williams and others of his generation would not consider steriods.

 

[barelypure]

Selig may strip Bonds of home run title
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig reportedly is considering restoring the home run crown to Hank Aaron, who lost it in 2007 to Barry Bonds.

Barry Bonds rookie card

 

[muggle not]

Selig may strip Bonds of home run title
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig reportedly is considering restoring the home run crown to Hank Aaron, who lost it in 2007 to Barry Bonds.

Barry Bonds rookie card

BP, did you have to show him in a "Pirate" uniform.

One of Barry Balco's teammates, after BB left the Pirates, stated that if you can think of the most obnoxious person you know, then multiply it by 100, that is Bonds.

 

[barelypure]

Well he was a Pirate when he was a rookie. What else would you expect the uniform to be? 6th in ROY voting and he had 16 homeruns. This was evidence of what was to come.

 

[muggle not]

Well he was a Pirate when he was a rookie. What else would you expect the uniform to be? 6th in ROY voting and he had 16 homeruns. This was evidence of what was to come.

Yeah, more muscles.

 

[Mopardh9]

i think the HOF voters will pay attention to whether players have been credibly accused of abusing steroids. they are performance enhancing drugs and imo disqualifies them for consideration in the HOF. bonds, a-rod, clemens (probably) and all others that abused the sport. it's that simple.

Yep, agree.

 

[Mopardh9]

If the union had destroyed those test results as they should have, we would have never known about A Rod. Would you agree that there could be players make the HOF that did juice but were never found out? That would surely be a mistake but then again, who would know. Poor A Rod was outed but we still don't know who those other 103 players are...yet.

Poor A-God? Come on mister stuck on himself is just playing to the masses to forgive and forget, the HOF means everything to him. All that really matters to Rodi s that he hits more home runs than Barry, makes it to the Hall, and his life will be complete. He could care less if he got their illegally.

 

[Mopardh9]

I don't know how you go about voting these guys into the Hall of Fame now.

There is no way you can know every player who cheated by using performance enhancing drugs. Therefore, without a positive test, it is just conjecture on who you think did it.

Not voting Mark McGwire in just doesn't make any sense to me. He hit over 600 home runs. It seems fairly obvious to many people that he did performance enhancers. You don't think it is possible that he got that big by using legal products like Andro (which was legal at the time he was taking it)?

It just seems really stupid to me that these voters are making such judgements without the facts being known.

Conseco looks like a genius now, everyone poo pooed him when his book came out. Now most if not all of what he said in his book is turning out to be true. Kind of ironic, that Conseco gets black balled when all he was doing was speaking the truth, or so it looks right now. I didn't read his book yet, but I think I will pick up a copy soon.

 

[Mopardh9]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I've been known to clash before. What does HOF stand for anyway. Hall Of Fame. I ask you, is Mark McGwire famous or what. What made him famous? His accomplishments. While it hasn't been proven that he was a juicer, we all pretty much believe that he was but look at the public, they want to deny him because of what they think, not what has been proven. In those very early days, we don't know if any of those players were doping or not, but it wasn't something that was even looked at back then. Shoeless Joe is kept out of the HOF for what reason? One of the most storied ball players ever, and as it seems, he'll never be in the HOF. One of my all time baseball heroes is Mickey Mantle. As a kid, I looked up to that man with so much envy that I would fight anyone who said that Roger Maris was better. Yet the Mick was such a boozer that his antics made Charley Hustle look tame. And who's to say that his boozing didn't help him on the field. Maybe just a bit more aggressive who knows.

I'm not one who is going to say that using performance enhancing drugs is okay, but when you ban one, another can appear and so on. It's got to be a big headache with the union and baseball to try and keep up with all the new drugs etc. The 90's and much of the 00's will always be remembered as the juice years in baseball, and nothing will change that. Everyone who played during that time will be suspect and that just isn't right. I've listend to some of the players who have mentioned that and they worry that they will always be suspected of using the drugs, even if they didn't show any improvement. So far those who have been castigated for using drugs have been top performers anyway. Maybe they wouldn't have been as good, but they were already better than the others.

And why are some players pretty much given a pass while others aren't? If you admit, unless you are Barry Bonds, there is a sort of forgiveness. But if you don't admit it, you are guilty as charged. Doesn't seem very fair to me. This is one problem that MLB is having at the moment that has tarnished their sport. I'm sure they'll get over it just as the NFL pretty much has. But I guess until MLB has their Lyle Alzado, a man who dies from junicing, maybe it will continue.

The thing is Buck, MLB encouraged it to "save" the sport when Mack and Sammy were having their home run battle. It put fans in the stands and money in their pockets. You can't tell me that MLB did not know that Mack and Sammy where juicing back then, they just looked a blind eye, hoping the problem would right it self. It did not and blew up in MLBs' face, now they are dealing with something that they helped create. The Union hasn't exactly been a Saint in all of this either, but then again that is what it is there for....to protect its' players. Right now the best thing would be to expose the 104 to the public, let those that were found guilty deal with the consequences. As for a player by the name of Clemens, who I looked up to( DH Red Sox fan from the age of 5), as much as i hated to see him in that Yankee uniform......buddy rot in hell. I hate to say that, but Clemens is not worthy of ever being in the Hall...ever

 

[muggle not]

Any ballplayer known to have taken steroids has no place in the HOF.

At best they should have an asterisk next to their name - * Hall of Shame!

On another related subject. Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth were 2 of the best Home Run hitters that did it honestly. The other guy that would have been in their league if not for injuries the last 4 or 5 years is Ken Griffey, Jr. He has 611 Home Runs and he did it the right way, without steroids. If not for his injuries he would probably have been the best of all time in that category, and, he was a great fielder.

 

[buckaroo]

One more thing on this and I'm done with this problem, and it is a big problem. I've been to one HOF in my life, the NFL Hall of Fame. It was okay and it brought back a lot of memories, but as far as I'm concerned, any HOF is just there to make money and doesn't mean all that much to me. Apparently it does to many people. It sort of reminds me of those award shows that we used to watch on TV every year. Maybe there would be two that we all pretty much watched. These days there is one of those shows on every week it seems and they carry much less weight than they used to. I know it's a big deal to get in the the MLB HOF, NFL HOF, etc. but with all the problems, all the new HOFs, etc., their meaning is less and less every year. I don't know if MLB will ever get over the doping scandals that have cropped up, but one day this era will be known with the old asteresk and there will always be someone who suspected that most every used something or another.

Muggle, another question for you if you don't mind. First off I agree that it's crazy for any ballplayer to use what is now call performance enhancing drugs, but the question is this, how do we define those drugs? We have all seen players, especially NFL pros get hurt during a game and they go into the locker room to get a "shot" that will help them to return to the game. Probably novocain so they can continue. Now isn't that a performance enhancing drug? I mean without it they wouldn't even be able to play. Through the years medicine has come a long way to helping people live and it's when people have used those drugs for other than intended use that has brought about so many problems whether it's in sports, or just recreational use. Wasn't it David Wells who said that he was high on drugs when he pitched that perfect game? I know soon after he did it he said that he had a bad hangover, but it seems that of late he admitted to being high. Anyway what with all the money that is involved in sports, these guys believe they can get away with anything. Maybe we just put those guys on a pedestal that is too high, and the HOF is definately a high pedestal.

 

[Mopardh9]

would have been in their league if not for injuries the last 4 or 5 years is Ken Griffey, Jr.

How do you know he didn't Juice? The way I look at it....they are all suspect, every player that has played in the MLB in the last 15 years is suspect to doing some kind of Juice. I'm sure that most are clean...

 

[SlowNeasy]

The way I look at it....they are all suspect, every player that has played in the MLB in the last 15 years is supect to doing some kind of Juice.

sad to say it but i think a lot, if not most fans agree. all except for derek jeter of course <g>

 

[muggle not]

would have been in their league if not for injuries the last 4 or 5 years is Ken Griffey, Jr.

How do you know he didn't Juice? The way I look at it....they are all suspect, every player that has played in the MLB in the last 15 years is supect to doing some kind of Juice. I'm sure that most are clean...

That is the sad thing about the damge done by those that did the steroids. They have made all players suspect. Griffey is one that I would bet on that did not take steroids.

 

[Mopardh9]

That is the sad thing about the damge done by those that did the steroids. They have made all players suspect. Griffey is one that I would bet on that did not take steroids.

I'd like to say that too, but You will never really know. I said that about Clemens 7 years ago, no way ...he wouldn't, how dare he even think to. But now look at the scoundrel, he was a favorite player of mine , but sadly he will always be looked upon by me now as a cheater and a liar.

 

[buckaroo]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on steroids and baseball. No one though will change my opinion on who should be in the HOF. I can almost quarantee you though that a Ted Williams and others of his generation would not consider steriods.

How about Amphetamines? The drug is illegal except with a prescription, but here's what HOFer Mike Schmidt says...

Amphetamines "have been around the game forever", the Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt writes in his new book, Clearing the Bases. "In my day," he says, they "were widely available in major league clubhouses. The pills energized players and helped get them through a tough series of games, a 162-game schedule played in 182 days. They were obtainable with a prescription," Schmidt writes, "but be under no illusion that the name on the bottle always coincided with the name of the player taking them before game time."

And this...

Schmidt doesn't acknowledge in the book that he used greenies, but in a telephone interview Sunday he said, "A couple times in my career I bit on it."
He added: "There were a few times in my career when I felt I needed help to get in there. I'm a victim; I admit to it. I'm not incriminating myself or players I played with to say we were on amphetamines our entire careers. I just wanted to see what they would do. It was a lack of will power. You had an impressionable young kid, and someone says, 'Man, you want to feel good?' If I had to do it over, I probably wouldn't do it. You can't put a 56-year-old head on a 28- year-old kid."

Amphetamines are now banned by the MLB, so should Mike have his name removed from the HOF?

 

[Mopardh9]

How about Amphetamines? The drug is illegal except with a prescription, but here's what HOFer Mike Schmidt says...
And this...
Amphetamines are now banned by the MLB, so should Mike have his name removed from the HOF?

Two different things here Buck, Speed wakes you up, but it does not alter your muscular composition like roids do. Totally different, that's like comparing a 4 cylinder 2.3 liter to a 427 big block.

 

[buckaroo]

Two different things here Buck, Speed wakes you up, but it does not alter your muscular composition like roids do. Totally different, that's like comparing a 4 cylinder 2.3 liter to a 427 big block.

Believe me, I know what speed is and does, and it is definately a performance enhancing drug. I was once awake for over 72 hours using the drug and when I was up, I was able to do much more than otherwise. You seem to want to ban only certain drugs, when they are all dangerous.

 

[Mopardh9]

Believe me, I know what speed is and does, and it is definately a performance enhancing drug. I was once awake for over 72 hours using the drug and when I was up, I was able to do much more than otherwise. You seem to want to ban only certain drugs, when they are all dangerous.

I didn't say that, never even mentioned the fact that I wanted to put in any stipulations did I? All I said was the two are very different, I took speed in college to cram for mid terms and finals. Nasty stuff, after you come down the crash is a very bad feeling. I have never done roids, although I have been exposed to them in the last 20 years working at various gyms and training with some guys that did them. This is just my opinion ok..... If taken scientifically, meaning doing your research, proper nutrition, proper dosing, sleep, training, ...ect, I think roids can be safe...to a point. Meaning just like anything else if abused they are lethal, just like alcohol, food, narcotics, ati-depression drugs...ect. In NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM am I condoning the use of steroids by any professional athelete, for one main reason it is illegal, secondly it is cheating under the rules, and third there are plenty of legal over the counter supplements that if taken correctly with proper nutrition and training will give an athelete great results. For that matter a normal person can achieve awesome results with over the counter supplements done correctly. Guys like A-Rod who "cheated" then come out and admit only partial truths really bug the crap out of me. As you can see A-Rods' story has changed quite a bit in the last 8-9 days. This will plague him the rest of his career, if you are going to admit to something, admit the whole truth , not just a partial truth. The Yankee clubhouse will be in turmoil this season, and I couldn't be happier becasue I am a lifetime Member of the Nation. Us Red Sox fans are eating this up.....lol.

 

[Benevolent One]

I almost feel sorry for somebody who will have to go through all the heckling, negative press, and other stuff A-Rod will go through for the rest of his career. I say "almost" because he totally brought this on himself. He has reaped exactly what he sowed. He did these drugs to increase his performance and to make a ton of money in the process. His performance is still better than any other player in the game and he still makes more money than any other player in the game. He can act as wounded as he wants in the media, but he still won.

 

[buckaroo]

I didn't say that, never even mentioned the fact that I wanted to put in any stipulations did I? .

All I'm trying to say is that if you are going to ban someone from the HOF for using performance enhancing drugs, then you're going to have to include ALL performance enhancing drugs and amphetamines are included in that category.

The biggest problem is that you open the door to something like this and that in turn opens another door. And ARod isn't doing the sport any favorites with the way he is handling his situation. The more he opens his mouth trying to explain, the more questions that come up. Then they start asking other players and former players and those guys in turn admit to something else. When it comes to banning someone from the HOF, will they judge the fact that what was done before it was banned, or will they look at it as cheating anyway? I think that it's pretty obvious that the majority of people believe that juicing is cheating, but I just wonder how far they are going to take that. If it's not banned, is it then cheating?

 

[Mopardh9]

Today a list of players was in the news linked to the A-Rod deal, sadly Pappi's name was on that list. I heard this on WEEI radio on my way home from work.....is nothing sacred anymore.

http://www.sportsofboston.com/2009/02/20/steroid-tainted-trainer-linked-to-a-rod-ortiz-pedro/

 

[SlowNeasy]

that's quite a list. mlb better do some major damage control (suspensions) or i see a lot of fans leaving the park.

 

[muggle not]

Today a list of players was in the news linked to the A-Rod deal, sadly Pappi's name was on that list. I heard this on WEEI radio on my way home from work.....is nothing sacred anymore.

http://www.sportsofboston.com/2009/02/20/steroid-tainted-trainer-linked-to-a-rod-ortiz-pedro/

Wow, that is quite an article. The plot thickens. MLB has a problem on their hands, players have a problem, and the Union had better start taking the problem seriously instead of simply defending the players.

 

[Mopardh9]

Wow, that is quite an article. The plot thickens. MLB has a problem on their hands, players have a problem, and the Union had better start taking the problem seriously instead of simply defending the players.

Both sides need to come clean and get everything out in the open. That is the only way that Baseball can move forward from this, if that is not done this will go on forever.

 

[buckaroo]

Both sides need to come clean and get everything out in the open. That is the only way that Baseball can move forward from this, if that is not done this will go on forever.

Isn't that the truth, and with the government involved, it still could go on forever.