A-Rod Tested Positive for PEDs
According to four independent sources, SI is reporting that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs 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.
A-Rod was approached by reporters at a Miami gym, and he did not deny the accusations:
“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.”
Reportedly, Rodriguez tested positive for both testosterone and a steroid known as Primobolan.
About the Author
Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers.
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I guess Jose Canseco was right, again…
As I’ve always maintained, to the displeasure of some — as slimy as he comes off, Jose Canseco was likely right and not making anything up. Not “right” for what he did…….but probably for the percentage he’d cited only a few short years ago.
All of the names we’d read in his book have shown up so far — and really, I feel that there’ll be plenty more whispers of the names that are still out there.
“Talk to the Union” — speaks to me that the man has nothing to say for himself. And again, the pass the buck mentality that has become the hallmark of almost every athlete in MLB is no one’s problem but their own.
Joe….being around the game at the collegiate level for such a long time, you know how this goes.
This is why anytime a steroid/PED story is discussed, I’ll chime in with the usual tagline of “if you really knew the extent of this problem….and all of the players involved……your head would spin.”
If half of the players on my high school baseball team were on them, and stepping it up even further — even more of my collegiate teammates — then what makes anyone think that guys being paid millions of dollars wouldn’t be doing so to keep their mega-millions in cash-flow coming in?
I had gotten a text message from my friend at the MLB Network on Friday night around 8pm-ish, that whispers of “a major story” that was about to break.
…..lo and behold, by Midnight, I’d found out from him what it actually was….and really, it doesn’t come across as shocking in the least bit.
Have to agree, ‘nutz. Personally I did know for certain of some baseball players juicing through my many years of amateur baseball (though none on my college team), and suspected dozens of others. Looking back, the painful thing is realizing that many of the people I played against, and competed with for a pro contract, were juicing while I remained clean. There’s a GREAT article in Reader’s Digest about Sal Fasano here:
http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/baseball-player-contemplates-steriod-use/article89787.html
If I hear one more jackass on the radio or in the newspapers say something like “well, steroids don’t make that much of a difference because you still have to have hand-eye coordination, and the ability to hit a baseball”, I’m going to scream.
Joe/nutz-
Thanks for that insight, very illuminating. Indeed, given the amount of money involved in these contracts (even for scrubs) its almost illogical NOT to PED up, especially with so many around you doing it.
Question: why the disparity vis-a-vis football? Shawne Merriman is defensive player of the year, gets caught, serves four game suspension and then is right back in the running for DPOY again this year, even with the missed four games. A-rod’s legacy is ‘in shambles’. Is it really as simple as (as I’ve seen suggested) the football helmets obscure faces, leading to less of a personal connection to the player as opposed to baseball? We all know what Eli manning looks like, but david diehl? Aaron Ross? Derrick Ward? Whereas I would have no trouble recognizing any Met on the street, from DWright to carlos muniz…