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A-Rod live blog
Our man Nick Cafardo is in Tampa to document today's highly anticipated Alex Rodriguez press conference, and following the controversial Yankees superstar's first formal chat with the media since he admitted using performance-enhancing substances, he will file a full report on Extra Bases.
In the meantime, we kept tabs on the whole scene with live updates and quotes as the press conference took place. Here's how the scene played out, from beginning to end . . .
* * *
So far, at 1:39 p.m., there's nothing but a bunch of reporters standing around holding notebooks. Perhaps A-Rod is still in dress rehearsal.
* * *
At 1:51 p.m.sharp, Rodriguez has at last arrived at the press conference, walking through a group of reporters and shaking several hands. Dressed in a black dress shirt and khakis, he's joined at the dais by general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi.
Several Yankees players are reportedly in attendance but are off camera. Thought they'd be more front and center. Hank Steinbrenner is also in there but not at the dais.
* * *
Rodriguez begins by reading from a prepared statement, opening with a plea for patience:
"I’m a little nervous, or a lot nervous, bear with me a little bit . . . I know I am in a position where I have to earn trust back . . . ”
* * *
Somewhat surprisingly, A-Rod is openly sharing the details of when, where and what he began using. He said he tried it with a cousin, "one stupider than the other." As he told Gammons, he said he used a steroid he knew as "bole" from 2001-03. His said he and his cousin decided it was "a good idea" to start using it, and that his cousin administered it to him. Rodriguez said he didn't know what he was doing with it, the effects it would have, or how to use it.
* * *
Rodriguez said he stopped using the drug when he had a serious neck injury in spring training 2003 and, sounding like an "Afterschool Special," was scared straight. He also noted that the drug testing program implemented by major league baseball after the 2003 season convinced him how serious the epidemic was and that he did not want to be involved.
“It isn’t lost on me the good fortune I received from playing baseball," Rodriguez said, continuing to read from his prepared statement, which appears to be multiple pages. "Like everyone else I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. The only way I know how to handle them is to learn from them and move forward. One thing I know for sure is that baseball is a lot bigger than Alex Rodriguez. And to my teammates . . . "
At the mention of his teammates, Rodriguez became choked up and stopped reading from his prepared statement. After a brief pause of about 20 seconds to compose himself, he stopped reading from the statement and the media was permitted to begin asking questions.
* * *
Rodriguez, who said he was "young and foolish" during his interview with Gammons even though he was 25 and a veteran of five full seasons when he began taking the drug, answered one question by noting that he missed out by not going to college and gaining the appropriate maturity:
“If I had a son I would definitely recommend going to college and having a chance to grow up, and I didn’t [do that]," he said.
And later: “I’m here to say that I’m sorry. I’m here to say that in some ways I wished I went to college, to have an opportunity to grow up at my own pace.”
And again, later: "I entered the game when I was 18. If I had a son, I would definitely recommend going to college and having the opportunity to grow up. And I didn't."
* * *
On what he gained physically from using steroids: “I’m not sure what the benefit was [of taking it].” He said it was half physical and half mental and felt more energy, but that the actual benefit "was hard to say. It's worth noting that Rodriguez hit 156 home runs in the three seasons he said he was using, including a career-high 57 in 2002.
On how the steroids were administered: "Injection," he said simply.
* * *
Interestingly -- and again falling back on the "Young And Stupid" defense -- Rodriguez seemed to indicate that he wasn't even sure he was using steroids.
“I didn’t think they were steroids," he said. "That again is part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter, it was pretty basic. It was really amateur hour. It was two guys doing a very amateur and immature thing. We probably didn’t even take it right.”
He said he took it two times a month.
* * *
Rodriguez had no interest in discussing his chances at setting the major league home run record:
"I'm trying to get by the day today," he said. "It's been a very difficult couple weeks for my family. And I'm here to take my medicine. . . . I'm sure there will be a lot of debates and a lot of question about everything I did in that period."
* * *
When asked if he ever tried human growth hormone or amphetamines, Rodriguez was quick to say he never tried HGH, but revealed he used a supplement during his time in Seattle called Ripped Fuel, which is now banned by the MLB.
When asked why he was so secretive about using Bole with his cousin (who he refused to name) if he didn't think it was illegal, he replied, “That’s a good question . . . I knew we weren’t taking Tic Tacs.” No further explanation was offered.
* * *
Rodriguez claimed he never saw or knew of anyone else using steroids, and added that he believes that the MLB's drug testing program is a good one.
* * *
When faced with the most blunt question so far, Rodriguez did not offer a straight answer.
In response to a very specific query from the New York Post's Joel Sherman on why he would inject something twice a month into his body if he claimed he didn't know what it was, he replied:
"It goes back to being young and being curious. I realized, thank God that I realized, that I was being silly and irresponsible, and I decided to stop. And I was a young guy."
Also, he was young. Did he mention that yet?
* * *
On why he lied to CBS's Katie Couric when she asked him in an interview a few years ago if he'd ever used steroids:
“I thought that since I didn’t hear about it for five years there was a chance that it was OK.”
In other words, he thought he had gotten away with it and it would never come up again.
* * *
Rodriguez clearly does not intend any acknowledgment or rumination on how the admission might affect his place in history. When asked if his stats from 2001-03 should be wiped out, he said curtly, “That’s not for me to decide.”
* * *
In his final comments of the press conference, Rodriguez came across as genuine, which as we know isn't always the case with him.
"The last 15 months have been very, very tough," he said when asked how this has affected him. "I’ve been through divorce. I’ve been through tabloids. You name it. I miss playing baseball, I miss simply playing baseball.
“Judge me from this day forward. That’s all I can ask for.”
The media was then informed the Q&A was over, sent off with a warning from the Yankees public relations person to not trample each other.
* * *
Click here for transcript of our live chat with the Globe's Tony Massarotti after A-Rod's press conference.
"pinkish-hued reporters"
What is the significance of this observation?
donde esta Afraud?
I wanted to be the first to say that this guy is full of malarkey!! He skirted the subject completely,constantly saying he was young after years of being considered one of the more articulate interviews in baseball he tried too come off as a naive young guy who never went to College, so he was ignorant to the ways of the atheletic world. I also don't believe the over the counter drug story,he's simply is throwing his so called Cousin under the bus by inferring that it was his Cousins idea.If his Cousins name is Jose Canseco then I could believe he came up with the idea.What a liar.......
My cousin ... who Vinny ??
hee, hee ...
what a farce ...
Of course Alex blows it by blaming it on youth. Come on A-Rod, you knew the medical name of the drug you injected (you're to vain not to care) and you knew exactly how to cycle it so quit hedging by saying "we probably didn't even take it right". What a wimp.
Where is teh question - "Why should we believe you now"? He lied straight faced to Couric and why would we believe him now. Can anybody show the evidence of the "neck issues" in this year he won the MVP?
A-Rod was young and bi-curious letting guys inject anything into him? That's a good way to get AIDS. Ask Robbie Alomar.
Give me a break! He makes this sound like he was "ignorant" and "naive" and because of his youth had no real clue as to the seriousness of his wrongdoing. And besides, he doesn't believe it helped him out that much. So I guess by that logic that makes it alright? This is not something new. Society has recognized steroids as something wrong for decades, regardless if MLB had it written in black and white. What blows my mind even more so is how someone like Rodriguez who is clearly physically gifted and talented, felt that he needed to cheat in order to succeed and excel. His sincerity seems little more than a cliche-riddled facade, It's fabricated as a means of career damage control. The fact of the matter is other than a poor public opinion of him, it's very unlikely he's ever going to get a real punishment- and he knows it. He will never have to return his salary, bonuses, or any other financial reward. He will not have to go to jail. And despite Selig's posturing, his statistical career is safe. There are many other players ahead of him who would be due punishment. He wants forgiveness. Nonsense, I hope fans are relentless towards him and torment him all season long. It would be a fitting punishment for the crime.
Time to move on. I have said in the past week I believe Alex made a mistake he admitted to. I am not just a Red Sox fan but a baseball fan. I will not be one of those like some,that will be chanting the A-Roid thing in Boston this year. I don't care if he plays for the Yankees,Red Sox,or whoever. He is a human being and made some mistakes. Leave him alone and move on.
Sorry..... You still sound GUILTY!!!!! I DO NOT BELIEVE HIM AT ALL!!!!!!!!! Man has all the talent and ability in the world for baseball. HE needed an artificial chemical to help him!!!! BOY!!!!
wow. what a man. i hope we get him in boston
he's so full of crap....he's been using for a while now. Anything that he, or any of them for that matter, is complete bull. They're all a bunch of liars. Every time any of them claims that they didn't use...a few years later they have to retract. Its ruined. That's all there is to it.
Well, all things being fair...Although I'm not really a fan of A-Rod, but he has earned my respect regarding this issue. If he was in fact genuinely sorry, then he deserves the benefit of the doubt. At least he was man enough to stand there, and accept whatever was going to be given to him. Unlike some of his predecessors, who we all know took steroids, but yet still deny it. He has EARNED my respect.
blah, blah, blah, I'm a liar and won't fess up even after I have been caught.
This is a roid-head still hedging his bets. On the one hand he admits he got injected by some unnamed idiot cousin. That's good. On the other he says we probably didn't even do it right. Are these two so stupid they don't know how to work a syringe between the two of them?
He will never learn. Everytime he tries to be too cute, he gets hammered. One step forward and two steps back. Look for the circus surrounding him to keep pounding him and the Curse of the Rod [no championships] to live on.
Sign me up for some of the magic "energy booster" isn't that what the put in a smoothie at jamba juice. Pretty sure that isn't the real banned substance he took and by pretty sure I mean not a shot in hell.
"It's worth noting that Rodriguez hit 156 home runs in the three seasons he said he was using, including a career-high 57 in 2002."
It's also worth noting that Rodriguez was playing in the most HR friendly park in the AL during those years. I've yet to see one study that shows the direct correlation between taking steroids and hitting HR's.
I love how people say "hey, he said he was sorry, move on." There is NO moving on with this. There are over 100 other people who tested positive. We need to know who the fraudsters are and run them outta town. A-Fraud, Barry Balco and Lying Roger all need to be dumped from the record books. The Steroid Era is a sham, the players that actively took these drugs are shams. If Pete Rose can get banned for gambling then these guys should be banned as well.
A-Roid fact check:
1. He was 26-28 between '01-'03. NOT 24 as he stated....over and over and over again.
2. He had 7 complete seasons under his belt. A "veteran" by 2001.
3. Canseco... Palmeiro... Camaniti...Rodriguez. All members of the 2001 Rangers. Quite a "loosey-goosey" lineup, eh?
He is another overpaid, mercenary PUNK.
Not a HOF candidate in my book.
Who cares anymore? It was a tainted error headed by a fraud of a commissioner. JF- What do you no believe? He is openly admitting his use of steroids- by not believing him are you suggesting that you do not believe he ever took them? Step back and rreally think about it.
We are supposed to believe that A-Rod's cousin was at fault? What, was Ty Law's cousin busy that day???
OTC injectables huh Aroid???
yeah they prob sell them right next to the multi-vitamins...
I agree with Ed. I am a fan of the Red Sox but a bigger fan of the game. There were 103 other players who tested positive. To be fair, there should be consequences for ALL or consequences for NONE. Let's move on.
I'm young. I'm stupid and naive.
I don't take the juice.
I'm 21 so does that mean I can take steroids and its ok? Stop with this made up crap A-roid, you are only digging yourself deeper.
I can't wait until that first yankees game, I can hear the chant now of 38,000 fans
A....ROID!
I like when he is upset and wants to address his teammates,when if you look closer you'll see him reach down for his water (which isn't there)and he has a somewhat surprised and confused look only to see that his water is on the table.
But it is reported on ESPN that A-Rod was "upset".
He is truly A-Fraud..... next time I get in a mess I will blame my nameless cousin too !!!!
Where can you buy over the counter syringes and steroids. I assume the stuff came from the D.R. Confirm, anyone?
A-Rod states -- at least twice, apparently -- that if he had a SON, he'd encourage the child to attend college. Interesting ... what about his two daughters ?
Was A-Roid being repentant because he regrets his actions, or is he just sorry he got caught? It sounds like the latter to me.
what a bunch of bull****!!!! Why would anyone ever believe him. He even lied to us when you were giving the interview to Peter Gammons (remember Selena Robets comments). Guy is a costantly liar. He even lies when he is trying to to come clean to the world. When is he ever going to tell the truth. I hope he never gets our trust back.
"I had no idea how this stuff was going to improve my game, but I decided to take it anyway!"
"My cousin told me that to take it...but he has no training in biology or medicine. It seemed like a good idea to listen to him!"
"It was over the counter in Venezuela, but it had to be injected!"
"I was young and foolish--I'd only been in the majors for 7 years!"
Clearly this story was invented to reduce his guilt in the public eye and to minimize his role in making the choice to take steroids. What fake, lying clown.
A-Rod is just icing on the whole steroid cake. What bothers me most about all of this is that all of these clowins were involved in illegal activities. Does their being professional athletes put them above the law? This has nothing to do with baseball rules. The fact that these things weren't banned by MLB at the time guys like A-Rod, Clemens, Bonds, and the others used them doesn't mean it was OK. It was AGAINST THE LAW! I was in the Navy. If I did what these guys did, my career and 33 years of service would have been over. If any of you regular people get caught with this stuff, you get arrested, go to court and may wind up in jail. You get a pass because you wear a Yankee uniform? That's BS.
I jam needles full of mystery substances from the Dominican into myself all the time for energy. I should have gone to college.
I agree with ED. I dislike Alex because he plays for the Yankees. He was a product of the culture of Baseball at the time. This is an issue that the owners brought forth by paying out these obscene contracts for hitting all those home runs and producing the results that these players achieved.Yet MLB did not have an appropriate testing mechanism in place to see if it was being done legitimately. Serilosly who benfited the most from this "era" ? The owners did. The values of there franchies went up and there revenues went up. Do you think the owners wanted to kill that golden goose? Not until they were forced to.
Alex,
After lying to Katie Couric on 60 Mins. and lying to Peter Gammons on ESPN, why do you expect us to believe you now? Are you capable of telling the truth? First you were innocent, then you were "set up" and now you claim you "were" ignorant. When are you going to take responsibility for your actions?
@Bat Insider
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