A-Rod: I've Never Used Steroids

Tells Katie Couric He's Never Been Tempted To Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs

(CBS)  George Mitchell's blistering report detailing the illegal use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in baseball rocked the sports world this week. It implicated more than 80 players, some of the best in the game: MVP's, Cy Young Award winners, future Hall of Famers.

One baseball great who wasn't on the list is Alex Rodriguez. He's on track to become the home run king, surpassing the likes of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. But for all of his individual accomplishments and seemingly clean record, A-Rod has been a lightning rod for criticism -- for his poor performance in the postseason, for upstaging the World Series this year, and, most of all, for his staggering paycheck. And that was before he signed a new contract with the Yankees worth an estimated $300 million dollars. Katie Couric spoke with him just after the Mitchell Report was released.

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"For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?" Couric asked.

"No," Rodriguez replied.

Asked if he had ever been tempted to use any of those things, Rodriguez told Couric, "No."

"You never felt like, 'This guy's doing it, maybe I should look into this, too? He's getting better numbers, playing better ball,'" Couric asked.

"I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did 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. So, no," he replied.

But the Mitchell Report named names, including at least 16 current and former Yankees, like superstars Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens.

What's Rodriguez's reaction to this investigation?

"Katie, you're putting me in a tough spot. I mean, these are guys that I play with. They're my teammates. If anything comes of this, I will be extremely disappointed. And it will be a huge black eye on the game of baseball," he told Couric.

"It sounds like this is rampant. According to the Mitchell Report, every single club has a player using banned substances. Did you ever witness or hear about or even suspect this was going on?" Couric asked.

"You hear a lot of things. I mean, I came in 1993. And you heard whispers from the '80s and '90s. But I never saw anything. I never had raw evidence. And, quite frankly, I was probably a little bit too naïve when I first came up to understand the magnitude of all this," Rodriguez replied.

But there’s no escaping the magnitude of the scandal now. The Mitchell Report comes on the heels of Barry Bonds' recent indictment in San Francisco for perjury and obstruction of justice in a federal steroids investigation.

"Given this controversy, Alex, who do you think has the real homerun record? Barry Bonds at 762 or Hank Aaron 755?" Couric asked.

"Well, I think Barry Bonds. He has 762," Rodriguez said.

"But, he has an asterisk next to his name?" Couric remarked.

"Does he?" Rodriguez said. "Not yet."

"In the minds of many, he does," Couric said.

"The federal government is going to make its decision on that. Barry's been a phenomenal player. And I've really enjoyed watching him play. But, he's innocent 'til proven guilty," Rodriguez replied.

On the same day the Mitchell Report was front page news, A-Rod was making headlines as well. The Yankees announced he had been re-signed, breaking his own record-setting deal. He already had the highest paying contract in any team sport.

Asked why he thinks he gets so much grief over his salary, Rodriguez told Couric, "'Cause I make a lot of money."

"Your new contract is worth $300 million-plus. Are you worth it? Is any player worth that kind of salary?" Couric asked.

"I'm not sure," Rodriguez said. "I mean, that's not my job to evaluate or appraise players. I love to play baseball."

[letsgetreal1]

Just another bigshot jock, full of himself, although filthy rich. But that''s what Amerika''s all about, right?

[fstop100]

these guys get rich off of us. we buy the prodeucts they endorse

[lloydbest1]

"Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez says IF (my emphasis) there is truth in the Mitchell Report that accuses dozens of players of using steroids..."

"IF" Alex..."IF"?? C''mon!

You''re what? 31, 32 years old? Surely you''ve been around the block enough times to KNOW that performance enhancing drug use is rampant in Major League Baseball and that, if anything, Mitchell is understating the problem. It can not possibly have escaped your notice the incredible body changes and performance numbers that have taken place in players who are far too old to be able to generate with out a LOT of chemical help.
It''s not just steroids; it''s HGH, amphetemines, EPO and who-knows what else that is so severely impacting the credibility of the major leagues.
I don''t believe you "use" personally; or if you do, it is something relatively harmless. Definitely not steroids or HGH. I also think you are one of the greats (rafterman''s contrary opinions notwithstanding) and don''t need to.
But you and other great players who have a modicum of class need to step up and condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the culture of drug use to get an edge presently practised. It not only impacts the integrity of the game but your ability to negotiate those awesome salaries you guys command.

[tomar0317]

"IF"

[dzapple]

BASEBALL PLAYERS COVER UP FOR EACH OTHER, A SECRECT CODE, IF THEY DO SAY ANYTHING THEY WILL BE BLACK BALLED

[martin9p2]

What''s all this surprise about steroids in MLB? Am I just psychic, or was it obvious 20 years ago that some MLB players were 700% stronger than others, and that it HAD to be steroids? There was a guy in my high school class of 1978 who was HUGE, way back in 1978, and little ol'' me knew it was steroids even back then. Why all the surprise now? And how about the NFL? Isn''t in obvious that players are MUCH more HUGE than just a few years ago? Remember when Refrigerator Perry was a phenomenon because he was so huge, and now aren''t all the NFL players just HUGE? Am I correct to guess that steroid use in the NFL will be "discovered" a few years from now?

[denn034]

A well deserved black eye but, one tires of the harping on this.

[billpl-2009]

Thank God for A-Rod!!!!

...oh and butterfingered Romo WILL lose the big one for the Dallas Cowgirls...LOL

[macusweil]

Alex is a Yankee now and he will break in Pinstripes and without drugs the fat head''s all time HR record. He is one of the all time great players and NY has made a man out of him!!

[excoachken]

As a fifty year Yankee hater, I can honestly say that I became A-Rod''s biggest fan the night that Bondoid broke Henry''s record. I can''t wait for him to pass that blow up doll and own the Home Run record!

[Krazcarl]

pass the pills and water..

[edward1975-2009]

superchez: Each player was invited to come see the evidence and respond to it. None took the opportunity. Two players came voluntarily,Giambi and Thomas, so they have to blame themselves. You did notice how fast their hired mouthpieces reaponded. To bad the players wouldn''t do that.

[dontblameme3]

superchez:

First, if it''s anything, it''s libel (written), not slander (spoken). Second, this doesn''t qualify as libel. And it doesn''t take a lawyer to know that. Just spend 30 seconds on Wikipedia and you''ll realize you sound silly.

[gagott68]

I''m sure baseball''s lawyers crawled through it with a fine tooth comb to sort out any legal implications regarding potential defamation (covers slander and libel). Beside, truth is a defense to defamation and if the named players had an iota of a chance of prevailing on a defamation lawsuit, they''d file one in a heartbeat.

While you can''t criminally convict based on mere hearsay (evidentiary rules would preclude such evidence from being admitted in either a criminal or a civil court), the court of public opinion is open to all forms of information. And the verdict is in...

[pzunker]

Of course A-Rod hasn''t used steroids! He STINKS! There was that long period of time where he couldnt come close to touching the ball! Even if he was using the juice, he still stinks.

[dakota446]

Cansenco would sell out his own mother if it got him some attention. What a wasted piece of meat. A-rod deserves the benefit of the doubt. I love these critics. Any slob can criticize. A-rod derserves the credit for all of what he worked for and accomplished. Good for him.

[centristdem]

Let me start by saying that I''m a Red Sox fan. I don''t like A-Rod much. But I don''t believe for a second that he is or has been a steroid user. Not one shred of evidence has ever emerged linking him to a dealer or a steroid-linked trainer. His progression as a player is perfectly natural, including no sudden leaps or changes in performance. His physique shows no sign of steroid related bloating or unnatural muscles.

Canseco clearly had real dirt on a lot of former teammates and customers of his steroid suppliers. But A-Rod is neither. Canseco is just lashing out at big names, claiming everyone is as corrupt as he was. He did an important service by helping bring the full scope of steroid use to public notice, but now he really needs to shut up.

[kiskis1]

Sunday is the day targeted by GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul''s supporters for another fundraising push.



So, I''ll be sending my money in on Sunday for the simple reason Ron Paul is an honest man among charlatans and power seekers. And he gives me hope when it is in short supply.

It is also fun to think of what a Paul administration would do if the establishment allowed him to get that far.

Hope, truth and justice are in short supply in what is now the United States. When they are offered, they should be grabbed and protected like the rare treasures they have become. Ron Paul offers those things.

Certainly it is another David and Goliath struggle, and the Davids have rarely won since the original face-off. But, that is why we have hope.

[bmcwrites]

George Mitchell''s report -- and the reactions to it -- caused me to wonder how professional baseball might be different if Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul withdrew from the race for the White House and replaced Bud Selig as commissioner of baseball. Yes, what if Ron Paul was Commissioner of Baseball? He is, after all, against the War on Drugs.

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Why has this list all of the sudden come out now? Why? I think because someone was found guilty in the first place. Remember He does not want to lose His records that he broke through steroids so now everyone else is named so everyone else is to blame. Thus he gets to keep his HR records. Home run records!

[suomi78006]

I would like to hear a similar statement from Roger Clemmons. His statement that he never has been tested positive for steroids is merely a statement that no one has ever caught him by testing. We need a statement without waffle words.

[chas1112]

Base ball was dead before Steroids, players sucked, and clubs were going broke, not untill Mark Mcguire and sosa''s home run antics, did baseball have anything worthwhile to talk about. EVERYONE knew that these guys were juicing, but it saved the game and got everyone to buy new stadiums etc. WHO CARES, a profesional atlete is already several cuts above anyone average, and at that level of competition they should be able to put whatever they want into their body, this is the Job they have chosen, and they are doing it for Entertainment, there are no life and death situations going on that are som= important every person needs to comment on this ***. And a final though, I always here people say "Kids look up to Athletes", I think this is *** too, and if steroids are the worst thing they encounter, id take it over Rap music and booze any day. Those are also what comes to mind when you think of atletes, and alot of STD''s as well

[shoebox119]

The New York Yankees... #1 in payroll, but still can''''t buy a championship.

Now they''''re #1 in juiced players... Clemens, Pettitte, I count at least 22 current or former pinstriped supermen.

All their achievements are now tarnished and the Yankees'''' four World Series championships last decade can kiss my drug-free *ss!!

[shoebox119]

A-Rod not on the juice? Just look at his homerun totals before the now infamous year of 1998 and afterwards.

And since we don''t really know who was on steroids and who wasn''t, the game remains tainted at least back to 1998 or earlier. Wipe out all the record or get your asterisks ready by the hundreds.

In my book, the REAL homerun kings are Roger Maris and Hank Aaron.

[awmarvin05]

To single out the Yankees in all of this is just plain stupid. Every team had players and not only that most of the Yankee players implemented were there for a year or two at most! I am sure that wasn''t the first time or only time. Don''t just single out one team, I think it is so funny people try to lay blame to one team because of the winning history. Just look at whatever team you root for, there are cheaters every where, Yankees just stand out because they solidify the best. This whole era is tainted not just the Yankees, you people make me sick!

[toolmangler-2009]

When my father asked me who I was pulling for in the ''53 world series, I told him The "Yankees". He told me that there were only two teams in Baseball, The YANKEES and whomever they were playing. So I came away with the feeling that the YANKEES and the "Brooklyn" Dodgers were the ''only'' two teams in Baseball. Since then the field has narrowed aa bit because the Dodgers went to L.A. I can understand why A-Rod decided to stay and live or die (hypothetically) with the YANKEES, win, lose or draw, they ARE te greatest.

[mnm8674]

shoebox, you are a moron. A-Rod has been a great hitter since he came into the league. You need to go back and check your stats and stop making things up. How do you know if Hank Aaron or Maris did steroids? You don''t so shut your trap

[sanfelz]

When asked during spring training what he did during the off-season, A-Rod replied, "Worked hard." I thought then, and think now, that he said that to distingush himself from the juicers. During the season, he has helped Cano and Cabrera incorporate a workout program into their lifestyle. A-Rod seems to be a better ballplayer and a better negotiator than other players.

[shoebox119]

A-Roid, it''s only a matter of time. You''re part of the steroid era and you can''t deny it, you and your 518 homeruns don''t mean squat anymore, and mnm8674, sorry to burst your hero-like worship of a fallen superstar, who we now know never really was. Case closed.

Just like Marion Jones and Barry Bonds before you, they pass every drug test and said they didn''t use steroids either. A-Rod you are laughable.

[motom171]

A-Rod is putting up the same numbers now as he was with Texas and Seattle. He isn''t a cheater, and has only been implicated by that wife-beater "say it ain''t so"...Jose Cansuckass.

Continue to hate the Bombers, but lay off A-Rod...he is only the best player of this generation!

[motom171]

HR RBI
1994 Seattle Mariners 0 2
1995 Seattle Mariners 19 58
1996 Seattle Mariners 36 123
1997 Seattle Mariners 23 84 (injured)
1998 Seattle Mariners 42 124
1999 Seattle Mariners 42 111
2000 Seattle Mariners 41 132
2001 Texas Rangers 52 135
2002 Texas Rangers 57 142
2003 Texas Rangers 47 118
2004 New York Yankees 36 106
2005 New York Yankees 48 130
2006 New York Yankees 29 113
2007 New York Yankees 54 156

Looks consistent to me...his biggest numbers comming in his "prime"

[shoebox119]

Looks consistent to me...his biggest numbers comming in his "prime"

Posted by motom171

Yeah, A-Roid came into his "prime" just as the steroid era began: 1998. With a dozen other pinstriped supermen, his numbers and the Yankees'' last 4 championships aren''t worth a good wipe. Case closed.

[frb01]

A-rod is a lot of things that you don''t like in the modern athlete, if you look at his numbers there is no surge on HR''s like there was with the others. He has a grating type of personality that rubs a lot of people the wrong way, maybe he got on the wrong side of Jose, which I think is pretty easy to do.

[shoebox119]

As far as any true baseball fan is concerned, the game, as it once so beautifully was, ceased to exist after the strike of ''94. First they juiced the ball, then the players juiced themselves. The game''s a farce and belongs right down in the cellar with pro wrestling.

Viva la Aaron and Maris!! Your records are restored!!

[shoebox119]

Look at A-Roid''s face in the picture accompanying the above article. He''s freakin'' and there isn''t any doubt about it. And he KNOWS his whole career is being flushed down the sewer along with the sport once called baseball.

Another American invention bites the dust!

[ronrunner62]

Arod''s first full season in MLB was 1996 and Jose''s last was 2000 (he was out of action for long periods in a couple of his final seasons as well), so I''m not sure what Jose knows about Arod and

[ronrunner62]

Arod''s first full season in MLB was 1996 and Jose''s last was 2000 (he was out a lot during his last few seasons as well), so I''m not sure what Jose learned during that period of time (primarily the period before Arod established himself as a superstar)that would make him think Arod was "using." My guess is he figures that anyone with the numbers that Arod has put up from around 1998 to 2007 must be using performance-enhancing substances. I don''t particularly like Arod, but I''m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until something more substantial that Jose Canseco''s word comes along. I don''t see where he looks any more muscular now than he did with the Seattle Mariners several years ago, and as others have said, his numbers have been fairly consistent. The ones who are much more suspect are those who are playing into their 40''s and still performing as if they were in their early 30''s, and whose numbers are improving with age. If Arod is still whacking 45 HRs a year when he''s 42, I''ll be a little more suspect than I am now. Meanwhile, I say give him the benefit of the doubt.

[shoebox119]

Meanwhile, I say give him the benefit of the doubt.

Posted by ronrunner62

The key word here, ronrunner, is "doubt." With steroids sweeping over baseball like it has for the past ten years, ALL players, ALL stats, and ALL records have been cast into the shadow of doubt.

The same argument can be made to defend baseball''s no tolerance rule on betting on baseball... as soon as the fans begin to doubt whether or not the game is on the up-and-up, it doesn''t matter who did or didn''t do what, the integrity of the game has been comprised.

And here have the steroid era of baseball. Millions of fans, whether they want to admit it or not, will always harbor at least a shred of doubt or more, that their favorite player just might have been juiced at one time. And there you have it... the integrity of baseball just vanished on the wings of the Mitchell Report.

[wabash45]

Just because he has been tested and not shown any positive results means absolutely nothing! Until Baseball has a program to test for any performance enhancing drug, we will never know the truth for any of these guys. This whole thing is Baseballs fault and they need to do something or it will never change...

[shoebox119]

If I had paid for any single game ticket or season tickets to any MLB game during the past ten years, I would demand a refund! MLB suckered the fan faithful for big bucks by juicing the ball and looking the other way while the players juiced themselves. In other words, the well-meaning fan did NOT get what he paid for!!!

[samthetvcat]

Anybody know whether Jose Canseco ever played on the same team with A-Rod or had any trainer connection of any kind?

I don''t know what to think of Canseco''s credibility - like is he just a disgraced player trying to redeem himself by cleaning up baseball, or is it that since he got taken down he wants to take everybody he can with him - the whole game of baseball, as well as the star player with the big buck$? Like maybe he needed to stay close to the truth to show that he was being ''honest'' but now that he''s been proven right he might feel he can just bring up names because it''s impossible to prove a negative (that one has never taken steroids) and he ''wins'' just by casting that doubt?

And is this the first time Canseco''s ever brought up A-Rod''s name? Did he implicate him to Sen. Mitchell''s panel? I can''t wait to see Katie''s interview . . .

[samthetvcat]

PS What about Derek Jeter? He seems like he''s clean, you think? And Cal Rikpen (?)

I guess there''s different degrees too, the biggest abusers being those (LOL) puffy 40-yr old ''power'' hitters/pitchers - Bonds, McGuire, Clemens, then there might be some occasional dabblers (?) Yeah, better testing would be great, and maybe some statistics person ought to look at the player profiles and see if any of the players have odd stats . . .

And yeah if tickets weren''t already so out of my price range, I''d be really ticked (lol) . . .

[concerned_2]

Go Figure.... The Government themselves boast a saying "BE ALL YOU CAN BE" Maybe the athletes were trying to do just that. Well, I guess that the saying "BE ALL YOU CAN BE" only applies to the government trying to get more of our citizens to enlist into the service to fight in wars that should never have went on as long as they have. Bring our loved ones home! Heck, maybe they should check all the Old Codgers on capital hill for Viagra... You know... the other Growth Drug! lmao

[mksh21]

concerned_2, slip off your horned rim glasses, sip your whine and make out with your boyfriend. Freaking liberals

[concerned_2]

To mksh21 ... Your comment was so expected from what seems like a response from a closed minded person. But then again.... you sound like you need to think about what you said... "slip off your horned rim glasses, sip your whine and make out with your boyfriend. Freaking liberals" Hmm,... let me guess... the part about making out w/ my boyfriend... You must think of women as all being like the presidents special lady friends like Monica, Marilyn... the list goes on. I simply stated The government can use the saying "BE ALL YOU CAN BE". But the athletes can''t act upon it?... That''s kinda like being told "Think like the government or don''t think at all" Besides, I''m the Mother of a U.S. Marine that is in Iraq. Plus I have 4 nephews & 2 cousins that are over there in Iraq right now. I want all of our loved ones home NOW!

[samthetvcat]

concerned_2, not sure but I took it as him assuming you were a guy (?) :o

[craigflorida]

Canseco has proven much more credible than just about every player AND SELIG and the owners. He got blackballed from baseball. That says it all.

They hate whistle blowers. Ask Giambi. When he said everbody including MLB should come clean. SELIG went beserk. Come clean? Not he, the steroid commish whose family made millions because of the effect roids and short fences and small strike zones had in altering the game of baseball and blowing out all the Homerun and strikeout records!

[craigflorida]

Canseco was blackballed from baseball. That says it all. They hate whistle blowers. Ask Giambi who was severely threatened because he suggested baseball should come clean.

Canseco is the most credible person of all. Moreover, he knows a thing or two about steroids. He was a pioneer in its use!

[lucasnico]

the ticket you bought was for a baseball game.... to be entertained. there''s nothing in the contract about steroids.....relax, shoebox, because nobody cares