Alex Rodriguez did the right thing by quickly coming clean about his use of steroids, and by most accounts he seemed forthright and genuine in his interview with Peter Gammons. Yes, parts of it seemed scripted (because, let's face it, they were), but overall he seemed contrite, which is really all fans can ask for after being subjected to the soap operas surrounding the likes of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.
A-Rod's Controversies
Days after a report that he tested positive for steroids during his American League MVP campaign in 2003, superstar Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs during his time with the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003.
Former manager Joe Torre's recently released book, 'The Yankee Years', included details of A-Rod's tumultuous stay with the Yankees. In the book, Torre claims A-Rod was known by teammates as "A-Fraud" and paints him as mentally fragile.
Rodriguez's decision not to play for the United States at the upcoming World Baseball Classic put him in the middle of another firestorm. A-Rod chose to join David Ortiz's Dominican squad over the nation of his birth.
There have also been rumors that Rodriguez dated pop star Madonna, with numerous reports of the two spending time together.
In May 2007, many called this slide into the Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia to break up a double play dirty, as part of the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
He filed for free agency during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, drawing the ire of fans and officials. Some accused A-Rod of trying to grab the spotlight as the Yankees' big rivals were closing in on their second title in four seasons. He later re-signed with New York.
The New York tabloids had a field day after the Yankees star was allegedly caught with a "mystery blonde" at the end of May of 2007. The woman was later identified as an exotic dancer, and his wife filed for divorce from him just over a year later, citing his infidelity.
Things have been frosty for A-Rod and Derek Jeter since Rodriguez dissed his buddy by saying Jeter was "never your concern" when facing the Yankees.
Despite being named AL MVP (48 homers, 130 RBI) in 2005, Yankee fans called out A-Rod by saying many of his homers came in meaningless situations.
A-Rod's awkward slap that knocked the ball from Bronson Arroyo's glove in the 2004 ALCS enhanced his reputation as a player who folded in the clutch.
That said, one thing did stand out in the interview: his bitterness toward Selena Roberts, the reporter who broke the story for Sports Illustrated.
Rodriguez also criticized Sports Illustrated and said Selena Roberts, one of its reporters who covered the story, stalked him. He also accused Roberts of trying to break into his home last week while his two daughters were sleeping. Sports Illustrated released a statement, saying it "stands by the story and the professional manner in which it was reported. Selena Roberts is a distinguished journalist and her reporting in this case led to Alex Rodriguez's admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs."
It's impossible to say whether Rodriguez is telling the truth, but on the surface the charges seem too outrageous to believe. Rodriguez may not appreciate Roberts airing his dirty laundry, but everything she's reported was verified by multiple sources, which is more than can be said for his off-the-wall allegations:
"The allegations made by Alex Rodriguez are absurd," said Roberts, in the statement. "I've never set foot in the lobby of Alex's New York apartment building, never spoken to the University of Miami police, and never set foot on his home property or been cited by the Miami Police for doing so."
Of course, that's not to say Roberts has been completely upfront about her intentions, either. It's not mentioned anywhere in her now famous article, but Roberts' interest in Rodriguez's private life goes beyond a positive steroid test in 2003.
As River Avenue Blues points out, she's also the author of an upcoming biography, "Hit and Run: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez". Amazon.com is accepting pre-orders and indicates it'll be released on May 19, 2009.
In other words, if Rodriguez wants to claim that Roberts has a personal stake in drumming up a witch hunt, well, he's right. But until he actually disputes any of Roberts' allegations (or actually has proof that Roberts conducted her investigation in an unethical manner), it's hard to take him seriously in the role of the victim.
Source mlb.fanhouse.com
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