Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

[FlawlessVictory]

Sources tell SI Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

By Selena Roberts and David Epstein

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.

When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "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."

Phone messages left by SI for players' union executive director Donald Fehr were not returned.

Though MLB's drug policy has expressly prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991, there were no penalties for a positive test 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. The seizure took place in April 2004 as part of the government's investigation into 10 major league players linked to the BALCO scandal -- though Rodriguez himself has never been connected to BALCO.

The list of the 104 players whose urine samples tested positive is under seal in California. However, two sources familiar with the evidence that the government has gathered in its investigation of steroid use in baseball and two other sources with knowledge of the testing results have told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez is one of the 104 players identified as having tested positive, in his case for testosterone and an anabolic steroid known by the brand name Primobolan. All four sources spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the evidence.

Primobolan, which is also known by the chemical name methenolone, is an injected or orally administered drug that is more expensive than most steroids. (A 12-week cycle can cost $500.) It improves strength and maintains lean muscle with minimal bulk development, according to steroid experts, and has relatively few side effects. Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse employee who in 2007 pleaded guilty to illegal distribution of steroids to numerous major league players, described in his recent book, Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report, how players increasingly turned to drugs such as Primobolan in 2003, in part to avoid detection in testing. Primobolan is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin. According to a search of FDA records, Primobolan is not an approved prescription drug in the United States, nor was it in 2003. (Testosterone can be taken legally with an appropriate medical prescription.)

Rodriguez finished the 2003 season by winning his third straight league home run title (with 47) and the first of his three MVP awards.

Because more than 5% of big leaguers had tested positive in 2003, baseball instituted a mandatory random-testing program, with penalties, in '04. According to the 2007 Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball, in September 2004, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players' union, violated an agreement with MLB by tipping off a player (not named in the report) about an upcoming, supposedly unannounced drug test. Three major league players who spoke to SI said that Rodriguez was also tipped by Orza in early September 2004 that he would be tested later that month. Rodriguez declined to respond on Thursday when asked about the warning Orza provided him.

When Orza was asked on Friday in the union's New York City office about the tipping allegations, he told a reporter, "I'm not interested in discussing this information with you."

Anticipating that the 33-year-old Rodriguez, who has 553 career home runs, could become the game's alltime home run king, the Yankees signed him in November 2007 to a 10-year, incentive-laden deal that could be worth as much as $305 million. Rodriguez is reportedly guaranteed $275 million and could receive a $6 million bonus each time he ties one of the four players at the top of the list: Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762), and an additional $6 million for passing Bonds. In order to receive the incentive money, the contract reportedly requires Rodriguez to make extra promotional appearances and sign memorabilia for the Yankees as part of a marketing plan surrounding his pursuit of Bonds's record. Two sources familiar with Rodriguez's contract told SI that there is no language about steroids in the contract that would put Rodriguez at risk of losing money.

Arguments before an 11-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena are ongoing between government prosecutors and the players' association over the government's seizure of the test results from the Long Beach lab. The agents who collected the material had a search warrant only for the results for the 10 BALCO-linked players. Attorneys from the union argue that the government is entitled only to the results for those players, not the entire list. If the court sides with the union, federal authorities may be barred from using the positive survey test results of non-BALCO players such as Rodriguez in their ongoing investigations.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/index.html?eref=T1

 

[Kurosawa]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/index.html?eref=T1

As always, just like the in the (Red Sox board member) Mitchell report, no Boston players mentioned.

I'm to the point that I just flat-out hate baseball, sports and athletes in general. The world is ****.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Its hard to not be skeptical now when a player hits more than 30 home runs in a season. It's almost at that point. Pujols? Howard? Who knows. What am I supposed to think anymore.

It is interesting that no Boston players have surfaced yet, but that doesn't change the fact that these other players mentioned are guilty. I guess they have managed to not get caught.

Disappointing because we all know Bonds' all-time HR record is tainted but at least there was hope that A-Rod would break it and have it be legit. Well, that's out the window now.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Why would I wanna watch an athlete give 100% when I could watch them give 110%?

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

wow. if true, that's HUGE. I know A-Rod is kind of a tool and all but he's by far the greatest all around player of this generation. To have something like this hung on him would be a HUGE blow for MLB.

 

[The Chris]

My father's question is, how the hell did this get leaked? The Gov had all kinds of names and now this is leaked. He's wondering what else can get leaked from them. All around I'm very disappointed in this news. In Alex, the gov, everybody.

 

[souloffire]

Hank Aaron is still the all-time home run king.

 

[Excel]

Cant wait to see all the "A-roid" signs when he comes to Fenway this year.

 

[ih8nyy]

As always, just like the in the (Red Sox board member) Mitchell report, no Boston players mentioned.

I'm to the point that I just flat-out hate baseball, sports and athletes in general. The world is ****.

 

[StorminNorman]

When it comes to steroids I really don't give a damn.

I also hate the idea of changing records and putting asterisks and all that.

 

[Kurosawa]

Maybe I'm overreacting, good chance I am. It does make me sick that the media never goes after Boston players, but I'm just as disgusted at Alex. But I'm not surprised.

 

[BlackLantern]

anything Rodriguez does from this point forward is insignificant.....

 

[Spidey-Bat]

As always, just like the in the (Red Sox board member) Mitchell report, no Boston players mentioned.

I'm to the point that I just flat-out hate baseball, sports and athletes in general. The world is ****.

Manny Alexander, José Canseco, Paxton Crawford, Roger Clemens, Chris Donnels, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Lansing, Josias Manzanillo, Kent Mercker, Mike Stanton, Mo Vaughn, Steve Woodard were all Red Sox players named on the Mitchell Report. But I guess since it was no one big it doesn't matter.

This isn't about the Red Sox anyway.

 

[BlackLantern]

Manny Alexander, José Canseco, Paxton Crawford, Roger Clemens, Chris Donnels, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Lansing, Josias Manzanillo, Kent Mercker, Mike Stanton, Mo Vaughn, Steve Woodard were all Red Sox players named on the Mitchell Report. But I guess since it was no one big it doesn't matter.

Oh snap....someone just got BOST-OWNED!!!


sorry...couldn't resist

 

[Excel]

Manny Alexander, José Canseco, Paxton Crawford, Roger Clemens, Chris Donnels, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Lansing, Josias Manzanillo, Kent Mercker, Mike Stanton, Mo Vaughn, Steve Woodard were all Red Sox players named on the Mitchell Report. But I guess since it was no one big it doesn't matter.

This isn't about the Red Sox anyway.

Its stuff like this that makes me wonder ho much help roids really give somebody. Outside of Clemens and a few good seasons for Vaughn and Canseco, those guys sucked.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Hank Aaron is still the all-time home run king.

Indeed.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

when it comes to steroids i really don't give a damn.

I also hate the idea of changing records and putting asterisks and all that.

qft

 

[BlackLantern]

so for those of you who don't care about steroids...how would you feel if you walked into your 13 or 14 year olds room and saw him or her shooting up steroids so he or she could get size for football or some other sport he or she wanted to play??

 

[Poetic Chaos]

so for those of you who don't care about steroids...how would you feel if you walked into your 13 or 14 year olds room and saw him or her shooting up steroids so he or she could get size for football or some other sport he or she wanted to play??

Okay Mrs. Lovejoy. Let me think of the children in all of this.

 

[StorminNorman]

so for those of you who don't care about steroids...how would you feel if you walked into your 13 or 14 year olds room and saw him or her shooting up steroids so he or she could get size for football or some other sport he or she wanted to play??

I would introduce that son or daughter into a whole new world of discipline and then look at my performance as a parent.

 

[BlackLantern]

It's a trickle down effect....athletes take steroids and other performance enhancers to get better, it affects the level of play....college athletes see that the pros are getting bigger, faster, stronger and take steps to be able to compete at that level....HS kids see how bigger and faster the college game is....so on and so forth

 

[vindrow]

anything Rodriguez does from this point forward is insignificant.....

Actually, I would say anything he did from 2003 onward is insignificant.

 

[Kurosawa]

Manny Alexander, José Canseco, Paxton Crawford, Roger Clemens, Chris Donnels, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Lansing, Josias Manzanillo, Kent Mercker, Mike Stanton, Mo Vaughn, Steve Woodard were all Red Sox players named on the Mitchell Report. But I guess since it was no one big it doesn't matter.

This isn't about the Red Sox anyway.

The Pro-Boston Yankee hating media like NESPN completely represented the Mitchell report as "Former YANKEE (not Red Sox) Roger Clemens did steroids".

If there was a legit current Boston player on it, it wouldn't have seemed as biased.

The truth is, most pro athletes are filth as human beings anyway. They are coddled from the time they are teenagers, are generally idiots, and have no sense of decency or responsibility. Roid use is just the tip of what they get away with, including murder.

**** sports. I'm through with them.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

The Pro-Boston Yankee hating media like NESPN completely represented the Mitchell report as "Former YANKEE (not Red Sox) Roger Clemens did steroids".

Might have something to do with the fact that he hasn't been on the Red Sox for 11 years and was on the Yankees the season immediately before the Mitchell Report came out. But you're right, it's a conspiracy theory against the Yankees.

If there was a legit current Boston player on it, it wouldn't have seemed as biased.

What do you mean by "legit"? Anyway, Brendan Donnelly was on the Red Sox in 2007 and was busted for steroids in the Mithcell Report.

The Mitchell Report didn't get every single steroid user.

 

[BlackLantern]

Those working in MLB were extremely uncooperative with the Mitchell investigation....out of close to 500 personnel (players, coaches, support staff) only 87 were willing to work with the investigation....