Steroids in Baseball - The Orange Mane

AbileneBroncoFan · 02-07-2009, 09:51 AM

Report: A-Rod tested positive in 2003Comment Email Print ESPN.com news services

According to a report by Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, when he was with the Texas Rangers and won the AL home run title and MVP award.

According to the report, which was posted Saturday morning on SI.com, sources told the publication that Rodriguez was on a list of 104 players who tested positive that year, when Major League Baseball conducted tests to see if mandatory random drug testing was needed.

In 2003, there were no penalties for a positive result.

Rodriguez, reached at a Miami gym for comment by Sports Illustrated, said, "You'll have to talk to the union."

Asked if there were an explanation for the positive test result, Rodriguez told SI: "I'm not saying anything."

Sources confirmed to ESPN's T.J. Quinn that Rodriguez was aware he tested positive for steroids in 2003, but it was not clear when he learned of the result.

A-Rod, By The Numbers
Alex Rodriguez belted a career-high 57 home runs in 2002, a year before he won his first of three MVP awards and reportedly tested positive for testosterone and an anabolic steroid as baseball conducted survey testing.

2002 2003 2004
BA .300 .298 .286
HR 57 47 36
RBI 142 118 106
SLG .623 .600 .512

Major League Baseball, in an agreement with the MLBPA, wanted to see if random drug testing should be implemented starting in 2004.

More than 5 percent of players in the majors tested positive in the '03 survey, and mandatory testing was implemented -- including provisions for penalties -- in 2004.

Even if Major League Baseball were to confirm that Rodriguez was one of the players to test positive in 2003, he would not be subject to any sort of discipline based on that testing.

However, if information emerges about positive tests from 2004 on, circumstances could change. There have been players connected with HGH purchases from 2004 and forward, for example, who have been subject to discipline by the commissioner's office.

Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, did not immediately return calls from ESPN.com seeking comment.

Both the Yankees and the Rangers told ESPN they would not comment.

Michael Weiner, general counsel for the players' union, declined to comment, and said he did not know if the union would have any comment Saturday.

Major League Baseball plans to release a statement regarding SI's report later Saturday.

Rodriguez played for the Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He was traded to the Yankees in 2004. He is drawing a major league-high $27 million salary after signing a record $275 million, 10-year contract with New York in 2007.

Rodriguez until now has had an offseason dominated by talk of disclosures in Joe Torre's recently released book. The former Yankee manager wrote of the pressure A-Rod puts on himself and the third baseman's need to command the stage. Torre said some in the Yankees clubhouse referred to Rodriguez as "A-Fraud," although Torre made light of that during interviews promoting his book, "The Yankee Years."

The revelations from the Sports Illustrated report come at a time when baseball's focus on drugs has concerned Barry Bonds and the legal maneuvering leading to the start of his trial March 2. The government is trying to prove the home run king lied when he told a grand jury he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.

Information from The Associated Press, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and ESPN The Magazine senior writer Buster Olney was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785

What a joke. I am disgusted with baseball. A-Rod could've cleanly broken the Bonds' "record," but oh well. I have always believed guys today are not even close to the level of Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Mays, etc. and this pretty much assures that. I've always liked the history of the game more than the modern game, but at this point, I don't give a **** about today's game whatsoever. Selig knew that this was going on, and did nothing since it brought people to stadium's. Hope it was all worth it, Bud, because your sport is now the biggest joke in all of professional sports and nowhere close to the level of the NFL and the NBA. And I guess the term A-Fraud is valid. I've always like A-Rod, but I don't tolerate cheats and liars. Good thing I've always been a bigger football fan.

bombay · 02-07-2009, 09:54 AM

It's probably safe to assume that virtually every power hitter between about 1985 and 2005 was juiced.

I'm sick of the topic and wish the media would let baseball move on.

EDIT: pitchers, too, of course.

bowtown · 02-07-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbileneBroncoFan

What a joke. I am disgusted with baseball. A-Rod could've cleanly broken the Bonds' "record," but oh well. I have always believed guys today are not even close to the level of Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Mays, etc. and this pretty much assures that. I've always liked the history of the game more than the modern game, but at this point, I don't give a **** about today's game whatsoever. Selig knew that this was going on, and did nothing since it brought people to stadium's. Hope it was all worth it, Bud, because your sport is now the biggest joke in all of professional sports and nowhere close to the level of the NFL and the NBA. And I guess the term A-Fraud is valid. I've always like A-Rod, but I don't tolerate cheats and liars. Good thing I've always been a bigger football fan.

Yeah, cause there are no steroids in football.

Inkana7 · 02-07-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowtown

Yeah, cause there are no steroids in football.

On the level of Baseball? Hell no. Not even close. It's a huge deal when a football player is busted for Steroids. It's just another day when it happens in Baseball.

The sport is a joke.

Pseudofool · 02-07-2009, 10:23 AM

I'd think steroids would be far more prevalent in football than baseball, given the size of the players. Since football's been testing for longer (IIRC) I imagine players are better equipped to get past testing.

bowtown · 02-07-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pseudofool

I'd think steroids would be far more prevalent in football than baseball, given the size of the players. Since football's been testing for longer (IIRC) I imagine players are better equipped to get past testing.

Exactly. It's a lot easier to catch blatant steroid use because you haven't been testing for it. People are naive if they actually believe that steroid use is not rampant in the NFL. All you have to do is look at how much bigger players are today than they were even 20 years ago. That big a change does not happen naturally overnight.

SouthStndJunkie · 02-07-2009, 10:45 AM

Almost everyone was juicing back then.

I think it is bull**** that the results from those tests were supposed to remain anonymous and now they are being leaked.

I am sure the players would not have pissed in the cup had they known that.

brother love · 02-07-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbileneBroncoFan

Report: A-Rod tested positive in 2003Comment Email Print ESPN.com news services

According to a report by Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, when he was with the Texas Rangers and won the AL home run title and MVP award.

According to the report, which was posted Saturday morning on SI.com, sources told the publication that Rodriguez was on a list of 104 players who tested positive that year, when Major League Baseball conducted tests to see if mandatory random drug testing was needed.

In 2003, there were no penalties for a positive result.

Rodriguez, reached at a Miami gym for comment by Sports Illustrated, said, "You'll have to talk to the union."

Asked if there were an explanation for the positive test result, Rodriguez told SI: "I'm not saying anything."

Sources confirmed to ESPN's T.J. Quinn that Rodriguez was aware he tested positive for steroids in 2003, but it was not clear when he learned of the result.

A-Rod, By The Numbers
Alex Rodriguez belted a career-high 57 home runs in 2002, a year before he won his first of three MVP awards and reportedly tested positive for testosterone and an anabolic steroid as baseball conducted survey testing.

2002 2003 2004
BA .300 .298 .286
HR 57 47 36
RBI 142 118 106
SLG .623 .600 .512

Major League Baseball, in an agreement with the MLBPA, wanted to see if random drug testing should be implemented starting in 2004.

More than 5 percent of players in the majors tested positive in the '03 survey, and mandatory testing was implemented -- including provisions for penalties -- in 2004.

Even if Major League Baseball were to confirm that Rodriguez was one of the players to test positive in 2003, he would not be subject to any sort of discipline based on that testing.

However, if information emerges about positive tests from 2004 on, circumstances could change. There have been players connected with HGH purchases from 2004 and forward, for example, who have been subject to discipline by the commissioner's office.

Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, did not immediately return calls from ESPN.com seeking comment.

Both the Yankees and the Rangers told ESPN they would not comment.

Michael Weiner, general counsel for the players' union, declined to comment, and said he did not know if the union would have any comment Saturday.

Major League Baseball plans to release a statement regarding SI's report later Saturday.

Rodriguez played for the Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He was traded to the Yankees in 2004. He is drawing a major league-high $27 million salary after signing a record $275 million, 10-year contract with New York in 2007.

Rodriguez until now has had an offseason dominated by talk of disclosures in Joe Torre's recently released book. The former Yankee manager wrote of the pressure A-Rod puts on himself and the third baseman's need to command the stage. Torre said some in the Yankees clubhouse referred to Rodriguez as "A-Fraud," although Torre made light of that during interviews promoting his book, "The Yankee Years."

The revelations from the Sports Illustrated report come at a time when baseball's focus on drugs has concerned Barry Bonds and the legal maneuvering leading to the start of his trial March 2. The government is trying to prove the home run king lied when he told a grand jury he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.

Information from The Associated Press, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and ESPN The Magazine senior writer Buster Olney was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785

What a joke. I am disgusted with baseball. A-Rod could've cleanly broken the Bonds' "record," but oh well. I have always believed guys today are not even close to the level of Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Mays, etc. and this pretty much assures that. I've always liked the history of the game more than the modern game, but at this point, I don't give a **** about today's game whatsoever. Selig knew that this was going on, and did nothing since it brought people to stadium's. Hope it was all worth it, Bud, because your sport is now the biggest joke in all of professional sports and nowhere close to the level of the NFL and the NBA. And I guess the term A-Fraud is valid. I've always like A-Rod, but I don't tolerate cheats and liars. Good thing I've always been a bigger football fan.

I could make a case for Greg Maddox being the best pitcher ever. To do what he has done against guys on the juice and with smaller ballparks is incredible.

BroncoMan4ever · 02-07-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombay

It's probably safe to assume that virtually every power hitter between about 1985 and 2005 was juiced.

I'm sick of the topic and wish the media would let baseball move on.

EDIT: pitchers, too, of course.

with the exception of Ken Griffey Jr. that dude has never tested positive, and unlike every other power hitter who got better as they got older, his numbers declined as he got older.

minus a few injuries and add in the juice and he would undoubtedly have the most home runs in baseball history.

broncocalijohn · 02-07-2009, 03:13 PM

According to ARod's stats, it is pretty obvious that 2002 was a juiced year for him too. This just shows that we should respect guys like Ripkin, Gwynn and Griffey more than ever.

bombay · 02-07-2009, 03:20 PM

ARoid?

Los Broncos · 02-07-2009, 03:50 PM

AFraud, people wanna see power in baseball, homeruns is what sells tickets.

AbileneBroncoFan · 02-07-2009, 09:05 PM

I'm sure there are steroids in the NFL. But Roger Goodell actually has the balls to deal with problems in the league. He suspends players for screwing up. He's more interested in the integrity of the league than records falling.

As for baseball, this is devastating. It's 2 biggest hitters of the past decade have been busted, along with the best pitcher of the era (Clemens), and the 2 biggest hitters of the 90s were almost certainly on the juice. Selig knew, and did nothing. That tells you what kind of state the game it is. MLB now stands for Major League Bull****. It is truly unfortunate that the "role models" of today are cheating, lying punks, while the role models of the past were great men such as Lou Gehrig. At least steroids shrinks certain parts of the body, so now the brains and integrity of these players will not be the only things that they have little of.

SouthStndJunkie · 02-07-2009, 09:08 PM

Don't fool yourselves....at some point and time the NFL will have their own performance enhancing drug scandal to deal with.

Obushma · 02-07-2009, 09:08 PM

Damn, where's Gonzo? I'd like to get his take.

Garcia Bronco · 02-07-2009, 09:18 PM

Baseball has been on drugs since the 50's. Heck, the NFL was roided up in the 70's. I just don't get all the outrage.

Paladin · 02-07-2009, 09:53 PM

Of course you don't....

tsiguy96 · 02-07-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowtown

Exactly. It's a lot easier to catch blatant steroid use because you haven't been testing for it. People are naive if they actually believe that steroid use is not rampant in the NFL. All you have to do is look at how much bigger players are today than they were even 20 years ago. That big a change does not happen naturally overnight.

training regimes and diets now are 10x better then they were 20 years ago. back then not every team had specialized coaches for strength and conditioning, and assistant coaches to help them. not too long before that, teams didnt lift because of the thought that getting big made you muscle bound and increased potential for injury. so yes, in 20 years a TON can happen, and it has.

Broncojef · 02-07-2009, 09:59 PM

I just hope Congress stays engaged with this all important issue. Economy, Wars, and Laws be damned we NEED to figure out who may have taken a drug!!!!

TheDave · 02-07-2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

Baseball has been on drugs since the 50's. Heck, the NFL was roided up in the 70's. I just don't get all the outrage.

The funny part is how everyone focuses on "Steroids"... That's just the tip of the iceberg.

ak1971 · 02-07-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broncojef

I just hope Congress stays engaged with this all important issue. Economy, Wars, and Laws be damned we NEED to figure out who may have taken a drug!!!!

Come on! this is WAY more important than printing money

Pool · 02-08-2009, 02:57 AM

Royals on roids could make the playoffs

DB-Freak · 02-08-2009, 04:28 AM

Everyone roids. It's a magical drug.

brother love · 02-08-2009, 05:51 AM

How do you guys know Griffey wasn't on roids? His body seemed to breakdown pretty fast like a lot of roid users.

Garcia Bronco · 02-08-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDave

The funny part is how everyone focuses on "Steroids"... That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Yep.

02-07-2009, 09:51 AM	#1
AbileneBroncoFan Pro Bowler Do your job. Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 563 Adopt-a-Bronco: Brian Dawkins	Steroids in Baseball Report: A-Rod tested positive in 2003Comment Email Print ESPN.com news services According to a report by Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, when he was with the Texas Rangers and won the AL home run title and MVP award. According to the report, which was posted Saturday morning on SI.com, sources told the publication that Rodriguez was on a list of 104 players who tested positive that year, when Major League Baseball conducted tests to see if mandatory random drug testing was needed. In 2003, there were no penalties for a positive result. Rodriguez, reached at a Miami gym for comment by Sports Illustrated, said, "You'll have to talk to the union." Asked if there were an explanation for the positive test result, Rodriguez told SI: "I'm not saying anything." Sources confirmed to ESPN's T.J. Quinn that Rodriguez was aware he tested positive for steroids in 2003, but it was not clear when he learned of the result. A-Rod, By The Numbers Alex Rodriguez belted a career-high 57 home runs in 2002, a year before he won his first of three MVP awards and reportedly tested positive for testosterone and an anabolic steroid as baseball conducted survey testing. 2002 2003 2004 BA .300 .298 .286 HR 57 47 36 RBI 142 118 106 SLG .623 .600 .512 Major League Baseball, in an agreement with the MLBPA, wanted to see if random drug testing should be implemented starting in 2004. More than 5 percent of players in the majors tested positive in the '03 survey, and mandatory testing was implemented -- including provisions for penalties -- in 2004. Even if Major League Baseball were to confirm that Rodriguez was one of the players to test positive in 2003, he would not be subject to any sort of discipline based on that testing. However, if information emerges about positive tests from 2004 on, circumstances could change. There have been players connected with HGH purchases from 2004 and forward, for example, who have been subject to discipline by the commissioner's office. Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, did not immediately return calls from ESPN.com seeking comment. Both the Yankees and the Rangers told ESPN they would not comment. Michael Weiner, general counsel for the players' union, declined to comment, and said he did not know if the union would have any comment Saturday. Major League Baseball plans to release a statement regarding SI's report later Saturday. Rodriguez played for the Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He was traded to the Yankees in 2004. He is drawing a major league-high $27 million salary after signing a record $275 million, 10-year contract with New York in 2007. Rodriguez until now has had an offseason dominated by talk of disclosures in Joe Torre's recently released book. The former Yankee manager wrote of the pressure A-Rod puts on himself and the third baseman's need to command the stage. Torre said some in the Yankees clubhouse referred to Rodriguez as "A-Fraud," although Torre made light of that during interviews promoting his book, "The Yankee Years." The revelations from the Sports Illustrated report come at a time when baseball's focus on drugs has concerned Barry Bonds and the legal maneuvering leading to the start of his trial March 2. The government is trying to prove the home run king lied when he told a grand jury he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs. Information from The Associated Press, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and ESPN The Magazine senior writer Buster Olney was used in this report. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785 What a joke. I am disgusted with baseball. A-Rod could've cleanly broken the Bonds' "record," but oh well. I have always believed guys today are not even close to the level of Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Mays, etc. and this pretty much assures that. I've always liked the history of the game more than the modern game, but at this point, I don't give a **** about today's game whatsoever. Selig knew that this was going on, and did nothing since it brought people to stadium's. Hope it was all worth it, Bud, because your sport is now the biggest joke in all of professional sports and nowhere close to the level of the NFL and the NBA. And I guess the term A-Fraud is valid. I've always like A-Rod, but I don't tolerate cheats and liars. Good thing I've always been a bigger football fan.

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02-07-2009, 09:54 AM	#2
bombay Ring of Famer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: denver Posts: 4,331	It's probably safe to assume that virtually every power hitter between about 1985 and 2005 was juiced. I'm sick of the topic and wish the media would let baseball move on. EDIT: pitchers, too, of course.

02-07-2009, 10:23 AM	#5
Pseudofool Cynic at Large Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Kingdom of Solipsism Posts: 2,886 Adopt-a-Bronco: Me?	I'd think steroids would be far more prevalent in football than baseball, given the size of the players. Since football's been testing for longer (IIRC) I imagine players are better equipped to get past testing.

02-07-2009, 10:45 AM	#7
SouthStndJunkie Ring of Famer Shannon Says: Listen to The Junkman Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 15,261	Almost everyone was juicing back then. I think it is bull**** that the results from those tests were supposed to remain anonymous and now they are being leaked. I am sure the players would not have pissed in the cup had they known that.

02-07-2009, 03:13 PM	#10
broncocalijohn Famer of Rings My Dog Richard Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lake Forest, Orange County, Calif. Posts: 18,475 Adopt-a-Bronco: Simon Fletcher	According to ARod's stats, it is pretty obvious that 2002 was a juiced year for him too. This just shows that we should respect guys like Ripkin, Gwynn and Griffey more than ever.

02-07-2009, 03:20 PM	#11
bombay Ring of Famer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: denver Posts: 4,331	ARoid?

02-07-2009, 03:50 PM	#12
Los Broncos Ring of farmers Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Anaheim Hills, Santa Ana Mountains CA Posts: 18,766 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ryan Clady	AFraud, people wanna see power in baseball, homeruns is what sells tickets.

02-07-2009, 09:05 PM	#13
AbileneBroncoFan Pro Bowler Do your job. Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 563 Adopt-a-Bronco: Brian Dawkins	I'm sure there are steroids in the NFL. But Roger Goodell actually has the balls to deal with problems in the league. He suspends players for screwing up. He's more interested in the integrity of the league than records falling. As for baseball, this is devastating. It's 2 biggest hitters of the past decade have been busted, along with the best pitcher of the era (Clemens), and the 2 biggest hitters of the 90s were almost certainly on the juice. Selig knew, and did nothing. That tells you what kind of state the game it is. MLB now stands for Major League Bull****. It is truly unfortunate that the "role models" of today are cheating, lying punks, while the role models of the past were great men such as Lou Gehrig. At least steroids shrinks certain parts of the body, so now the brains and integrity of these players will not be the only things that they have little of.

02-07-2009, 09:08 PM	#14
SouthStndJunkie Ring of Famer Shannon Says: Listen to The Junkman Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 15,261	Don't fool yourselves....at some point and time the NFL will have their own performance enhancing drug scandal to deal with.

02-07-2009, 09:08 PM	#15
Obushma Ring of Famer Bring your lunch pail Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 2,079 Adopt-a-Bronco: Zane Beadles	Damn, where's Gonzo? I'd like to get his take.

02-07-2009, 09:18 PM	#16
Garcia Bronco Hokie since 1993 Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 45,991 Adopt-a-Bronco: Tom Jackson	Baseball has been on drugs since the 50's. Heck, the NFL was roided up in the 70's. I just don't get all the outrage.

02-07-2009, 09:53 PM	#17
Paladin Ring of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,150	Of course you don't....

02-07-2009, 09:59 PM	#19
Broncojef Ring of Famer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Great White North Posts: 3,020	I just hope Congress stays engaged with this all important issue. Economy, Wars, and Laws be damned we NEED to figure out who may have taken a drug!!!!

02-08-2009, 02:57 AM	#22
Pool Rookie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 54 Adopt-a-Bronco: None	Royals on roids could make the playoffs

02-08-2009, 04:28 AM	#23
DB-Freak The lone sack artist Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 4,995	Everyone roids. It's a magical drug.

02-08-2009, 05:51 AM	#24
brother love Pro Bowler Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: lancaster, pa Posts: 523	How do you guys know Griffey wasn't on roids? His body seemed to breakdown pretty fast like a lot of roid users.