Well, the first step in this long road has been taken and this is the smartest thing ARod has done in years:
"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure, felt all the weight of the world on top of me to perform, and perform at a high level every day," Rodriguez told ESPN's Peter Gammons in an interview in Miami Beach, Fla.That's a good start. A really good start. If there are tears, even better.
"Back then, [baseball] was a different culture," Rodriguez said. "It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time.
"I did take a banned substance. For that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."
What I found interesting, as a Yanks fan, is the following (emphasis mine):
"Overall, I felt a tremendous pressure to play, and play really well" in Texas, the New York Yankees third baseman said. "I had just signed this enormous contract I felt like I needed something, a push, without over-investigating what I was taking, to get me to the next level."
Rodriguez added: "I am sorry for my Texas years. I apologize to the fans of Texas."
Rodriguez, who joined the Yankees for the 2004 season after a trade from Texas, said "all my years in New York have been clean." He also described the recent turn of events as the biggest challenge of his life but added it felt good to be honest about what he's done in the past.
"It's been a rough 15 months here for me," Rodriguez said. "I was stupid for three years. I was very, very stupid."
I'll try to tape this interview as I will likely be in the car when it airs. But tell me, do you believe him? Has he been clean since (been tested for WBC)? Do you care?
UPDATE (9:50pm, 2/9/09): Here is the entire transcript
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4 comments:
I really want to believe him (because I'm a big fan of his), and I'm about 98% sure I do.
I believe that it is entirely possible that he got caught up in the culture of the Rangers clubhouse.
Speaking of that Rangers clubhouse can we be sure ANYONE that played there until 2004 was clean? I don't want to think it, but could Teix have gotten caught up too? His rookie year was 2003. I certainly hope not, and I'm not at all accusing Teix, but it just makes me wonder.
I don't know how you could remark him as saying he threw Texas under the bus. If what he wrote was true, then he only used them while in Texas and not in New York, but that in no way means he threw Texas under the bus.
That is what Clemens did to his trainer.
Dimitrios: fair enough, and you're probably right. Maybe that was too harsh.
I believe him, if for no other reason, because he got the tip off from Orza that he "may have" tested positive and would definitely be tested again. My guess is that that would have scared him off the stuff. As for the culture at the Texas Rangers, I really want to know what was going on with that front office, on-field management, and strength and conditioning coaching. Because something was (is?) clearly rotten in Arlington. And I don't believe for a second that the players are solely responsible for an atmosphere where this was tolerated.
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