A-Rod and Additional Steroid Details

In a fantastic start to the 2009 baseball season, Alex Rodriguez kicked of the year, with another pre-season steroid press conference.

Giving the press what they wanted, more details on where the steroids came from and what they were, were finally answered, sort of.  A “cousin” repeatedly injected Alex Rodriguez.  He would not identify “the cousin” but said at the time he did not know he was injecting steroids.

A-Rod later identified the drug by its street name “Boli” which is likely Primobolan.  He claimed he was injected twice a month, for upto six months, admitting that he did feel more energy, but did not understand the full effects.

A-Rod has taken many steps that other players in his position have not (Mark Mcgwire, Rafael Palmerio), told the truth, albeit a forced truth telling.

According to New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman, Alex Rodriguez has a tough road ahead, and needs to be honest with himself, the team and the fans. The young, stupid and naive references just will not cut it. “I like the fact more that when he carries it that he was stupid, more than young and naïve,” Cashman said. “It was stupid. It was a bad decision that may cost him on so many levels. He understands that, and he’s dealing with it now. We’re all going to be moving with him during this process. He’s suffering, the Yankees are suffering.”

But Cashman critiqued Rodriguez’s question-and-answer session by saying he should have explicitly stated he used the substances to make himself better on the baseball field. Cashman also said that Rodriguez faces a difficult road ahead.

“I don’t think Alex is very good at communicating, to be quite honest,” Cashman said. “I think anybody who covers him on a daily basis … anybody who’s been in that clubhouse and seen Alex trying to talk to his successes and failures in the baseball arena, he’s not very good at it.

“I do think there’s a degree of difficulty for him going into this circumstance. This is not something he’s good at.”

This situation is not going away, we all know that, but in my point of view, this is more publicity for the Yankees and will generate emormous amounts of money.  This will also show his character, how he is he able to handle the pressure and the onslaught of abuse during road games.  The Yankees start the season with nine consecutive road games, (Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Tampa Bay Rays), small markets that are not in Fenway Park.

It will be interesting to say the least, and nothing I am sure that the biggest celebrity in sports can handle, for now anyway.

Devon Teeple is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey.  He is also a intern with the Football Outsiders and collaborator with the Plymouth River Eels. Devon is available as a freelance writer and be contacted via email at thegmsperspective@gmail.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com