The Yanks Are Disappointed With Good Ole’ A-Roid

Here we go again…A-Roid is stirring up trouble and controversy in the Yanks clubhouse. This really makes me wonder how the new guys are handling this situation… Sabathia, Texeira…Should they be worried too? I suppose time will tell.

After hearing Alex’s Rodriguez’s explanation after testing positive of using performance enhancing drugs, the Yankees are all but eager to help A-Rod move forward.

The Yankees broke media silence on A-Rod’s predicament just hours after the latter talked in an interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons.
The statement reads: “We strongly believe there is no place in baseball for performance enhancing drugs of any type, and we support the efforts of the Commissioner to continually improve the testing process,”

“We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance-enhancing drugs.  We take him at his word that he was.  Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke to today, we realize that Alex — like all of us — is a human being not immune to fault.

“We speak often about the members of this organization being part of a family, and that is never truer than in times of adversity.  Alex took a big step by admitting his mistake, and while there is no condoning the use of performance enhancing drugs, we respect his decision to take accountability for his actions.  We support Alex, and we will do everything we can to help him deal with this challenge and prepare for the upcoming season.”

Rodriguez stated that he had been in constant communication with Yankees officials and also with teammate Andy Pettitte, who also confessed of using human growth hormone almost one year ago.

Before Rodriguez’s interview was televised, shortstop Derek Jeter and catcher Jorge Posada told reporters from the club’s Himes Avenue Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla. Both said that they support Alex.

“Alex is my teammate and Alex is going to be my friend forever,” Posada said. “I’m going to support him any way I can.”
Jeter uttered his concern that the results of the 2003 testing, which was supposed to be unspecified, gauged to see if a test was to be repeated the following year.

“They said when the Mitchell Report came out, ‘This is the end of it, everyone will move on,’” Jeter said. “Now we have this. What if something else happens? … The thing about the list that you’re supposedly concerned with is the fact that it was supposed to be anonymous.”
Both Jeter and Posada were asked if they were bothered that they might be included on the similar testing as Rodriguez’s, both Yankee player said they weren’t. “Why would I worry about me being on the list?” Jeter said. “I think that I’ve done things right,” said Posada, “and I don’t think I put anything on my body that could be positive on one of those tests.”

This season will surely be the time for A-Rod to face. In his interview still with Gammons, he spoke of the Yankees’ chances this 2009 season and is excited to play with new teammates CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. A-Rod also was relieved since he spoke about the three stained seasons with the Rangers.

“The most important thing for me in my career is to be honest and forthright, to go into my ‘09 season as part of the greatest organization in the world, as one of the guys to go out and try to reach our goal,” Rodriguez said. “And when you have that monkey on your back, it’s really hard to be the person that you know you can be. It’s hard to fulfill your potential that way.”

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