Alex Rodriguez’s claim about stopping the use of steroids after 2003 is already being shot full of holes.

According to a report in the New York Daily News, A-Rod has had a long relationship with a man named Angel Presinal, a trainer who has been banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark for being linked to steroids. Apparently Presinal roomed with A-Rod’s now famous cousin, Yuri Sucart, at every hotel Rodriguez went to in 2007. The report also states that Presinal wasn’t around A-Rod in 2008, although Sucart “remained a constant presence.�

In his press conference on Monday, A-Rod claimed that he and Sucart injected each other with steroids in the Dominican Republic from 2001 to 2003. While that might have been the case, the question now becomes: Where did Rodriguez and Sucart get the steroids? And if A-Rod claims he’s been off performance-enhancers since 2003, why would he continue a relationship with Presinal up until 2007? (Assuming the report is true, of course.)

I’m naïve to how athletes go about things when they travel in-season, but I’d have to imagine that not even the best of friends are staying with players at every single hotel like Presinal did in 2007. Again, why did Rodriguez remain close with Presinal after his claimed use of steroids from 2001 to 2003? It’s hard to imagine that a steroid-linked trainer was staying at the same hotel as A-Rod just to fluff his pillows and make sure he had enough clean towels in the bathroom.

Johnny Damon talked about the Alex Rodriguez steroid situation at a recent press conference and what came out of his mouth was, well, less than intelligent.

Johnny Damon speaks to the media today in Tampa following A-Rod’s presser: “Yeah he did some bad things. He took a steroid. Definitely do not condone that, at all, but there could be a lot worse things he could have been doing out there. He hasn’t done a crime. So there’s worse things that he could have done but you know I’ve known Alex since he was 15 and he’s always been super nice to me and so I’m going to support him and try help him through this time. (Reporter: Johnny, what would have been worse?) Murdering someone… There’s plenty of things that could be worse than what he did. (Reporter: In your mind, is what he did cheating?) For part time in his career, perhaps, but you know what, the pitchers that were facing him too at the time were doing it.â€�

In essence, Damon is right – murdering someone is worse than taking steroids. But saying, “you know what, the pitchers that were facing him too at the same time were doing it� is a juvenile argument. Too bad one of the reporters didn’t follow up with, “Well, if Roy Halladay jumped off a bridge, would A-Rod have done it, too?�

At a press conference on Tuesday, Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez said in a prepared statement that from 2001 to 2003, he and a cousin used a substance available over the counter in the Dominican Republic and that it was known as “boli.�

“I didn’t think they were steroids,” he said. “That’s again part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter. It was pretty simple.”

“All these years I never thought I did anything wrong.”

He said he wasn’t sure how the drug use helped him, but admitted he had more energy.
Rodriguez said he has not used human growth hormone or any other banned drug since then. He refused to identify his cousin.

The three-time AL MVP and baseball’s highest-paid player spoke at the Yankees’ spring training camp 10 days after Sports Illustrated reported that he tested positive in 2003 for a pair of steroids during baseball’s anonymous survey in 2003. Two days after the story broke, Major League Baseball’s highest-paid player acknowledged that fact in an interview with ESPN.

For years, Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs. But SI reported he was on a list of 104 players who tested positive during baseball’s 2003 survey. SI identified the drugs causing the positive test as Primobolan and testosterone.

“We consulted no one and had no good reason to base that decision,” he said. “It was pretty evident that we didn’t know what we’re doing.”

Hey, A-Rod’s human – he makes mistakes just like everyone else. But I have a hard time fathoming that he injected something into his body that he believed was just an energy booster.

According to USA Today, baseball commissioner Bud Selig hasn’t ruled out suspending Yankees’ third basemen Alex Rodriguez after he admitted to using steroids from 2001 to 2003.

Selig and Major League Baseball officials realize any attempt to suspend Rodriguez would be challenged by the players union since the penalty phase of the testing policy was not implemented until 2004. Yet Selig said he sent a memo banning steroids around 1997 and that it was illegal to possess them without a prescription.

“It was against the law, so I would have to think about that,” Selig told USA TODAY’s Christine Brennan in his first comments since Rodriguez’s admission. “It’s very hard. I’ve got to think about all that kind of stuff.”

Rodriguez would be the first to serve a suspension without testing positive during the penalty years.

“I don’t want to create any false hope,” he said, “but I am saddened. This is breaking my heart, I don’t mind telling you that.”

Sorry, Bud, but you can’t start punishing players now for rules you never had in place to begin with. If you didn’t want to enforce a steroid policy at the time A-Rod took performance-enhancers, then you can’t turn around six years later and punish him.

This is just another situation that shows Selig’s utter incompetence. And it’s a joke to hear that Selig is “saddened” by all of this. Please. You’re telling me Selig didn’t know all of this was going on? He’s turned a blind eye to all the steroid talk and allowed the union to get away with whatever it wanted because the dollars were pouring in again after the ’93 strike. Selig’s reaction to all of this is laughable.

Hank Steinbrenner said that the Yankees won’t try and void Alex Rodriguez’s contract (which is the richest in baseball) despite the slugger admitting on Monday that he took steroids from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Texas Rangers.

Yet, the club admits it doesn’t know what to expect from Rodriguez on the field this coming season. At $32 million a year and what Rodriguez means to the lineup, that’s frightening.

“Personally, no,” Steinbrenner said yesterday at George Steinbrenner Field, asked if he was mad at Rodriguez.

Asked about finding a way to get out from under the $275 million deal that has nine years left, Steinbrenner said, “No, no . . . it’s simply . . . that’s it basically.”
How about attempting to trade Rodriguez?

“I am not going to comment on anything like that [that] can get twisted, which happens in the media,” Steinbrenner said with a chuckle. “Basically, it’s no comment except that I support him and I am not personally angry at all.”

That could change if Rodriguez’s problems result in a miserable season on the field. According to GM Brian Cashman, it’s a jump ball as to how Rodriguez responds.

“I don’t know, you can never tell with these type of things,” Cashman said. “You don’t know how it will impact him professionally and personally. All you can do is put your arms around him and support him and help him pull through it.”

Talent still trumps all. The Yankees are interested in one thing and one thing only: winning championships. And Steinbrenner knows that the Bombers are a better team with A-Rod than without him, so why would they void his contract or trade him?

As the article notes, as long as A-Rod’s game doesn’t suffer from all of this, you’re not going to see Steinbrenner or the Yankees do anything about this situation.