# Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 7, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808 "2009-02-07T15:48:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/41 "2009-02-09T20:25:12Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Arod acknowledges using steroids. > > [NBC Sports - news, scores, stats, rumors, videos, and more](http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29068677/) > > Should be interesting to see how this plays out. Took all the fun out of that. Bonds does not get it. McGwire does not get it. Being liars add immeasurably to the public disgust. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/42 "2009-02-09T20:26:11Z")
One thing I’d like to see from professional baseball: How about we get players to admit it _before_ they’re caught and embarrassed? A-Rod really is a total scumbag. Steroid talk has pretty much eclipsed anything else going on in baseball and has for several years, yet he just hits his 500th HR and accepting all the accolades that went along with it, since he was largely considered one of the few “clean” power hitters. He could have easily said, “I dedicate this 500th HR ball to the steroids I took in 2003 when I played with the Rangers. Steroid use is a huge problem in our league and I can’t sit idly while my colleagues are getting condemned while I’m also guilty.” Nope, he just kept his mouth shut until he was caught. Fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/43 "2009-02-09T20:30:54Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > One thing I’d like to see from professional baseball: How about we get players to admit it _before_ they’re caught and embarrassed? Why are they going to do that? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/44 "2009-02-09T20:33:57Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > One thing I’d like to see from professional baseball: How about we get players to admit it _before_ they’re caught and embarrassed? A-Rod really is a total scumbag. Steroid talk has pretty much eclipsed anything else going on in baseball and has for several years, yet he just hits his 500th HR and accepting all the accolades that went along with it, since he was largely considered one of the few “clean” power hitters. He could have easily said, “I dedicate this 500th HR ball to the steroids I took in 2003 when I played with the Rangers. Steroid use is a huge problem in our league and I can’t sit idly while my colleagues are getting condemned while I’m also guilty.” > > Nope, he just kept his mouth shut until he was caught. Fuck him. Despite being a Yankees fan and being in the position of hoping he has many more great seasons. I actually agree with your post 100%. It would be nice but sadly I doubt it would ever happen. **Marley23** , what exactly is Curt looking for? Do you have a link? ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/45 "2009-02-09T20:36:53Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Why are they going to do that? Since you truncated my post, I’ll repeat a very important part of it. He could have easily said, “I dedicate this 500th HR ball to the steroids I took in 2003 when I played with the Rangers. Steroid use is a huge problem in our league and I can’t sit idly while my colleagues are getting condemned while I’m also guilty.” * * * How does the league expect a character problem (cheating) to go away when most high-profile players have problems with their character? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/46 "2009-02-09T20:38:26Z")
On the discussion of great players whose careers we could still have some faith in, I think that Greg Maddux, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter all still appear to be (or have been before they retired) clean. One of things the steroid era has done is obscure the greatness of those within that era who did it without juicing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/47 "2009-02-09T20:38:30Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Marley23** , what exactly is Curt looking for? Do you have a link? [He wants the release of the names of all 104 players who tested positive in 2003.](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3893240) > [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > How does the league expect a character problem (cheating) to go away when most high-profile players have problems with their character? The league wants its PR problem to go away. Whether steroids go away is incidental at best. The idea of players voluntarily coming clean is nice and all, but if they were that type of people, they wouldn’t be cheating in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/48 "2009-02-09T20:41:01Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Marley23** , what exactly is Curt looking for? Do you have a link? > **[A-Rod, union, Yanks remain mum](https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3893240)** > > A day after Alex Rodriguez was linked to steroids, another All-Star offered this suggestion: Make public the entire list of players who failed drug tests. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/49 "2009-02-09T20:41:41Z")
Arod is a total scumbag? Why? Is he possibly a bit of a jerk, a bit self-centered and a non-cluthc? Sure he is probably all those things, but c’mon the guy is not a total scumbag. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/50 "2009-02-09T20:43:02Z")
Personally, I don’t care for Schilling, but he’s right on here. A-Rod’s a dick, sure, but he’s not the only dick. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/51 "2009-02-09T20:43:08Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > On the discussion of great players whose careers we could still have some faith in, I think that Greg Maddux, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter all still appear to be clean. One of things the steroid era has done is obscure the greatness of those within that era who did it without juicing. I certainly hope you are right. It is now hard to tell. I was one who thought A-Rod was clean. > [@Marley23](#): > > [He wants the release of the names of all 104 players who tested positive in 2003.](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3893240) > > The idea of players voluntarily coming clean is nice and all, but if they were that type of people, they wouldn’t be cheating in the first place. [QUOTE=ESPN link] “I’d be all for the 104 positives being named, and the game moving on if that is at all possible,” former Boston ace Curt Schilling wrote on his blog Sunday, referring to the number of players who were tested but assured confidentiality. “In my opinion, if you don’t do that, then the other 600-700 players are going to be guilty by association, forever,” he wrote. “It appears that not only was it 104, but three of the greatest of our, or any, generation appear to be on top of this list.” [/QUOTE] I like Schilling’s idea and I don’t wish to subscribe to his newsletter (blog). Of course that list of 104 still might not be complete as others were probably using drugs that did not detect with the tests given. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/52 "2009-02-09T20:45:31Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I certainly hope you are right. It is now hard to tell. I was one who thought A-Rod was clean. > > I like Schilling’s idea and I don’t wish to subscribe to his newsletter (blog). Of course that list of 104 still might not be complete as others were probably using drugs that did not detect with the tests given. Sorry, I got to stand by Sean Casey, who is more concerned about the leak, after a collectively bargained agreement was reached that the tests were to be survey tests and anonymous. Releasing all 104 names basically throws that out the window. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/53 "2009-02-09T20:46:14Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Arod is a total scumbag? Why? Is he possibly a bit of a jerk, a bit self-centered and a non-cluthc? Sure he is probably all those things, but c’mon the guy is not a total scumbag. Actually he has been extremely self-centered, cheated with steroids and cheated on his wife with scary cougar Madonna. He is pretty close to a total scumbag. He could be worse but I think he is bad enough to defend **DudleyGarrett** ’s post. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/54 "2009-02-09T20:47:40Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > On the discussion of great players whose careers we could still have some faith in, I think that Greg Maddux, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter all still appear to be (or have been before they retired) clean. I’d like that to be true, but at this point I wouldn’t put money on any of it. I mean, I’d also like for Rodriguez to have given up on performance enhancers after 2003, but we know how likely that is. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/55 "2009-02-09T20:55:17Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Actually he has been extremely self-centered, cheated with steroids and cheated on his wife with scary cougar Madonna. He is pretty close to a total scumbag. He could be worse but I think he is bad enough to defend **DudleyGarrett** ’s post. Maybe in the baseball universe he is a total scumbag, but in the universe universe he is pretty much just an unpleasnt person. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/56 "2009-02-09T20:55:46Z")
So who else did Canseco mention in his book that hasn’t been officially outted yet? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/57 "2009-02-09T20:59:43Z")
Does the steroid use explain his purple lips? ESPN had an interesting statistical graphic. The first column is A-Rod’s average stats from 2001-2003, the second column is his average for his other 10 seasons (which doesn’t include his first 2 seasons with Seattle): Games/season://///////161.7--------148.4 Batting avg.:////////////.305----------.309 Homers/season:///////52.0-----------39.2 Slugging:////////////////.615-----------.574 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/58 "2009-02-09T21:00:02Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Maybe in the baseball universe he is a total scumbag, but in the universe universe he is pretty much just an unpleasnt person. OK, I can live with that. For baseball purposes he is a complete scumbag. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/59 "2009-02-09T21:03:18Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > So who else did Canseco mention in his book that hasn’t been officially outted yet? These are the ones he specifically mentioned: Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro, Iván Rodríguez, and Juan González In the new book that will probably now get printed: Alex Rodriguez and Albert Belle ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808/60 "2009-02-09T21:06:28Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Does the steroid use explain his purple lips? > > ESPN had an interesting statistical graphic. The first column is A-Rod’s average stats from 2001-2003, the second column is his average for his other 10 seasons (which doesn’t include his first 2 seasons with Seattle) Despite the picked-and-chosen numbers, Rodriguez did not actually hit any better in 2001-2003 than he usually does; he had his two big homer years but in a ballpark that inflates home run totals, and he otherwise wasn’t any better than usual. His best (hitting) season so far was actually 2007. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-rodriguez-tested-positive-for-steroids-in-2003/484808.md?page=4)