Just when there was finally a reason to defend Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees third baseman has somehow found a way to make himself even more unlikable.
Rodriguez, the most loathed player in baseball, is facing a 211-game suspension for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs over a multi-year period, and then lying about it, repeatedly, to Major League Baseball investigators. The league has also suspended a dozen other players for taking PEDs through a now-defunct Florida "health" clinic, Biogensis.
As it turns out, some of those players could have taken PEDs and gotten away with it if not for A-Rod.
People in Rodriguez's "inner circle" leaked Biogenesis documents to the media that implicated other players tied to the clinic, including Brewers star Ryan Braun, and Rodriguez's own teammate, Francisco Cervelli, according to 60 Minutes. Though the Miami New Times had already published some Biogenesis documents in their initial reporting that broke open the PED story, several names were blacked out on those handwritten papers. Rodriguez's camp reportedly dumped uncensored copies, throwing more players under the bus.
The revelation could spell further legal trouble for A-Rod, since it's a possible violation of MLB's Collective Bargaining Agreement. All PED matters, per the CBA, are supposed to handled internally.
More than that, though, it's the sort of move that reaffirms Rodriguez's image as the least likable player in baseball.
And now, a quick, non-exhaustive reminder of why basically everyone except A-Rod hates A-Rod.
In 2000, he signed the most expensive contract in the history of sports, doubling the previous record deal. He opted out of that contract before its conclusion to sign an even bigger one with the Yankees, becoming the perfect symbol of that team's win-at-all-costs mentality.
When not cheating with PEDs, he's tried to cheat on the field. In the 2004 American League Championship Series, he was called out for interference after slapping away an attempted tag.
Though technically not cheating, he pulled a "bush league" move thee years later in Toronto. While rounding the bases behind Blue Jays third baseman Howie Clark, who was camped out under a pop fly, Rodriguez shouted "mine," tricking Clark into thinking someone else on his team had a better play on the ball. Clark let the ball drop, and the Yankees went on to win the game.
During that same series, Rodriguez, who was married at the time, was spotted out on the town with a blonde stripper. That spawned the memorable New York Post headline, "Stray-Rod," and prompted dozens of Red Sox fans to taunt him at Fenway by donning ridiculous blonde-haired masks.
In 2009, Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003. Rodriguez later confessed to using steroids years earlier, but said that he had since been and would continue to be clean.
In addition:
- He allegedly had two (2) paintings hanging over his bed of himself as a centaur.
- He agreed to a photo shoot where he kissed his own reflection.
- He threw baseballs with his phone number written on them to women behind the Yankees' dugout after being pulled from a playoff game last October.
He plays for the Yankees.
