A-Rod admits he bought and used steroids from Anthony Bosch

RedOctober3829

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For 21 tumultuous months, New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez has defiantly maintained he never used banned substances from a Coral Gables anti-aging clinic, that he is the victim of a Major League Baseball “witch hunt,” and that he would fight to the end to clear his name.
But in a Drug Enforcement Administration conference room back in January, facing federal agents and prosecutors who granted him immunity, baseball’s highest-paid player admitted everything:
Yes, he bought performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis of America, paying roughly $12,000 a month to Anthony Bosch, the fake doctor who owned the clinic. Yes, Bosch gave him pre-filled syringes for hormone injections into the ballplayer’s stomach, and even drew blood from him in the men’s room of a South Beach nightclub. And yes, the ballplayer’s cousin, Yuri Sucart, was his steroid go-fer.
When it was over, Rodriguez emerged from the Weston, Fla., conference room with his New York criminal defense lawyer, and has stood by his denials to this day. His attorney, Joseph Tacopina, could not be reached for comment Wednesday morning.
 
After an arbitrator reduced his punishment on Jan. 11, 2014, Rodriguez issued a defiant statement, saying “I have been clear that I did not use performance-enhancing substances ... and in order to prove it, I will take this fight to federal court.”
But 18 days later, Rodriguez gave a sworn statement to the DEA and prosecutors that, between late 2010 and October 2012, he did use substances prohibited by Major League Baseball. It was completely at odds with his public statements.
According to a written “report of investigation,” Rodriguez admitted paying Bosch for supplies of testosterone cream, lozenges laced with testosterone (aka “gummies”) and human growth hormone injections.
“Rodriguez injected the HGH into his stomach,” the DEA report stated. “Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery.”
Rodriguez also described how Bosch gave the ballplayer “tips on how to beat MLB’s drug testing,” according to the DEA report.
The secret? According to Rodriguez, “Bosch advised him to only use mid-stream urine for MLB drug testing. Bosch told Rodriguez not to use the beginning or the end urine stream.”
It worked. A test he took while using the drugs came up negative.
 
“Rodriguez has a prominent role in the government’s proof” of the two conspiracy charges accusing Sucart of distributing testosterone and human growth hormone to the Yankees slugger and other professional and high school athletes, prosecutors Pat Sullivan and Sharad Motiani wrote in recent court papers.
 
 
 
According to Rodriguez’s statement to DEA agents, in the summer of 2010 he had gained some weight and was experiencing some “problems” with injuries to his knee.
Rodriguez stated that he wanted to lose five to 10 pounds. Sucart, a man of large girth, told him that he himself had lost some weight with the help of a South Florida “doctor.” Sucart said the doctor, without mentioning him by name, could help Rodriguez get in better shape.
“Sucart told Rodriguez that the doctor was a smart guy and a guru,” according to the DEA report. “Rodriguez stated that Sucart was very aggressive and persistent about Rodriguez meeting the doctor.”
Rodriguez said that on one occasion, Sucart gave him a “gummy,” or testosterone-laden lozenge, to put under his tongue. The ballplayer said he experienced “no adverse side effects,” only “an energy boost.”
Then, in late summer of 2010, Sucart told Rodriguez that the “doctor” would be in Tampa at the same time as the two of them and arranged a meeting. It was held in Rodriguez’s hotel room. The purported physician introduced himself as “Dr. Tony Bosch.” The “doctor” part was a lie. Bosch graduated from a medical school in Belize, but was not licensed to practice medicine in Florida. In addition to Sucart, also present at the meeting was one of Bosch’s steroid suppliers, Jorge Velazquez, from Miami.
“During the meeting, Bosch told Rodriguez that he treated hundreds of baseball players,” according to the DEA report. “Bosch told Rodriguez [that former Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox outfielder] Manny Ramirez was one of his clients. Bosch took credit for how well Ramirez performed in baseball.”
Indeed, Ramirez was one of the best hitters of his generation. He had also been exposed as a steroid cheat, having been suspended in 2009 by Major League Baseball for 50 games after testing positive.
Bosch said Ramirez got caught because he didn’t follow Bosch’s “protocols.”
 
In the DEA report, Rodriguez admitted that he also helped pay for Bosch’s criminal defense, including $25,000 as a down payment to retain his first attorney, Susy Ribero-Ayala.
 
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/article3578762.html
 

JohntheBaptist

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Wait, this makes me think--do you guys think other players are lying too? Like, maybe Andy Pettitte didn't just use once when injured?
 
Seriously though--this dude is too much. I do love how he tried to create a firewall for the Yankees last time by claiming he'd only done it in Texas and now that's... gone.
 

LeoCarrillo

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Had his fingers crossed behind his back on 60 Minutes. So, doesn't count.
 
 

glennhoffmania

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If Bud uses his best interests of baseball powers to ban this asshole for life as his last act as commish I'll forgive him for all of the other idiotic things he's done during his tenure.  This guy has now admitted to using illegal drugs on multiple occasions spanning multiple years over almost a decade.  He should never be allowed to play again.
 
But NY should still have his salary count towards the luxury tax.
 

JohntheBaptist

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glennhoffmania said:
If Bud uses his best interests of baseball powers to ban this asshole for life as his last act as commish I'll forgive him for all of the other idiotic things he's done during his tenure.  This guy has now admitted to using illegal drugs on multiple occasions spanning multiple years over almost a decade.  He should never be allowed to play again.
 
But NY should still have his salary count towards the luxury tax.
 
I admire this stance and agree with it totally in principle... but fuck, I really want to see at least a season of The Circus and him playing like a guy cut off from steroids with no game experience in over a year.
 

glennhoffmania

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I agree with all that, except I wouldn't bet a dollar that he'll be clean next year.
 

plucy

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He was granted immunity from legal proceedings, but if he offered new evidence that MLB did not have when he was suspended, Selig's parting shot might be a lifetime ban, with all the arbitration trimmings.
As for NYY, is it worth $63mm to have this living tabloid on your roster for three years?

Note: A little late
 

SLC Sox

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I didn't realize HGH was beneficial to hair growth.  As a bald man I am now 100% on Arod's side.  Let the man, and his luscious full head of hair, play!
 

mt8thsw9th

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So does this open the door for him being able to go back on steroids? There may be more acceptance of his steroid-based lifestyle now that it's out in the open.
 

dcmissle

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ifmanis5 said:
Francesa crushed?
 
 
Devasted.  Does he know how to moon walk gracefully?  Or will be just be arrogantly dismissive or ignore it?
 

TheoShmeo

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JohntheBaptist said:
 
I admire this stance and agree with it totally in principle... but fuck, I really want to see at least a season of The Circus and him playing like a guy cut off from steroids with no game experience in over a year.
Between that potential train wreck, not wanting to see the Yankees get any salary relief and the fact that most Yankees fans I know wish that A-Rod would just go away and never come back, a ban by Selig is the very last thing I want to see.
 

rembrat

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It's pretty cool that even in as he admits to steroid use there are still little nuggets of bullshit sprinkled throughout. For instance, he comes into contact with Bosch in the Summer of 2010 only after he expresses a desire to lose weight to his no good cousin. Presumably this means he was clean in 2009. Yea, right. And speaking of his no good cousin, it was him who emphatically insisted Rodriguez meet with Bosch. Again, yea, right.
 

FL4WL3SS

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rembrat said:
It's pretty cool that even in as he admits to steroid use there are still little nuggets of bullshit sprinkled throughout. For instance, he comes into contact with Bosch in the Summer of 2010 only after he expresses a desire to lose weight to his no good cousin. Presumably this means he was clean in 2009. Yea, right. And speaking of his no good cousin, it was him who emphatically insisted Rodriguez meet with Bosch. Again, yea, right.
It's like Pete Rose. They both believed their own lies.
 
He'll eventually admit to all of it; it'll just take some time.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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TheShynessClinic said:
2009 World Series Champions*
 
 
ifmanis5 said:
So we can void the 2009 title now, right?
 
What part of 
 
 
 
But 18 days later, Rodriguez gave a sworn statement to the DEA and prosecutors that, between late 2010 and October 2012, he did use substances prohibited by Major League Baseball.
 
spoils 2009?
 

glennhoffmania

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Lose Remerswaal said:
 
 
 
What part of 
 
 
spoils 2009?
 
The part where it's total bullshit.  So far he's admitted to using from 2001-2003, and now 2010-2012.  Does anyone with half a brain really believe that he was totally clean from 2004 through 2009?
 

E5 Yaz

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glennhoffmania said:
 
Does anyone with half a brain really believe that he was totally clean from 2004 through 2009?
 
Sounds like a poll question for V&N
 

JohntheBaptist

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rembrat said:
It's pretty cool that even in as he admits to steroid use there are still little nuggets of bullshit sprinkled throughout. For instance, he comes into contact with Bosch in the Summer of 2010 only after he expresses a desire to lose weight to his no good cousin. Presumably this means he was clean in 2009. Yea, right. And speaking of his no good cousin, it was him who emphatically insisted Rodriguez meet with Bosch. Again, yea, right.
 
Exactly what I thought too. Reminded me of the "only in Texas!" admission--his lies always have a real transparent agenda.
 

Steve Dillard

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glennhoffmania said:
 
The part where it's total bullshit.  So far he's admitted to using from 2001-2003, and now 2010-2012.  Does anyone with half a brain really believe that he was totally clean from 2004 through 2009?
 
I suspect some of this timeline is legal advice, to deny usage during the period he entered into his new contract after 2007.  That eliminates a potential challenge to the 10/$275 contract as having been entered by hiding illegal activity from the Yankees.
 

mauf

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I can't believe that (1) any Sox fan wants any result other than A*Rod playing out his current contract in pinstripes, and (2) people don't appreciate the parallel to Manny Ramirez, who also conveniently used both before and after a championship window, but isn't (yet) proved to have used during it.
 

Oil Can Dan

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I appreciate the parallel.  I also think PEDs were more prevalent in 2004 than in 2009.  Not to excuse anyone or anything, and I'm not looking for an asterisk for the 2009 flag.  But if it came out today that Player X from the Giants was using PEDs during the 2014 series I think it would be a bigger deal than Manny using during 2004 or ARod during 2009.
 

Average Reds

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glennhoffmania said:
If Bud uses his best interests of baseball powers to ban this asshole for life as his last act as commish I'll forgive him for all of the other idiotic things he's done during his tenure.  This guy has now admitted to using illegal drugs on multiple occasions spanning multiple years over almost a decade.  He should never be allowed to play again.
 
But NY should still have his salary count towards the luxury tax.
 
It's not going to happen. 
 
But fear not.  A-Rod is a broken man and will emerge from his one year sabbatical as an ineffective, aging ballplayer sucking up the resources of the Yankees for an additional 3 years.
 
rembrat said:
It's pretty cool that even in as he admits to steroid use there are still little nuggets of bullshit sprinkled throughout. For instance, he comes into contact with Bosch in the Summer of 2010 only after he expresses a desire to lose weight to his no good cousin. Presumably this means he was clean in 2009. Yea, right. And speaking of his no good cousin, it was him who emphatically insisted Rodriguez meet with Bosch. Again, yea, right.
 
 A-Rod's statement to the DEA only covered his dealings with Bosch.  He can't plausibly claim that he was clean from 2004 - 2009 and I don't expect him to try.
 
As others pointed out, there's not a team that can plausibly claim this for that time period, including the Sox.
 

JimD

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glennhoffmania said:
If Bud uses his best interests of baseball powers to ban this asshole for life as his last act as commish I'll forgive him for all of the other idiotic things he's done during his tenure.  This guy has now admitted to using illegal drugs on multiple occasions spanning multiple years over almost a decade.  He should never be allowed to play again.
 
But NY should still have his salary count towards the luxury tax.
 
He probably will, although I hope he allows Rob Manfred to ban A-Rod as his first official act as commisioner. 
 

joe dokes

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I hope he proves he's clean in 2015 (daily pre-game drug tests; live on YES; "today's guest pee-cup holder.....Suzyn Waldman.") 
 
And then hits .350 with 80HRs and 200 RBIs for the 4th place Yankees.
 

kelpapa

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I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with Ramirez being tied to PEDs before 2004-2007. First recollection I have is a 2009 bust with the Dodgers. While one can obviously speculate about when his usage started, are you working with anything else to claim he used previous to that? I honestly don't recall his name being brought up. 
 He's referring to this. The Times reported that Manny and Papi (as well as A-Rod and many others) failed drug tests in the 2003 tests that were supposed to be anonymous.
 

gixer1k

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Saddest part is paying his cousin 900K, then ratting arod out.
 
I have cousins that would cut their own tongue off for 900K.
 
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MentalDisabldLst

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 He's referring to this. The Times reported that Manny and Papi (as well as A-Rod and many others) failed drug tests in the 2003 tests that were supposed to be anonymous.
 
I hope we don't have to once again go through why our lack of specific information on what really happened in the 2003 tests means that nothing there amounted to a "positive test".
 

threecy

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JohntheBaptist said:
Wait, this makes me think--do you guys think other players are lying too? Like, maybe Andy Pettitte didn't just use once when injured?
There's no reason for them to volunteer any more information than needed, especially now.  I suspect some of this will play out like the cycling stuff - they admit to each part after the statute of limitations runs out.
 

foulkehampshire

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kelpapa said:
 He's referring to this. The Times reported that Manny and Papi (as well as A-Rod and many others) failed drug tests in the 2003 tests that were supposed to be anonymous.
 
People often refer to this list as proof that Ortiz & others took steroids. It also tested for a wide range of stimulants/chemicals that aren't illegal and weren't banned from baseball at the time, so we really have no idea what these guys tested positive for. A bunch of this stuff is readily available at GNC. And Domincan shakes, of course. 
 
I wish this list was just made public, so people could just move on.
 

Rovin Romine

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This whole thing is going to be the gift that keeps on giving.  Sucart is set for trial in Feb., but if it gets pushed back he'll likely get tried in-season.  I know his defense attorney - and let me tell you, he is absolutely going to *grill* A-Rod during the trial.  (I don't know the details of the case, but off-the-cuff I'd say there's a 90% chance A-Rod gets called to testify by the state, and a 100% chance he gets called by the defense.)  
 
Also, this is in front of Judge Gayles.  I suspect the Judge is going to allow a lot of latitude in what the defense is able to get into.  (BTW, Gayles is the first openly gay black Federal. judge.  It's kind of a miracle he was approved, but it's completely deserved.  He was a county court judge as recently as 2010, so his star's risen pretty quickly.)
 
***
Also, A-Rod was granted limited immunity.  Immunity is complicated.  Basically, nothing he said can be used against him.  However, anything the prosecution could have discovered (inevitable discovery) is fair game.  Also, anything A-Rod lied about, or didn't speak to is fair game.  So far, A-Rod hasn't been charged with anything.  However, I have absolutely no idea how A-Rod is viewed by the US Attorney; they could be 100% willing to let him walk, or they could be looking for additional dirt.  Some of that would depend on what new information comes out.  
 
All the defendants could plea out and limit liability, but if one or more tries to go down swinging (or if there are no good deals), then this has the ability to get even more ugly and sordid, more quickly. 
 

Rovin Romine

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Average Reds said:
 
It's not going to happen. 
 
But fear not.  A-Rod is a broken man and will emerge from his one year sabbatical as an ineffective, aging ballplayer sucking up the resources of the Yankees for an additional 3 years.
 
It's like choosing between two wonderful but mutually exclusive options.  Let's hope A-Rod remains pig-headed.  His retirement would be a gold-plated gift to the Yanks.  
 
I agree that Selig probably won't do anything - unless they have very hard evidence A-Rod violated the drug policy in some way not contemplated by the arbitration.  
 
A-Rod didn't testify at the arb hearing, so there may not be any direct statements to MLB that contradict with his testimony for the US Attorney.  In retrospect, that's probably why he didn't testify.  At the time I think we all thought he was showing some good strategic sense in trying to limit his future liability, should bad contradictory facts come out.  Now, it appears he had already completely confessed and was simply running the arb hearing up to the wire to see what he could get out of it, while making public statements of his innocence.  I'm all for process, but this smacks of opportunistic game playing.  If I were MLB, I'd be pissed that A-Rod was even able to reduce his ban through the hearing. 
 

MetSox1

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I so badly want every MLB team to do a final farewell for A-Rod just like they did for Jeter, except make A-Rod's gifts just a little bit nicer.
 

Sampo Gida

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foulkehampshire said:
 
People often refer to this list as proof that Ortiz & others took steroids. It also tested for a wide range of stimulants/chemicals that aren't illegal and weren't banned from baseball at the time, so we really have no idea what these guys tested positive for. A bunch of this stuff is readily available at GNC. And Domincan shakes, of course. 
 
I wish this list was just made public, so people could just move on.
 
Much of this is incorrect.  Testing was limited to Schedule III Steroids.  In addition, there were 2 tests from samples taken 5-7 days apart.  After the 1st sample was taken, players were advised to discontinue any supplements so they would be cleared from their system in time for the next sample in 5-7 days.  To get on the "list" of positives, a player had to have failed both tests, or failed the 1st test with a substance in which it would not have been possible to acquire via any known OTC supplement.   
 
Its spelled out on Pg 161 of  the below 2003 CBA
 
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/spo/mlbpa/mlbpa_cba.pdf
 

mauidano

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A-Rod is going nowhere. He will be the albatross around the neck of the NY Yankees for the next three years. Sit back, relax and enjoy. It get's better everyday.