Alex Rodriguez says he's a "jackass" for using PEDs

Alex Rodriguez says he’s a “jackass” for using PEDs during his major league career, and here’s why.

Alex Rodriguez – known to many as “A-Rod” – recently opened up about his PED use, not holding back any of the details at all. His case for the Hall of Fame is a tricky one since he has openly admitted to using substances banned by Major League Baseball – which it was only proven that he used them while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-2003. Whether Rodriguez makes the Hall of Fame or not, he confesses that he lost a whole more than a place in Cooperstown when he recently spilled his guts to Joe Buck for a segment on the hit show Undeniable:

“I’m the only jackass that has pocket aces and figures out a way to lose the hand… This thing cost me over $40 million. And it cost me my reputation, and it may have cost me the Hall of Fame and a number of other things.”

More than costing him loads of cash, Rodriguez had to make things right with his own family:

“The hardest thing I had to do, I had to admit to Natasha and Ella the mistakes that I made, my daughters… Doing that, admitting that to them, and then having them embrace me and hug me, and to a degree forgive me.”

Buck has also been active in the discussion of A-Rod’s Hall of Fame case, admitting it’s a problem not just in baseball, but worldwide:

“In his time, how many guys were juiced up throwing it to him?… I get people don’t like him and the perception of him, based on numbers if anybody is going to go in… They might as well just shut it down… To sit on the hillside and pick off guys… It’s impossible. It’s naive. It’s dumb.”

A-Rod’s career stats are Hall of Fame worthy on their own, but with the voters who decide the Cooperstown elite recently distancing themselves from PED users, A-Rod could be on the outside looking in at the Hall of Fame:

More from Call to the Pen

Alex Rodriguez career statistics and accolades:

World Series champion (2009)
3-time AL MVP (2003, 2005, 2007)
14-time All-Star (1996–1998, 2000–2008, 2010, 2011)
Runs: 2,021
Hits: 3,115 (20th all-time)
Batting Average: .295
Home Runs: 696 (4th all-time)
RBI: 2,086
Stolen bases: 329
2-time Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop (2002, 2003)
10-time Silver Slugger Award (1996, 1998–2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
4-time AL Hank Aaron Award (2001–2003, 2007)
MLB batting champion (1996)
5-time AL home run leader (2001–2003, 2005, 2007)
2-time MLB RBI leader (2002, 2007)
25 career grand slams (MLB record)

I do agree with Buck on former players, specifically Barry Bonds and Rodriguez, being used as scapegoats and singled out. It is just flat-out wrong to focus on a handful of known players, instead of admitting that the blame falls on former Commissioner Bud Selig, who had to have known all of this was going on. Baseball was coming off a strike, bad ratings and a decline in interest, so I understand why he allowed it, even though it’s wrong of Selig to exploit, then later on blame the players, instead of taking responsibility and admitting that he knew it was going on, if that’s the case.

Next: Cardinals 2017 Season Review

During the steroid era, a number of players who used PEDs are (most likely) off the charts, so why make an example of these two guys? In the case of Alex Rodriguez, I think he should still be a first-ballot selection, with maybe a mention of his use on the plaque on his accolades in the museum at Cooperstown. Plus, how many current Hall of Fame members have taken PEDs that we don’t know of? I believe eventually the floodgates will break open, but who is going to be the PED inductee who paves the way and is selected first?

Home / Baseball Hall of Fame