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A-Rod Takes Right Route, Admits to PED Use

Feb 9, 2009, 7:42 PM UTC

Roger Clemens, take note: Alex Rodriguez has admitted to taking PEDs. A-Rod confessed today to taking an unspecified banned substance(s) from 2001-03 during an interview with Peter Gammons. The entire interview will be shown during the 6PM edition of SportsCenter.â†µâ†µBut in the meantime, allow us to applaud A-Rod for his honesty. Once you’ve been outed for taking PEDs, there are two routes to take: admit you did it, apologize, and watch that outrage quickly fad away (see: Andy Pettitte), or deny it and become the target of media, and even congressional, attacks (see: Roger Clemens). Generally, people are willing to forgive others for making mistakes and admitting to them. Which I think will be the case with A-Rod, at least to some extent. â†µ

â†µâ†µAlthough if you look at the power numbers, it seems that whatever A-Rod was on during those three years in Texas, it helped him out. Here are his home run numbers from the three years prior to going to Texas, his three while with the Rangers, and his first three seasons after leaving Texas:â†µ

â†µâ†µ1998-2000, Mariners: 42 HRs/seasonâ†µ

â†µâ†µ2001-03, Rangers: 52 HRs/seasonâ†µ

â†µâ†µ2004-07, Yankees: 40 HRs/seasonâ†µ

â†µâ†µSurely, there are other factors that go into play here (ballpark, line-up around him, age, etc.). But he hit over 10 bombs per season more during the three years that he admits to being on some sort of banned substance. That’s some coincidence. â†µ

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â†µUPDATE: Part of the interview can be seen after the jump. â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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