SI: Arod tested positive for steroids in 2003

From SI:

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told

Sports Illustrated

. Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004. When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "You'll have to talk to the union," said Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman since his trade to New York in February 2004. When asked if there was an explanation for his positive test, he said, "I'm not saying anything." Phone messages left by SI for players' union executive director Donald Fehr were not returned.

Good thing the Yankees have him locked up for another nine years, eh? I heard this on WFAN as I pulled into the driveway just a few minutes ago and one of the cronies running the board for Evan Roberts made a good point: A-Fraud has a new meaning. I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I say this is bad news, assuming it's true.  SI supposedly has four independent sources corroborating this story, which sounds reasonable enough to print.  A-Rod didn't exactly laugh it off, either. A-Rod, despite his weird reputation around baseball, was supposed to be the man who wiped away Barry Bonds from the record books.  That's why the Yankees gave him so much money and so many home run milestones incentives.  He may still hit those milestones, but the Yankees may be grinding their teeth with each check. Now, there is still a lot to come out about this story.  A-Rod supposedly tested positive in 2003, but over the five seasons since has not tested positive.  That could mean one of two things: he found better steroids, or he's not using anymore.  2003 wasn't Alex's best season, but the three seasons before that (OPS+ of 162, 160, and 158) were nothing to sneeze at.  By most accounts, the steroid push in the majors really started around 1998.  Alex had one dominating year before 1998, which was 1996 when he had an OPS+ of 160.  Looking at his progression, he didn't really start to dominate until he was 24, which is reasonable.  The question remains whether he became that much better because of steroids. What does this do to A-Rod's legacy?  Assuming it's true, it probably just ruined it.  And in the process, it put a huge hole in the Yankee organization. There's another factor here worth addressing.  The notion that these tests done in 2003 were going to stay anonymous was pretty foolhardy.  Any evidence that damning can't stay confidential for long.  It was done under the impetus that the results would help MLB decide whether they needed a steroid program or not. The logic behind this, that baseball needed proof before they could enact a policy to ban illegal substances from the league, is preposterous.  It is becoming more apparent that both the player's union and the commissioners office were aware of the problem as early as 1998 or 1999.  The players union probably wouldn't have moved forward without some concrete evidence. That plan is obviously on the verge of backfiring.  Rather than cooperate and move forward, the player's union forced MLB to create a record of users in 2003 who supposedly wouldn't be punished. I guess we'll find out in the coming months exactly how little Alex Rodriguez will be punished.  Of course, if Derek Jeter comes out and supports him, everything will be fine.