Reactions to Alex Rodriguez admission Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers was mixed.
Nationally, the “woe is me” special report on MLB-TV gave marginal players like Harold Reynolds another reason to call marginal players from the steroid era and ask them why they didn’t use and if they feel their careers were cheated.
Of course none of these players would break “the code” and name names of those they knew who used.
In Arlington, team owner Tom Hicks said in a television interview that he felt betrayed after learning that Rodriguez admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. From 2001-2003, Hicks never said he felt betrayed by Rodriguez. Instead, Hicks would publicly thank Rodriguez, the best player in baseball, for putting up such staggering numbers that he kept the last-place Rangers on the national stage.
One local anchor, Mike Rodriguez (no relation), said Monday night on KRLD FM, the new sports-radio station in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, he wanted all the names of players who were caught in the 2003 test to be released. Then, in almost the same breath, the former Temple University baseball player said that those who used took jobs in professional baseball away from him and his teammates.
So what about Rangers fans (assuming they have some)? Near the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, one fan said, “I wonder why the big-money guys never shared their steroids with the pitchers. It doesn’t matter how far you hit the ball if your defense never gets anybody out.”
Another fan said, “I got nothing but love for him (Rodriguez).” At least when he signed a super-human $252 million contract he tried to be, well, super human.”
