When Alex Rodriguez was busted in 2009 by Sports Illustrated for using steroids, the New York Yankees third baseman finally admitted to using PEDs. In his admission, Rodriguez made a point to say he only used the illegal substances from 2001-2003 while he was a member of the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez’s involvement with Biogenesis suggests he has used PEDs at least twice in his career. Former Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe thinks A-Rod has been using PEDs a lot longer than that.
Speaking on ESPN Monday, Sutcliffe said he thinks Rodriguez has been cheating his entire career.
“I don’t ever need to see Alex Rodriguez play again,” Sutcliffe said in response to Rodriguez’s suspension. “I agree with Curt (Schilling). I don’t think there’s anything about [A-Rod’s] career that you can believe. I believe he cheated from the very beginning.”
Sutcliffe’s thoughts also echoed a changing sentiment among former and current players regarding PEDs.
“This is one of the first times in my life where I have felt like I am glad I didn’t do anything as far as steroids are concerned,” said Sutcliffe. “We all had that option, it was available, it was around. But we also knew that it was illegal, particularly to begin with by law.
“For the longest part of my life I have wondered: did I do the right thing? There really has not been any harsh punishment. The reward certainly in the past have always outweighed the risk. I wasn’t willing to take that risk.”
Sutcliffe also said he feels like punishments are getting to the point where they’re deterring players from using, which is helping to clean up the game.
Rodriguez wanted people to believe that he only cheated from 2001-2003. Now he has been caught up with Biogenesis, so that’s at least two periods during his career when he used. Also recall that Jose Canseco said he thought Rodriguez was juicing since high school.
A-Rod is losing all benefit of the doubt in the matter. Fewer and fewer people are believing his accomplishments were done cleanly. I don’t trust any of Rodriguez’s accomplishments achieved since at least 2000.
