Report: Bosch may have given A-Rod placebos
On Tuesday, Alex Rodriguez released a statement apologizing to MLB, the MLBPA, the Yankees and the fans for the actions that led to his 162-game suspension last year. “I’m ready to put this chapter behind me and play some ball,” he wrote.
A-Rod is the subject of an ESPN The Magazine article written by J.R. Moehringer and released on Wednesday. Moehringer talked with Rodriguez about his PED use and his year away from baseball last season. It’s a must read.
In addition to explaining A-Rod considered retirement last year, Moehringer also wrote former Biogenesis chief Anthony Bosch may gave given Rodriguez placebos. From the article:
Rodriguez thinks often about that first meeting with Bosch. Shaking his hand, taking what he gave with the other hand, which might have been sugar and lies — his numbers went down for two years. He laughs: Only he, only a dope like he, would do that stuff and have the two worst statistical seasons of his career. And now … Yuri’s wife is calling him the devil. He gazes balefully at the TV, at his face on the screen, at the words below his face: A-FRAUD. He grimaces, stands, walks inside the house.
Based on the tone of article, it seems like A-Rod and Moehringer are trying to make light of the situation rather than throwing out an accusation.
Bosch was sentenced to four years in part because he pretended to be a doctor — he didn’t actually have a medical license. It’s entirely possible he gave A-Rod a concoction that simply didn’t work. Or maybe it did work and Rodriguez’s career low numbers from 2012-13 were inflated. Or maybe PEDs aren’t a magic pill that automatically make you better at baseball. We have no idea.
A-Rod hit .265/.352/.428 (112 OPS+) with 25 home runs in 166 games from 2012-13 before being suspended in 2014. Those are easily the two worst seasons of his career. He played only 44 games in 2013 due to hip surgery.
The Yankees open spring training on Friday. Position players are scheduled to report next Wednesday.
Did Anthony Bosch give Alex Rodriguez a placebo? (USATSI)
Recommended article: Chomsky: We Are All – Fill in the Blank.
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