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Girardi Will Be There To Support A-Rod

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The Associated Press

Published: February 16, 2009

NEW YORK - Alex Rodriguez will have an audience of Yankees for his news conference Tuesday after he arrives at spring training.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi plans to attend to show his support for the three-time AL MVP, who last week admitted using banned substances while playing for Texas from 2001 to 2003. Several Yankees players also have told the team they want to be there.

"I think it shows the unity of the club, and I think that's real important," Girardi said Sunday. "I think it's important that teammates back teammates, and they're there for each other, and they know during difficult times they can lean on each other. Because, you know what? There's going to be something else that comes up this year that's difficult maybe for a player to get through."

When Andy Pettitte arrived for a difficult news conference Feb. 18 of last year, he entered the tent behind third base and unexpectedly saw Yankees captain Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera off to his right, sitting in a row.

"My boys are hanging out over there," Pettitte said, happy to see them.

He then spent 55 1/2 minutes apologizing and explaining why he had used human growth hormone.

Rodriguez's latest troubles began Feb. 7, when Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site he was on a list of 104 players who tested positive during baseball's anonymous survey in 2003. Rodriguez tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone, SI said.

Two days later, he made his admission to ESPN.

The news conference, in the same tent where Pettitte spoke, will be his first since the confession. Yankees position players report Tuesday in Tampa and start workouts the following day.

"He's excited. He said, 'I can't wait to start playing baseball,'" Girardi said, recounting a Saturday conversation he had with his third baseman. "I think this is another step in the healing process and getting through this."

Girardi has been trying to check in with Rodriguez every other day but doesn't think he needs to give too much counsel. "I'm sure he's got a lot of people in his ear," the manager said.

Rodriguez has a large management team starting with agent Scott Boras and his staff. Then there's Guy Oseary, A-Rod's manager, a former recording company executive who also manages Madonna.

Rodriguez Calls SI Writer To Apologize

TAMPA - Alex Rodriguez has called Sports Illustrated's Selena Roberts to apologize for critical comments he made during an ESPN interview.

Roberts was co-author of the Feb. 7 article on SI's Web site that reported he was on a list of 104 players who tested positive for steroids during baseball's anonymous 2003 survey. Rodriguez told ESPN two days later he had used banned substances from 2001 to 2003 while playing for Texas.

"I know this lady from Sports Illustrated, Selena Roberts, is trying to throw things out there that in high school I tried steroids. I mean, that's the biggest bunch of baloney I've ever heard in my life," he told ESPN, adding that "this lady is coming out with all these allegations, all these lies."

Roberts said Sunday that Rodriguez called her Wednesday. She didn't want to comment on the call until Rodriguez holds a news conference after arriving at spring training Tuesday.

She is writing a book "A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez," due for publication by HarperCollins on April 14.

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