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A-Rod Sidesteps Questions

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The Associated Press

Published: February 20, 2009

TAMPA - Alex Rodriguez ducked follow-up questions about his drug use, refusing to address a report identifying the cousin the Yankees star claims injected him with a banned substance.

"I'm not talking about it anymore," Rodriguez said Thursday.

The slugger also wouldn't discuss Major League Baseball's attempt to interview him about his tainted past.

"I'd rather not get into that," he said.

He met with Owner George Steinbrenner and worked out on the main field at New York's spring training camp. Fans applauded and shouted encouragement, and critical shouts were at a minimum.

"The relief was just putting the uniform back on and running out there with my teammates," Rodriguez said. "No matter what happens and what has occurred in my life, the baseball field is where I feel most comfortable."

During his news conference Tuesday, he said a cousin injected him with "boli," a drug obtained in the Dominican Republic that Rodriguez believes led to a positive steroids test in baseball's anonymous 2003 survey.

Rodriguez wouldn't identify the cousin, reported by ESPN.com to be Yuri Sucart of Miami.

Property records show Sucart lives in Miami. At the house listed as his residence, a man and woman drove onto the grounds just after noon and quickly closed the gate behind them.

MLB officials are interested in talking to Rodriguez about the cousin and the access issue. One baseball official, speaking on condition of anonymity because public comments were not authorized, said some within MLB would like to learn the source of the "boli" the cousin obtained.

The players' union was contacted by the commissioner's office Wednesday, and further discussions took place Thursday on the logistics of setting up the meeting.

MLB hopes the meeting will take place before Rodriguez leaves for the World Baseball Classic.

Steinbrenner was making his first appearance at the spring training camp this year.

Steinbrenner arrived at about 10 a.m., was brought from the parking lot to Steinbrenner Field in a golf cart, then was transferred to a wheel chair near a bank of elevators before going up to his office. The 78-year-old has been increasingly frail in recent years.

Williams Begins WBC Workouts

Bernie Williams felt right at home.

The former Yankees center fielder worked out with his old team Thursday at Steinbrenner Field as part of his preparation to join Puerto Rico's squad for next month's World Baseball Classic.

"It doesn't feel strange," Williams, 40, said while standing near his old locker. "It feels great."

Except for three games in this season's Puerto Rico winter league, Williams hasn't played since rejecting the Yankees' minor-league contract offer in 2007.

"I think most importantly, I was just so glad to be hanging out with the guys," Williams said. "Something I haven't done in two years."

BONDS TRIAL: A federal judge has barred prosecutors from using three positive steroid tests and other key evidence in Barry Bonds' trial next month because of his personal trainer's refusal to testify.

The ruling issued late Thursday was expected. The judge had said earlier she was troubled by the admissibility of the test results because prosecutors couldn't conclusively tie them to Bonds.

Prosecutors allege that Bonds' trainer, Greg Anderson, collected the urine samples and delivered them for testing to the Bay Area Co-Operative Laboratory in 2000 and 2001.

But Anderson has refused to testify. The judge said without his testimony, prosecutors cannot link the tests to Bonds.

BRAVES: Tom Glavine has returned to the Braves for one more season, reaching a preliminary agreement on a $1 million, one-year contract. Also, outfielder Jeff Francoeur agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,375,000, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing.

ROCKIES: Left-hander Jeff Francis will have exploratory surgery on his pitching shoulder next week and expects to miss the 2009 season.

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