When Houston Astros legend Billy Wagner was clueless about Alex Rodriguez jeopardizing his career with steroids
In January 2022, Houston Astros legend Billy Wagner expressed his cluelessness about former New York Yankees star shortstop Alex Rodriguez jeopardizing his illustrious career with steroids.
Wagner's backlash came after A-Rod appeared on his first Hall Of Fame ballot, garnering 34.3% votes. Players needed 75% or more of the committee vote in order to be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Apparently, throughout Rodriguez's career, there have been allegations and admissions of his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
"To me that is a very easy story,” Wagner said in a New York Post interview. “If you are caught and proven without a doubt and you are suspended, I don’t know why you are on the ballot.
He added:
“I understand that A-Rod was one of the greatest players I ever played against, and when all that stuff changes you just have a hard time. You go, ‘Why? You were already great.’ For whatever reason I just don’t think it’s fair that [illegal PED users] get to enjoy what guys who did it the correct way are forced to deal with. A guy like Dale Murphy who goes out there and hits and gets MVPs and does it correctly, but doesn’t get in, but the guy who takes shortcuts shouldn’t get the same privilege.”
In an interview with ESPN in 2009, Rodriguez, for the first time, publicly admitted to using banned substances during his tenure with the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. His confession came after Sports Illustrated revealed that A-Rod had been found to have used steroids during his 2003 season.
The details were part of a confidential report which disclosed that 104 MLB players had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances during a drug survey conducted in 2003. Apparently, the survey was approved by the players themselves, who were assured of their anonymity.
MLB executed the survey to assess the need for a mandatory drug testing program. Interestingly, back then, there were no penalties or consequences for testing positive.
Five years later, Rodriguez was again in the middle of a PED controversy for his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal. The Biogenesis of America clinic, located in Florida, was at the center of a PED distribution ring. Numerous players, including Rodriguez, were linked to the clinic and its owner, Anthony Bosch.
This time Alex received a 211-game suspension from MLB in August 2013 for his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal.
Rodriguez appealed the suspension and was able to continue playing while the case was under review. Ultimately, his suspension was reduced to 162 games, which equated to the entire 2014 season. He returned to play for the New York Yankees in 2015 and announced his retirement from professional baseball in August 2016.
It's worth noting that Alex Rodriguez's use of steroids tarnished his reputation and affected his legacy in the sport.
Alex Rodriguez's Cooperstown update: 2022 and 2023
Twenty-twenty-two was the first year that New York Yankees icon Alex Rodriguez was eligible for voting by the BBWAA, and he received 34.3% of the vote.
He’ll remain on the ballot for each of the next nine years, so long as he continues to clear the 5% mark.
Twenty-twenty-three was the second voting cycle with Alex Rodriguez on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, and there was a jump in the percentage compared to 2022. The former MLB 14× All-Star received 41.6% of the vote in 2023.