TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez came across as remorseful and contrite Monday as he spoke to the media for the first time since being suspended for the entire 2014 season.
“No mistake that I’ve made has a good answer,” the New York Yankees slugger said. “No justification. It’s unexplainable. I’ve paid a price personally and professionally.”
Rodriguez would not address performance-enhancing drugs, other than to say he is not currently using them. He received his ban for violating MLB’s drug agreement and labor contract.
Rodriguez went through his first unofficial workout of spring training at the Yankees’ training camp, hitting six home runs in 71 batting practice swings. Positions players are due to report Wednesday and hold their first workout Thursday.
After signing autographs for fans for 10 minutes in the Steinbrenner Field parking lot following his workout, Rodriguez met with the media in an informal scrum. He decided against holding a press conference, instead issuing a five-paragraph handwritten apology last Tuesday that also did not provide any specifics about PED use.
“There were plenty of mistakes along the way,” Rodriguez said. “I cringe sometimes at some of the things I did but I paid my penalty and I’m ready to play baseball again.
Rodriguez has hit 654 home runs in his 20-year career to rank fifth on the all-time list. However, in addition to sitting out last season, Rodriguez played in just 44 games in 2013 while recovering from hip surgery and batted .244 with seven home runs.
When asked how productive he can be, especially in light of not using PEDs, the 39-year-old Rodriguez said he thinks he can help the Yankees. The team missed the postseason each of the last two seasons, the first time that has happened since 1992-93.
“I’m confident that if I stay healthy, I can do some good things,” Rodriguez said. “Right now, I’m just focused on making the team. Obviously it was a rough year last year but I’m glad that’s behind me.”
Rodriguez doesn’t have to worry about making the team. He has three years and $64 million remaining on the 10-year, $252,870,000 contract he signed following the 2007 season.
However, where he will play this season is an open-ended question.
He won’t return to third base as the Yankees traded with the San Diego Padres for Chase Headley last season and liked him so much that they re-signed him to a four-year, $52 million contract.
The Yankees plan to have Rodriguez take some ground balls at first base this spring. However, they already have two veterans at that position in Mark Teixeira and Garrett Jones, who was acquired from the Miami Marlins in an offseason trade.
Rodriguez could wind up getting most of his plate appearances at designated hitter.
“I just want to play,” Rodriguez said. “That’s the bottom line.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, reiterating what manager Joe Girardi said last Friday, does not believe Rodriguez will be a clubhouse distraction.
“He’ll be the focus for (the media) because you’ll want to get access to him, but from a baseball operations standpoint, he’ll be coming in with everybody else,” Cashman said. “He’ll be in his hitting group and his fielding group, stretching, all that stuff, conditioning side of it. It’ll be no different from our end.”