Doug Mientkiewicz, Dodgers utility man, defended Alex Rodriguez on steroid issues in relation to the New York Daily News report. According to Mientkiewicz, the Yankees star never showed any sign that he was on steroids as it is being alleged in the upcoming book by Sport’s Illustrated’s Selena Roberts.

The two were teammates in suburban Miami and were always together in school although Mientkiewicz was a year older. Mientkiewicz further stated that their entire team at the Westminster Christian High often ate dinner together and there were even times that players, including Rodriguez, would have sleepovers at Mientkiewicz’s house which is just a 10-minute drive from the private school. He said that “it would be 99.9% impossible for us not to know” considering that Rodriguez was always with them. Roberts was the one who broke the story that Rodriguez flunked the drug test in 2003 while still playing for the Texas Rangers. In February, Rodriguez admitted that he took banned substance from 2001 to 2003.

The book even exposed that Rodriguez put on 25 pounds of muscle between his sophomore and junior in high school. “You’re basically accusing every kid that’s gone through puberty that they’re on steroids too, huh?” He gained a couple of inches height-wise too, if I remember right. . . . I knew what he looked like in ninth grade. He was skinny. Who isn’t in ninth grade? He was very dedicated back then, he worked harder than anyone else.” Mientkiewicz added in answer to the statement written in the book. The Daily News also reported that Rodriguez’s high school teammate is the source of Roberts.

“If you’re going to have the [guts] to come out and say something like that, of that magnitude, whether it’s a high school teammate or one of the Yankee teammates that have said something, be a man and put your name on it. Don’t give me the anonymous source [stuff]. Be a man. Be a man and say who you are. That way there’s no questioning whether it’s real or not,” a response to the Daily News report that a former teammate of Rodriguez was the source of Roberts.

When 5% of big leaguers had tested positive for steroids in 2003, baseball had implemented a mandatory random-testing program. The 2007 Mitchell Report on the use of steroid on baseball stated that in September 2004, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the player’s union, tipped off a player on the incoming and unannounced drug test. It was reported that Rodriguez was tipped by Orza in September 2004 that he would be up for a drug test.

Rodriguez was signed by Yankees to a 10-year, incentive-laden deal that is worth around $305 million. According to reports, Rodriguez is worth $275 million and could receive $6 million bonus and an additional $6 million for great performance. However, the contract of Rodriguez to the Yankees does not involve anything about steroids so Rodriguez is still safe and not at risk of losing his money.

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