Or, maybe, he started using something in 1999 to help some of those doubles and triples (in his steady stream of extra base hits) turn into homeruns, and, kept using it until 2003? And, then, come 2004, thanks to the MLB PED policy, he stopped using it…until he used it again in 2005 (to get the New York fans and media off his back for a sub par 2004) and then he used it again in 2007 (to have a huge year in his opt out season)?

I think your theory here and at the other blog entry covering this subject is pretty solid, Steve. I’ve been skeptical of A-Rod’s superman performances for quite some time, but I’m not much on statistical analysis — I’ve believed he’s a liar-liar-LIAR since that 2000 season he tiptoed around the Mariners; ESPECIALLY after he and Boras released that 70 page prospectus.

My point on posting now is: Don’t forget, too, that he played for the first time in the new Safeco Field in July 1999 and thereafter, until his contract was up in 2000. It was (and still is) not particularly kind to RH hitters like A-Rod and Edgar Martinez. That LF wall is a tough one to hit HRs to. No doubt that’s where A-Rod learned to go to the opp. field…

So I wouldn’t doubt it for a minute that A-Rod was juiced in 1999 and 2000.

FWIW, on M&M this AM on ESPN Radio, they said that ESPN now has two sources who confirmed that Alex tested positive in 2003.

I’d like to hear more details about Ms. Roberts supposed transgressions, because over at Ken Davidoff’s blog, he’s vouching for her professionalism, and I believe Stark called her article “exquisitely sourced” or something like that. Like Steve says, 4 sources confirmed it, which might very well have been SI’s insistence that she not just have two independent sources. And has anyone noticed that the Times and the News both reported it separately, citing fewer sources? So they got their sources (possibly the same people) to say the same thing, after SI broke the story.

~~Believe a story with anonymous sources by Selena Roberts? ~~

Well, they are saying that they corroborated the information with four sources…no? That’s twice as much as the industry standard, from what I’ve been told.

~~you can use the same method to “prove” Mickey Mantle started using steroids sometime in 1955 or 1956.~~

Except there was no report in 1964 that established Mantle had failed a PED piss test back in 1959…

~~~A-Rod was 23 in 1999. Wouldn’t it make much more sense to think that his new-found power was due much more to his natural progression as a hitter?~~~

Did you miss the part where I wrote:

“Now, this could just be an age thing…as A-Rod turned 23 in 1999 and then was 28 in 2004. Maybe he just matured at 23 and then started to show signs of age when he started to approach 30? It could be…”

?

A-Rod was 23 in 1999. Wouldn’t it make much more sense to think that his new-found power was due much more to his natural progression as a hitter?
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Certainly. But since this is the path we’re going down, may as well play along….

0MG PlAyAZZZ ON DA JUICE!!!!11!!1!one!!1!

I think what hallofamer means is that you can use the same method to “prove” Mickey Mantle started using steroids sometime in 1955 or 1956.