Selig scolds A-Rod, attacks players' union

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/la-spw-selig-arod13-2009feb13,0,1391290.story

Baseball commissioner says Rodriguez has 'shamed the game' with steroid use but imposes no punishment. He complains that the union gave 'no cooperation' in the Mitchell probe of drug use.

By Bill Shaikin
February 13, 2009

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig scolded Alex Rodriguez on Thursday, imposing no discipline beyond a public reprimand after Rodriguez said he had used performance-enhancing drugs for three years.



Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig scolded Alex Rodriguez for using performance-enhancing drugs, but stopped short of issuing a punishment for the all-star third baseman.


Selig said he was "saddened" by the revelation Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003, first reported by Sports Illustrated five days ago and confirmed by Rodriguez three days ago.

"While Alex deserves credit for publicly confronting the issue, there is no valid excuse for using such substances and those who use them have shamed the game," Selig said. "What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation."

Selig did not mention Rodriguez beyond the first three paragraphs of a 13-paragraph statement and instead took aim at the players union.

Selig and his lieutenants are angry about allegations in the Sports Illustrated report that Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players union, tipped off Rodriguez to an upcoming drug test in 2004. An unnamed player also told SI that Orza provided his a test date in advance and warned him to "make sure there's nothing in your system."

Orza has denied tipping any player to a test. The union had no plans to release a statement responding to Selig, spokesman Greg Bouris said.

FULL story at link.