Update

by John Sickels on Feb 10, 2026 10:23 AM EST Comment 18 comments

Jeri is under the weather, so I've been on child care duty. She seems on the mend, so I should be back on a normal schedule tomorrow or Thursday. Will do some prospect retros, plus perhaps something on shortstop prospects similar to the catcher series I did a couple of weeks ago.

The whole A-Rod thing just makes me sigh. Perhaps I'm just jaded in my old age, but I'm not surprised by it, nor particularly troubled. I'm just weary of the whole PED issue. I do have some respect for him admitting it and apologizing, unlike some other stars who have tried to lie their way out of it. I'm old enough now to know that all heroes have clay feet, and I have a lot of other things on my mind that are worth more worry than this. I might have something more extensive to say about the whole steroid thing soon.

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community review of last year's rookies

John, As I am sure you know we just finished a community project in which we ranked the top 20 prospects for future major league performance among those who used up their rookie status last year. I know you commented about some of these guys in the review of last year’s list in the front of this year’s book, but any comments or thoughts you have about how you would rank that group of players currently or your thoughts about our rankings of those players would be much appreciated.

by Dalman on Feb 10, 2026 11:12 AM EST reply actions

A-Fraud

I feel pretty much the same way. What does it change? Nothing. He still makes millions, still plays for the Yankees, will probably still set the all-time home run mark, and is still a jerk. The only thing this does, we hope, is to deter others from meeting the same fate. Do steroids and you will get caught, be disgraced, and have to apologize. If you think that’s worth whatever millions you can make in the meantime, then that’s your problem.

by tim_l on Feb 10, 2026 11:19 AM EST reply actions

not sure that he is a jerk

He def. has his faults, and now the stench of steroids, but even Selena Roberts who was interviewed on ESPN radio today, said how many people she ran into that had wonderful things to say about Arod the person, and that she herself found him to be a nice guy, who just has insecurity issues. It was actually a bit odd hearing the lady that outed him singing his praises.

By the way, did you know that for most of the last two weeks he was sititng next to a hospital bed for his young child who had a dangerous staff infection.

Look for all arods character flaws, and reall how bad is it to try to hard to please everyone, to this point this isnt a guy driving drunk, bring loaded weapons into night clubs and shooting himself in the leg, being put on trial for rape and assault, beating his wife, etc. etc

He is far from perfect but, lets stop the hyperbole.

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by jbluestone on Feb 10, 2026 9:13 PM EST up reply actions

Don't give A-Rod any credit

A-Rod deserves no credit for telling his version of the truth. He spoke to Gammons because he was boxed into a corner.

But let’s be clear. It is unlikely he told the truth. He knows that the only positive drug test that exists was in 2003, so he says it’s “pretty accurate” that he took PEDs from 2001-2003. There is no reason to believe he’s telling the truth now about the extent of his drug use — he’s just saying what he is absolutely forced to say.

A-Rod lied until he had no choice, just as Bonds did. What separates A-Rod and Bonds is only their circumstances. Bonds was boxed into testifying before a Grand Jury and his lie has greater consequences. Had Bonds told the truth in front of the Grand Jury, he stood to lose a significant portion of a $90 million contract. Because A-Rod was exposed much later in a different public environment, when people like John feel the news “just makes me sigh,” he stands to lose little financially.

It is clear that A-Rod along with hundreds of major league players, took PEDs. They did so with the tacit support of MLB and the Players Union. It is likely a lot of players are still taking PEDs because of the ineffectiveness of the MLB drug taking policy.

PEDs are here to stay. Let’s stop the witch hunting and move on.

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by 3Com Park on Feb 10, 2026 1:45 PM EST reply actions

WAKE UP FOLKS!!!

EVERYONE, used steroids in the baseball era that followed Big Mac and Sammy looking like popeye all juiced up on spinach of the very late 90’s and early 2000’s!

Accept it…there were way more players than the few names that have been thrown out for public scrutiny! I just hope baseball learns from it and moves forward negatively!!! (little play on verbage there as far as testing goes). The culture of acceptance has changes in baseball, the players now know…this will not be tolerated…it was back then.

WAKE UP, THE LAUNDRY LIST IS WAY GREATER THAN YOU EVEN WANT TO IMAGINE! This stuff is old news to me already.

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by Kenner's Corner on Feb 10, 2026 3:20 PM EST reply actions

Not everyone

I’ve had my ear fairly close to the ground on this one, and I’d be very, very surprised if there was a 100% use rate. Were they common? Absolutely. And were there users who we’d rather not admit? Of course, but to say that every player is tainted? That’s purely fallacious.

by GuyinNY on Feb 11, 2026 10:18 AM EST up reply actions

No respect from me!!

He earns no respect from me for telling part of the truth after getting caught on that steroid list———-if not for being on that list, does anyone really think he would have come clean???? Not a chance in hell. His interview with Gammons was a lot of softball questions by Gammons, with little or no followup questions when it was obviously needed—-he got off easy in that interview, and that was unfortunate. . A-Rod seemed nervous and uncomfortable while lying and trying to justify his actions by indicating it was a different era———everyone was doing it!! He’s a real piece of work, he is. After lying previously on national TV to Katie Khouric, how can anyone believe him now———-I think the chances that 2003 were the last time he used steroids is almost zero!!
As talented as he is, this guy will now join Bonds, Clemens, McGuire, Sosa, Palmiero and others by never ever getting into the hall of fame——the hall of shame yes, the hall of fame NO!!
This is going to be a very looooooong season for A-Rod, regardless of how well he performs on the field. If he thinks the boo-birds were too rough on him before, just wait until the season starts and he travels around the league———-they will absolutely crucify him, and rightfully so IMO!! He’ll still make his 27 million, and thats nice for him, but now its gonna be a whole new ballgame for him, and his life and glory days will never again be the same—-now that people know for CERTAIN that he used steroids!

by dancer on Feb 10, 2026 5:23 PM EST reply actions

A-Rod and others

As a Cardinal fan, my fear is that it will come out the Pujols used/received. I feel like it probably already would have if it was going to. He has been relatively silent on the issue. Not many Cardinals have been named. I hope that remains the case.

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by Toddius on Feb 10, 2026 5:49 PM EST reply actions

+10000

The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.

by mckeeno on Feb 11, 2026 10:20 AM EST up reply actions

Albert

I’d be very very surprised if his name wasn’t on the list.

by bluechipper on Feb 11, 2026 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

Why?

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by OldProspects on Feb 11, 2026 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

well,

the guy basically comes out of nowhere and from day 1 posts 1000 ops seasons year after year? Link relates how he had plenty of talent but a poor body when drafted in the 13th round back in 1999.

Yes, I’m being cynical and making assumptions but given the circumstances and the era he broke in, it makes sense to me.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2006/10/11/one_that_got_away/

by bluechipper on Feb 11, 2026 7:56 PM EST up reply actions

But that wouldn't explain continued success.

He’s played the majority of his career in a tested era, even into the more harsh punishment era. Unless he’s pulling a Bonds and using something completely new that no one really knows about yet, there’s not much to say he’s a user.

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by Andy Seiler on Feb 11, 2026 11:05 PM EST up reply actions

I think there are a lot of VERY NERVOUS and WORRIED baseball players right now!!!!
If that 104 number is correct, there are probably two or three players on every team in baseball on that list—————if it all comes out, and I hope it does———-all hell’s gonna break loose all over the country!!!

by dancer on Feb 10, 2026 6:38 PM EST reply actions

Family more important, take care of them

I agree with you about steroids and PEDS (and I’m older than you), just kind of tired of the talk, particularly since we are not even sure what the actual positive effects are, the offensive era appears to be more linked to a juiced ball than juiced players: http://highboskage.com/juiced-ball.shtml

I have not increased my respect for A-Rod much, he had to confess because the evidence is there for the whole world to see, particularly if he knows it is true and would come out eventually. And for all we know, he spun his situation to create some logic and perhaps sympathy (as much sympathy as one can provide someone with a $250M contract): Oh, it was the huge contract and the stress of that made me use.

Well, the stress of making the majors is pretty huge too, and if he was willing to use after a big contract, why wouldn’t he be just as likely to use when in the minors and unsure if he would ever make the majors?

But yeah, many more important things other than this, I totally agree. Like family…

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by obsessivegiantscompulsive on Feb 11, 2026 12:53 PM EST reply actions

Feel better Jeri

You’re in my thoughts…constantly.

by Daniel Plainview on Feb 11, 2026 2:20 PM EST reply actions

Ummmm....

okaaay?

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by OldProspects on Feb 11, 2026 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

Can't hold A Rod

Too accountable when 100+ players were on the list and his name was the only one leaked - conveniently.

Just an ugly time during the sport - both players and management should have dealt with it before it became such a huge issue. Makes you want to admire the ones that excelled with PED’s even more if you could figure out who they were.

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by FishingMN on Feb 12, 2026 5:55 PM EST reply actions