'60 Minutes': A-Rod Implicated Cervelli, Braun In Biogenesis Mess
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Members of Alex Rodriguez's "inner circle" leaked documents implicating Yankees teammate Francisco Cervelli and Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun in Major League Baseball's latest performance-enhancing drugs scandal, according to CBS' "60 Minutes."
Cervelli and Braun were linked on Feb. 5 to Biogenesis, the shuttered Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing PEDs. A bombshell report in the Miami New Times tied Rodriguez and other baseball players to the clinic in late January.
Team A-Rod "obtained unredacted versions" of documents published in the New Times -- the hand-written records of Biogenesis operator Anthony Bosch -- "and leaked them to Yahoo! Sports," "60 Minutes" reported.
B&C On A-Rod Report
However, Rodriguez denied the claims prior to the Yankees' series-opening game in Boston on Friday night.
"It's not true," Rodriguez said, echoing the call of his attorney, David Cornwell, who told "60 Minutes" something similar.
"The allegations are untrue and are another attempt to harm Alex -- this time by driving a wedge between Alex and other players in the game," Cornwell said in a statement." "While Alex focuses on baseball and repeatedly states that he is going to respect the appeal process, the drumbeat of false allegations continues."
Cervelli and 11 other players were suspended 50 games last week for their ties to Biogenesis. Braun, who denied using PEDs in the past, previously accepted a 65-game suspension.
Danny Valencia of the Baltimore Orioles was also listed in the Yahoo! Sports report. He was later cleared in MLB's investigation.
Rodriguez said he spoke to Cervelli.
"We had a positive conversation. He understands it's not true. We're on the same page," A-Rod said.
Currently appealing his 211-game suspension, Rodriguez said at some point he will speak in detail on the issue, but until that time people are just going to have to deal with the media sensationalizing stories.
"We're all going to have to get ready for a bumpy road," Rodriguez said. "It's going to get bigger every day. I would expect bigger and bigger stories to come out every day. It's frustrating that it's coming out one drip at a time. You wish all of this could be done in a confidentiality manner like the collective bargaining agreement says it should, but that's not the case. We're going to have to deal with it. When I have the right platform at the right time and the time is appropriate -- which is not now -- I will tell my full story."
In an Aug. 5 statement, MLB said A-Rod's ban was for "his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years." The league also accused him of "attempting to cover-up his violations ... by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioner's investigation."
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
