New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez attends a news conference in his gym in Cancun January 16, 2014. Rodriguez is in Cancun to promote his gym and to visit the Children's Rehabilitation Center Teleton (CRIT)
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez attends a news conference in his gym in Cancun January 16, 2014. Rodriguez is in Cancun to promote his gym and to visit the Children's Rehabilitation Center Teleton (CRIT) REUTERS

Alex Rodriguez is running out of ways to say sorry. The disgraced Major League Baseball, or MLB, player made a handwritten note addressed to fans saying that he is taking full responsibility for the mistakes that he has made that led to his year-long suspension.

This is the second time that the New York Yankees third baseman has asked for public forgiveness for the same involvement with performance enhancing drugs. Back in 2009, Rodriguez also apologised for using banned substances in front of a crowded press conference. This time, he is picking the subtler route but it is unclear if the league and the fans of baseball will still take the slugger seriously.

“I accept the fact that many of you will not believe my apology or anything that I say at this point,” Rodriguez said Tuesday according to the New York Times. “I understand why, and that’s on me.”

The 39-year-old “A-Rod” did not see action all of last season after the league suspended him for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal and after testing positive for PEDs. Rodriguez and the Yankees management met a week ago to iron out the details of his press conference but as it turns out Rodriguez and his publicist chose the low profile way of apologizing publicly.

The Yankees have announced at the end of the 2014 season that they will no longer utilize him as third baseman after the team acquired the services of Chase Headley. This will now relegate the former great to the designated hitter status. Apart from these it is also unclear if the Yankees and Rodriguez have settled their issues with performance related bonuses.

At the beginning of the year, the Yankees said that the organization is willing to fight the player over the home run bonus stipulated in his mega-million contract. The New York native with Hispanic descent is set to collect an additional $6 million bonus if he eclipses the 660 career home runs set by Willie Mays. Rodriguez currently stands with 654 home runs and just needs six more to tie the record yet the club is arguing that due to the involvement of Rodriguez with PEDs most of the numbers in the said feat could not be considered legal, the main contention of the team’s forfeiture claim.

For concerns on this story, contact the author at v.hidalgo@ibtimes.com.au.

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