A-Rod's former coach 'surprised' by steroid use

[February 10, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- Rich Hofman remembers how talented Alex Rodriguez was in high school. Now he says steroids also will be part of his former phenom's legacy.

"I know what it's going to do for him, what he has to carry with him, what he's going to have to put up with for the rest of his life," said Hofman, who coached Rodriguez at Miami Westminster Christian. "It's something you can't take an eraser to. Now it becomes part of your history."

Rodriguez admitted Monday in an ESPN interview that he used steroids from 2001-03 while with the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez said he wanted to prove that he was worth his 10-year, $252 million contract.

The admission came two days after Sports Illustrated reported Rodriguez was among 104 names on a list of players who tested positive for steroids in 2003.

"I'm happy that he came out and was honest and said what he did," Hofman said. "At least he's owned up to it, and I think we have to accept the responsibility for the mistakes that we make in our life and move on and not repeat them."

But Hofman, who remembered how hard Rodriguez worked as a prep star, said he doesn't understand why the All-Star third baseman would ever turn to performance-enhancing drugs.

"I was pretty surprised," Hofman said. "I never had any indications of it. With his work ethic and the way he went about his business, baseball was first and everything else was second. I never really felt like he needed it."

Rodriguez batted .505 as a senior at Westminster Christian, and was the No. 1 overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in the 1993 draft. Hofman, 64, said it was a "great honor" to have coached Rodriguez.

"He was the best," Hofman said. "He's probably one of the best to ever play in high school in the history of our country."

Although he was born in New York, Rodriguez was raised in Miami and still has strong ties to the city. He grew up near the University of Miami campus and spent nearly every weekend at Mark Light Stadium, where the Hurricanes played. On Friday, he is still expected to attend an event at UM, which is renaming its baseball field in his honor after his $3.9 million donation to the school.

Hofman said he continues to have a strong relationship with his former star. When Rodriguez was traded from Texas to the New York Yankees, Hofman said it was "kind of like a fairy tale." Hofman and Rodriguez recently met up for a baseball clinic in Mexico City around Thanksgiving.

Hofman said while this is a major setback for Rodriguez, it's not something the slugger can't overcome or that should keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

"I think one of the possible advantages for him over a Barry Bonds or a Mark McGwire ... is he still has, hopefully, a considerable period of time in which to put this behind him," Hofman said.

[Associated Press; By SARAH LARIMER]

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