A-Rod apologizes to Yankees for 'past several years'

[February 11, 2015]  (Reuters) - New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, returning from a 162-game ban for using performance-enhancing drugs, apologized to team officials on Tuesday, the Major League Baseball club said.

The apology was given during a meeting at Yankee Stadium where Rodriguez and his attorney Jim Sharp met with team owner Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, and assistant general manager Jean Afterman.

"Alex initiated the meeting and apologized to the organization for his actions over the past several years," the team said in a statement.

"There was an honest and frank discussion on all of the issues. As far as the Yankees are concerned, the next step is to play baseball in spring training."

Rodriguez, who will turn 40 in July, is still owed $61 million guaranteed over the next three years, and a potential of $30 million more in bonuses for reaching home run marks that the club is trying to get out of.

Standing fifth on MLB's all-time home run list at 654, Rodriguez's contract calls for a marketing bonus of $6 million for tying Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and matching and surpassing Barry Bonds (762) on the list.

Those bonuses were agreed by the Yankees before third baseman Rodriguez admitted in 2009 to prior steroids use and was found in 2013 to have broken the doping rules.

Given his age, a recent history of injuries and a full year's absence from the game, it remains to be seen how productive Rodriguez will be and for how much longer as he enters his 21st season.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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