Roy Oswalt Wants A-Rod's Stats Gone

It's always interesting to see how peers react when one of their own get clipped for steroids. Barry Bonds seemed to get more vilification from fans than from players (except for maybe Turk Wendell). You would think that among his own, Alex Rodriguez would get the same kind of support.

But not from Roy Oswalt. And forget asterisks. Forget about calling him "A-R*d". If Oswalt had his way, he would take all of Rodriguez's numbers and wipe them from the record book with a paper towel and some lemon-scented Pledge.

"A-Rod's numbers shouldn't count for anything," Oswalt said in a phone interview with MLB.com. "I feel like he cheated me out of the game."

"It does bother me," Oswalt said. "Especially for the guys that went out there and did it on talent. We're always going to have a cloud on us, and that's not fair at all.

"The ones that have come out and admitted it, and are proven guilty, [their numbers] should not count. I've been cheated out of the game," Oswalt continued. "This is my ninth year, and I've done nothing to enhance my performance, other than work my butt off to get guys out. These guys [who took PEDs] have all the talent in the world. All-Star talent. And they put times two on it. (...)

"The few times we played them, when he got hits, it could have cost me a game," Oswalt said. "It could have cost me money in my contract. He cheated me out of the game and I take it personally, because I've never done [PEDs], haven't done it, and they're cheating me out of the game."

So can we get Bill James to come up with a formula to figure out how many hits these tainted batters had off these pitchers, and then start having these guys write some checks to make up for the money they cost guys in their contract negotiations? Sure, that wouldn't be too complicated, right? "Yeah, make that out to Roy ... R-O-Y, Oswalt".

A-Rods Controversies

Days after a report that he tested positive for steroids during his American League MVP campaign in 2003, superstar Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs during his time with the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. Click through to find out more about A-Rod's checkered past.

Chris Carlson, AP

Former manager Joe Torre's recently released book, 'The Yankee Years', included details of A-Rod's tumultuous stay with the Yankees. In the book, Torre claims A-Rod was known by teammates as "A-Fraud" and paints him as mentally fragile.

Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Rodriguez's decision not to play for the United States at the upcoming World Baseball Classic put him in the middle of another firestorm. A-Rod chose to join David Ortiz's Dominican squad over the nation of his birth.

Kena Betancur, AP

There have also been rumors that Rodriguez dated pop star Madonna, with numerous reports of the two spending time together.

Jim Rogash, Getty Images

In May 2007, many called this slide into the Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia to break up a double play dirty, as part of the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.

Nick Laham, Getty Images

He filed for free agency during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, drawing the ire of fans and officials. Some accused A-Rod of trying to grab the spotlight as the Yankees' big rivals were closing in on their second title in four seasons. He later re-signed with New York.

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

The New York tabloids had a field day after the Yankees star was allegedly caught with a "mystery blonde" at the end of May of 2007. The woman was later identified as an exotic dancer, and his wife filed for divorce from him just over a year later, citing his infidelity.

New York Post

Things have been frosty for A-Rod and Derek Jeter since Rodriguez dissed his buddy by saying Jeter was "never your concern" when facing the Yankees.

Tony Gutierrez, AP

Despite being named AL MVP (48 homers, 130 RBI) in 2005, Yankee fans called out A-Rod by saying many of his homers came in meaningless situations.

Morry Gash, AP

A-Rod's awkward slap that knocked the ball from Bronson Arroyo's glove in the 2004 ALCS enhanced his reputation as a player who folded in the clutch.

Amy Sancetta, AP

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

2-11-2009 @ 4:59PM

rlpopp77 said...

Roy's probably as guilty as the next guy. They are all on 'roids.

2-12-2009 @ 1:50AM

sid logan said...

why not forget the whole thing let's move on already!!!after all these years i am about to become an X-fan.
who needs them?

2-13-2009 @ 10:19PM

Jammer said...

Where does the world find idiots like you?

2-11-2009 @ 5:11PM

kevin said...

SO 3 YEARS OF BAD CHOICE DOES NOT THROW WAY THE FIRST 7 YEARS OR THE FEW YEARS AFTER WARDS OR THE NEXT NINE . ROY-BOY

2-11-2009 @ 6:08PM

sergeantruss said...

I agree with him. Take all records away from A-fraud, Baroid Bonds, McGuire, Sosa, and every athlete caught cheating. If you are in school, and take a test. You get an "A" on the test. Later they found that you cheated to get the high grade. I would hope they would take that "A" away since you wouldn't have gotten it without cheating. This is no different. They all cheated to get the statistics they have, so once they were found to be cheating, all the statistics should just disappear. Only losers think that cheating or using roids should be overlooked. The hell with the *, take all the records away.

2-12-2009 @ 12:32AM

Justin said...

i agree completely. it's players like this that are destroying one of the oldest games in america.

2-11-2009 @ 6:30PM

TheHulk said...

Roy, How about your teammate Miguel Tejada?

Roy better speak out against Tejada to keep any crediablity..

2-11-2009 @ 7:08PM

sheldend said...

If Roy is clean, he is right. There in lies the problem. What Bond's and ARod did taints the whole game. There is nothing worse than a cheater and a liar.

2-11-2009 @ 8:48PM

ryan said...

Screw Arod http://fanzak.com/fzrants/Cubs__Storylines_of_the_SpringThe_Rotation

2-11-2009 @ 9:25PM

liceytigers1 said...

Roy,how about all does pitchers that were on roid's do they keep they numbers?"strike out,wins,saves etc,etc.Every time we talk about roid's only think about hitters.How about clemens,staton,ryan franklin,j.c.romero,heredia just to mention a few pitchers.my questions is if a-rod or tejada hit a home run off one of this guy how is that cheating?

2-11-2009 @ 9:36PM

How come you only think about the home run hitter when the pitchers are also guilty as everybody also in baseball. people want to be so focus in one group and not the other.meaning hitters and pitchers are equally guitlty.my question is.which records do will you erased if roger clemens pitch to barry bonds,a strake out or a home run?

2-11-2009 @ 10:08PM

Sandy said...

Roy, please don't try to act like the angel of baseball, especially by claiming to be so affected by a guy you see once every three years. Un;ess we know for sure you're clean, make like commish selig and just shut up about the whole thing. Don't forget, your teammate Miguel Tejada is now in trouble for the same issue. And while you're at it, consider this. For three seasons, you were teammates with a certain pitcher who also felt the need to enhance his performance. He won an undeserved Cy Young award for it, didn't he? But unlike A-Rod, he didn't have the balls to confess and is now facign trial for lying to Congress. So before you start taking jabs at A-Rod, stop and consider whether the people you've been hanging out with should have their stats gone as well. I mean, c'mon. It's only fair, right?

2-11-2009 @ 10:15PM

jaybuz1065 said...

Ya know Roy "Mr Hollier than Thou" Oswalt better remove his W-L record in the World Series, because if it wasn't for Roger Clemans, the Astros don't make it to the Series that year....oh that's right....you had no wins in the series.
Also if Tejeda scored any runs in games that Oswalt pitched ya better take those wins away as well.

2-11-2009 @ 10:36PM

oyevette said...

Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle (my favorite) used to play baseball drunk. There was a time when steroids were legal. It's a tricky problem. The players did not realize these issues at that time. I say give them a break.

2-12-2009 @ 9:11AM

ayrewd53 said...

That is the biggect misconception about steroids. At no time were they ever legal. Baseball never had a concrete policy in place for illegal (PED's)drugs up until recently. The steroid guys in baseball were doing something illegal just like you and I would have been engaging in illegal activity if we were using steroids.

2-11-2009 @ 11:00PM

robi1956 said...

The players are not all at falt in this. The league knew by tests it was going on and it was not against the rules at the time. The owners and the league benefited from the use of roids and it's the leagues falt. We need to punish the whole lot if you ask me. Why don't we ask for some compensation for the fans who paid for this fraud.

2-12-2009 @ 12:11AM

mrbongo850 said...

once you lie you are a lier!!! who is to believe the time frame a-roid said that he CHEATED by using roids. roy oswald is correct, a-fraud owes the oppossing pictures money for each time he faces them while he was cheating except for roger and andy and any other pitcher found out to be cheating!!!!

2-12-2009 @ 12:37AM

DJ said...

I'd like to see every team start making players sign a "Clean" clause in their contracts, thats EVERY team as in Baseball, Basketball, Football and Hockey. I don't know about Soccer... Is it a sport? Anyway, every national sport is in some form of limbo regarding drugs. Not just 'roids and HGH's, theres a lot of recreational drugs too. Until the various folks running these leagues and the team owners start doling out some serious punishments (Erasing all stats/records, and banning for life?)nothing will change.

2-12-2009 @ 12:53AM

SEAHAWKS RULE said...

You people are morons,these guys make millions and they need drugs to do it.Everytime a fan went and seen them play ,they lied to all of us by using the juice.Arod says hes clean,but prove it,a few days ago he said talk to the union,now its a different story,I did it I'm sorry,your shit,and anyone caught should have the records erased and lose endorsements and have to pay money back to the fans for lying to us,as were the ones making these guys rich.Its all cheating and lying just to make a buck,soon it will be the fans made me do it.GET BENT ALL YOU CHEATING PIECES OF CRAP.

2-12-2009 @ 1:09AM

Bob said...

Can anyone explain why steroid allegations are never followed up by law enforcement? No, I'm not promoting it, I'm just wondering. So many people fall back on the "steroids weren't banned in that year" defense, but just because the league didn't have a rule against it, the players are still guilty of using a "controlled substance", just like cocaine, etc.. We wouldn't have to worry about whether their stats were accepted or not, if they're not on the field, but rather locked up for legitimate drug offences. Do they have to catch them actually injecting for it to stick? I'm not trying to stir up anything, I'm just asking for input.