Report: Alex Rodriguez Tested Positive For Stimulants In 2006

The New York Times has a massive story on the ugliness of Alex Rodriguez's arbitration hearing, and as you might expect, everyone comes out looking bad. Sex! Bribes! Leaks-a plenty! But your headline-ready revelation is that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for a banned stimulant in 2006, according to the Times' sources.

The failed 2006 test was not revealed (and still should not have been revealed) because according to the CBA, a first positive is kept confidential, with no punishment handed down. But as with all the leaks in the A-Rod saga, more fun can be had figuring out who's gabbing to the press and why.

Rodriguez is obviously convinced MLB's behind this latest disclosure, and today his attorneys filed an official complaint accusing baseball of smearing him ahead of the arbitrator's decision. An MLB source—excuse me, a source that may or may not be in MLB—asked the Daily News a stupid rhetorical question:

"All it would do," said the source, "is make it look to the arbitrator like baseball is desperate to out Rodriguez. Why would they do that?"

Yeah! What could MLB, whose entire case is built around painting Rodriguez as a habitual, recidivist PED user, ever hope to gain by making it known that A-Rod failed a drug test?

Anyway, A-Rod vs. MLB is basically the Cardinals-Red Sox of arbitration hearings. Go meteor!