Canseco's Second Account Makes Ripple Instead of Splash
In retrospect, Jose Canseco's first attempt at writing in 2005 with "Juiced" became the step-by-step guide to the steroids issue in baseball. The book that everyone mocked at the time began to show more accuracies as the story unfolded in real life before our eyes. As athletes started to fall like dominoes in either admitting performance- enhancing drug use or look guilty enough where it became a moot point, the former Athletics slugger smiled and told everyone that cared to listen, "I told you so."
Striking while the iron is even hotter, Canseco is ready to announce the impending release (April Fool's Day, appropriately enough) of his follow-up book, "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball." The title would seem to be appropriate when referring to what has come out publicly since 2005 in regards to steroids and America's Pastime. Perhaps that is the case, but according to what Canseco said previously, he was going to blow the doors off by writing about Alex Rodriguez this time.
After being refused admittance to the George Mitchell press conference in Manhattan on December 13, 2007, Canseco told reporters that his next book would include A-Rod and speculation was running rampart about what could have been said about the American League MVP. If Canseco had so much dirt on the likes of Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi in "Juiced," he must have something 'juicy' on Rodriguez.
One question that was asked at that time, and rightfully so, was why would Canseco hold onto information on a superstar as big as Rodriguez when he could have used it in his first book?
For whatever reason he did, the public clamored for what he had to say. After 'highlights' of "Vindicated" were released this past week, it seems like Canseco did a better job showing that Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes" may have used steroids than A-Rod.
Canseco wrote that he left Rodriguez out of his first release because he "hated the bastard," and because if he did, he was worried that people would have "questioned [his] motives." Canseco further stated that he "introduced Alex to a known supplier of steroids" after Rodriguez asked him "point-blank where one would go to get steroids."
Canseco goes on to say that an illegal PED dealer only called "Max" as being the guy brought in to speak to Rodriguez. He does not have any further proof other than observing A-Rod as looking more "buff" pursuant to the introduction. No bathroom stall needle pokes like what he said about McGwire.
Why so much venom towards Rodriguez? If you read further, Canseco talks about the then-bachelor Rodriguez being interested in Jose's former second wife, Jessica, and telephoned her repeatedly. He doesn't exactly mask his feelings for the Yankee third baseman by closing out the chapter, "So A-Rod, if you're reading this book, and if I'm not getting through to you, let's get clear on one thing: I hate your ****** guts."
Recalling his post-interview on "60 Minutes," Canseco said that the 89 year-old Wallace spoke to him off-camera for approximately an hour about PEDs. The journalist was reported as wondering how "steroids and human growth hormones (HGH) might help him, a man in his eighties, live a longer, healthier life."
Canseco does not divulge if he also introduced the shrouded "Max" to Wallace. Could that be his lead for Part Three?