Steroid use by A-Rod curbed national interest, says Maddon

Rays manager Joe Maddon said before Thursday’s game against the Tigers that the reason why A-Rod’s 600th career home run didn’t elicited an overwhelming interest compared to the past is because the name of Alex Rodriguez was associated with performance enhancing drugs.

It is believed by some experts that absence of interest by baseball fans in A-Rod’s record is probably due to the fact that Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr. both reached 600 in the past decade.

From NYdailynews.com:

“Because of all the subplots involved, I think that’s why you’re not getting as much of a build-up,” the Rays manager said before Thursday’s game against the Tigers. “I don’t think that it’s worn off. I think when Jim Thome arrives nearer that point you’re going to see the same kind of previous build-up, I believe, as an example. I think based on the revelations of the last couple years, I think it probably detracts from it a bit.”

Wade Davis, Friday night’s scheduled Rays starter, has allowed two home runs to A-Rod – one on the last day of the 2009 season at Tropicana Field, then another this past May 19 in the Bronx.

It is a greater challenge for A-Rod than it is for others, Davis said.

Tags: A-Rod, Alex Rodriguez, baseball, Joe Maddon, Ken Griffey Jr, performance enhancing drugs, Sammy Sosa, Tigers