TAMPA — Alex Rodriguez refused to get into how Dr. Anthony Galea treated him while he was recovering from last spring’s hip surgery which leaves the feeling that Rodriguez and the doctor have something to hide.
Monday, the Canadian doctor admitted he treated Rodriguez with anti-inflammatory medication.
Even if Galea, who has admitted using HGH, is telling the truth there are a lot of questions to be answered.
Prior to today’s exhibition game against the Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Rodriguez did nothing to explain the issue.
“I hear you,’’ Rodriguez said when asked about Galea’s treatment. “I am not going to get into anything.’’
Since admitting the Feds wanted to talk to him about his relationship with Galea, a Toronto-based sports medicine doctor under investigation, Rodriguez has zipped his lips.
Asked if he voluntarily stopped talking or was ordered by the Feds to shut up, Rodriguez said, “The latter.’’
The Yankees, who distanced themselves from Galea in a statement, are waiting for the Feds to get done with their investigation before commenting on Rodriguez going outside their medical department for treatment, something they don’t like players doing.
“There’s nothing more to say than we said last week,” Hal Steinbrenner said today. “We didn’t know Alex was seeing this doctor and we’ve been told he’s going to cooperate with the authorities and answer some questions for them. And until that’s done, there’s nothing to add.”
Dr. Marc Philippon, who performed hip surgery on Rodriguez, said Monday he didn’t authorize Galea to treat Rodriguez with any drugs.
Though it’s highly unlikely the Yankees would go after Rodriguez’s contract and the Players Association would challenge a stiff fine, the Yankees could rap him lightly on the knuckles for not informing them he was seeking outside medical attention.
Because Galea never checked with the Yankees’ doctors or Philippon, he didn’t know what, if any, medication Rodriguez was on. That leads some to believe Galea didn’t give Rodriguez anti-inflammatory drugs.
Nor did Galea say how many times or where he treated Rodriguez.
Rodriguez told reporters Tuesday at the Yankees spring training complex that he still does not know when he will be interviewed by federal authorities. The slugger said last week he was “aware” of the investigation and plans to cooperate with the government.
Asked if he is choosing not to talk or has been told not to speak, Rodriguez laughed and said he “thinks the latter.”
Galea told The Associated Press on Monday that he helped in Rodriguez’s recovery from a hip injury last year but prescribed only anti-inflammatories.
With Dan Martin