Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corralesis a retired Cuban American Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. He played for the Cubs, Texas Rangers, and the Baltimore Orioles. He was named to the MLB All-Star Team four times, and won the Gold Glove three times. He is a member of the 500 home run club and the 3,000 hit club and is one of only...
NationalityCuban
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth24 September 1964
CountryCuba
I've never been in a situation where I'm getting booed so badly and I just don't really know how to handle it,
I've never been in a position where I've been booed so badly, and I didn't know what to do,
I've always known to come to the ballpark and play and be in the lineup. I've never missed time because of injuries. I've had days off, where I knew coming in that I wasn't going to play, but I've never sat out 10 days in a row during the season. That was totally new to me. To play a whole career and not know what that's like, that's unusual. Now I'm dealing with it as best I can.
At the time, I thought that was the best I could do. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do but I did what I had to do at the time.
I don't, but if he'd swing the bat, he would be. It's not different than anyone else.
I wouldn't think so. I mean, that's why I got it from him. I didn't suspect that he would be on anything.
I wish I could have turned in the vial for testing. But when I found out, it was long gone and I couldn't come up with it. If something happened that I'm not aware of, an intentional act by someone else, I don't know. I can't rule out anything.
I'd like to come back and play before the year's over. But it's not in my hands.
Obviously, I would love to play and come back and finish and hopefully prove to everyone I can still play at a high level, that I can still be productive and do it the right way, which I've always done, ... I am not going to shy away from what happened to me. I am going to face it. Hopefully, I can explain myself one day, and whether people believe me or not, I can't control that.
Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed in me than I am. Throughout my adult life, I have worked very hard on and off the field to live my life in an honorable way. All my accomplishments are now tainted, and many people have been hurt,
Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed in me than I am. ... All my accomplishments are now tainted.
Since I was informed last May that I tested positive for steroids, I have fully cooperated with Major League Baseball and Congress in their respective inquiries into this matter, ... I have done so because I have nothing to hide.
My day will come when I can say what happened. As of right now, I can't say anything. Hopefully soon.
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do. I've never been in a situation where I'm getting booed so badly, and I just really don't know how to handle it.