When Alex Rodriguez dubiously suggested never needing to use PEDs to excel in the MLB

While why former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez ever used PEDs will remain a mystery to many, he did however raise a few eyebrows in 2007 during a sit-down with American journalist Katie Couric, dubiously suggesting he never used the substance to gain an advantage or to excel.

Quizzed by Couric on whether he was ever tempted to use any banned substances during his playing career, A-Rod went on to suggest that he never felt overmatched, and so no, he was never tempted to use drugs.

"No," Rodriguez said. He later added, "I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field."

Why would he? A-Rod was in the prime of his career. He was only 25 years old and was coming off a monumental contract signing with the Texas Rangers. He was truly in the prime of his baseball life and was coming off some of his best years with the Seattle Mariners. Why somebody with such a god-given gift would succumb to PEDs is still one of the biggest mysteries.

Many suggest that A-Rod did indeed feel overmatched, regardless of what he may have said in the press. The intense pressure to live up to all the hype and the big contracts at such a young age tends to take a toll, and that's probably what drove him to ingest the juice.

Alex Rodriguez was found guilty of using PEDs on Feb. 7, 2009, when Sports Illustrated reported that he tested positive for testosterone and the anabolic steroid primobolan in 2003. He was subsequently suspended for the entire 2014 season.

"February 9, 2009: Alex Rodriguez admits to PED use in interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons." - The Daily In Sports Clips, Twitter

Alex Rodriguez: The exciting young rookie

Alex Rodriguez was touted for big things in school and went on to rock the world when the Mariners selected him first overall in the 1993 MLB draft. He debuted in the major leagues at the tender age of 18.

A-Rod went on to become the team's starting shortstop in 1996 and won the major league batting title and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award that year.

"26 years ago today, I was a nervous, 18-year old kid making his @MLB debut with the @Mariners. All I ever wanted to do was play professional baseball, so this was truly a dream come true. I went 0-3 in my debut & didn’t hit my 1st ML home run until almost a year later!" - Alex Rodriguez, Twitter

Rodriguez shook the world again in 2000 when he signed a blockbuster 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers, the richest in baseball history at the time.