Rodriguez rebuffs Canseco charge of steroids use

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez, who signed baseball's biggest deal ever on the day the Mitchell Report on drug use in the sport was issued, on Sunday denied a suggestion by admitted steroids user Jose Canseco that he was guilty of doping.

Rodriguez, who signed a 10-year, $275 million contract that could top $300 million if he continues on his home run record pace, told the CBS TV news magazine show "60 Minutes" he was never tempted to try any performance-enhancing drugs.

Asked if he had ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance, Rodriguez said no.

"I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field," said Rodriguez. "I've always been (in) a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work as I've done since I was a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level."

Former slugger Canseco told the Fox Business Report after former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell's findings were issued Thursday the report, which named pitching great Roger Clemens among over 80 players accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, did not go far enough.

"I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing," said Canseco, whose 2005 book "Juiced" about steroids use in baseball put a spotlight on the problem.

Pushed further about players not included, Canseco said about Rodriguez: "All I can say is the Mitchell report is incomplete. I could not believe that his name was not in the report."

Clemens, through his lawyer, has vehemently denied using banned substances. Three players named in the report, including Pettitte, have stepped forward to admit and explain their use.

Rodriguez seemed stunned by the names on the list.

"I mean, these are guys that I play with. They're my teammates, friends. If anything comes of this, I will be extremely disappointed," he said. "And it will be a huge black eye on the game of baseball."

Rodriguez said he had no first-hand knowledge of steroids use in the game.

"You hear a lot of things. I mean, I came in 1993 (with Seattle). And you heard whispers from the '80s and '90s.

"But I never saw anything. I never had raw evidence. And, quite frankly, I was probably a little bit too naive when I first came up to understand the magnitude of all this."

(Writing by Larry Fine, editing by Todd Eastham)