Teixeira supports ARod, but isn’t shocked

Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez were teammates in Texas in 2003, and they recently became teammates again when Teixiera signed a $180 million contract with the Yankees.

Teixeira, a former Brave who was at Georgia Tech Wednesday to announce a $500,000 donation to the baseball program, said Rodriguez “has my 100 percent support.” Rodriguez admitted Monday that he used steroids from 2001-03 while with the Rangers.

“I know he’s going through a rough time right now, and I think his apology said it all,” Teixeira said. “He’s disappointed in himself, he made a mistake and we’re all going to move on … I’m just going to open up my arms, give him a big hug, tell him I love him and we’re going to get through this.”

Still, Teixeira wasn’t shocked by Rodriguez’ admission.

“I’ve been around long enough to not really be shocked by anything,” he said. “This is a sport that’s had some troubles, there’s no doubt.

“I’m not going to judge anybody. I’ve never touched steroids or any of those kinds of things — it’s something I feel very strongly about — but at the same time I’ve made mistakes, I’m not perfect, no one’s perfect.”

Teixeira joked that his parents “would probably kill me before the media would if anything like that came out about me.”

Rodriguez, the American League’s MVP in 2003, made his admission two days after Sports Illustrated reported Rodriguez was among 104 players on a list of players who tested positive for steroids in 2003.

Teixeira was asked whether he favored releasing all the names.

“I think Lance Berkman put it pretty straight up when he said, unless the other names come out, everybody’s going to be suspicious of the entire baseball world,” he said.

Teixeira, a rookie in 2003, said he had no inclination Rodriguez was using steroids.

“I was really worried about staying in the big leagues,” Teixeira said. “I came in as a third baseman, learned how to play first base and the outfield my rookie year, so I had no idea what was going on. I’d get lost [driving] to the stadium some days. I never saw anything, no one talked about it.

“That was supposedly the post-steroid era, we were getting tested and I was definitely not going to be messing around with that stuff when I’m getting tested. So I think if it was happening, and obviously it was, people didn’t talk about it.”