NEW YORK — Moments after Tim Raines spoke openly about overcoming cocaine abuse, Ivan Rodriguez tried to avoid discussing whether he had used steroids.

Different era. Different drug.

An unavoidable topic when discussing Hall of Famers.

Raines, Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell sat together for a news conference Thursday, a day after they were elected to baseball’s Hall.

Raines testified before a grand jury investigating drug distribution in 1985. Jose Canseco wrote in a 2005 book that he showed Rodriguez how to inject steroids. And Bagwell has endured speculation about whether he used performance-enhancing drugs, in part because he totaled 30 home runs in three minor league seasons and then hit 449 with Houston from 1991-2005.

Asked whether he used steroids, Rodriguez responded: “Basically what I did was work very, very hard physically and mentally to play 21 years, and I think that is the key to my career.”

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In a follow-up question, he was asked if he would address what happened and whether he did or didn’t use.

“No, I didn’t,” he responded.

Pushed whether that meant he didn’t use or he wouldn’t respond, Rodriguez said: “I always played the game the right way.”

Steroids era players know the legitimacy of their accomplishments is questioned by many, including members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America who vote for the Hall.

“Whether you all think me or you think whoever, I mean, we played in the era that we played in and it was fun,” Bagwell told a scrum of reporters after the news conference. “Obviously, things got a little out of control there for a little bit. But fortunately for me that’s not my decision.”

Mark McGwire, 11th on the career home run list with 583, was dropped from the Hall ballot after 10 tries and never got more than 24 percent of the vote. Sammy Sosa, eighth with 609 homers, has peaked at 12.5 percent in five appearances.

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Some attitudes are changing. Mike Piazza, suspected of using steroids by some, was elected last year. Support for Barry Bonds, the career leader with 762 home runs, has risen from 36.2 percent in 2013 to 53.8 percent this year. Roger Clemens, the most renowned pitcher implicated, has made a similar climb, getting a boost this year following the election of former Commissioner Bud Selig – who presided over the steroids era – by a veterans’ committee.

McGwire admitted using steroids while Clemens denied taking them and Bonds said he never knowingly used. Sosa was linked to PEDs in a New York Times report.

HALL OF Famer Rod Carew told the American Heart Association News he’s “doing great” since undergoing heart and kidney transplants on Dec. 16. He’s spent the last week in a rehabilitation center and expects to return home soon.

ORIOLES: The team has agreed to a $37.5 million, three-year deal to keep major league home run champion Mark Trumbo, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Trumbo hit 47 home runs last year and became a free agent. The 31-year-old did not accept the Orioles’ qualifying offer of a $17.2 million, one-year contract, wanting to test the market.

MARLINS: Miami traded two of its top pitching prospects to acquire immediate rotation help, obtaining 14-game winner Dan Straily from the Reds.

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The Marlins gave up highly regarded right-handers Luis Castillo and Austin Brice, along with outfielder Isaiah White.

Straily went 14-8 in 2016 for the last-place Reds with a 3.76 ERA.

RANGERS: Right-hander Tyson Ross finalized a $6 million, one-year contract after passing a physical.

Ross started on opening day for the Padres last year, but then missed the rest of the season with right shoulder inflammation. He had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October.

PHILLIES: The team finalized a one-year, $9 million deal with outfielder Michael Saunders, who hit a career-best 24 homers last season and was an All-Star for Toronto.

ASTROS: Right-hander Mike Fiers avoided arbitration, agreeing to a $3.45 million, one-year contract.


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