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Jackson apologizes for A-Rod comments – Metro US

Jackson apologizes for A-Rod comments

Yankees legend Reggie Jackson offered an apology Thursday to a multitude of targets offended by his controversial comments in this week’s Sports Illustrated.

Jackson, who works as a Yankees special adviser, apologized first to Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, whose records Jackson said were tainted by his admitted steroid use as a member of the Texas Rangers. He didn’t, however, expressly name the slugger.

“In trying to convey my feelings about a few issues that I am passionate about, I made the mistake of naming some specific players,” Jackson said in a statement released by the team late Thursday afternoon.

“This was inappropriate and unfair to those players, some of which are very close friends of mine. I think there are ways to speak from the heart without hurting people, and I’m disappointed that I didn’t take greater care in expressing my views.”

Jackson also said in the interview he didn’t believe fellow Hall of Famer Gary Carter, who led the Mets to a World Series title in 1986 and passed away in February of brain cancer, belonged in Cooperstown. He also named Kirby Puckett as someone who didn’t belong in the Hall.

“I have been proactively reaching out to make personal apologies to those within the Hall of Fame community that I offended,” Jackson said.

Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.