NEW YORK: The New York Yankees were disappointed to learn that slugging third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used performance enhancing drugs earlier in his career but would stand by him, the team said on Monday.

"We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance enhancing drugs," the Yankees said in a statement on Monday.

"We take him at his word that he was. Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke of today, we realize that Alex, like all of us, is a human being not immune to fault.