I was one of the few big Alex Rodriguez fans prior to last week’s revelation that he used performance enhancers and engaged in his mea culpa interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons.

ARod lost me with his unnecessary rip of the messenger, the highly acclaimed Selena Roberts of Sports Illustrated. There was no real reason or point to attempting to smear Roberts…who happened to do some great reporting and uncovered Rodriguez’ 2003 positive test.

In his interview with Gammons, Rodriguez said “What makes me upset is Sports Illustrated pays this lady Selena Roberts to stalk me. This lady has been thrown out of my apartment in New York City. This lady has, five days ago she was thrown out by the University of Miami police for trespassing. And four days ago she tried to break into my house while my girls are up there sleeping, and got cited by the Miami Beach Police. I have the paper here. And this lady’s coming out with all these allegations, all these lies, because she’s writing an article for Sports Illustrated.” As was noted by Jeff Pearlman at his blog, Roberts has a pristine reputation.

Now we learn that Rodriguez called Roberts to apologize. Did he apologize for lying? And if he lied to Gammons in that part of the interview, what part didn’t he lie in? Should we believe that he quit using performance enhancers in 2003, like he said, but that what he said about the writer wasn’t truthful? Did he call to tell Roberts that he was sorry for outing her?

I defended this guy because he’s put up unreal numbers in his career. When he knocked the ball out of the glove of Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo during the 2004 playoffs, I said he was just trying to help his team win. When he yelled at Toronto third baseman Howie Clark, a bush league move that caused Clark to miss a popup, I said the same thing. When he’s choked in the playoffs, I’ve pointed out that he did have post-season success in Seattle, and his team wouldn’t have make the playoffs without him.

Whether it was the stripper in Toronto or the tryst with Madonna, ARod’s offensive prowess was a deodorant for everything else that surrounded him. Heck, the New York Post DID stalk him, assigning a reporter to cover his every move.

Now, I don’t know what to believe. He apologized when he got caught. And even in apologizing about using PED’s, he lied by trying to kill the messenger.

Unfortunately, Alex Rodriguez numbers aren’t bigger than the latest controversy that surrounds him. He’s still a great hitter…still a great player…but the last eight days have caused me to no longer be a fan.