What began as "A-Rod Juice Box" promo night for a Tampa Bay Rays minor league team quickly became Apology Night.
The Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Florida State League on Friday night abruptly canceled the promotion that barbed slugger Alex Rodriguez after a complaint by the New York Yankees.
The Class A team had planned the giveaway for the first 500 fans at its game in Port Charlotte against Tampa, a Yankees' affiliate. The writing on the boxes said "100% percent juiced" with side effects that included "tainted records, inflated ego, omission from the Hall of Fame, and more!"
DataMLB drug suspensions database
Rodriguez, fourth on the career home run list, missed the 2014 season while serving a drug suspension and returned to the Yankees this year.