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TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez has apologized to the head of an anti-doping foundation he had aligned himself with for "exercising poor judgment" in the actions that led to his season-long suspension from baseball in 2014.  Don Hooton, president of the foundation named for his son Taylor, who committed suicide in 2003 after using performance-enhancing drugs, said the fallen New York Yankees star called him Sunday -- four days after Hooton told ESPNNewYork.com that Rodriguez had never apologized to him for the PED use that earned his ban and for the "damage he's done to our cause." "Alex called [Sunday] afternoon to apologize for exercising poor judgment and for making bad decisions that hurt the Yankees, Major League Baseball and our foundation," Hooton said Monday by phone. "It was short and sweet, but Alex said he was profoundly sorry and he seemed very sincere." Rodriguez had pledged his support to Hooton's foundation after he admitted using banned drugs in 2009 and had made numerous appearances with Hooton to speak to students about the perils of PEDs. "We helped make him a role model on this subject," Hooton told ESPNNewYork.com last week, "and Alex was on the wrong side of the street on this one. ... He attached himself to us for good reason, and we attached ourselves to him and it ended up doing more harm than good." Hooton broke off all ties with Rodriguez after he was suspended in the Biogenesis scandal. The anti-drug advocate said he didn't want publicity for his foundation at Rodriguez's expense but wanted it known Rodriguez had expressed regret over his conduct. "He acknowledged the damage done to our cause without me bringing it up," Hooton said. "He told me to keep his phone number and to call him if I ever needed anything." Hooton is scheduled to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees' spring training game with the Braves at Steinbrenner Field on March 12. "We're hoping to shake hands that day," Hooton said.
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