Alex Rodriguez has offered new details abouthis performance-enhancing drug use, saying his cousin injected himwith an over-the-counter substance to gain an energy boost.

The New York Yankees star says using the banned drug that hesays he obtained from the Dominican Republic was a "stupidmistake."

Rodriguez met the media Tuesday, 10 days after SportsIllustrated reported that he tested positive in 2003.

Rodriguez started his news conference by reading from a preparedstatement. At the end, he paused for 37 seconds, turned to histeammates and said "thank you." Sitting in the front row wereDerek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada.

At the Winners Edge Sports Training facility in Huntington Station, young baseball players gathered around a radio to listen to the press conference. Some of the young fans took the apology to heart, while it was the adults who were more skeptical.

"I think they should let it go,? says 11-year-old Michael Galvin, of Huntington. ?He did make a mistake and he did it six years ago."

K.C. Whitlow, who works at the training center, says A-Rod should have known better.

"We're trying to teach kids to do things the right way, to excel in their sport, to keep themselves healthy,? Whitlow says. ?I would have to think that at 24-25, [A-Rod] would know that. So it's a little hard to believe that."

AP wire reports contributed to this article.

To view video from the press conference, go to Channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.