Alex Rodriguez seemingly wrapped up apologizing to his fans on Tuesday, when he released a handwritten letter expressing remorse for the conduct that resulted in his 211-game suspension in the 2014 MLB season. In his letter, Rodriguez stated that he takes “full responsibility for the mistakes that led to [his] suspension.”

The mistakes? He cheated. He took performance-enhancing drugs and lied about it to the MLB, the New York Yankees and the fans. Rodriguez claimed that he never took steroids after the 2001-03 seasons and for months that was his story. He acted as though he’d never met Anthony Bosch, that he had no idea what Biogenesis was. He said he just wanted to play ball. But after the Biogenesis investigation was completed, it was released that Alex Rodriguez not only took PEDs from Bosch, he also recruited other players to use Bosch’s regimen.

So, lying and apologies aside, what does this year’s season entail for Rodriguez and the Yankees?

First and foremost, Rodriguez needs to get through spring training and gain a spot on the Yankee roster. With the resigning of third baseman Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million deal, Rodriguez’s job will most likely amount to designated hitting alongside the likes of Carlos Beltrán when he makes the team. And Rodriguez will make the team. The Yankees owe him $61 million with his contract expiring three years from now. The Yankees need to get their money’s worth somehow. It is a new chapter of the ever-lingering career of Rodriguez.

What we get from the letter is that Rodriguez intends to play some baseball. He wrote, “I will do everything I can do to be the best player and teammate possible, earn a spot on the Yankees and help us win.” But what Rodriguez’s future holds is uncertain. How can the Yankees, the MLB and the fans turn the other cheek and just erase their minds of what we now all know?

Will we be gullible, and trust Rodriguez again? Don’t we all remember that in 2010 Rodriguez came out and announced that he was on steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03? And as baseball fans, when we found out that Rodriguez used PEDs it was demoralizing. He was supposed to be the superstar to break the records, including Henry “Hank” Aaron’s all-time home run record. He had a golden-paved road to Cooperstown by age 25. But we will have to wait and see what the Hall does when Rodriguez retires. In recent years, all players who have been associated with using performance-enhancing drugs — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire among them — haven’t drawn nearly enough votes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

As a Yankee fan, I do not understand the motives of Rodriguez. All I know is that Rodriguez will continue to be on the Yankees for the next three years, unless Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees decide to buy his contract out. But until then, and until Rodriguez redeems himself somehow, he will continue to be known as the ball player who could have been the greatest, the guy who didn’t need steroids, but took them anyway. I want to believe Rodriguez, we all do. But a liar is always a liar.