A-Rod in his Own Words
MICHAELA PEREIRA, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Want to show you these live pictures. We're going to show you the wreckage after it plowed into a mobile home. We're told this is in Anne Arundel County. We're told that's about 20 miles northeast of D.C. No word yet on any injuries. We don't know if there were people inside that home or in that mobile home park. You can see firefighters are on scene right now. First-responders are there. We don't know who the plane belongs to either. Once we get more information, we'll try to pass that along to you. Also, something we're watching, a massive fire burning in the southern California mountains that is nowhere near control. It's already burned more than 35 square miles in the Idyllwild area. That's about 100 miles outside of Los Angeles near Palm Springs. Officials have ordered about 6,000 residents to evacuate. We're told 4,000 homes are at risk. Coming up this hour, live on CNN, President Obama is expected to speak about his Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. We're going to bring you the president live as soon as he speaks. And if you happen to be in the Northeast, we don't need to tell you this. It is hot. It is so very, very hot. Let's show you a hot picture. I don't think the statue feels the heat, but we sure do. This is a live picture of New York City. Let us give you some perspective. The high temperature here in New York City today, 95 degrees, the same high temperature that's expected in Kabul, Afghanistan, just to put it in perspective, not something we see every day. It is not just here. Much of the nation is feeling it. More than 20 states under are under a heat advisory today. Meteorologist Indra Petersons, girl, can I just talk about the fact that they sent you outside into Central Park. I think they want you to feel the veracity of your report. How bad is it out there?</s>INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm not going to lie. I feel it now. You get out here around 2:00, 3:00 in the morning, it's like, you know, this is hot. You feel kind of like that steam coming up from the concrete. But as the day progresses, even as the temperature slowly climbs up, it's that sun directly hitting you that makes it unbearable. I've actually been talking to a couple of people and they're like, you know what? It's not that bad. That's because they're out here a few minutes. You can actually see right now, 88 degrees. With the heat indices right now, we're seeing temperatures about 95, 98 degrees, depending on where you are. And this is nowhere near the hottest time of the day. I spoke to a couple people around here and take a listen to what they had to say.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're from Arizona, so we came to New York City to get away from the heat.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's cooler in Arizona today. It's 98. It's 100 here with the humidity.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hot, too hot. But if you don't do it now, you're never going to do it. It gets hot here. Maybe I should go and have a shower and go and see the sights of New York.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very hot, kind of hot. I'm feeling hot. I feel like sleeping at home. I can't work. It's very hot today. It's like 88 degrees. And later, it's going to be like 97 degrees.</s>PETERSONS: You know, one of the things, Michaela, we talk about is not just how hot it is specifically in one day, but it's how long we have to deal with that heat. And that's the reason we have so many advisories today. We're talking about major metropolitan cities. Today, even more people affected, hard to believe. (Inaudible) for a fifth day here in New York. We're talking about anywhere from southern New England, down to Maryland, spreading all the way -- believe it or not -- past even Minnesota into the Dakotas today. That's how many of us are being affected by this. We're actually going to have a couple of more days to go. We're not going to see relief until about the weekend in the Northeast, specifically, but, eventually, as the cold front kicks through, we'll start to see that relief start in the Midwest and then make its way over here. But for me myself here in good old gravel, looks like it's going to be a while.</s>PEREIRA: Indra, I kind of half expected to see you fry an egg on that sidewalk, it's so hot out there. And we appreciate that you actually put flip-flops on today because you cannot wear closed-toes shoes on a hot day like today.</s>PETERSONS: That's right. I'll make you breakfast about 8:00 tomorrow, Michaela.</s>PEREIRA: All right, Indra Petersons reporting on this heat wave. We understand it's going to give us a bit of a break in a few days. Maybe we'll see a little bit of relief in sight. To sports now, and the expected and highly anticipated return of Alex Rodriquez, A-Rod, the New York Yankees' third baseman says he'll be back on a Major League field on Monday for his first game of the season. It has been quite a rough ride for the former MVP. Many rumors and accusations for the $275 million man who just can't escape the critics or the comics.</s>JON HAMM, ACTOR: There are rumors that Major League baseball is going to suspend A-Rod after the All-Star break. Honestly, that's OK. Yankee fans are used to him not showing up for the second half of the season.</s>PEREIRA: How about that? So what is A-Rod hoping for as he gets back on the field? We get that story from our Jason Carroll.</s>ALEX RODRIGUEZ, NEW YORK YANKEES THIRD BASEMAN: You know, every day is a new day, you know? Obviously, in this process, there's a lot of challenges.</s>JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Alex Rodriguez knows a lot about challenges. He has recovered from hip surgery, the second of his career. And the New York Yankee third baseman is back on the field for now, with the Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder. Getting back in the game, the real game, may be his greatest challenge, one he hopes to overcome with help from fans.</s>RODRIGUEZ: I mean, the support has been overwhelming, and it's fueled me. I mean, this has been a very difficult process. And I'm just humbled by the opportunity to play baseball. I love this game so much. I hate all the noise, but hopefully that goes away soon and we can get back to playing baseball.</s>CARROLL: Part of the so-called noise, Major League baseball's investigation into allegations linking Rodriguez and other players to this Florida clinic shut down for distributing performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez denies being treated by the clinic. A possible suspension from the team, a $114 million contract and his legacy hang in the balance. A lot of pressures, a lot of allegations out there, how are you managing to deal with that, while also trying to manage the physical part of trying to come back?</s>RODRIGUEZ: Well, that's a good question. I mean, that's never easy and it's not fun.</s>CARROLL: What's harder? Is it the mental or is it the physical? Which one is harder?</s>RODRIGUEZ: I think in this case, it's both.</s>CARROLL: What happens if there is a suspension? How disappointed would you be if you're not able to come back?</s>RODRIGUEZ: Well I'm going to focus on the positive, you know. Obviously, that situation, I can't comment on at the moment, but I'm really looking forward to coming back to New York. I feel like I owe the Yankee fan base my A-game. I don't think they had that last year.</s>CARROLL: No negotiations going on, no sort of plea deals? Nothing like that? No deals being made?</s>RODRIGUEZ: I don't think there's anything that's going on right now. And that's as far as I'm going here. I think that it's important we have a process. We have a good system with Major League Baseball. And let's get the process play out.</s>CARROLL: If something is not ruled in your favor, would you want to continue to fight?</s>RODRIGUEZ: You know, I'd just rather not get into any of that right now. It's too -- it's premature. And we'll let the process play out. That's my responsibility right now.</s>PEREIRA: He really doesn't do that very often, Jason, one-on-one like that. That was a great "get." He really did not want to talk about the Biogenesis issue, though.</s>CARROLL: No, he did not. And the reason is because of the ongoing investigation. This is what he was advised not to talk about. But he has been on the record very clearly saying, look, I did not take any performance-enhancing drugs. I was not affiliated with that particular clinic. This investigation is still ongoing. We're going to have to see what happens when the MLB completes it and what findings they have.</s>PEREIRA: And part of his reluctance to do these one-on-one interviews is because he wants to kind of keep control of the message that is going out there about him?</s>CARROLL: He does, and he feels as though in the past, perhaps, that that message has not gotten out the way that he wanted it to. He also felt as though, over the past year, he wanted to speak to his fans. He says he's been grateful to the fans that have come out to support him. There have been a lot of critics, too, who say he's overpaid, not worth the money, all these medical issues, not worth it for the Yankees to have him out there. But, you know, he says he is worth it. He's worked hard and he wants to come back.</s>PEREIRA: But still that possibility of a suspension this year is weighing over him, I'm sure?</s>CARROLL: Very much. It's still very much a possibility. We're going to have to wait and see what MLB comes up with, what evidence they come up with. Whatever evidence they do come up with, I wouldn't be surprised if Rodriguez decides to fight or appeal.</s>PEREIRA: All right, Jason Carroll, our first-time meeting this morning, another Angelino. Indra Petersons is also from California. A little West Coast trifecta here.</s>CARROLL: We're all in the house.</s>PEREIRA: We are in the house. All right, Jason Carroll, appreciate it. Thanks so much. Great "get." Great conversation. Still ahead after the break, Trayvon Martin's parents have been silent since George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering their son. But this morning, they've come forward. They say the jury's decision is sending a terrible message to kids just like Trayvon.