Angel Presinal, banned after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked gym bag full of steroids, has been an associate of Rodriguez dating back to his time with the Texas Rangers, several sources told the paper.

One said Presinal accompanied Rodriguez for the entire 2007 season, staying in a hotel room during road trips with the cousin Rodriguez pegged three days ago as his steroid source from 2001-03. The cousin was identified Thursday as Yuri Sucart.

The source said Rodriguez avoided being seen in public with Presinal, whose name surfaced in the Mitchell Report in December 2007, but had contact with him in New York and Miami as recently as this past fall.

"He's an unsavory character," said a source.

The Mitchell Report described the investigation that followed the 2001 incident at a Toronto airport where Presinal told law enforcement the bag containing drugs belonged to then-Indians star Juan Gonzalez.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the paper he was aware of Presinal's name but said that the exiled trainer had no official ties to the team.

"He's never had any association with the Yankees," Cashman said. "Whether he knows our players or has worked with any of our players, I wouldn't be able to confirm that."