People need to lay off Michael Phelps. Hitting the bong isn’t exactly a performance-enhancer - nor does it make the swimmer a lying, cheating disgrace.

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the best player in baseball, normally only makes celebrity gossip headlines for his actions off the field.

This story does continues that trend, although it’s potentially far more scandalous than the railing of various manly strippers or even his now-infamous “affair of the heart” with Madonna while still married to pregnant wife Cynthia Rodriguez.

A-Rod tested positive for steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers in 2003, when he won the first of his three MVP awards, according to Sports Illustrated.

The supposedly anonymous results were seized in April 2004 by federal agents in the BALCO steroids ring investigation, which did not involve the Rod.

According to the report, Alex Rodriguez was one of 104 players on a list of positive tests for steroids that year, when baseball starting instituting “survey” testing to “determine the extent of steroids use in the game.” The extent? Extensive.

Seen here cheering on Madonna, Alex Rodriguez is likely to hear even fewer cheers than usual (if that’s possible) in 2009 amid reports of a past positive steroids test.

Having repeatedly denied having used steroids throughout what has been a prolific career (at least in the months of April-September), A-Rod did not comment.

“You’ll have to ask the union,” he said. “I’m not saying anything.”

Major League Baseball’s executive vice president for labor relations would not discuss the validity of the story, saying in a statement that the 2003 survey testing was only intended to be informational, and neither disciplinary nor anonymous.

While Alex Rodriguez is unlikely to face discipline over the findings - as baseball did not begin attaching punishment to positive tests until 2004 - the story most certainly will further tarnish Rodriguez’s much-scrutinized career.

Jesus Luz is probably looking pretty good to Madonna right now.

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Someone must have watched He’s Just Not That Into You this weekend!

Grey’s Anatomy star Chyler Leigh, who already has two children with husband Nathan West, is currently expecting her third - and has an interesting name picked out when their little girl arrives in May, she recently told The Insider.

“We’re going with Aniston,” the 26-year-old actress said.

Chyler Leigh says she is going to name her daughter Aniston. Big Friends fan? Looking to combine Anne and Madison? Just trying to be different? [Photos: Splash News]

Who knows what the Grey’s Anatomy star thinking or even if she’s serious. But in the grand scheme of celebrity baby names, well, it’s no Bronx Mowgli.

The bar has been set pretty low. So low it will be hard for anyone to sneak under.

She and West are proud parents of son Noah, 5, and daughter Taelyn, 2. Their youngest will definitely have good genes - even if she can’t sponge off of Jennifer Aniston!

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Four minutes… three minutes… two minutes…

As her 15 minutes of fame winds down, eliminated American Idol contestant Katrina Darrell has come up with a way to extend her time in the spotlight:

Goodbye, Bikini Girl! Hello, Naked Girl!

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Darrell made a truly startling admission: she’d consider posing in Playboy.

“[I’ve had] a lot of different offers, like Vegas promotion offers. Of course Playboy has called… I wouldn’t say no, but at the same time I don’t want to stunt my career by jumping into that too soon and be labeled once again, as ‘just a body.’ But I don’t knock it.”

How much would you pay to see Katrina Darrell nude?

A few words of advice, Kat: with competition from fellow Playboy hopeful Ranae Shrider, you should jump on this opportunity as soon as possible.

Soon, the eyes of American Idol fans will turn to competitors that sound great on stage, as opposed to look great in swimwear.

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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy are getting married, the pair’s rep confirms.

Danes, 29, and Dancy, 33, met while filming the movie Evening in Newport, R.I., and have been dating since, for more than a year and a half.

The American actress and her British boyfriend recently stepped out at the Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild awards in Los Angeles.

At the Confessions of a Shopaholic World Premiere in New York on Thursday night, Dancy spoke about what he looks for in his perfect girl.

“Someone who’s intelligent, somebody who makes me laugh,” he said. “I know people always say a good sense of humor, but they’re usually lying. What’s most important is somebody who kind of has an independent life and ambition.”

No word on when he and Claire Danes plan to wed. But congrats!

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Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother and Lipstick Jungle actress Lindsay Price cozied up to one another courtside at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, watching the visiting Boston Celtics take down the inferior New York Knicks, 110-100.

But Josh, 34, and Lindsay, 32, were far from interested (or at least a bit preoccupied), flirting the entire game. He was seen holding her arm and whispering into her ear at times. Man, get a room, you two! Here’s a cute photo of them …

Lindsay Price and Josh Radnor have been dating for a few months.

They first met when Lindsay Price guest starred on How I Met Your Mother in 2007, the same year she split from her husband, Shawn Piller.

Perhaps with Lipstick Jungle all but kaput (at least from what we’ve heard), she can make another guest appearance! With the likes of Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian and even Speidi coming on the show, it would hardly be surprising.

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