Alex Rodriguez privately told advisers last summer that he was ready to cut a deal with Major League Baseball officials and quit.

"He had been talking about retirement because of injuries. Given his prior involvement (with doping), he knew he would be a target for additional testing," said a source close to the case. "There was no way he could use and play again."

According to multiple sources, Rodriguez's mindset changed when he turned to Desiree Perez, a Manhattan nightclub manager with a lengthy criminal record and close links to Jay Z.