Ranger owner Tom Hicks, who signed Alex Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252 million contract before the 2001 season, was angered yesterday by A-Rod’s admission of steroid use during his tenure in Texas.

“I feel personally betrayed. I feel deceived by Alex,” Hicks said in a conference call with reporters.

“He assured me that he had far too much respect for his own body to ever do that to himself. … I certainly don’t believe that, if he’s now admitting that he started using when he came to the Texas Rangers, why should I believe that it didn’t start before he came to the Texas Rangers?”

ALEX DROPS A-BOMB: I LIED

SHERMAN: ON ‘ROID TO RUIN OR RECOVERY

DISGUSTED FANS ARE CALLING IT FOUL BALL

COMPLETE YANKEES COVERAGE

PHOTOS: ALEX RODRIGUEZ

PHOTOS: ALLEGED STEROID USERS