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In the video at left, a Red Sox fan takes note of A-Rod's suspension in a hilarious shoot. The video to the right highlights an interview segment between WFAN sports radio personality Mike Francessa, simulcast on the YES! Network, with Alex Rodriguez and one of his attorneys in November after he walked out of an arbitration hearing.
LAKE MARY -- The 162-game suspension handed out today against New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the upcoming season, including any post-season games, may be a major blow to the Yankee line-up, but it is a big victory for Major League Baseball and for the fans.
This suspension demonstrates the integrity of the game matters more than the ego of game's highest paid player.
This suspension demonstrates the integrity of the game matters more than the ego of game's highest paid player.
After arbitrator Frederic Horowitz's suspension was announced by MLB, A-Rod, who has often heard his nickname bastardized by taunting fans on the road as "A-Roid," should be relieved the arbitrator at least reduced the original suspension of 211 games handed down by Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig in August.
A-Rod, as expected, diagreed with the rulig and said he would appeal it to a federal court judge.
"No player should have to go through what I have been dealing with and I am exhausting all options to ensure not only that I get justice," Rodriguez said, "but that players’ contracts and rights are protected through the next round of bargaining and that the MLB investigation and arbitration process cannot be used against others in the future the way it is currently being used to unjustly punish me."
It is doubtful, hower, that a federal judge would rule against a sanctioned-arbitrator because the threshhold for is so high for Rodriguez to show the arbitrator violated technical aspects in how he interpreted the evidence and applied it in arriving at his decision.
As to the merits of the case, Rodriquez make a strng argument for bias, saying in part: "The number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one.
He added, "This is one man’s decision, that was not put before a fair and impartial jury, does not involve me having failed a single drug test, is at odds with the facts and is inconsistent with the terms of the Joint Drug Agreement and the Basic Agreement,"
Rodriguez said the arbitrator "relied on on testimony and documents that would never have been allowed in any court in the United States because they are false and wholly unreliable."
Rodriguez was the only one among 14 players suspended midway through the 2013 season to appeal suspensions in the wake of the Biogenesis Report leading to the arbitators ruling today that reduced his penalty from 211 to 162 games.
Because Rodriguez had appealed, he was allowed to play the rest of the season. The suspensioarbitrator's ruling applies to the 2014 season and any post-season games should the Yankees make the playoffs.
The next largest suspension by MLB went to Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun for 85 gamrs, which wiped out the remainder of his 2013 season. Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was among the remaining dozen players given 50-game suspensions.
Rodriguez, who has previously admitted to using steroids when he was a member of the Texas Rangers, insisted he hasn't used performance enhancing drugs as alleged in the Biogenesis Report that led to the multiple player suspensions,
"I am confident that when a Federal Judge reviews the entirety of the record, the hearsay testimony of a criminal whose own records demonstrate that he dealt drugs to minors, and the lack of credible evidence put forth by MLB, that the judge will find that the panel blatantly disregarded the law and facts," Rodriguez said, "and will overturn the suspension."
The suspension is not only a blow to A-Rod's ego, but to his wallet: $25 million salary for the upcoming season. Rodriguez is the highest paid player in baseball thanks to the record $275 million 10-year contract he signed in 2007, after opting out of his previous 10-year $252 million contract he signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers.
The suspension is not only a blow to A-Rod's ego, but to his wallet: $25 million salary for the upcoming season. Rodriguez is the highest paid player in baseball thanks to the record $275 million 10-year contract he signed in 2007, after opting out of his previous 10-year $252 million contract he signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers.
A-Rod's suspension is a double-edged sword for the Yankees. By not having to pay his salary, it makes it easier for New York to get out from under the luyxury tax, but leaves a void in the line-up and a hole at third base.
A-Rod statement:
Here is the text of the statement released by New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez in response to the ruling by arbitrator Frederic Horowitz in reducing his suspension from 211 games to 162 games, as well as any post-season play in the 2014 season:
“The number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one. This is one man’s decision, that was not put before a fair and impartial jury, does not involve me having failed a single drug test, is at odds with the facts and is inconsistent with the terms of the Joint Drug Agreement and the Basic Agreement, and relies on testimony and documents that would never have been allowed in any court in the United States because they are false and wholly unreliable.
“This injustice is MLB’s first step toward abolishing guaranteed contracts in the 2016 bargaining round, instituting lifetime bans for single violations of drug policy, and further insulating its corrupt investigative program from any variety of defense by accused players, or any variety of objective review. I have been clear that I did not use performance enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline, or violate the Basic Agreement or the Joint Drug Agreement in any manner, and in order to prove it, I will take this fight to federal court. I am confident that when a Federal Judge reviews the entirety of the record, the hearsay testimony of a criminal whose own records demonstrate that he dealt drugs to minors, and the lack of credible evidence put forth by MLB, that the judge will find that the panel blatantly disregarded the law and facts, and will overturn the suspension.
“No player should have to go through what I have been dealing with, and I am exhausting all options to ensure not only that I get justice, but that players’ contracts and rights are protected through the next round of bargaining and that the MLB investigation and arbitration process cannot be used against others in the future the way it is currently being used to unjustly punish me.
“I will continue to work hard to get back on the field and help the Yankees achieve the ultimate goal of winning another championship. I want to sincerely thank my family, all of my friends, and of course the fans and many of my fellow MLB players for the incredible support I received throughout this entire ordeal.”
FAST FACTS: PEDs
On Jan. 22, 2013, the Miami New Times obtained documents from former Biogenesis employee Porter Fisher which it said linked three players – Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colón and Yasmani Grandal – who had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2012 to the clinic.
Additionally, the paper said several star players including Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, and Nelson Cruz could be tied to the clinic. The paper, however, refused to hand the documents over to Major League Baseball authorities.
In March, the MLB sued the clinic's owner, Anthony Bosch, and his business partners, Carlos Acevedo, Ricardo Martinez, Marcelo Albir, and Paulo da Silveira in an attempt to obtain information. The suit alleged that the six had "actively participated in a scheme ... to solicit or induce Major League players to purchase or obtain PES (performing-enhancing substances)."
Subsequently, the MLB claimed to have found evidence that a representative of Rodriguez had purchased his medical records. It then paid a former Biogenesis employee for documents.
In April, Bosch received a complaint from the Florida Department of Health for practicing medicine without a license. The complaint urged him to sign a cease and desist agreement. In May, Bosch agreed to work with MLB investigators in exchange for his name being removed from the lawsuit. In June, the MLB conducted a large number of interviews with players it believed may be connected with Biogenesis. Every player interviewed was supplied legal counsel by the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Other key dates:
July 22: MLB suspends Milwaukee Brewers player Ryan Braun for the remainder of the 2013 season (65 games and the postseason) for his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic. Braun loses $3.25 million as a result, but does not appeal the suspension. ESPN reports that Braun decided to "strike a deal" with MLB after being presented with the evidence against him. Braun had previously tested positive for testosterone in December 2011, but maintained his innocence and ultimately avoided suspension for that violation on a technicality that his test sample had been improperly handled.
Aug 5: Alex Rodriguez is suspended through the 2014 season, a total of 211 games, but is allowed to play pending his appeal of that decision. Twelve other players connected to the Biogenesis case agree to 50-game suspensions without the right to appeal: Antonio Bastardo, Everth Cabrera, Francisco Cervelli, Nelson Cruz, Fautino de los Santos, Sergio Escalona, Fernando Martínez, Jesús Montero, Jordan Norberto, Jhonny Peralta, César Puello, and Jordany Valdespin. Cabrera, Cruz, and Peralta were All-Stars in 2013.
Rodriguez, who received the longest suspension of all the players linked to Biogenesis, is punished for "his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone, over the course of multiple years" and "for his attempts to cover up those violations and obstruct a league investigation", according to MLB.
The 13 player suspensions are the most to be imposed simultaneously in the history of organized baseball, the previous record being Kenesaw Mountain Landis' banning of eight players for life for throwing the 1919 World Series. Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colón, and Yasmani Grandal, who all served 50-game suspensions in 2012, did not receive any additional discipline.
Two players mentioned in Biogenesis documents, Gio Gonzalez and Danny Valencia, are cleared of any wrongdoing.
Source: Wikipedia
Did You Know?
Major League ballplayers account for 31 of the top 50 richest contracts in pro sports led by A-Rod's $275 million contract signed in 2007 with the New York Yankees. Below are the rankings:
