Posted on 08/01/2013 1:42:40 AM PDT by servo1969
Major League Baseball is threatening to kick Alex Rodriguez out of the game for life unless the New York Yankees star agrees not to fight a lengthy suspension for his role in the sport's latest drug scandal, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.
Whether Commissioner Bud Selig would actually issue a lifetime suspension was unclear and a permanent ban could be shortened by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz to about 200 games, the person said.
The number of players likely to be disciplined stood at 14 Wednesday.
Front and center is Rodriguez, baseball's highest-paid player and the most prominent one linked in media reports over the past seven months to Biogenesis of America, a closed Florida anti-aging clinic that allegedly distributed banned performance-enhancing drugs.
The Yankees expected Rodriguez to be accused of recruiting other athletes for the clinic, attempting to obstruct MLB's investigation, and not being truthful with MLB in the past. Baseball has considered suspending him for violations of its labor contract and drug agreement.
Even if he is banned from baseball, there is precedent for a shortened penalty: When pitcher Steve Howe was given a lifetime ban in 1992 in his seventh suspension for drug or alcohol use, an arbitrator reduced the penalty to 119 days.
A three-time MVP, Rodriguez acknowledged four years ago that he used performance-enhancing substances while with Texas from 2001-03 but repeatedly has denied using them since.
He's been sidelined all season since hip surgery in January and then a quadriceps strain during a minor league rehabilitation assignment in July. The Yankees say he'll start another rehab Friday -- Double-A Trenton appeared to be the likely destination.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This is like offering a murderer a life sentence but threatening him with the death penalty if he fights the charge.
They hope in some fashion that he fights it....then all the evidence gathered can be put out in a public forum, and the Yankees can make the decision easily to terminate his contract. They made a huge mistake by giving him a long-term contract. The dimwit still has around five more years left on this one...and is mostly worthless if you ask me.
If you had to pick the one guy that will never be invited to the Yankees old-timer games....this is the guy. Unbelievable that it all came down to this....some three-star player pretending to be a four-star player....getting a huge contract....and sitting around NY City for several years playing Hollywood wannabe. He can’t even sit in the shadow of Reggie Jackson.
Quad strain? Shave the thigh and wrap tape around it, tight. I was able to run when doing that.
Doesn’t want to do it? Well, we know why athletes in baseball are divas compared to hockey players.
There was an “insider” on ESPN radio late yesterday afternoon who said MLB, despite posturing, does not want to issue a lifetime ban against A-Rod since he would have no chance to appeal under MLB’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Players’ Association. A-Rod would certainly then be forced to seek relief in court and MLB does not want to go there for a host of reasons. (One reason of which is the collusion between the Yankees and MLB to keep A-Rod off the field so that the Yankees can void his huge contract.)
If however A-Rod is suspended for a period of time, he can appeal under the CBA and actually be allowed to continue to play (and be paid) while the appeal works its way through the arbitration process.
I guess we will find out in short order if the “insider” was correct.
Just undo that idiot Giamatti’s ban on Pete Rose, and induct him already.
Cheaters DO prosper.
No matter what they do to him, arod gets to keep the 100M+ he has pocketed to date.
Exactly!
Pete Rose, as a player, was “clean” and did not cheat to achieve his MLB record for most hits.
Yet MLB has kept him out of the Hall of Fame as a player.
Have to create the whiners hall of fame first
you realize that betting on games is against the rules and betting on games that you can influence is an offense that will get a guy a lifetime ban.
He stood firm in saying he did nothing wrong, until he finally admitted what everybody already knew that he bet on his own games, which is a banable offense.
I love Charlie Hustle too but the rules are the rules. If someone of his greatness can get the ban, it can happen to anyone.
Same with Alex. His actions have been detrimental to the game and like it or not, he will be the scapegoat for the entire steroid fiasco. A lifetime ban is suitable but I don’t think it will be that much.
Pansy, Adrian Beltre has been playing with a hammy strain for 8 weeks.
Difference here my friend is time and race. Different time and the right race for ARod.
I love baseball and watch everyday but will never again go to HoF nor speak about anyone’s HoF status until Pete is in. He messed up but no more than the people who broke records while on roids that won’t even get asterisks by their name. Rose deserves to get in, his infraction had nothing to do with his performance on the field.
You can’t let half a person into the hall. He has admitted to betting as a manager, which is a banning offense but since the league won’t let the rest of the “evidence” out we have no idea if he actually bet on his own games when he was a player. He actually admitted betting on games in his book but he always claims he never bet against his teams. Bottom line, he was in a position to change the outcome of games and when he didn’t bet on his team to win, he could have been sending a signal to the others that it’s safe to bet against them. He got what he deserved. I agree that his records should be on display but as an individual with a plaque along side Gehrig, Williams and Seaver, no way. The rules are the rules.
As far as steroids go, the writers have shown a reluctance to vote anyone from this era into the hall and I believe they will continue to do so until MLB and the MLBPA come clean about the evidence of users. The only way Alex gets to the hall is buying a ticket, same with Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and others that have been shown to have tested positive.
Peter Rose’s lifetime banishment has nothing to do with race.
As a watcher of the Seattle Mariners (for years), I had the pleasure of watching Beltre play 3rd base. Great athlete. I believe he has a very high pain threshold. Just watch the way he gets dirt out of his cleats. Most players tap their shoes a bit. Beltre whacks his foot. Then, picks up the other foot and whacks that one. He is a strong man.
He is a beast on third, playing very well right now. Hitting over .300. Had a walk off last night to win.
Either way, he’s done playing...I suppose the lifetime ban would mean he would be forbidden from having any association with the game, like Pete Rose.
Even if he bet on his own team to win......that’s just as bad, because I have money riding on winning a particular game.....I might keep a pitcher out there longer than I should, or abuse my closer.
Also a manager betting on his own team sends a signal to the other bettors.
My guess: Rodriguez will strike a deal with MLB to retire from the game in return for getting 1/3 of the money still owed him through the guaranteed contract (US$32.67 million spread over so many years).
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