A-Rod Trainwreck: Suspension likely to 2015 season

[ThomasTomasz]

Alex Rodriguez drew the ire of the Yankees (again) on Wednesday afternoon, when he allowed Dr. Michael Gross to declare his quad healthy and fit to play during a radio interview on WFAN. Gross reviewed A-Rod's MRI and said he "didn't see any sort of injury."

The Yankees, obviously, are quite displeased with the public declaration considering Rodriguez's return to the team has been delayed by a Grade 1 quad strain. In a statement, GM Brian Cashman said A-Rod violated the collective bargaining agreement by receiving a second opinion without first notifying the team:

“I heard via a text message this afternoon from Alex Rodriguez that he had retained a doctor to review his medical situation. In media reports, we have since learned that the doctor in question has acknowledged that he did not examine Mr. Rodriguez and that he was not retained to do a comprehensive medical examination of Mr. Rodriguez. Contrary to the Basic Agreement, Mr. Rodriguez did not notify us at any time that he was seeking a second opinion from any doctor with regard to his quad strain."

Per Article XIII, Paragraph D of the CBA, "a Player shall inform the Club in writing" before seeking a "second evaluation." A-Rod did not receive treatment from Dr. Gross, and it's unclear what recourse, if any, the Yankees have in this situation. Rodriguez may be forced to foot the bill for the second opinion and nothing more.

Cashman also confirmed the quad had been bothering A-Rod for more than a week before his rehab from left hip surgery was shut down:

“As you know, it is the Yankees' desire to have Alex return to the lineup as soon as possible. And we have done everything to try and accomplish this.

“As early as Friday, July 12, when I suggested to Alex that we move his rehab from Tampa to Triple-A Scranton (at Buffalo), Alex complained for the first time of “tightness” in his quad and therefore refused to consent to the transfer of his assignment. Again, last Sunday, Alex advised that he had stiffness in his quad and should not play on Sunday or Monday. We sent Alex to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for an MRI which evidenced a Grade 1 strain.

“As always, we will follow the rules and regulations set forth in the Basic Agreement, and will again re-evaluate Alex in Tampa tomorrow, as our goal is to return him to the lineup as soon as he is medically capable of doing so.”

Rodriguez, 37, had the surgery in January and was playing in minor league rehab games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when the quad injury because an issue. He was scheduled to return to Yankees on Monday before tightness in the quad limited him this past weekend.

MLB will investigate the relationship between Dr. Gross and A-Rod. Gross, who is the orthopedic director of sports medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, was reprimanded by the New Jersey Attorney General in February for “failing to adequately ensure proper patient treatment involving the prescribing of hormones including steroids.”

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/e...iolated-cba-by-getting-second-opinion-on-quad

 

[ThomasTomasz]

So it's only been a few hours since the last Alex Rodriguez update, which means we're due another. And we have one, courtesy of a report in the New York Daily News.

And the update is that A-Rod is, in fact, facing a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball due to what is reportedly "voluminous evidence" in connection to the Biogenesis scandal. MLB is, however, offering a deal. If A-Rod takes his medicine now and doesn't fight a suspension, he'll be suspended for the rest of this season and all of next season. That would mean A-Rod could return to the Yankees in 2015. The report indicates MLB wants to hear back from A-Rod on the matter by Monday.

It seems like a pretty good deal for A-Rod. He's still set to make $60 million in three years after the suspension and he could put everything behind him. Remember, suspensions are without pay, so if A-Rod rejects the deal and MLB suspends him for the rest of his career, he misses out on over $100 million. I think I'd take the deal and the $60 million, right?

Then again, this is A-Rod, who seems to eat up the drama. And this is a quote from the Daily News story:

"If there is a suspension," the source said, "he will fight it."

Of course he will. Why take the easy, less drama-filled, way? A-Rod reportedly has a legal team working through any potential deal -- and that legal team is reportedly having a current "internal battle," regarding the fallout of the A-Rod drama with his multiple doctor stunt this past week. What else could the legal team be fighting? Well, the collective bargaining agreement has a schedule of 50 games, 100 games and lifetime ban with each progressive drug violation. Being a first-time offender -- remember, A-Rod admitted to use before testing was in place, so that doesn't technically count -- and getting the suspension of a three-time offender would be their argument.

Still, I'm taking the deal if I'm A-Rod. Both the MLB and MLB Players Association seem both behind the suspensions going above and beyond what are in the joint drug agreement -- and union president Michael Weiner has publicly urged players to take deals and accept their punishment.

As always, stay tuned. At least now it's starting to feel like a conclusion is near.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/e...fered-deal-to-sit-out-1314-avoid-lifetime-ban

 

[Chrispy]

Hopefully this will pressure Arod into retirement and the Yanks save about $25 mill per year

Or he fights a lifetime ban and loses.

 

[JimLeavy59]

MLB is a joke.

 

[Goober]

I just can't see a lifetime ban standing up in arbitration. Would be wild if Arod won due to arbitration's all or nothing nature, and he came back :smug: as fuck.

#PrayforArod

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Hopefully this will pressure Arod into retirement and the Yanks save about $25 mill per year

Or he fights a lifetime ban and loses.

I believe he thinks that by challenging and winning, he is going to somehow save his legacy. The only way he possible salvages even some of that is to take the suspension, come back and at least put up solid seasons as a DH before the contract runs out.

Unlikely all the way around, however.

 

[EmpireWF]

MLB is a joke.

Go on.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Barring a last-minute change in tone and strategy by embattled Yankee Alex Rodriguez, Major League Baseball is expected to suspend Rodriguez through 2014 when it announces at least 10 suspensions Monday.

Rodriguez still has a day to try to cut a deal for a slightly lesser ban, but based on his latest suggestion according to a person briefed on the matter that he serve only 100 games, then "walk away from the game," the hope for a settlement is diminishing as the clock ticks.

Rodriguez reached out to both MLB and the Yankees on Saturday looking to make a deal for less than half MLB's offered ban of 214 games, then bizarrely threw in the suggestion that he could retire with full pay after he served the 100 games.

Of course, the reality is that he wouldn't be paid if he retires, a major point he apparently missed as he tries to recoup as much of the $95 million remaining on his Yankees deal as he can.

Previously, Rodriguez had suggested to people involved in the case that he should receive a penalty of "less than (Ryan) Braun," figuring that since he didn't fail a non-survey test he should be lumped in with the other nine or so Biogenesis-linked players never previously suspended.

Rodriguez's new offer to "walk away" seems to call into question how badly he wants to come back to play for the Yankees and seems to emphasize the financial aspect of things instead.

If A-Rod went to MLB people and admitted his wrongdoing -- what is said to be "massive violations" -- and agreed to a penalty in the range of one year (162 games), it's possible MLB would listen. But Rodriguez appears more likely at the moment to decide to appeal the 214-game ban through '14 and take his chances with new MLB arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.

A lifetime ban, while mentioned earlier, appears to be off the table.

Rodriguez doesn't seem to have the right mindset to accept even a 214-game ban. "He thinks he's the victim. He can't take responsibility," said one person involved in the case.

Yet another involved person put it more bluntly, "He's clueless as to what he did wrong."

MLB and the union declined comment.

Rodriguez's PR man, Ron Berkowitz, didn't return messages. His camp has been saying it would fight until the end, even as Rodriguez reached out to the Yankees and MLB Saturday in hopes of setting up a meeting.

The initial response from both entities was not to meet, but if he struck a tone of responsibility and bargained closer to the 214 games, they might listen.

If Rodriguez is banned through 2014, he'd lose $34 million of the $95 million remaining on his contract.

With evidence that Rodriguez obtained steroids every year from 2009 on, he would seem to have an uphill fight ahead of him on appeal. His difficult case might be based on the fact that he's never failed a test and that the biggest penalty previously issued to an MLB player was 100 games, received by former pitcher Guillermo Mota and slugger Manny Ramirez, for second failed tests.

However, MLB has reason to believe Rodriguez was recruiting other players to be involved with the non-defunct Miami "wellness" clinic and wonders whether he tried to impede the investigation by purchasing Biogenesis documents.

The suggestion by Rodriguez he could "walk away from the game" is curious as he continues to play in Trenton on rehab assignment and is telling people he feels great. With him saying aloud that he feels great, he couldn't possibly recover insurance monies now. Players have to be suffer a disability to collect insurance.

Meantime, he is due to rejoin the Yankees on Monday in Chicago -- whether he wants to or not.

Assuming he continues to feel "great," the only things that could prevent a date in Chicago Monday would be the long-shot possibility commissioner Bud Selig might invoke the "best interests" clause or a sudden about-face for him, meaning acceptance of responsibility and a penalty of 214 games, or something close to 214 games.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/j...suspend-alex-rodriguez-through-2014-on-monday