According to the MLB rules and regulations, players will receive 50 games for a 1st failure of the PED policy. Players will receive a 100 game suspension for a 2nd failure of the PED policy. The third could be a lifetime ban. So according to the rules, Alex Rodriguez should receive a 50 game suspension for his transgression, if MLB has the proof. No more, no less. But yet, MLB put out that A-Rod get a 211 game suspension. The rest of this year and all of next year. I am stumped about how that was figured out.
This is from Bud Selig's office:
"Rodriguez's discipline under the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program is based on his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone, over the course of multiple years.
"Rodriguez's discipline under the Basic Agreement is for attempting to cover-up his violations of the Program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner's investigation.
"The suspension, which will become effective on Thursday, August 8th, will cover 211 Championship Season games and any 2013 Postseason games in which Rodriguez otherwise would have been eligible to play."
Well, I wonder what the precedent is for this. After all, Melky Cabrera last year created a fake website to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner's investigation. I am sure that there have been players in the past that have obstructed and frustrate investigations done by MLB. And what punishment have they had for those actions? Not a thing. So here we have an out of control Commissioner that wants to cement his place in history as the Commissioner that got tough on PEDs. He turned a blind eye to it in the past and is not following the guidelines that were collective bargained with the union.
As for the rumors that A-Rod recruited and forced people to become involved in the Biogenesis scandal, I say that is a bunch of bullpucky. A-Rod didn't cause them to do anything, at least I haven't seen anything that comes to that. Even if he did convince all the players that are caught up in it, that doesn't mean that MLB should or can punish him for that. There is nothing that MLB can do. If being personable and convincing people to follow your lead is a punishable offense, then there are lots of people out there in Baseball that need to be sanctioned by the Commissioner's office.
And if being a geneal douchebag is cause for punishment by the fogies that are running baseball, then where is the Matt Garza punishment for his twitter rants against women and the masculinity of one of his opponents? How about Chris Perez getting Marijuana for his dog. Of course the fact that he had three marijuana pipes taken out of his house doesn't mean that the dog didn't use them. How about those players that beat up their wives, girlfriends, and families? Where is the punishment for them? You are going to utilize the "What's best for the game of baseball" argument in A-Rod's case but not in any other? That is just begging for someone to call you on using it.
The punishment for A-Rod should be 50 games if they have the proof and nothing else. The fact that A-Rod admitted to using steroids in 2000-2003 when in Texas should have no bearing on this suspension. Steroids became illegal in baseball in 2004. Since that year, A-Rod has had nothing resembling a positive test. So he is a first time offender and that is what he should be treated as. No better or worse. Anything else allows people to look at MLB and say that they are being vengeful and it makes them look bad. Congrats Bud Selig. You have made a mockery of baseball and it's rules once again. Pete Rose would be a better commissioner.
2 comments:
I'd like to agree with you, but if you "come clean" and then go dirty for a few years afterward, that's a dick move by someone who has no regard for the rules.
In this case, I think Selig did the right thing. A-Rod has made a mockery of the integrity of the game long enough.
i'm in the opposite corner, i've always liked arod, ever since i first met him in seattle, and i've had a very high disregard for selig who i put at the very top of my slimeball list. arod has made this mess for himself there is no doubt, at all, but the handling is way over the top, and the goddamn tears these guys are pouring out are making me sick, alex had emotion, but the waterworks wasn't there, good write brent, and rj this is the great part of this blog, we can voice what our opinion is and there is no name calling just a "let's agree that we are all different".
Post a Comment