A-Rod suspended for rest of season & all of 2014, appeals

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

From what I've heard on WFAN in New York, there are several reasons MLB may be going harder after A-Rod than the others, mainly that he tried to obstruct MLB's investigation by trying to purchase documents from Bosch and lying to investigators. Another piece of speculation is that he may also have gotten some or all of the other players involved with Bosch.

Those reasons go beyond him simply being a user and a cheat, and actively hurting the game of baseball, hence invoking the "not in the best interests" clause. I believe it was Jon Heyman who was talking about it.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

It was my understanding that there would be no penalties for players who tested positive, but those would be counted as a first strike if there was another positive. I could be remembering that incorrectly, though.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

Even as a Yankees fanboy (credit to oop), I think that would be funny as shit. Of course, it's not my money he'd be collecting.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

BREAKING NEWS: Alex Rodriguez has been traded to the Oakland Raiders for a conditional 1st Round draft choice

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

Yeah, that's the thing. As soon as the lawyers get involved, MLB will back down and the suspension will get reduced to 1-2 years.

Can you imagine the Pandora's Box it would open if a player went to court to fight a suspension and won? If the court ruled the league/team couldn't suspend him and still owed him the money? It would basically toss the rulebook out the window.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

Assuming he's suspended through the 2014 season he'd be three months or so shy of 40 when the 2015 season starts and would have missed two full seasons of major league ball.

I don't think there's any way he plays another inning for the Yankees or anybody else. The only question is how much it's going to cost the Steinbrenners for him to go away.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

OK, so that wasn't put into the standard player contract in the current (or any previous) CBA. Screw the teams then, if they continue operating in a reality where body surfing or skydiving potentially can void a deal but flagrant PED usage (and the black eyes that gives the game) cannot.

Another question: Why, after signing one of these mega-lifetime-nine-figure contracts, would a player continue to cheat and put even $1 of that at risk? Once it's guaranteed, why risk penalties, health, scandal, shame? Just get off the juice, shrink down to citizen size and shrug when people grumble about your diminishing performances.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

Because they want to be the best. Call it ego, call it drive, call it do-whatever-it-takes, those guys don't get where they are simply because they worship money. I know people are always calling certain players lazy or saying they don't care or they aren't competitors, but that's all relative. Just to get to the big-league level, they have to be competitors at a level well above the average person.

Chances are A-Rod didn't start doing steroids because he wanted a big check. More likely it was because he told himself, "I want to be the greatest player in baseball history, break every record in the book, hit more homers than Ruth and Aaron, be a better hitter than Ted Williams and as good a fielder as Ozzie Smith." Just because you get paid doesn't mean the ego/competitiveness automatically goes away. No one wants to be known as the most overpaid player in baseball.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

I volunteer to hold that title. 8)

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

What the hell do you think got these athletes to the point where they are at? You think all of a sudden they are going to lose their competitive edge and accept being mediocre?

They have been taught since they were kids that winning is the only thing, second is the first place loser, to play through pain and now all of sudden they are going to be content to collect their money and not care. Isn't that what drives fans and the pious media crazy is when these players are only in it for the money?

It's the bloody culture of sports to look for any edge you can get, always has been always will be. This shit has been going on for decades whether it be greenies, corked bats, spit balls, anything that will give these athletes an edge.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

Yeah, actually that doesn't sound bad to me, either.

 

Re: Lifetime ban for A-Rod coming?

So how do you explain the guys who draw the line at PEDs? Not competitive enough? Cowards afraid of getting caught? Some guys are ultra-competitive. Some guys will compete but not cross a line into cheating. I'm wondering about the guy who says, "I don't have to cheat anymore because I achieved the mega-contract I sought to set up my family and its future. Now I can compete clean."

You can't possibly believe that the assurance of six, eight or 10 years of guaranteed money doesn't have an impact on anyone's competitive edge. So instead of cutting corners on his work habits or packing on 25 pounds, the guy just stops sticking a needle in his rump. Would taking public and media grief for suddenly sucking be worse than taking said grief for cheating?