breaking news arod seen in mlb lot...
8/1/2013 1:32 P.M. ET
A-Rod reportedly talking
suspension deal
Without agreement, Yankees third baseman
may be facing lifetime ban from baseball
By Paul Hagen / MLB.com
The legal team representing Alex Rodriguez has
begun negotiating a settlement it hopes will help
the Yankees third baseman avoid a lifetime ban
from baseball, multiple media outlets reported
on Wednesday.
The talks are occurring despite Rodriguez's
consistent denials of any connection to the
Biogenesis clinic and his representative's
insistence that an agreement would not be
considered.
According to the reports by the New York Daily
News, New York Post and ESPN, Major League
Baseball earlier this week informed the MLB
Players Association that A-Rod's penalty would
be "considerable" and could even end his
playing career if he decides to fight what is said
to be extensive evidence that he not only
acquired performance-enhancing substances
from Biogenesis but that he recruited other
players to patronize the clinic and impeded
MLB's investigation.
There has been speculation that MLB wants the
38-year-old to sit out at least a full season in
exchange for not imposing harsher punishment.
There is a powerful financial incentive for
Rodriguez to settle. If Rodriguez goes along
with missing the rest of this season and all of
2014, he would still be entitled to the $61
million he is owed for the 2015, '16 and '17
seasons. He would not receive any of that
money if he is banned for life and his appeal is
denied.
There have been multiple reports that eight or
nine other players will receive 50-game
suspensions in return for agreeing not to file
grievances and appeal their punishments, thus
effectively ending their seasons. That group
could include Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta,
Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, Yankees
catcher Francisco Cervelli and Padres shortstop
Everth Cabrera.
Brewers star Ryan Braun accepted a 65-game
suspension last week. If there are any appeals,
MLB would present that as evidence to support
the credibility of Biogenesis founder Anthony
Bosch, who agreed to cooperate with baseball's
investigators.
Major League Baseball had no comment on the
reports.
A player who accepts an immediate suspension
would be technically eligible for the postseason
if his team makes it. As a practical matter,
though, it would be nearly impossible for a
player to be sharp enough to contribute at that
point.
When Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera was
suspended last year, he could have been
activated in time for the National League
Championship Series, but the Giants decided
against the move. Manager Bruce Bochy
explained at the time that he liked the way his
roster had pulled together down the stretch.
Rodriguez, who is currently rehabbing following
offseason hip surgery and a recent quadriceps
injury, has retained the services of the
Manhattan law firm of Cohen, Weiss and Simon,
according to the Post. If an agreement isn't
reached, Commissioner Bud Selig has some
options on what the next step would be.
If Rodriguez's suspension is based on the
collective bargaining agreement, he would not
be able to play while waiting for arbitrator
Frederic Horowitz to hear his case. While it's
unclear how quickly an appeal could be heard,
Horowitz conceivably could hand down his
ruling before the end of the season.
If Rodriguez is suspended for violating the Joint
Drug Agreement, he could play through the
appeals process. Or, if he's suspended under
the Commissioner's "integrity of the game"
powers in the Collective Bargaining Agreement,
Selig himself would hear the appeal instead of
Horowitz. But that's considered the least likely
outcome.
Rodriguez has never tested positive for PEDs in
non-survey testing, though he did test positive
in 2003 survey testing, which could help his
case in any appeal. But if it comes to that,
Horowitz will have the latitude to consider a
lifetime suspension and perhaps impose a lesser
penalty.
An announcement is expected any day. Reports
have suggested it will come on Friday, with the
Post saying it could be made as early as
Thursday. Players who choose to sit out 50
games now will have to begin serving their
suspensions soon in order to complete their
sentences by the end of the regular season.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman
declined to speculate on the future during a
conference call with reporters on Wednesday.
He referred all questions to MLB, adding that
the team will continue to assume Rodriguez will
return to active duty until told differently.
"I think you have to at this point," he said.
"Nothing's been handed down, so I think you
have to. We expected to have him back at this
point. We don't have him yet, but I know he's
playing in a simulated game [Thursday], and
that's a step in the right direction."
