The two top targets – Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees. The list also includes Nelson Cruz with the Texas Rangers and Melky Cabrera, now with the Toronto Blue Jays, among the players whose names have also been tied to the clinic. The issue is the use of PEDs, Performance Enhancing Drugs, which is obviously considered an illegal practice in Major League Baseball.
I’m not going to get into the charges because practically every baseball fan is aware of this never ending story. I would like to focus on A-Rod because he seems to be getting the most attention and probably for good reason—he’s a Yankee with a hefty salary. There have been no suspensions announced concerning the Biogenesis investigations, but MLB is proving that it is serious. Some people will continue to look at any steroid revelations as a thorn in the side of the sport and MLB is very serious about cracking down on violators.
A-Rod hasn’t yet played this season, and there’s no guarantee that he will. If he does, there is little guarantee that he’ll play well. He potentially has a chance to return after the All-Star break. So there is talk about retirement by A-Rod. Maybe even a buyout of his contract, which would be a certain percentage of his salary. Trying to recover from his a second hip reconstruction with a drug investigation on the side, A-Rod is going to have to try and make a comeback and it will have to be clean. A tough act for the soon-to-be 38-year-old.
If he gives this idea of a return to play this season, and decides he can’t do it anymore and retires, A-Rod gets only 20 percent of his $86 million and the Yanks can recover $68.8 million, which would be the remainder of his contract of 2014–2017.
Derek Jeter is also scheduled to return after the All-Star break and it’s obvious that the Yankee’s bosses are understandably more hopeful and optimistic about Jeter’s return.
The report is that Rodriguez is in Tampa, away from the team, hitting off a tee and fielding while in stationary position so he doesn’t have to move left or right. It doesn’t sound like he’s even close to being ready.
The owner of the anti-aging clinic, Tony Bosch, agreeing to cooperate with MLB’s investigation team, may bring a new light on the subject of a possible 20-player suspension.
A-Rod admitted to the usage of PEDs periodically when he played for the Texas Rangers in 2001-03, but he never tested positive. Do you think he regrets that admission? One source said the commissioner’s office might seek a 100-game suspension for A-Rod. Even though it’s a first offense for Rodriguez, which in the MLB is punishable with a 50 game suspension, the extra 50 games comes from lying to MLB officials about PED-use, which would constitute a second offense. A third offense would be a lifetime ban from the sport.
What happens if A-Rod is suspended for 100 games? Does he still get paid, and what do the Yankees do about this because of his disqualification? I know that in my profession, which can come under a lot of public scrutiny, my suspension would be permanent. Why in the world is he allowed to still be part of what used to be a revered profession? I did work in a revered profession for 38 years and I feel I was instrumental in the lives of many students of mine, as did many of my former colleagues. To this day there are still those who think teachers get too much. It took me 38 years to earn a decent salary with seven years of higher education preparation to backup to my profession and with a service to the community.
I can’t understand how there can be such criticism by those looking in from the outside. Guys like A-Rod, who have obviously broken the rules, and admitted to it, can still be allowed to do what they do and still get millions for their mess ups. If he was a teacher, he wouldn’t get more than one day in court, if at all. He would be out looking for another job. It’s time for him to go and not with all his millions. Adios, A-Rod!
