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A-Rod and others in new PED report

smg58 Jan 29 2013 07:22 AM

[url]http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2013-01-31/news/a-rod-and-doping-a-miami-clinic-supplies-drugs-to-sports-biggest-names/ A lot of names, many of whom have been caught in the last year. But yeah, it's obvious who the big name is. If there's language in his contract allowing the Yankees to void it if something like this happens, he's the biggest idiot on the planet.

Ceetar Jan 29 2013 07:26 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

There is no way there is that language in the contract. *yawn* If I'm Jeter, I tell clinics my name is A-Rod when I pick up my stuff.

Edgy MD Jan 29 2013 07:29 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Now, as baseball teams head to spring training under a tougher new policy, the Biogenesis records affirm that the war on doping has been as futile as the War on Drugs. I'm not sure I believe that.

metirish Jan 29 2013 07:39 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I hope no such language exists and Rodriguez sees out the rest of that awful albatross of a contract.

smg58 Jan 29 2013 07:42 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 29 2013 12:15 PM

Edgy MD wrote: Now, as baseball teams head to spring training under a tougher new policy, the Biogenesis records affirm that the war on doping has been as futile as the War on Drugs. I'm not sure I believe that. I'm not sure either. I saw the names of six active baseball players, of whom three tested positive last year. Could you conclude that MLB testing system still needs improvement? Sure. Could you conclude that it's failed? No, not at all.

Valadius Jan 29 2013 08:04 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

In these notebooks, he spelled out all the athletes — from baseball to tennis to high school players — buying his products. The name that really made Garcia's jaw drop was hometown hero Alex Rodriguez. Born and raised in Miami and starring on the diamond since he was 18 years old, A-Rod admitted in 2009 that he had used steroids, claiming in an ESPN interview that his doping was limited to a three-year window — 2001 through 2003 — while he played under a record contract for the Texas Rangers. Ever since then, A-Rod claimed, he'd been playing clean. He'd never failed an MLB drug test since penalties were put into place. Yet there was his name, over and over again, logged as either "Alex Rodriguez," "Alex Rod," or his nickname at the clinic, "Cacique," a pre-Columbian Caribbean chief. Rodriguez's name appears 16 times throughout the records New Times reviewed. Take, for instance, one patient list from Bosch's 2009 personal notebook. It charts more than 50 clients and notes whether they received their drugs by delivery or in the office, how much they paid, and what they were taking. There, at number seven on the list, is Alex Rodriguez. He paid $3,500, Bosch notes. Below that, he writes, "1.5/1.5 HGH (sports perf.) creams test., glut., MIC, supplement, sports perf. Diet." HGH, of course, is banned in baseball, as are testosterone creams. That's not the only damning evidence against A-Rod, though. Another document from the files, a loose sheet with a header from the 19th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine, lays out a full regimen under the name Cacique: "Test. cream... troches prior to workout... and GHRP... IGF-1... pink cream." IGF-1 is a banned substance in baseball that stimulates insulin production and muscle growth. Elsewhere in his notebook, Bosch spells out that his "troches," a type of drug lozenge, include 15 percent testosterone; pink cream, he writes, is a complex formula that also includes testosterone. GHRP is a substance that releases growth hormones. There's more evidence. On a 2009 client list, near A-Rod's name, is that of Yuri Sucart, who paid Bosch $500 for a weeklong supply of HGH. Sucart is famous to anyone who has followed baseball's steroid scandal. Soon after A-Rod's admission, the slugger admitted that Sucart — his cousin and close friend — was the mule who provided the superstar his drugs. In 2009, the same year this notebook was written, Sucart (who lives in South Miami and didn't respond to a message left at his home) was banned from all Yankees facilities. The mentions of Rodriguez begin in 2009 and continue all the way through last season. Take a page in another notebook, which is labeled "2012" and looks to have been written last spring. Under the heading "A-Rod/Cacique," Bosch writes, "He is paid through April 30th. He will owe May 1 $4,000... I need to see him between April 13-19, deliver troches, pink cream, and... May meds. Has three weeks of Sub-Q (as of April)." Elsewhere in his notebooks, Bosch writes that "Sub-Q" refers to his mixture of HGH, IGF-1, and other drugs. The notebooks and client lists aren't the only evidence linking Rodriguez to Bosch. Former employees say Bosch would openly brag about selling drugs to Rodriguez. "He was always talking about A-Rod," says one former employee who asked not to be named. "We never saw any athletes in the office, so we didn't know if he was just talking bullshit or not. But he would brag about how tight they were."

MFS62 Jan 29 2013 08:13 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Publishing patient information without the consent of the patient violates Federal law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Ins ... bility_Act Later

Edgy MD Jan 29 2013 08:16 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Yeah, he's got some answering to do. Another one of those awkward spring training press conferences with the seats full of Yankees and Jeter being all high and mighty. That might be nice.

Edgy MD Jan 29 2013 10:31 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

A-Rod has retained counsel, and denies evahthing. I like the Jeter scenario. Point to ponder: what a miserable day it'd be if Gio had won the Cy Young award.

batmagadanleadoff Jan 29 2013 10:41 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

MFS62 wrote: Publishing patient information without the consent of the patient violates Federal law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Ins ... bility_Act Later I'm not entirely sure about what I'm about to write, but it's very possible that the patient's right to privacy is forfeited when the purported medical treatment constitutes illegal activity by both doctor (here, for dispensing banned substances) and patient (for knowingly receiving banned substances).

Edgy MD Jan 29 2013 11:00 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Those handgrenades I bought were medically necessary. See you in court, Bub.

metsmarathon Jan 29 2013 11:16 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

or since the guy wasn't an actual doctor, there's no actual priviledge to be maintained...?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jan 29 2013 11:55 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

or since the guy wasn't an actual doctor, there's no actual priviledge to be maintained...? This. My favorite part of this is the pseudonym-"coded" client lists... with the real names/keys written in the exact same set of records. Tony Bosch: Criminal Mastermind!

Edgy MD Jan 29 2013 12:16 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

This will somehow be almost exclusively a baseball story.

metsmarathon Jan 29 2013 12:18 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

yeah. there's a football/ped/hgh/ray lewis story going around, too, but nobody seems to care. because it doesn't affect [bigpurple:1tqvdwi4]the numbers[/bigpurple:1tqvdwi4]. the other thing it won't affect? ray lewis' hall of fame candidacy.

Ashie62 Jan 29 2013 12:31 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

With the hip surgery and other Swirling Arod issues I am considering the possibility that Arod has played his last MLB game.

Frayed Knot Jan 29 2013 12:35 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ashie62 wrote: With the hip surgery and other Swirling Arod issues I am considering the possibility that Arod has played his last MLB game. I seriously doubt that. I'm just shocked, SHOCKED! that ARod's story of doing PEDs only up until he started with his current team may not turn out to be 100% accurate.

metsmarathon Jan 29 2013 12:49 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

see, he should've come clean to oprah. he wouldn't've been able to lie if it was oprah interviewing him about his steroid use. then we'd know the whole story, he would have repented and stayed clean, and america would have loved him like we never lived him before.

themetfairy Jan 29 2013 12:53 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metsmarathon wrote: see, he should've come clean to oprah. he wouldn't've been able to lie if it was oprah interviewing him about his steroid use. then we'd know the whole story, he would have repented and stayed clean, and america would have loved him like we never lived him before. Are you implying that people love Lance Armstrong and his lying, self-serving piece of shit ass now that he's talked to Oprah?

Swan Swan H Jan 29 2013 12:53 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ashie62 wrote: With the hip surgery and other Swirling Arod issues I am considering the possibility that Arod has played his last MLB game. Swirling Arod is the name of my Faces cover band.

Mets – Willets Point Jan 29 2013 01:47 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Swan Swan H wrote: Ashie62 wrote: With the hip surgery and other Swirling Arod issues I am considering the possibility that Arod has played his last MLB game. Swirling Arod is the name of my Faces cover band. Swirling Arod happened in Tolkien's Return of the King, iirc.

seawolf17 Jan 29 2013 02:03 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I honestly don't know what I "want" to come out of this. I'm getting kinda numb to all this crap.

Valadius Jan 29 2013 02:22 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I want the MFYs to forfeit all their wins from the last four seasons. Oh wait, that only happens if you pay an amateur athlete or look the other way with an assistant coach's child abuse.

Ashie62 Jan 29 2013 05:25 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Numb about says it...an maybe acceptance also.

metsmarathon Jan 29 2013 09:53 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

themetfairy wrote: metsmarathon wrote: see, he should've come clean to oprah. he wouldn't've been able to lie if it was oprah interviewing him about his steroid use. then we'd know the whole story, he would have repented and stayed clean, and america would have loved him like we never lived him before. Are you implying that people love Lance Armstrong and his lying, self-serving piece of shit ass now that he's talked to Oprah? are you implying that we don't? shit. what was the point of all that then? i mean, clearly lance thought that was the likely outcome.

Frayed Knot Jan 30 2013 06:56 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Joel Sherman talks today about how the Yanx are "privately thrilled" over these latest ARod stories and will use it to explore ways to get out from under his contract. He admits that the chances of them succeeding at that remains "a hail Mary" but the reasons for them not to at least try are diminishing. There are five years remaining on the deal and the Yanx have pretty much resolved themselves to the fact that they're going to release him at some point before the end of the deal and eat part of the cash. Year one (2013) is already clocking in at somewhere between half shot and fully shot between the hip recovery and now a possible suspension so there's certainly a temptation to fight for as much of the middle three years as possible. Suing him for fraud or some such tactic isn't likely to succeed but maybe the threat of it starts negotiations towards some sort of buy-out. Besides, what's legal action or other public handbag swinging going to do, poison the relationship between him and the club, or the fans, or his teammates? I think the cows are already out of that barn.

Edgy MD Jan 30 2013 07:20 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Are there any more active contracts that George Steinbrenner had a hand in? I guess A-Rod's deal is on Hank, right?

G-Fafif Feb 05 2013 05:58 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ryan Braun, MFY douche Cervelli newest named.

Edgy MD Feb 05 2013 06:07 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Braun? Coly hrap! MLB, you suckers! You let him off and he ran right back to his pharmacist! If ever there was a guy who was a Yankee in all but the uniform, it's Ryan Braun.

Swan Swan H Feb 05 2013 06:20 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Cervelli? First, hahahahahahahaha you fucking prick. Second, he sucked on PEDs. Without them he must have been Arnold Horshack.

G-Fafif Feb 05 2013 06:21 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Cervelli previously tested for doucheness. Was not suspended.

Swan Swan H Feb 05 2013 06:23 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

G-Fafif wrote: Cervelli previously tested for doucheness. Was not suspended. The result was so far off the scale they assumed the sample was tainted.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 05 2013 07:50 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The mail's here! THE MAIL'S HERE! .600 OPS, here I come!

Ashie62 Feb 05 2013 09:29 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Lying sack of shite Ryan Braun. Is this even baseball anymore or cycling..

Ashie62 Feb 05 2013 09:41 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Yahoo photo of Biogenesis list within.. [url]http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/21652116

MFS62 Feb 05 2013 09:54 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Swan Swan H wrote: Cervelli? First, hahahahahahahaha you fucking prick. Second, he sucked on PEDs. Without them he must have been Arnold Horshack. Kids will look at his numbers and re-think whether or not they want to take PEDs. Later

Ashie62 Feb 05 2013 10:01 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm waiting to hear about the use of Adderall as PED described as an "epidemic." Young folk can relate to that drug. Many already take it.

Edgy MD Feb 05 2013 10:57 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Way to let the black face of the franchise walk and sign the white guy forever, Milwaukee. I mean, it's cool when we do it.

Mets Guy in Michigan Feb 06 2013 05:42 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy, are you really saying that race was the reason the Brewers let Fielder walk, and not that he was seeking a 10-year, $200 million deal and is rather overweight?

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 06:04 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I certainly think white guys have an advantage over men of color in getting a little extra face-of-the-franchise dough.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 06 2013 06:18 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

To be fair, it's a rare fellow that has any advantage over Fielder in a contest for carbohydrates.

Mets Guy in Michigan Feb 06 2013 06:25 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: I certainly think white guys have an advantage over men of color in getting a little extra face-of-the-franchise dough. Ken Griffey and Barry Bonds -- and to a lesser extent, Albert Pujols and ARod -- might disagree.

metirish Feb 06 2013 06:32 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Screw Braun and his buddies in the media, he's a fraud. Not sure about the race thing, can of worms right there....Brewers couldn't pay two I suppose......

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 07:21 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Griffey, Bonds, Pujols, and Rodridguez all left for other shores to get their big paydays, three on the open market and one through an engineered trade to a city where he took less than he was worth on the open market. Sorry to open up a can, but I think it's a real issue. The greater point is that Braun is a fraud. A fraud with lousy tee shirts.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 06 2013 07:24 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Oh, come on. Are we so sure he was taking whatever the clinic was giving him to boost some baseball stats? For all we know, he may have been dealing with some terrible, financially-crippling Affliction.

Lefty Specialist Feb 06 2013 07:30 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I don't think Fielder's going to be a lot of fun in year 9 of that 9-year deal. By then he may be generating his own gravity vortex. If I'm looking at it completely color-blind and not knowing about PED's, and could only sign one of the two, I'd pick Braun every time.

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 07:35 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

That's fine, but it turns out that Braun is the one who has now appeared to humiliate his team in years one and two of his contract. He somehow played off his reputation and squirreled out of the consequences the first time. Does he have a second Get out of the Lab Free card in his ugly pocket?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 06 2013 07:37 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

His name's on a list, with a monetary amount next to it; apparently, there isn't the detail there that there was with, say, Rodriguez. If there isn't black-and-white evidence of what he took, or another positive test, there may not be actual consequences attached to this, whatever it is.

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 07:41 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Oh, sure, that list is so ridiculously incriminating-but-not-substantial that it's almost comic. Like finding a murder victim with a note in his hand that says "Sonny killed me." Obviously, we have to wait on all the facts. Damn facts.

Ceetar Feb 06 2013 07:47 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: Oh, sure, that list is so ridiculously incriminating-but-not-substantial that it's almost comic. Like finding a murder victim with a note in his hand that says "Sonny killed me." Obviously, we have to wait on all the facts. Damn facts. we just need to know if they've got any pimples on their back.

Vic Sage Feb 06 2013 10:17 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Here are the facts as they are alleged by Braun: >... Ryan Braun said the person who ran the Florida clinic being investigated by Major League Baseball was used only as a consultant on his drug suspension appeal last year. >... "During the course of preparing for my successful appeal last year, my attorneys, who were previously familiar with Tony Bosch, used him as a consultant. More specifically, he answered questions about T/E ratio and possibilities of tampering with samples,'' Braun said. [The T/E ratio is a comparison of the levels of testosterone to epitestosterone.] >... his name was in the Biogenesis records because of an issue over payment to Anthony Bosch, who ran the clinic near Miami. ''There was a dispute over compensation for Bosch's work, which is why my lawyer and I are listed under 'moneys owed' and not on any other list,'' Braun said. >... no specific performance-enhancing drugs were listed next to his name. from this article on YAHOO: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/report-bra ... --mlb.html in a vacuum, this all seems plausible. but he doesn't live in a vacuum.

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 10:23 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Whatever it be, I just love these multi-millionaires doing the most important business of their lives with guys who keep their financial records in pencil.

Ashie62 Feb 06 2013 11:39 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Brauns lawyer paid this guy 20-30K as a consultation fee accounted for on a 6th graders lined paper. Geezuz

G-Fafif Feb 06 2013 11:44 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

"It's just a little Cervelli Champagne," said one player who wished to remain anonymous. "It's not like it helps." Quotes we'd like to see.

batmagadanleadoff Feb 06 2013 01:05 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Vic Sage wrote: in a vacuum, this all seems plausible. but [Braun] doesn't live in a vacuum. I once tried to live in a vacuum. It was too dusty for me. I spent most of my free time vacuuming.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 06 2013 09:08 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Jhonny Peralta and Jesus Montero listed, too. (Like Cruz, Melky, and Gio Gonzalez, these guys are Seth/Sam Levinson clients.)

Ashie62 Feb 07 2013 05:51 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Braun confesses on the back of his 2012 Baseball card "he's become a superstar paddling little white balls in his real job."

A Boy Named Seo Feb 08 2013 09:14 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Jhonny Peralta and Jesus Montero listed, too. (Like Cruz, Melky, and Gio Gonzalez, these guys are Seth/Sam Levinson clients.) Ha. The attorney handling the PED allegations is named Barry Boss. And representing me in my murder defense will be my attorney, AJ Simpson.

Ashie62 Feb 19 2013 08:23 PM Roid Fragment

Mets Cesar Puello and our old buddy Fmart linked to Biogenesis Per Rubin...

Edgy MD Feb 19 2013 08:49 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Everth Cabrera, too. http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... ked-to-lab Kinda surprised Reyes' name isn't surfacing. Immature, impetuous, a little vain, desperate to get healthy in time for a walk year, releases a video of his workouts with sledgehammers an 'splosions, has the year of his life in his walk year, a little self-justifying, and seemingly naive. Probably either more cunning or more pure than I give him credit for. Maybe both.

Edgy MD Feb 19 2013 08:52 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Whenever I hear Biogenesis, I think Biohazard is re-uniting, with Phil Collins on drums and producing.

Ashie62 Feb 19 2013 09:01 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Peter Gabriel is also on "the List"

Edgy MD Feb 19 2013 09:02 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Reyes working out with a sledgehammer suddenly starting to make all sorts of sense.

MFS62 Feb 20 2013 10:00 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

IIRC, when the news broke about Biogenesis, it advertised itself as providing non-steroid (steroid alternative) products. I think some of the athletes and agents went to them based on that (mis)information. The company website said they provide counselling to clients, and fully describe the products/ treatments they would prescribe. Some of those named have said they went there only for that counselling. So it could be the players went there in good faith and were duped. But there is still no excuse for not checking out the ingredients against the MLB banned substance list before taking them. Later

Ceetar Feb 21 2013 05:29 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

MFS62 wrote: IIRC, when the news broke about Biogenesis, it advertised itself as providing non-steroid (steroid alternative) products. I think some of the athletes and agents went to them based on that (mis)information. The company website said they provide counselling to clients, and fully describe the products/ treatments they would prescribe. Some of those named have said they went there only for that counselling. So it could be the players went there in good faith and were duped. But there is still no excuse for not checking out the ingredients against the MLB banned substance list before taking them. Later Well these guys didn't get busted by the MLB drug tests after all. Maybe they didn't. I don't think misinformation is the right word so much as plausible deniability.

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2013 06:32 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So it seems that MLB, frustrated in attempts to obtain documents from the BioGenesis Clinic either through the Miami paper that first reported them or through legal action, is going to route of purchasing them from unnamed former employees. One reason they want to get their hands on them is that there are rumors of one or more of the players named in those papers trying to purchase them first so as to keep his name out of any further action. Reports surfaced last night with the name of the player linked to trying, via an intermediary, to make such a purchase and, to the surprise of no one, that player is Alex Rodriguez http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/sport ... ml?hp&_r=0

Edgy MD Apr 13 2013 09:11 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Suppression of evidence. Nice.

The Second Spitter Apr 13 2013 09:18 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I wonder if it was the same cousin who bought roids for him in DR.

Edgy MD Jun 04 2013 07:35 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Twitter buzz suggests that these suspensions are about to come down. Besides half the Yankees (but not Jeter, never Jeter), this could turn out to be recorded as a second offense for Ryan Braun. The only Mettish character that looks to be exposed here is Cesar Puello. Is this photo of superhuge Puello with a baby face real? That photo alone should be enough to get him suspended. It looks like his head got put on somebody else's body.

Zvon Jun 04 2013 08:51 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I deny everything and demand proof.

MFS62 Jun 04 2013 09:17 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Say it ain't so, Puello. Later

Mets Guy in Michigan Jun 04 2013 09:18 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So if ARoid gets a 100-game suspension, you have to figure his Hall of Fame changes are shot, right? Most of the guys who people talk of as getting in eventually -- Clemens, Bonds -- never got suspended. One who did, Palmiero, isn't give much of a chance.

Ashie62 Jun 05 2013 06:06 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

First off, I'm guessing more like 50-75 players exposed with most being 50 game suspension violations. Second..probably no one serves a suspension until appeals likely get heard in the off season I would guess.. Third, Marlon Byrd may have a 100 coming but he is not a key cog in Metland Lastly, Pujols, J Hamilton & Jeter for shits nd giggles..

metsmarathon Jun 05 2013 06:20 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

i don't much understand hte pujols hate, nor the jhamilton. all pujols did is be good. is it just to protect against the notion that he couldn't possibly be that good, thereby protecting the sanctity of those hwo we know to have been that good, that they may have fewer peers? and why would you want to see hamilton rended? i'm much prefer his to be a story of triumph, or at least of righting his own ship. too many people fall down already. why not have some stay up. jeter would be, in a sense, delicious. in another sense, it would be terrible. i don't find myself rooting for his destruction - only for the slap in the face to the mfy fans. and that makes me feel somewhat awful.

Ceetar Jun 05 2013 07:05 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metsmarathon wrote: jeter would be, in a sense, delicious. in another sense, it would be terrible. i don't find myself rooting for his destruction - only for the slap in the face to the mfy fans. and that makes me feel somewhat awful. I doubt Jeter is involved in Biogensis as much as I doubt he's never taken a steroid in his life. Seems like a guy to stick with what's worked for him in the past and not gotten him caught. (Same for Rivera for that matter, and really 95% of any Yankee from the late 90s early 2000s that didn't get caught yet)

Frayed Knot Jun 05 2013 07:22 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ashie62 wrote: First off, I'm guessing more like 50-75 players exposed with most being 50 game suspension violations. Based on ? Third, Marlon Byrd may have a 100 coming but he is not a key cog in Metland Nor, unless I've missed something, is he mentioned as one being tied to this clinic.

Vic Sage Jun 05 2013 01:59 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Shoot `em all up with juice and play ball! Yee haw!

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 05 2013 02:14 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 05 2013 08:30 PM

So, they hit Bosch with an expensive bullshit parfait-of-a-nuisance-suit, whisper to the feds enough to justify a costly-to-defend fishing trip... then offer to drop the suit and whisper to the feds on his behalf if he gives them something. Sounds totally above-board and airtight. Way to go, MLB!

Benjamin Grimm Jun 05 2013 02:18 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Mets farmhand Cesar Puello is reportedly one of the players mixed up in this.

Ashie62 Jun 05 2013 03:31 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Based on.....where there are 20 known cockroaches..there are usually more. Byrd? He dipped in once... I hope he avoided Biogenesis...

Edgy MD Jun 05 2013 07:22 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The notion that there are bound to be more hardly implicates Byrd.

Gwreck Jul 22 2013 03:41 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ryan Braun suspended for balance of 2013 season by MLB. Source: Rubin twitter.

bmfc1 Jul 22 2013 03:43 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The Mets close the season with Milwaukee so their path to the pennant just got easier.

smg58 Jul 22 2013 04:02 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Braun is not appealing. On edit: in more ways than one.

batmagadanleadoff Jul 22 2013 04:08 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

smg58 wrote: Braun is not appealing. On edit: in more ways than one. I suppose that more details will emerge, but MLB got Braun to admit using PED's. So who knows what MLB has on Braun. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-o ... st-of-2013

Ashie62 Jul 22 2013 04:41 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Wow...I kinda thought lawyering would hold MLB up...

Ashie62 Jul 22 2013 04:45 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Phone call for Alex Rodriguez...

TransMonk Jul 22 2013 04:47 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

He's a cheater and a liar. F him. If I was Matt Kemp, I'd be livid right now.

Ashie62 Jul 22 2013 04:54 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

TransMonk wrote: He's a cheater and a liar. F him. If I was Matt Kemp, I'd be livid right now. Like Mike Greenwell

Frayed Knot Jul 22 2013 05:11 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

batmagadanleadoff wrote: So who knows what MLB has on Braun. Well, my guess (having read nothing beyond the headlines so far) is that MLB feels it has enough of a solid paper trail that the previously combative Braun chose not to fight it. And not only is he not fighting it but he agreed to a penalty above and beyond the 1st-timers 50-game standard which suggests to me that he probably confessed that his denials two off-seasons ago were bunk and that he only escaped suspension due to loopholes. MLB probably offered not to pursue a 100-game (2nd timer's) penalty and cause a legal fight if Braun agreed to the 70-plus games that he's getting. The other thing it does is bring the idea that maybe the latest ARod injury isn't an injury at all. Why reinstate in tonight (as was the plan) only to be forced to shelve him in a couple of days as word of the Biogenesis case started to leak and the implication that MLB feels their case is strong enough to proceed even without positive tests?

d'Kong76 Jul 22 2013 05:17 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Glad he was first to go ... garbage.

Edgy MD Jul 22 2013 05:22 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Strange to see BioGenesis-related disciplinary action roll out piecemeal, though, isn't it?

d'Kong76 Jul 22 2013 05:41 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Maybe he's the only big name (or one of a few) that won't be seeking union help because the evidence is so strong.

Ceetar Jul 22 2013 05:50 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: Strange to see BioGenesis-related disciplinary action roll out piecemeal, though, isn't it? not really. This way they can roll out weekly reminders that they're "cleaning up the game" while systematically trying to scare guys on the list into admitted more (and naming names)

Frayed Knot Jul 22 2013 06:20 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Also, MLB was meeting with the 'List' guys one by one, Braun may have been one of the first. There also might be negotiations going on (what MLB wants, what each player is willing to accept without a fight) that this may just have been the first one to be settled. The one thing MLB does NOT want to do in these cases is shoot too high and risk seeing one or more of these guys getting off on a technicality. The negotiations may be key to that.

Gwreck Jul 22 2013 07:29 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I would imagine that despite the lengthier suspension, Braun gets classified as a first-time offender rather than a second-time offender.

Edgy MD Jul 22 2013 07:38 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Puello doesn't have a union to fight for him.

Frayed Knot Jul 22 2013 07:41 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Gwreck wrote: I would imagine that despite the lengthier suspension, Braun gets classified as a first-time offender rather than a second-time offender. Maybe, but the fact that Braun, and by extension the union, accepted the 70+ games without a fight when the rules call for just 50 indicates to me that he's essentially admitting that he has "priors" on this subject. I guess we'll find out if the dope gets caught again.

MFS62 Jul 22 2013 09:57 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: Puello doesn't have a union to fight for him. Because he is on the 40 man roster, he will have MLBPA lawyers representing him. Later

metirish Jul 23 2013 06:48 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

TransMonk wrote: He's a cheater and a liar. F him. If I was Matt Kemp, I'd be livid right now. and the collector that he waged a smear campaign against should be livid , probably feeling vindicated too though. Braun is a piece of shit, but he'll be back next ST ....that sucks.

Ashie62 Jul 23 2013 08:04 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 24 2013 04:57 PM

In effect....Braun took a plea bargain.. Arod...banned for life maybe?

MFS62 Jul 23 2013 09:28 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Now that Braun has the rest of the Summer off, he can vacation at CLUB PED. Later

Frayed Knot Jul 24 2013 05:52 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

If nothing else, this whole topic has given ESPN a reason to actually talk about baseball. As long as they don't have to sully themselves discussing the season, the games, or the players, they're OK with it.

Frayed Knot Jul 31 2013 08:46 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So now it seems that Alex 'I'm never going to negotiate' Rodriguez and MLB are ... in the process of negotiations. The remainder of the players and teams have been informed of their upcoming suspensions which will apparently be announced on Friday.

MFS62 Jul 31 2013 09:44 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Puello has been reported (Daily News) to be one of the players to be suspended. If he is suspended for 50 games, can the Mets add him to the 25 man roster and THEN suspend him? That way, he would serve out the 50 major league games (about the rest of the major league schedule) this year and start spring training on time next year. If they can't, then he would sit out the roughly 30 games of the minor league schedule this year, and would be banned next year until he serves out the remaining games of his suspension. This would also prohibit his attending spring training, further retarding his development. Later

SteveJRogers Jul 31 2013 10:00 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: If nothing else, this whole topic has given ESPN a reason to actually talk about baseball. As long as they don't have to sully themselves discussing the season, the games, or the players, they're OK with it. Or complain that baseball this ONE HOT guy and no one is talking about him because its all about the steroids again.

metsmarathon Aug 01 2013 06:23 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: So now it seems that Alex 'I'm never going to negotiate' Rodriguez and MLB are ... in the process of negotiations. The remainder of the players and teams have been informed of their upcoming suspensions which will apparently be announced on Friday. it just occurred to me... if arod is only suspended and not banned for life, even though he's not getting paid, his salary should still count against the mfy payroll, shouldn't it? or is that calculated based on dollars paid not dollars contractually obligated?

Edgy MD Aug 01 2013 07:00 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: If nothing else, this whole topic has given ESPN a reason to actually talk about baseball. As long as they don't have to sully themselves discussing the season, the games, or the players, they're OK with it. Baseball: America's answer to cycling.

Frayed Knot Aug 01 2013 07:05 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So now it seems that Alex 'I'm never going to negotiate' Rodriguez and MLB are ... in the process of negotiations. The remainder of the players and teams have been informed of their upcoming suspensions which will apparently be announced on Friday. it just occurred to me... if arod is only suspended and not banned for life, even though he's not getting paid, his salary should still count against the mfy payroll, shouldn't it? or is that calculated based on dollars paid not dollars contractually obligated? I have no idea how this affects the whole salary-cap/lux-tax issue. The fun part about all this is going to be that, even if this suspension is (as anticipated in many quarters) for the rest of this season plus all of 2014, his deal with the Yanx would still be in effect for three seasons after that and the only thing better than them seeing that anchor on their roster in 2015-2017 at ages 40, 41, and 42, is seeing that anchor on their roster for 2015-2017 after what amounts to (via injuries and banishment) a nearly three year layoff!! What I suspect at that point is that his remaining salary would be small enough to where the Yanx would find some way to buy him out. Even they weren't going to swallow his $100+ million he was still owed going into this season, but at "only" $61 mil for those years (the Yanx actually got somewhat smart and partially front-loaded his deal this time) I'm sure they'd go to him and say something on the order of: "look, how's about taking [insert figure here] to just go away? ... Yeah, you could refuse and then we'd have to pay you the full amount but: a) we hate you; b) we have no intention of playing you; c) we don't even want you at our facilities or interacting with our players; and d) did I mention that we hate you? Also, since there's no way anyone else is going to pay your creaky, old, two-hip surgery, PED-deformed ass anywhere near the [buyout] figure we're offering you, if you want to EVER play again and boost your already tainted numbers up a few notches so you can tell your grandkids (assuming that they aren't going to hate you also) that you hit more HRs than Willie Mays, then you'll take this sum and be free to strike your own deal somewhere else" IOW, I've finally come around to the realization that AR has already played his last game in a MFY uniform.

Edgy MD Aug 01 2013 07:30 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

MFS62 wrote: Puello has been reported (Daily News) to be one of the players to be suspended. If he is suspended for 50 games, can the Mets add him to the 25 man roster and THEN suspend him? That way, he would serve out the 50 major league games (about the rest of the major league schedule) this year and start spring training on time next year. If they can't, then he would sit out the roughly 30 games of the minor league schedule this year, and would be banned next year until he serves out the remaining games of his suspension. This would also prohibit his attending spring training, further retarding his development. Later Sounds like a reckless plan to me, plus it further motivates players to juice up when they're in the minors, ride out any suspensions they may incur if they're accidentally caught (even though Cesar somehow beat the testing regimen), and then restart their careers from the elevated professional position the roids gave them. The Mets already paid a big price (a two year contract, plus possibly the 2007 division and any potential subsequent crowns) believing Guillermo Mota to be, after his suspension, some the player he was before. The Mets would do well to let Puello serve his time honorably, and treat him next season like the same borderline prospect he was before this season. With respect to his career trajectory, this season should be treated like it never happened. That said, he's already on the 40, so September may already count against his suspension.

MFS62 Aug 01 2013 07:45 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: That said, he's already on the 40, so September may already count against his suspension. That's what I'm waiting to find out. Later

Ceetar Aug 01 2013 08:50 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

MFS62 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: That said, he's already on the 40, so September may already count against his suspension. That's what I'm waiting to find out. Later and I believe they can put him on the suspended list and not lose a roster spot right? he can still go to minor league spring training regardless though I think, just not be used in the major league games or anything. But let's see if that's actually what happens first.

Zvon Aug 01 2013 05:28 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot Aug 03 2013 05:28 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Alex Rodriguez and the others are reported to have a 6PM Sunday deadline to reach an agreement with MLB on punishment in the BioGenesis case or have one handed to them on Monday. ARod, who played in Trenton Friday night, is coincidentally (or not) on track to re-join the Yanquis on Monday following another game today and then an evaluation on Sunday. He even held a press conference following his game in which he talked about there being "more than one party that benefits from me not ever stepping back on the field. That’s not my teammates and it’s not the Yankee fans.”. Hmmmm, so if it's not Yankee teammates and it's not Yankee fans, then that must leave the Yankee [rhymes with shmanagement]. When asked who the parties were, Rodriguez said: “I can’t tell you that right now ... And I hope I never have to.” Oh this is going to get good!

Ceetar Aug 03 2013 06:22 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: Alex Rodriguez and the others are reported to have a 6PM Sunday deadline to reach an agreement with MLB on punishment in the BioGenesis case or have one handed to them on Monday. ARod, who played in Trenton Friday night, is coincidentally (or not) on track to re-join the Yanquis on Monday following another game today and then an evaluation on Sunday. He even held a press conference following his game in which he talked about there being "more than one party that benefits from me not ever stepping back on the field. That’s not my teammates and it’s not the Yankee fans.”. Hmmmm, so if it's not Yankee teammates and it's not Yankee fans, then that must leave the Yankee [rhymes with shmanagement]. When asked who the parties were, Rodriguez said: “I can’t tell you that right now ... And I hope I never have to.” Oh this is going to get good! Yup, if they suspect him he's going to air every single dirty piece of laundry on the Yankees. I hate this biogenesis stuff, but I almost want him to get suspended just for that.

Frayed Knot Aug 03 2013 10:17 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The latest reports say that MLB is so pissed at ARod for (among other things) the (not-so) veiled references in his Friday night press conference about those who "had an interest" in him being run out of the game that they've cut off any future negotiations with his representatives as to how long the suspension will be and are now just prepared to announce their version of his suspension on Monday. The terms are said to be for the rest of 2013 and all of 2014, or about 210 games. Alex, of course, is still saying that, having finished up his rehab in Trenton, he plans to be in Chicago on Monday for the Yanx game against the White Sox.

dgwphotography Aug 04 2013 09:43 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

With their history of PED-assisted players, I find it hard to believe that the Yankees didn't know about this. Cashman would do anything to get out of this contract, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were helping MLB with their investigation with this goal in mind. It stinks to high Hell, and I don't think any team who has a player suspended due to PED use should get salary relief. Said salary should still count against luxury cap, and these dollars should be deposited into the MLB general fund, earmarked for a suitable charity.

Ceetar Aug 04 2013 10:06 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

dgwphotography wrote: With their history of PED-assisted players, I find it hard to believe that the Yankees didn't know about this. Cashman would do anything to get out of this contract, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were helping MLB with their investigation with this goal in mind. It stinks to high Hell, and I don't think any team who has a player suspended due to PED use should get salary relief. Said salary should still count against luxury cap, and these dollars should be deposited into the MLB general fund, earmarked for a suitable charity. Hell, Alex might've been buying for the whole team.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 05 2013 08:00 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Alex Rodriguez, just turned 38, is about to fade away. He never had that stern voice in his ear that said, “Alex — don’t!” Nice column here.

dgwphotography Aug 05 2013 08:17 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Oh please - more of that "Real Yankee" tripe. The A-Rods and the Clemenses - the overpaid mercenaries - are the Real Yankees... Of course, this column left out the fact that his father has tried to negotiate some kind of relationship with him over the years, but ARod has rebuffed it. That would be just an inconvenient truth for the column, I guess.

Frayed Knot Aug 05 2013 08:18 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The latest rumors have him NOT being suspended while an appeal goes on--and ARod is still denying EVERYTHING so there is almost certain to be an appeal--so he still expects to be in uniform tonight in Chicago no matter what pronouncements come down in the next few hours. You have to wonder about Rodriguez's mindset as virtually every other player (there's still some question about Nelson Cruz) is apparently going to accept their penalties while Alex fights his to the last drop even though MLB is said to have more on him than on anyone including Braun who willingly took a greater-than-standard penalty for first-timers (which he technically was).

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 08:20 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

There must be a lot of money riding on him just getting on the roster. As for the article, it's a solid thesis and it's elegantly crafted, but it reaches for two easily assailable cliches --- the "true Yankee" canard and the "Jeter has never been a jerk" nonsense.

dgwphotography Aug 05 2013 08:24 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I think his mindset is that his employer's motivation is to attempt to get out of the rest of this contract. I wouldn't be surprised if the MFY's take steps to void the contract once the suspension takes hold.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 05 2013 08:28 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I mean, the obvious point is that something has always been very wrong with Arod, it's as though he hasn't the vaguest idea as to whats right and what's wrong, or what's appropriate and what isn't. The MFYs are going to do anything to get out of paying him. Arod will need his money because he's going down way worse than Bonds even.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 08:31 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Whatever his mindset, I'm glad someone is standing up to MLB. I wonder why the players union isn't saying much, unless they're mindset is "Hope it blows over and they don't look at anyone else too closely" Seems a bad precedent though, because players are going to continue to seek out advanced treatments from doctors on the cutting edge (And often over that edge) and said doctors may well end up in this same situation. Like that Toronto doctor with the blood-spinning and had an intern or something smuggling steroids over the border? A-Rod was named (and didn't cooperate) there too right? Is he just a drug-mule or does it really talk to like every doctor? John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I mean, the obvious point is that something has always been very wrong with Arod, it's as though he hasn't the vaguest idea as to whats right and what's wrong, or what's appropriate and what isn't. The MFYs are going to do anything to get out of paying him. Arod will need his money because he's going down way worse than Bonds even. "Do whatever I can to play baseball as hard and as good as I can. Get paid millions and millions and millions of dollars, even after there are plenty of allusions to PEDs" Of course, that's been the mindset of roughly every player forever.

MFS62 Aug 05 2013 08:32 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

WFAN reporting that the announcement will be made today "at noon, maybe a little later". Later

Vic Sage Aug 05 2013 08:35 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

when you see a sentence that begins with: This is not pop psychology to explain a man... ... Run, do not walk, for the exits before you are drowned in a deluge of bullshit.

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 05 2013 08:41 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

For all the abuse Steve Phillips got for not signing the guy, is he vindicated in hindsight? Or would we have been better off with ARod. Does Vecsey have a list of who constitutes a "True Yankee" and a "Transient Yankee?" I'm assuming Giambi joins Clemens among the mercenaries. But what about Mike Mussina? What about Reggie? Does hitting three homers in a World Series game automatically anoint, wiping out years of douchbaggery?

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 08:43 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The MFYs are going to do anything to get out of paying him. Arod will need his money because he's going down way worse than Bonds even. That prompts a good question: who rides off into the sunset in more disgrace, Bonds or A-Rod? Bonds, at least according to the popular narrative, was already and cleanly on his way to becoming one of the top 10-15 players in baseball history, then started juicing out of jealousy after the McGwire/Sosa lovefest of 1998, became one of top five all-time players, but destroyed his credib8ility doing it. With A-Rod, there's nothing approaching a consensus on when he started or if he was ever clean. BondsThree sort-of divorces, but one was an annullment, another never really married, and the third was settled out of court. He goes down hobbleed and fat, but with the apparent love of his blood family and Uncle Willie. A-Rod goes down more or less with his body intact, but his personal life in a shambles. He still gets to have torrid affairs with self-loathing famous chixx, but even they are losing interest in tarnishing what may be left of their names by linking themselves with him. And he may soon by cruising Hooters waitresses with Canseco. Yeah, he may be landing harder. Oh, and Giants fans supported Bonds through it all. Yankee fans hated A-Rod even when the world didn't have the goods on him. And Bonds wasn't always contrasted against a supposed boy scout of a teammate. He butted up against Jeff Kent, who nobody liked. So, I think the answer is Lance Armstrong.

Centerfield Aug 05 2013 08:45 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

dgwphotography wrote: Oh please - more of that "Real Yankee" tripe. The A-Rods and the Clemenses - the overpaid mercenaries - are the Real Yankees... Of course, this column left out the fact that his father has tried to negotiate some kind of relationship with him over the years, but ARod has rebuffed it. That would be just an inconvenient truth for the column, I guess. Yup. All Yankees are true Yankees. Some of them just happen to be assholes. I wish someone would write a column about that.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 08:48 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I strongly suspect A-Rod, as a mostly full-time DH, has quite a few more home runs left in him. Makes me wonder if part of the push to suspend him for so long is to keep him from hitting 700 and/or eventually taking the record. I'm not sure why protecting Bonds' record really means anything, but A-Rod missing significant time via suspension (or even injury) probably protects 762. Unless they think if they can keep A-Rod from hitting 13 to get to Mays 660 it means something?

Frayed Knot Aug 05 2013 08:49 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ceetar wrote: Whatever his mindset, I'm glad someone is standing up to MLB. I wonder why the players union isn't saying much, unless they're mindset is "Hope it blows over and they don't look at anyone else too closely" Seems a bad precedent though, because players are going to continue to seek out advanced treatments from doctors on the cutting edge (And often over that edge) and said doctors may well end up in this same situation. Like that Toronto doctor with the blood-spinning and had an intern or something smuggling steroids over the border? A-Rod was named (and didn't cooperate) there too right? Is he just a drug-mule or does it really talk to like every doctor? I'm all for guys standing up to MLB in a case like this where the league (or WADA/USADA in other cases) take on the role of judge, jury, and executioner. But the union IS fighting for him - or tried to anyway, they were trying to cut a deal - before ARod and his even changing roster of personal lawyers and advisors continually got in the way. Also, there's fighting for your rights and then there's delusion. As I said above, when everyone else has apparently seen what MLB has and chose not to fight it (particularly Braun) you have to wonder how he thinks he's going to slip away from the noose here unless the story about them having "tons more" evidence against him in particular is total bullshit. If he thinks he's innocent here and, by fighting it, can wind up with every single penny in that contract, he's apparently the only one.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 08:53 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Well, make MLB prove it at least. I think the public at least, deserves to see this "mountains" of evidence. And perhaps they need to prove to someone that it really is evidence and not just an assumption of guilt they already had. He also has less to lose than most (and I suspect he's being targeted with the steepest penalty, maybe he's simply arguing for equality of treatment) in that he's already considered cheating scum by public consciousness. Not like they going to suspend him more if he appeals, and this way he gets on the field this year. That probably means something as well.

Mets – Willets Point Aug 05 2013 10:04 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So where's this announcement?

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 10:12 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Maybe he'll claim that the Yankees had a sap place his name in the BioGenesis files. Sent somebody down there claiming he's buying for Alex Rodriguez, and then they tipped off authorities themselves. That would be an awesome position for him to take.

seawolf17 Aug 05 2013 10:33 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: Maybe he'll claim that the Yankees had a sap place his name in the BioGenesis files. Sent somebody down there claiming he's buying for Alex Rodriguez, and then they tipped off authorities themselves. That would be an awesome position for him to take. That would be the greatest scandal in the history of scandal. Take down the whole organization.

seawolf17 Aug 05 2013 10:37 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ken Rosenthal reporting that VALDESPIN is suspended for 50 games: https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statu ... 2755102720 Thought it was Puello. If he mixed them up -- considering that's already been RTed a few hundred times -- then if I'm Valdy's agent, I'm on the horn with a lawyer STAT.

bmfc1 Aug 05 2013 10:43 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Cervelli got suspended? That deserves a fist pump!

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 10:45 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

seawolf17 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Maybe he'll claim that the Yankees had a sap place his name in the BioGenesis files. Sent somebody down there claiming he's buying for Alex Rodriguez, and then they tipped off authorities themselves. That would be an awesome position for him to take. That would be the greatest scandal in the history of scandal. Take down the whole organization. Not that much worse than what they tried to pull on Winfield, I think.

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 10:53 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Cesar Puello, Fautino De Los Santos, Fernando Martinez, Jordan Norberto, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Everth Cabrera, Antonio Bastardo, Jordany Valdespin, Sergio Escalona. Where do the American-born guys get their drugs?

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 05 2013 11:05 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Cesar Puello, Fautino De Los Santos, Fernando Martinez, Jordan Norberto, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Everth Cabrera, Antonio Bastardo, Jordany Valdespin, Sergio Escalona. Where do the American-born guys get their drugs? Interesting tweet from former Met CJ that kind of gets at where I think you are headed. CJ Nitkowski @CJNitkowski Jokes about non-star PED use not working are easy. Fringe players have grappled with the decision the most. The alternative: out of a job. How many of the Latin players grow up in abject poverty and know that getting to the majors and getting paid the league minimum -- much less a star's contract -- is more money than they've ever dreamed of, and allows them to take care of their families. I'm not saying I condone it. But I understand the desire to do anything -- anything -- to get that contract.

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 11:08 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Certainly. With Braun, it's a question of being a top player vs. merely being a fabulously paid good player. With some of these guys, it's meaningful money vs. cutting sugar cane for a living. The moral calculus is different.

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 05 2013 11:12 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: Certainly. With Braun, it's a question of being a top player vs. merely being a fabulously paid good player. With some of these guys, it's meaningful money vs. cutting sugar cane for a living. The moral calculus is different. Absolutely. I'm far less forgiving on Braun and ARod, and especially of Bonds and Clemens, who already had tickets punched for Cooperstown and more money than they could spend. That's just sheer competitiveness and ego. But a guy like FMart, who supposedly had a world of talent and couldn't stay healthy enough -- and had tantalizing tastes of the Major Leagues? Again, I can't condone it. But I get it.

Ashie62 Aug 05 2013 11:39 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

No announcement...maybe he got off...

metirish Aug 05 2013 11:41 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Ashie62 wrote: No announcement...maybe he got off... with the way MLB is handling this nothing would surprise me.

Frayed Knot Aug 05 2013 12:13 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Official announcements at 3 PM All but ARod have reportedly accepted the 50-game penalty and will begin serving it immediately. (Cruz was making noises about fighting it but apparently will not). The only real details left to be unveiled it seems are the ones on Sir Alex of Rodrigia

Centerfield Aug 05 2013 12:52 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Oh, and not for nothing but Jeter has acted like a jerk plenty of times. Including refusing to move from SS when a superior SS joined the team. Say all you want about "Jeter is all about winning." Not true. Jeter is all about winning AND Derek Jeter. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but let's not make him out to be more than he is. People got on Hanley Ramirez because he grumbled about moving. At least Hanley was willing to make the move.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 12:58 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Centerfield wrote: Not true. Jeter is all about winning AND Derek Jeter. It's attitudes like that that make people take steroids in the first place.

metirish Aug 05 2013 01:13 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Rodriguez Suspended Through 2014 Season in Doping Inquiry; 12 Others Suspended for 50 Games - NYT

Frayed Knot Aug 05 2013 01:22 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metirish wrote: Rodriguez Suspended Through 2014 Season in Doping Inquiry - NYT But that's all pending appeal and there's no way of knowing how long that'll take so, in the meantime, he should be at 3B for the Yanx tonight in Chicago. The Bronx Zoo is back ladies and gentlemen.

metirish Aug 05 2013 01:24 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Yes, it really is bizarre....God bless the NYY .... part of MLB statement..... 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...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. years and years...

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 01:26 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metirish wrote: Yes, it really is bizarre....God bless the NYY .... part of MLB statement..... 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...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. years and years... It was just so frustrating! throw the book at him dammit! Wonder if we'll ever get specifics on what exactly 'obstruct' means or just stuck with the "MLB knows best" stuff.

A Boy Named Seo Aug 05 2013 01:37 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm sure the NYY will try and figure out a way to wriggle out of that contract, but this really does seem a better way to damn both ARod & the Yanks than a lifetime ban would, and may prove the same result in the end anyway. Yanks are hopefully stuck paying the balance of that albatross & old, ass gimpy A-Rod is sitting around on his 2 bad hips til he's 40?? Good luck with that comeback, bro.

metirish Aug 05 2013 01:50 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I like that scenario too....as do most here I am sure. NYT answers some questions here, nothing really new but here it is Q. Since he is now facing a suspension that begins Thursday, how come Rodriguez can still play? A. Rodriguez has vowed to appeal his suspension to baseball’s arbitrator, Fredric Horowitz, as is his right under the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program between Major League Baseball and the players association. During the period of the appeal, which could take a month, or more, Rodriguez is allowed to take part in games. Q. If the suspension is upheld by the arbitrator, what then? A. Rodriguez must cease playing immediately and remove himself from the team. He cannot play in the minor leagues, and professional leagues in Japan, Korea and Taiwan honor suspensions by Major League Baseball, so he cannot play there, either. If he is absolutely dedicated to continue playing, he might have an avenue in the independent minor leagues in this country that are not affiliated with major league teams. Q. If the suspension is overturned what happens? A. Rodriguez can continue to play as if nothing ever happened. But the acrimony and distrust between him and the Yankees would not quickly, if ever, go away. Q. Rodriguez is owed almost $95 million through 2017. Will he be paid during the suspension? A. No. Q. What does that mean for the Yankees? A. Incredible savings, perhaps as much as $36 million, if the suspension is upheld in full. Even better, the money can be deducted from the Yankees’ payroll calculations in 2014. And if the Yankees’ payroll is under $189 million in 2014, the team can collect a substantial rebate. In all, a suspended Rodriguez will give the Yankees much more financial flexibility in the short term. Q. Unless he truly believed he was innocent, why didn’t he accept a deal from Major League Baseball that would have been less harsh than the suspension he is now apparently going to fight? A. Baseball was willing to accept a deal for a smaller suspension for Rodriguez, say, perhaps for 150 games. But for Rodriguez, the difference between that number — which would have allowed him to come back in the second half of next season — and 211 games was not big enough to convince him that a deal made sense. With each passing day Rodriguez, who is 38, presumably gets less productive. Already in a visible decline, his better days are probably the ones directly in front of him, compared with those a year or more away. Now is his best, and perhaps last, chance, to perform well. In addition, under Rodriguez’s existing contract, he makes more money this year ($28 million) than in ensuing years ($25 million in 2014, $21 million in 2015), so, financially, it makes sense to push the suspension back as far as possible. Q. Can he sue? A. The short answer is yes, but it is not an easy road to take. First, he must pursue the appeals process, as provided in the collective bargaining agreement. After that, there are complicated steps that must be undertaken in pursuit of other legal action. Rodriguez’s legal team has been discussing the possibility of filing a suit in federal court that could claim that the Yankees and Major League Baseball collaborated in suspending him as a way to escape the remainder of his hugely expensive contract. His lawyers are also considering an argument that the Yankees’ medical staff botched the diagnoses of Rodriguez’s physical troubles for years on end, forcing him to seek alternative treatment. Q. What happens when the suspension is over? A. Theoretically, Rodriguez can come back and play. But he may be 39 years old at the time and there is no telling if he will be capable of doing so. Still, he will have 61 million reasons to try, representing the money still left on his contract for the 2015 through 2017 seasons. However, if at that point, Rodriguez is deemed physically unable to play, he could pursue a medical disability. In that case, he would collect all of his money and the Yankees would get roughly 80 percent back through insurance. Or, perhaps they could come to an agreement to buy Rodriguez out of the remainder of his contract. It would be costly, but for the Yankees, after so many years of Rodriguez distractions, it might be worth it. Q. Could the Yankees void the rest of his contract? A. There is a provision in the joint drug program that states that only the commissioner’s office, and not major league teams, can penalize a player for substance-abuse matters. The Yankees have looked into ways to void Rodriguez’s contract and have not really found any, but there is a possibility that when Major League Baseball presents its evidence against Rodriguez that an avenue to void the contract may present itself. But it would be very difficult.

Frayed Knot Aug 05 2013 01:52 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Wonder if we'll ever get specifics on what exactly 'obstruct' means or just stuck with the "MLB knows best" stuff. That's the thing, the fact that Rodriguez insists on fighting this thing makes it all the more likely that details will spill out. but this really does seem a better way to damn both ARod & the Yanks than a lifetime ban would, and may prove the same result in the end anyway. Oh HELLZ YEAH this is much better!! This was the best of all possible outcomes as far as I'm concerned: Yanx are forced (because his re-hab time is up) to take a damaged, rusty ballplayer back on their roster during the appeal WHO THEY DESPERATELY NEED!! Meanwhile the appeal makes it all the more likely that the details get out; the time lag makes it all the more likely that player/team animosity builds up; and he'll still have three more years on the deal once this is all over and he's in his forties and has no more hips left to operate on.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 01:58 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

except the Yankees are likely to benefit financially. greatly. next season against luxury tax hits and what not.

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 03:08 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I like that these are mostly written off the same template but differ as to what went wrong in their decision-making --- "certain mistakes," vs. "errors in judgment" vs. "unsound thinking." Cruz stands out in trying to make a medicinal case for himself. All of them acknowledge mistakes made in 2012, implying but not stating outright a claim that they've all been squeaky clean in thirteen. Texas Rangers' Nelson Cruz: I have been notified by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I have decided to accept this suspension and not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. From November, 2011 to January, 2012, I was seriously ill with a gastrointestinal infection, helicobacter pylori, which went undiagnosed for over a month. By the time I was properly diagnosed and treated, I had lost 40 pounds. Just weeks before I was to report to spring training in 2012, I was unsure whether I would be physically able to play. Faced with this situation, I made an error in judgment that I deeply regret, and I accept full responsibility for that error. I should have handled the situation differently, and my illness was no excuse. I am thankful for the unwavering support of my family, friends and teammates during this difficult time. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Rangers organization, my teammates, and the great Rangers' fans, and I am grateful for the opportunity to rejoin the team for the playoffs. Yankees' Fernando Martinez: I have been notified by Major League Baseball that I am to be suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I accept this suspension and will not exercise my right under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made a serious mistake during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for this mistake. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Yankees' organization, their fans and most importantly, my family. I am hopeful that I can make significant contributions to the Yankees in 2014. Mets' Jordany Valdespin: I have been notified by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I have decided to accept this suspension and not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made certain errors in judgment during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those errors. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Mets' organization, Mets' fans and my family, and look forward to contributing to the Mets in 2014. Mets' Cesar Puello: Today, I was notified by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. Out of respect for the Mets' organization, my teammates, and my family, I have decided to accept this suspension and not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made certain mistakes during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those mistakes. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Mets' organization, Mets' fans and my family, and ultimately helping the club win a championship. Philadelphia Phillies' Antonio Bastardo: Today, I was notified by Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I have decided to accept this suspension and will not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made significant errors in judgment during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those errors. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Phillies' organization, Phillies' fans and my family, and look forward to helping the Phillies win a championship in 2014. San Diego Padres' Fautino de los Santos: I was notified by Major League Baseball that I am to be suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I willingly accept this suspension and will not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made certain unsound decisions during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those decisions. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Padres' organization, their fans and most importantly, my family. I look forward to helping the San Diego Padres in 2014. Seattle Mariners' Jesus Montero: I have been notified by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I have decided to accept this suspension and not exercise my rights under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made certain mistakes during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those mistakes. I look forward to regaining the trust and respect of the Mariners' organization, Mariners' fans and my family. I look forward to making significant contributions to the Mariners in 2014. Houston Astros' Sergio Escalona: I was notified by Major League Baseball that I have been suspended for 50 games for violation of the Joint Drug Agreement. I will accept this suspension and not exercise my right under the Basic Agreement to appeal. I made errors in judgment during the 2012 season and I accept full responsibility for those errors. I will make every attempt to regain the trust and respect of the Astros' organization, their fans and most importantly, my family. I am hopeful that I can make significant contributions to the Astros in the 2014 season.

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 03:11 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: I like that these are mostly written off the same template but differ as to what went wrong in their decision-making --- "certain mistakes," vs. "errors in judgment" vs. "unsound thinking." A lot of them have the same agency representing them.

Edgy MD Aug 05 2013 03:11 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So I understand. My point was cuh-learly about where they differed. Here's a conspiracy... why does Centerfield's first name and last initial appear under Puello's statement in the Daily News article? You're not crafting this stuff for them, are you, Center?

batmagadanleadoff Aug 05 2013 03:18 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 05 2013 03:30 PM

Edgy MD wrote: I like that these are mostly written off the same template .. "I did deserve to get beaned after I waltzed around the bases on that homerun and if Terry Collins didn't insist on that Pirate pitcher plunking me, I would've asked Matt Harvey himself to deck me with his fast ball from 20 feet away. Bud Selig is the greatest commissioner in the history of baseball. I have been treated very well. And fed very well".

Centerfield Aug 05 2013 03:20 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I wish I were. I imagine it pays well. My press releases have a different vibe: Suspend this you fucking fuckheads. Fuck Fuck Fuck. Fuck your Commissioner. Fuck your baseball. Bitches! You're all fucking bitches. Fucking fuckhead bitches. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH. Fucking Collins.

metirish Aug 05 2013 03:33 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So, looking away from all the Rodriguez bluster the team effected most with todays suspensions is the Rangers?

metirish Aug 05 2013 04:29 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Per Neil Best Ch. 2, Ch. 4, Ch. 7, ESPN, MLBN, SNY, CNN, ESPN NY Radio, WFAN, WABC Radio, WCBS Radio, WINS Radio carrying @AROD presser. @YESNetwork not. Typical dick move by YES

batmagadanleadoff Aug 05 2013 09:19 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Put me down for due process and transparency. Let's all see, out in the open, what MLB's got against A-Rod instead of Selig's Star Chamber dispositions. Justice, Ethics, and Bud Selig's Legacy By Michael Baumann on August 5, 2013 12:00 PM ET I believe Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs in violation of Major League Baseball rules. I believe this is wrong. I believe he should be suspended. And I think that sucks. I don’t remember much of baseball before the sport’s culture became as much about drugs as the game itself. And now the two best baseball players I’ve ever seen (pending the continued development of Mike Trout) have been eternally disgraced and are unwelcome in the game they helped make great, despite no failed drug tests between them. This isn’t about breaking the rules, because in pursuing suspensions for Biogenesis-related drug infractions against Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, and others, Major League Baseball, in the person of Bud Selig, pursued discipline in unprecedented ways. Even though the word of someone like Tony Bosch, a scumbag with a needle, a notebook, and a motive for selling out his former clients, has never been actionable evidence for Major League Baseball (otherwise Kirk Radomski and Brian McNamee would have brought down many more All-Stars than Bosch will), it’s good enough now. Even though there are procedures for the length of drug-related suspensions, we won’t pay attention to them now, because they’re inconvenient. Justice involves clear-cut penalties for wrongdoing and a specific process for doling out those penalties. Not an evidence set of "well, I guess that must be good enough" and penalties based on "well, I guess he’s allowed to do that." That’s not justice. That’s blackmail. This isn’t about ethics, either. Because it’s unethical to cheat at a game. Probably not as unethical as suing someone without the financial means to defend himself, just because he won’t do what you want him to. Probably not as unethical as hiring someone to resolve your disputes fairly, then firing him when you don’t like the result. Probably not as unethical as (allegedly) intimidating witnesses. And this isn’t about integrity. Integrity isn’t running your business into the ground, having it resurrected when your employees start playing fast and loose with the rules, then turning around and throwing those employees under the bus when they become inconvenient. Somewhere along the line, Rodriguez and Braun stopped being rulebreakers to Selig. Drug cheats fail drug tests or get caught with product and serve 50-game suspensions for a first offense. Someone who’s interested in justice and integrity and rules doesn’t try to give someone four times the agreed-upon punishment for a crime, then throw a tantrum when his chosen adversary tells him to shove it. Selig thinks he’s entitled to be judge, jury, and executioner for crimes he ignored that he professionally profited from 15 years ago. He thinks he’s entitled not only to stage a trial or a witch hunt, but to levy extraordinary punishments when those who break the rules don’t turn themselves in. It’s blustery hubris that would shame Rodriguez himself. It is the height of naïveté to think Major League Baseball, by virtue of being Major League Baseball, is inherently in the right, or empowered, or legitimate. Major League Baseball is a business, run by men, and like all such organizations, must be judged by our satisfaction with its product and the conduct of its representatives. And in the latter case, it must be found wanting. This is not the first time an MLB commissioner has entered a berserker state. Baseball’s first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, used the power of his office to preserve the racial segregation of baseball. Ford Frick, a longtime friend of Babe Ruth’s, responded to Roger Maris breaking Ruth’s home run record by delegitimizing Maris’s record. And Bowie Kuhn used the commissioner’s office to keep female reporters out of locker rooms, as well as doggedly fighting the effective unionization of baseball players. His battle against the advent of free agency would delay the start of baseball’s most prosperous era and is characteristic of the arrogant, shortsighted conservatism that is reflected in Selig’s newfound vigilance toward performance-enhancing drugs. The irony is that by inflating the Biogenesis case, Selig is prolonging the public perception that drugs are a particular problem in baseball, as opposed to other sports. Cycling has reformed itself and moved on, even though the cloud of speculation hangs unfairly over the likes of Chris Froome (as it does over Chris Davis). Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde contended for this year’s Tour de France and nobody seemed unduly put out. In football, drug suspensions are routine, yet nobody cares. In basketball and soccer, not only is there no drug outrage, there’s also no fear of such outrage becoming necessary, which seems odd in two of the most physically demanding team sports in the world. And in hockey, whose media can be just as shrill and moralistic as baseball’s, we seem satisfied that the game is totally clean except for one scrub defenseman. Why is that? Maybe it’s because, instead of hysteria, those other sports have combated performance-enhancing drugs with rules and professionalism. The face of cycling’s anti-doping regime is one of measured discipline and solemn sincerity. Baseball’s face belongs to a finger-wagging septuagenarian who’ll pitch a fit if he doesn’t get his way. This isn’t about ethics or justice or rules. This is about ego. Rodriguez and Braun are going to baseball’s version of the stockade. And if Landis, Frick, and Kuhn are any example, Selig’s going to the Hall of Fame. http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... gs-legacyp _______________________ Justice Served? With the Biogenesis suspensions, the worst-kept secret in MLB history is finally out By Jonah Keri on August 5, 2013 Major League Baseball suspended 13 players for performance-enhancing drug violations Monday, closing the book on every Biogenesis-linked player except Alex Rodriguez. Commissioner Bud Selig elected not to deploy the collective bargaining agreement's "best interests of baseball" clause and suspend A-Rod for life, despite rumors that such a lifetime ban might occur. Instead, MLB announced a suspension that would knock Rodriguez out for the rest of this season, the 2013 playoffs if the Yankees were to make it, and all of 2014. The Major League Baseball Players Association reportedly tried to strike a deal today, but according to ESPN's T.J. Quinn, those efforts were rebuffed. Rodriguez appealed the suspension, which will be ruled on by independent arbitrator Fredric Horowitz. In the meantime, Rodriguez is expected to play for the Yankees, starting tonight at U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox. Nine players previously named in various reports thanks to MLB leaks to the press received 50-game suspensions that will begin immediately. They are Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta, Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, Yankees outfielder Fernandez Martinez, Mets minor league outfielder Cesar Puello, and free-agent pitchers Fautino De Los Santos and Jordan Norberto. Three players not previously named during the ongoing case will also serve 50-game suspensions effective immediately: Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo, Astros reliever Sergio Escalona, and Mets outfielder Jordany Valdespin. Rumors had surfaced that other players could get suspended as well. But MLB elected not to punish A's starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal, and Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, since all three had already served 50-game suspensions that started last year. Two other players named in reports, Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez and Orioles utilityman Danny Valencia, were found not to have committed any violations of the Joint Drug Agreement and are now in the clear. [***] Rodriguez's case holds the most intrigue, though, for multiple reasons. In calling for a 211-game ban (it would take effect on Thursday), MLB is attempting to impose its longest suspension ever for a player suspected of PED-related offenses. An overreach in the form of a lifetime suspension triggered by the CBA's "best interests" clause might have set up a clash with the players union that could have had far-reaching effects, including more contentious negotiations before the current CBA expires on December 1, 2016, and the two sides go in to negotiate a new one. A "best interests" ruling might have created the (entirely accurate) perception that the league wasn't granting Rodriguez due process in this case. It might have created legal complications, too, which labor lawyer Eugene Freedman eloquently outlines in this excellent Hardball Times post on A-Rod, the JDA, and the CBA. Given that the JDA clearly outlines suspensions as 50 games for a first PED-related offense, 100 for a second, and a lifetime ban for a third, Rodriguez has plenty of grounds to appeal. Thanks to MLB leaks, we have countless reports that the league supposedly has overwhelming evidence of Rodriguez's transgressions, including text messages to Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch promising to exchange money for PEDs. A-Rod has admitted to using PEDs from 2001 through 2003, when he played for the Rangers. But he has never been suspended for a failed test, possession, or any other PED violation, thus setting up a 50-game ouster as the JDA-sanctioned punishment for a first offense. Of course, MLB has decided once before not to stick to the letter of the JDA on that front. The league suspended Ryan Braun two weeks ago for 65 games. Braun had failed a drug test in 2011, but avoided suspension after arbitrator Shyam Das upheld the Brewers outfielder's appeal, which cited improper actions by urine sample collector Dino Laurenzi Jr. In theory, then, MLB only had grounds to suspend Braun for 50 games for his Biogenesis-related violation. But the two sides agreed to a season-ending 65-game suspension instead, with MLB announcing merely that Braun had been found guilty of "violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program." The Braun suspension, and the one Rodriguez now faces, raise multiple questions. Is the JDA now obsolete, given that Major League Baseball can apparently impose more than the prescribed punishment for first-time offenders? Will future suspensions be subject to extensive negotiations involving MLB, the player, and the union, rather than following the steps negotiated by all sides during past rounds of collective bargaining? Moreover, what constitutes something more than a typical first offense? Making multiple orders for performance-enhancing drugs? Denying those purchases to MLB? Offering money to prospective witnesses in a pending PED case, because it's fine for baseball to cajole witnesses, but if a player does so he might be subject to a lifetime ban? If you want a reason to cheer Rodriguez's appeal (and you're not a Yankees fan), consider that MLB's evidence is now far more likely to be revealed than if the two sides had simply negotiated an agreed-upon suspension, thus likely answering many of these questions. Had the league and Rodriguez settled, we'd likely be left in the dark as to the full extent of the player's violations, the way we were with Braun. Here, the public stands a greater chance of learning exactly what MLB has on A-Rod, and thus how it might interpret future violations by other players when it seeks suspensions of various lengths. It is truly one of the great coincidences of our time that the two most famous players implicated in the Biogenesis case, including the least likable one, happen to be facing steeper penalties than anyone else involved. Consider the extent to which baseball lucked out here. Every player suspended in this case was found guilty of just a single PED violation, except for: • Braun, a player the league had been trying to nail for a year and a half for what it perceived as a technicality, especially after he lied repeatedly about his PED violations, and ... • Rodriguez, one of the most mocked athletes in the history of sports, a player who had been ridiculed for everything from having an image of an A-Rod centaur in his bedroom to his taste in women to his methods of avoiding tags to his general narcissism to his widely suspected but never proven use of performance-enhancing drugs. For everything to line up so perfectly in baseball's favor, you'd have to call this one of the greatest strokes of PR-related good fortune in the annals of Western civilization. After all, there's no way MLB would pursue certain players more doggedly because it believed the court of public opinion would tilt in its favor if it did so. As things stand, a suspension lasting 200-plus games stands to both hurt the Yankees and greatly benefit them. New York currently sits 4½ games out in the chase for the second wild-card spot. Given the terrible players the team has installed at third base in Rodriguez's stead this year, even a gimpy 38-year-old coming off a long absence would stand a good chance of producing more value for the team. On the other hand, a suspension lasting as long as has been proposed would save the Yankees about $34 million. More than just saved salary, that money wouldn't count against the team's luxury tax threshold. That could open the door for the Yankees to aggressively pursue a variety of high-priced players, ranging from re-signing Robinson Cano and Hiroki Kuroda to courting free agents like Shin Soo-Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Matt Garza, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Hunter Pence, and others. They could also look into trades for high-priced players the way the Dodgers did last summer (or more likely, something not quite that ambitious). As things stand, the Yankees have only seven players under contract for next season, including Rodriguez, with a total committed payroll of about $89 million — not counting multiple other players under team control who'll be eligible for arbitration or renewals. Ditch A-Rod's salary and you could, say, pay full freight to outbid L.A. and other potential suitors on Cano, bring back all or most of your team-controlled players not under long-term deals, and still fill out the rest with quality talent … all the while ducking under next year's $189 million luxury tax, thus saving tens of millions of dollars, now and in the future. There's one last sad element to this story, one that goes beyond unequal treatment of players depending on their nailability factor, keeping settlement details private so that the public can't see what actually happened, and burnishing Bud Selig's reputation as he prepares to leave the game: Sometime soon, Rodriguez will likely play his final game. Just as we lamented the end of the line for known performance-enhancing amphetamine users Hank Aaron (see page 268) and Willie Mays, I'll be doing the same for A-Rod. Whether chemically enhanced like Aaron, Mays, and 19th-century pitcher Pud Galvin or clean, Rodriguez was a breathtaking player to watch, one of the greatest of all time. He won three MVP awards and probably deserved at least three more, having led the American League in Wins Above Replacement six times. He was a five-tool player manning the toughest non-catcher position in the game, coming up with fellow shortstop stars Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra and putting up numbers that dwarfed both of theirs. Beyond the numbers and awards, A-Rod in his prime played with an unparalleled combination of power and grace. He cracked the big leagues at age 18. His first career home run, a monster blast on a hanging Tom Gordon curve, came at 19. He was a superstar by age 20, making spectacular plays at short, running like a deer, and swatting the ball into the stratosphere on a regular basis. Contrary to his reputation as a player who folded under pressure, he overcame tense situations such as wearing a Turn Ahead The Clock uniform, and also hoisted the Yankees on his shoulders throughout the 2009 playoffs, carrying them to a World Series title. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds were the two best and most electrifying position players of the past quarter-century. Bonds never played again after 2007, despite posting a gigantic .480 on-base percentage that year, slugging .565, and launching 28 home runs. Unlike Bonds, A-Rod is under contract with a major league team, so he can't be swept under the rug for PED suspicion — at least not yet. Rodriguez might have cheated and he might have lied. But we will get to see one of the best baseball players to ever walk the earth, at least for a little while longer. Maybe you're like me and want to see an all-time great get his last licks in. Or maybe you simply believe in due process for everyone, no matter how vile you might find a person's actions. Either way, A-Rod being in the lineup tonight in Chicago is a big win for baseball. http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/954 ... uspensions

MFS62 Aug 05 2013 09:22 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Most of the teams have around 50 or more remaining games on their major league schedules. But if games get rained out and the teams play fewer than 50 games, do the suspensions spill over to next year? Later

Ceetar Aug 05 2013 09:32 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I don't give a crap about blaming Selig for 1998 and that time period (nor do I care that they took stuff, but that's another story). Whatever. Moralize why it was like that and what should have been done elsewhere, this biogenesis stuff has nothing to do with it. What, because baseball decided, for whatever reason, that steroids weren't a big deal then they can't make a big deal about it now? bullshit. It's not Bud Selig now versus Bug Selig then, it's about the rules set in place by the CBA and the witch hunt and arbitrary rules set in place for 'obstructon and frustration' or whatever they called it. Put all your cards on the table and tell us what you have, what A-Rod did (Did he break into the clinic and burn records?) to block the investigation. Then tell us what what he did was so much worse than anyone else that he deserves additional punishment other than the agreed upon one. Tell me if A-Rod was Fernando Martinez, he would've gotten the same suspension through next year.

Nymr83 Aug 05 2013 10:13 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

MFS62 wrote: Most of the teams have around 50 or more remaining games on their major league schedules. But if games get rained out and the teams play fewer than 50 games, do the suspensions spill over to next year? Later very rarely do they avoid makeup games altogether, MLB is like Uncle Scrooge, once they have your money they don't want to give it back. I dont think anyone has played less than 161 since the strike-shortened 1995 season.

Edgy MD Aug 06 2013 07:32 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm not sure there's any reason to decry the arbitrariness of the penalty against A-Rod. He has the most powerful union in America to help him appeal; he gets to play until the appeal is heard; if the appeals process works like the appeals process usually works in baseball, his suspension will be cut in half; and he has the right to take his case to a court beyond baseball if he's still not satisfied. And with each step in the appeals process, more of the alleged evidence will come out. I'm a big fan of due process, but I'm not going to confuse A-Rod with Harry Wu yet. Sane and sober people were declaring just a few days ago that the powers had aligned to ensure that he had played his last game for the Yankees. Apparently not.

Centerfield Aug 06 2013 07:33 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I don't know the ins and outs of the mechanics of these suspensions, but I have a hard time understanding the point of the set suspensions (50, 100, etc) if baseball is going to just do what it wants anyway. I hope A-Rod wins.

Edgy MD Aug 06 2013 07:37 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

To them, interfering with the investigation is a violation unto itself. They want to take him down like Nixon.

MFS62 Aug 06 2013 07:55 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: To them, interfering with the investigation is a violation unto itself. They want to take him down like Nixon. He gave his Checkers speech Friday night. Later

Vic Sage Aug 06 2013 10:11 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm not sure there's any reason to decry the arbitrariness of the penalty against A-Rod. He has the most powerful union in America to help him appeal; he gets to play until the appeal is heard; if the appeals process works like the appeals process usually works in baseball, his suspension will be cut in half (to a number similar to everybody else's); and he has the right to take his case to a court beyond baseball if he's still not satisfied. This is all true, but it doesn't make Selig's arbitrary and vindictive actions any more justifiable. It just means A-Rod has the means to possibly overcome them, or at least put them up for scrutiny by fairer-minded arbiters. And I won't lose a dollop of sleep over A-Rod's treatment by MLB. If anybody deserves it, he does. But the point is nobody does deserve to be subject to this type of capricious authority, and Selig is just a hypocritical, venal, self-serving front-man for millionaires, trying to resuscitate his own reputation by burnishing it with moral outrage.

Edgy MD Aug 06 2013 10:29 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I agree that it seems capricious and arbitrary. But they say that have him on good that extend beyond drug violations. As we know, MLB doesn't make these punitive decisions in an open courtroom. (Perhaps they should, but that goes beyond the treatment of Rodriguez.) If they do got the goods on him, for violations beyond the drug policy that speak to the general agreement, and he continues to aggressively appeal, the particulars will come out. If they don't, that'll come out also.

d'Kong76 Aug 06 2013 11:32 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The over coverage of this is making OJ look like a pimple on the ass of professional sports. My head is gonna splode.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 06 2013 11:35 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The Daily News this morning had a full eight (or maybe ten) pages devoted to this. I read the article about Jordanny and skipped the forty articles about Rodriguez.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 06 2013 11:44 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

ARod, the JDA and the CBA Posted by Eugene Freedman Now that Major League Baseball has announced that it will suspend Alex Rodriguez on Monday, there are a host of questions that need to be answered. Initially, it was reported that the Commissioner was planning to suspend A-Rod under the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), rather than the Joint Drug Agreement (JDA) in order to require him to serve the suspension immediately, prior to an arbitration hearing and award. The latest reports seem to indicate that the suspension will be under the JDA. Had the Commissioner attempted to suspend Rodriguez under the provisions of the CBA, it would have created different wrinkles. The Joint Drug Agreement (JDA) provides that the appeal be completed prior to the suspension being served. Initial reports had indicated that MLB and the Commissioner’s Office intend to suspend A-Rod from playing immediately, prior to the arbitration award under Article XII, Section A, of the CBA rather than the JDA. The problem for MLB is that the JDA covers just-cause suspensions as well as positive test result suspensions, among other violations. Specifically, Section 7(G)(2) of the JDA provides for just-cause suspensions. Section 8(D)(1) of the JDA provides that suspensions are to commence on the third business day after the suspension is announced, unless the player or union files a grievance, in which case it is stayed until the arbitration award has issued. Because just-cause suspensions are expressly contained in the JDA, any argument that the JDA does not apply likely would fail. There were also reports that MLB will instead use the Commissioner’s “best interests” disciplinary powers from Article XII, Section B of the CBA. That would have posed a problem for the union, not because of the language itself, or even the unilateral Commissioner authority “nuclear option” in Article XI(A)(1)(b), but because of how the union’s argument would be made on that issue. A dispute over whether the suspension was under Article XII or the JDA would require bargaining history testimony about the meaning of the JDA and how it supplements and amends the CBA. Former MLBPA attorney Gene Orza has implied that the “nuclear option” in the CBA was negotiated to provide the Commissioner specific and unique powers in disciplining players for gambling. But bargaining history isn’t a legal argument; it’s a finding of fact on the intent of the parties regarding that section of the CBA. There must be evidence in the form of witness testimony and documents for arbitrator Horowitz to find in favor of the union’s argument on this question. The plain language doesn’t sufficiently support the union’s position. Therefore, it would be likely that a suspension under that section would commence even before the case is heard and decided. That is, even if the question of under which section the Commissioner may suspend Rodriguez is ultimately decided in favor of the union. Moreover, there is no irreparable harm to A-Rod if the suspension goes into effect immediately rather than after the hearing, even if no discipline is the result. His damages are strictly financial. He can be made whole for any financial loss. Many people believe missing games is irreparable, but if that were the case, all suspensions would be stayed until the conclusion of the process. They are not. Only those under the JDA are stayed. As an aside, normally the employer is judicious in discipline and discharge cases because of the risk of large back-pay awards. In this case, MLB has no skin in the game. If it loses, the Yankees—not MLB—have to pay A-Rod. While that may be moot given the deep pockets of MLB, it does make for an interesting situation that is quite uncommon. All that said, MLB appears to have abandoned both Article XII(B) and Article XI(A)(1)(b) as justifications for immediate suspension and/or no-appeal rights, and rightly so. As I’ve explained in several places, the JDA and its penalties are expressly contained in the CBA. If there is a dispute as to which section of the CBA/JDA applies, the arbitrator is going to make that determination as a contract interpretation grievance. The arbitrator also would make the determination regarding his own jurisdiction if the commissioner invoked the “best interests” clause and attempted to circumvent arbitration. Ultimately, the fact that the JDA covers offenses, penalties, and the appeals process would undermine MLB’s argument, potentially putting the entire discipline in jeopardy. I expect the hearing to commence relatively quickly and for it to last upwards of five days. It’s likely that arbitrator Horowitz will be on the phone with both parties Monday dealing with scheduling and procedural matters. As I’ve written before, MLB bears the burden of proof regarding proof that the misconduct occurred and that the discipline is reasonable and appropriate for that misconduct, both by a preponderance of the evidence. If the penalty is already contained in the CBA, MLB only has to prove the charged misconduct took place, but several provisions provide for a range of suspensions of no fixed period. There is no requirement for briefs in the Appendix A of the CBA covering the hearing procedures, but it is likely that the arbitrator will request them even if the parties do not, given that there likely are to be legal as well as factual arguments that will be made. It will be interesting to read the charges once they are leaked. Similar offenses require similar penalties. If MLB is truly pursing a suspension of the entire 2014 as well as the remainder of 2013, it far exceeds the penalty imposed on any other player. First use requires a 50-game suspension. MLB and the union appear to have agreed to that penalty contained in the JDA for all or nearly all of the other players implicated in Biogenesis. The JDA also contains a provision for an 80-to-100-game suspension for distribution or sale of PEDs. I have a hard time believing that providing Biogenesis’ contact information to other players constitutes distribution. Even so, 150 games is not 214 games. Ryan Braun agreed to an additional 15 games because of his failure to cooperate in the investigation. Melky Cabrera engaged in an attempted cover-up of his positive test, yet he received no additional suspension beyond the 50 games. MLB appears to be overreaching. As I’ve repeatedly stated on Twitter, we don’t have all of the information, and we likely never will. The only parties privy to it are the individual players, the union, and MLB. Having that information was sufficient to resolve the vast majority of cases. Unions frequently advise members to accept discipline when the evidence is very strong against them and the penalty is reasonable. In this situation, some have taken this to mean that the MLBPA is now weak. I see it as pragmatic. But in the case of Rodriguez, it appears MLB was intent on overcharging him and overreaching on the penalty. So, we are where we are today: headed to arbitration. It doesn’t mean that the parties won’t settle before the final award, but given the reports that the Commissioner is taking this personally, it is unlikely. The best counsel can never overcome an irrational client. Regardless of the outcome this case, it is likely arbitrator Horowitz’s last for MLB and the Players Association. Whichever party is least satisfied with his decision likely will dismiss him. The difficulty would come if either party tried to dismiss him after a procedural ruling rather than after the issuance of a final award. Because termination of an arbitrator is a contractual matter under the CBA, the next appointed arbitrator would hear the case about Horowitz’s dismissal, filed by the party not desiring to terminate arbitrator Horowitz mid-case. And, that second arbitrator would no doubt reinstate Horowitz to hear the remainder of the A-Rod case. Finally, it should be noted that Rodriguez will not and should not sue MLB, nor should MLB or the Yankees sue him for violating his player contract or in an attempt to void his contract. While there are people suggesting any number of lawsuits, including injunctive and/or declaratory relief, these suits would be dismissed. These are matters to be dealt with under the CBA’s negotiated grievance procedure. The United States Supreme Court decided a series of cases known as the Steelworkers Trilogy in 1960. In those cases, the Court decided that all disputes regarding matters related to or covered by the CBA must go to grievance arbitration and cannot be heard in the courts. This covers discipline and termination of contracts, and The Supreme Court also greatly restricted judicial review of arbitral awards. Moreover, the JDA strictly prohibits individual clubs from taking action against players for violations of the drug policy. It vests exclusive power with the Commissioner. Whatever arbitrator Horowitz’s decision is in this case, as long as it draws its essence from the CBA, it is final and binding and not able to be appealed. Eugene Freedman is Deputy General Counsel for a national labor union. He received a degree from Cornell University in Industrial & Labor Relations and his law degree from University of Maryland. Follow him on twitter @EugeneFreedman.

metsmarathon Aug 06 2013 12:31 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

is it at all possible for the arbitrator to come to the conclusion that the commissioners office has so egregiously overpunished alex rodriguez that, in the form of a rebuke, the entrity of alex's suspension is revoked? because that would be somewhat delicious.

metirish Aug 06 2013 12:38 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

That would be cool....I mean , all he wants to do is get back and help his team win!, for shucks sake last night putting on the uniform was just like that time in 1998 when he made his MLB debut....he just wants to win.....of course, him playing for the MFY for the next five years and sucking wold be great. Couldn't help but tune in to YES for some for the game....Kay couldn't be more pompous if he tried....he is just a loathsome person.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 06 2013 12:46 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metsmarathon wrote: is it at all possible for the arbitrator to come to the conclusion that the commissioners office has so egregiously overpunished alex rodriguez that, in the form of a rebuke, the entrity of alex's suspension is revoked? because that would be somewhat delicious. I would think that he'd at least get the 50 games that everyone else is getting. My guess is that he ends up missing the first couple of months of 2014, but not the entire season.

Zvon Aug 06 2013 12:52 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm so sick of this A-Rod business. Todays Daily News has around 12 pages of Skank/A-Roid coverage. 1/2 a page of Mets. Its usually around 6 pages of Skank, 1/3 page Mets.

metsmarathon Aug 06 2013 01:36 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

yeah, the smaller the suspension, the better, imo. i'd be really surprised if he ends up with more than 50 days. i get that the mlb seems to have evidence that he used for multiple years. well, so fucking what. you don;t get banned for each time you use, you get banned for each time you get caught. he got caught this once. otherwise, if any of hte other 12 50-gamers received more than one round of treatment, well, they should get the 50+100+whatever also. he probably brought in other guys to biogenesis. so? was he getting kickbacks, a finder's fee? no? well, so fucking what. did he try to hide and frustrate mlb's investigation? yep. well, so did melky cabrera. so, so fucking what. the suspension of arod appears very much to be malicious and arbitrary. he should be suspended 50 games. but because of hte maliciousness and arbitrariness of hte suspension, i wonder if the arbitrator has any way to push back against the mlb, to punish them, and to waive the entire suspension, absent any other recompense. if not, that's cool. i just want the dude to be in pinstripes next year. well, really, all i care about is that he's on their payroll next year.

Ashie62 Aug 06 2013 07:53 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I look at A-Rods age and figure hes finished anyway..

Edgy MD Aug 06 2013 08:29 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Well, he's got about $60 million reasons to keep playing. Maybe more.

metirish Aug 09 2013 07:47 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

It will be interesting to see how the best fans in the game treat Rodriguez tonight.

Edgy MD Aug 09 2013 07:52 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The Yankees are in St. Louis?

metirish Aug 09 2013 07:56 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Edgy MD wrote: The Yankees are in St. Louis? :)

batmagadanleadoff Aug 16 2013 09:57 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

A-Rod implicated fellow players in doping investigation By Michael Radutzky "60 Minutes" has learned that members of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez's inner circle in February obtained and leaked documents that implicated Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun as well as his own Yankees teammate, catcher Francisco Cervelli, in the doping scandal that has enveloped Major League Baseball. The leak came just days after the weekly newspaper Miami New Times published documents in January detailing Rodriguez's pervasive use of performance enhancing drugs. The handwritten documents of Anthony Bosch, the key witness in Major League Baseball's PED investigation, revealed comprehensive doping regimens that Bosch had engineered for a host of professional athletes. His cooperation with MLB has resulted in the suspension of Rodriguez and 13 other major league players. Braun and Cervelli's names were redacted in the Miami New Times documents. Members of Rodriguez's camp at the time obtained unredacted versions and leaked them to Yahoo! Sports, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The unredacted documents also implicated Baltimore Oriole Danny Valencia, who MLB later investigated and cleared. CBSSports' Danny Knobler: Among A-Rod's sins, outing other players is a new low In a statement to "60 Minutes," Rodriguez lawyer David Cornwell said, "The allegations are untrue and are another attempt to harm Alex -- this time by driving a wedge between Alex and other players in the game. While Alex focuses on baseball and repeatedly states that he is going to respect the appeal process, the drumbeat of false allegations continues." On July 22, Braun accepted a 65-game suspension for the remainder of the 2013 season for taking performance-enhancing drugs. And on Aug. 5, Cervelli, along with 11 other players, accepted a 50-game ban. MLB has suspended Rodriguez for 211 games. He is appealing. All three of the unredacted documents leaked to Yahoo! Sports list Braun's name. One document shows Braun on a Bosch list along with Rodriguez, Cervelli, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera and minor league pitcher Cesar Carrillo, all of whom have been suspended for PEDs. The revelation that members of Rodriguez's camp at the time leaked documents implicating other players to the media could present significant problems for Rodriguez's legal team as they enter the arbitration process to appeal his suspension. Baseball officials say they levied a harsher suspension on Rodriguez because of his continued use of PEDs over multiple years as well as his attempt to "obstruct and frustrate" MLB's investigation. Rodriguez's case is set to be heard by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz in the coming weeks. If MLB were to present evidence that Rodriguez's camp knowingly leaked additional Bosch business records, it might demonstrate that Rodriguez's camp had not only obtained them to keep them out of the hands of investigators, but that he actively sought to interfere with baseball's investigation by releasing other players' names. Baseball's collective bargaining agreement requires that any allegations of PED use are to first be dealt with privately before either the Commissioner's office or the Players Association makes any names public. The premature release of a player's name is a direct violation of the collective bargaining agreement. MLB Players Association head Michael Weiner has said he will support Rodriguez's appeal of the 211-game ban. "We feel what he (MLB Commissioner Bud Selig) did, frankly, was inappropriate and almost ridiculous," he said in an interview earlier this month. "Look at the penalties that have been [given] out and cases that have been decided by the commissioner's office along with the Players Association. Nothing comes close to 211 games." In early April, accusations arose that Rodriguez had purchased at least some of Bosch's business records. Rodriguez's spokesperson at the time flatly denied the reports. Rodriguez has denied any connection to Bosch and his clinic, and says he was never treated by him, advised by him, and that the Miami New Times documents implicating him are not legitimate http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-5 ... stigation/

metsmarathon Aug 16 2013 11:05 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

i still fail to see how or why arod should be punished for more than 50 games. he failed an off-the-record, not-for-score test years back. he's not yet tripped the 50 day suspension (unless suspensions are to be given out for each instance of usage, not each failed test, which would be bullshit), so anything he's done should be counted as a first offense. he attempted to distract, evade, discourage, and befuddle the official mlb investigation. so did melky cabrera. are we to believe that no other player who was on teh 100-player list from way back when has never popped a positive? he violated, presumably, the confidentiality of the CBA. is that a suspensable offense? if so, it should be administered separately, no? but he's a dick and nobody likes him. ok. ban him for life.

Centerfield Aug 16 2013 11:31 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

If this were true, wouldn't giving up other players be, you know, helping an investigation?

dinosaur jesus Aug 16 2013 11:38 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Centerfield wrote: If this were true, wouldn't giving up other players be, you know, helping an investigation? Not if MLB already had the information. ARod leaked it to Yahoo, not to the investigators. Whether that actually impedes the investigation is dubious, but it's obviously an attempt to shape public perception of it.

Edgy MD Aug 16 2013 11:47 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

If he's buying documents to keep them out of MLB hands, and leaking out info other players on his own terms while holding other info back, it's not exactly helping in the broad sense. MLB's got him in a bind, and that's why they brought such a big hammer. A suspension is under discrete terms. He wants to appeal, they know that's his right and he may even win, or at least get a big chunk of that sentence cut. But to appeal, he's got to be good with all the evidence coming to light publicly, which MLB is betting he doesn't want. So he's appealing, but they figure he probably doesn't want that appeal to be publicly heard, and will return to negotiate a plea bargain when the terms are right. Maybe he won't, but that's how they're playing their hand. Do they even need to disclose to him all the garbage they've got?

d'Kong76 Aug 16 2013 12:16 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 18 2013 01:16 PM

"Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..."------------------- "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ...""Rodriguez has denied ..." "Rodriguez has denied ..."

Frayed Knot Aug 17 2013 12:50 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

-- Ryan Braun is to break his silence this afternoon and is expected to say ... "Yeah, I've been lying all along. I actually did it" -- And KC 2nd/3rd baseman Miguel Tejada gets hit with a 105 games (huh?) suspension for his third positive test for amphetamines. That knocks the 39 y/o one-time MVP who did not play at all in the majors last year out for the remainder of this season and more than half of next; aka: this probably ends his career.

Edgy MD Aug 17 2013 01:20 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I'm guessing amphetamine suspensions are on something like a 35-70-105 schedule, rather than the 50-100-deep-dark-hole schedule of 'roids and HGH. It would have been nice if they thought to pop Miggy before he went 5-9 against us in KC.

Edgy MD Aug 17 2013 01:26 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

List of things Tejada has lied about: [list=1:s53ev4d8][*:s53ev4d8]Demanding to be traded from the Orioles in the 2005-2006 offseason[/*:m:s53ev4d8] [*:s53ev4d8]Using amphteamines[/*:m:s53ev4d8] [*:s53ev4d8]Using roids, to Congress[/*:m:s53ev4d8] [*:s53ev4d8]What he gave to Palmiero, probably[/*:m:s53ev4d8] [*:s53ev4d8]His age[/*:m:s53ev4d8][/list:o:s53ev4d8]

Zvon Aug 17 2013 01:29 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So he's a cheat and a squealer. No big surprise.

d'Kong76 Aug 18 2013 09:53 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So .... watching New12 Westchester this morning and the sports comes on and of course the lead story is Ahole's attorneys and the club reaction. This segued into highlights of the game in Boston yes- terday. They concluded with today's schedule, NY at Boston, Mets wrap things up in San Diego, bbbyyy. No Mets or Jets coverage at all. WTF, make him go away. Please.

Edgy MD Aug 18 2013 10:05 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

So, if you really have any grounds to complain that your club asked your surgeon to deliberately botch your surgery, isn't that the kind of thing that should appear in a legal filing or an official criminal complaint rather than a bitch press conference?

bmfc1 Aug 18 2013 11:42 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

-- And KC 2nd/3rd baseman Miguel Tejada gets hit with a 105 games (huh?) suspension for his third positive test for amphetamines. That knocks the 39 y/o one-time MVP who did not play at all in the majors last year out for the remainder of this season and more than half of next; aka: this probably ends his career. The Royals should have to forfeit their two wins against the Mets when Tejada went 4 for 7.

d'Kong76 Aug 18 2013 01:20 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Wonder what year they'll retire his number.

Frayed Knot Aug 18 2013 01:33 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Anybody besides me getting a kick out of the idea that YLDBs think ARod, who could be suspended for a long time, is a disgrace to the team and should never be HoF material, while the late owner, who actually was suspended--TWICE, including once for life until reduced later on--yet is the subject of a campaign by some of these same fans (and media) to be inducted into Cooperstown?

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 18 2013 05:39 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: Anybody besides me getting a kick out of the idea that YLDBs think ARod, who could be suspended for a long time, is a disgrace to the team and should never be HoF material, while the late owner, who actually was suspended--TWICE, including once for life until reduced later on--yet is the subject of a campaign by some of these same fans (and media) to be inducted into Cooperstown? Kinda like a league with a team named "Redskins" going bonkers because a player used another repulsive and derogatory term.

Frayed Knot Aug 18 2013 07:24 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

This shit just keeps getting better. The Sox (Dempster) threw behind ARod with his first pitch in the first AB, then threw tight twice, then drilled him ball four. Both benches were then warned, Girardi got tossed 'discussing' why the first three near misses didn't warrant a warning, and the whole stadium is just waiting for who/when Sabathia is going to retaliate. I mean, how much fun would it be if AL pitchers collectively decided to make ARod the universal pariah and, as a result, each one drills him with their first pitch each day? And all this comes on a day when Cashman says that he essentially won't speak to Rodriguez now aside from perfunctory hello/goodbye stuff on account of pending/threatened litigation. Oh, and the game is currently tied at 3 in the 3rd

Ashie62 Aug 18 2013 09:14 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Every bit of this nonsense revolves around one and one issue only. What party, or parties get the 110 million....Hypocrites

Edgy MD Aug 18 2013 11:04 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

There are a lot of issues.

metirish Aug 19 2013 06:35 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I thought Dempster looked like a fool, baseball has become an embarrassment. I blame Selig.

metsmarathon Aug 19 2013 07:01 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

i don't get the tejada suspension... he failed two tests this season (after having failed a prior test that carried no real punishment). why wasn't he suspended immediately after the first test, presumably in april? i assume he was notified of the failure, right? but why did it take until after he failed the second test to be punished for both? or is mlb setting up the scenario where they can string together multiple violations into a single bigger punishment. like they're trying to do with arod. was tejada even notified of the first failure? the timing of it all seems very fishy. also, its very convenient since it comes out after he hits the 60-day dl.

Mets – Willets Point Aug 19 2013 08:37 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metirish wrote: I thought Dempster looked like a fool, baseball has become an embarrassment. I blame Selig. Agreed. Very classless move by Dempster. No on in MLB has any right to be on a high horse about PEDs. And he put the leadoff runner on base who then came into score, contributing to the Red Sox loss. Just a cheap way to to pile on to the scapegoat.

Edgy MD Aug 19 2013 10:27 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I have to give the forum credit. The CPF had Braun's number years ago.

Gwreck Aug 19 2013 11:20 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Should be noted that it was an absolute shit job by the umpiring staff last night. Dempster throws behind Rodriguez, fine. He had his chance, he missed, issue closed. MFYs are free to retaliate in kind if they so choose. When Dempster completely and obviously hits him three pitches later, he needs to be ejected. Hard to say but Girardi was completely right to go nuts.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 19 2013 11:24 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

It's like baseball, in some ineffable but powerful way, is compelling us-- like it wants us-- to root for the asshole against "the game."

metirish Aug 20 2013 05:39 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Dempster gets suspended for five games but of course he might not even miss a start with the way things are shaping up.....how fucking stupid is that?

MFS62 Aug 20 2013 09:17 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Gabe Kapler chimes in about roids in BP. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... entMessage Later

Vic Sage Aug 21 2013 08:54 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Who cares what Mr. Kotter thinks about 'Roids?

Benjamin Grimm Aug 21 2013 09:03 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metirish Aug 21 2013 09:09 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Vic Sage wrote: Who cares what Mr. Kotter thinks about 'Roids? Christ, I opened the link, yo kow it's all bullshit when the author spends the first several paragraphs explaining why he was so bulked up during his career.....

dgwphotography Aug 21 2013 09:13 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

metirish wrote: Vic Sage wrote: Who cares what Mr. Kotter thinks about 'Roids? Christ, I opened the link, yo kow it's all bullshit when the author spends the first several paragraphs explaining why he was so bulked up during his career..... and that he started losing weight and strength in his twenties due to lack of testosterone. Either he had an undisclosed medical issue, or he juiced...

Edgy MD Nov 20 2013 11:13 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Sorry to dig up this ol' thread and link to Deadspin, but the A-Rod hearing is happening and it's important and stuff.

Lefty Specialist Nov 20 2013 11:16 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Even his pocket square has been juicing.

Ceetar Nov 20 2013 11:17 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot Nov 20 2013 06:44 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

I haven't been following the details recently of this whole mess, but ARod's imitation of Al Pacino today; THIS WHOLE TIAL IS OUT OF ORDER, followed by his lengthy post-outburst press statement, seemed pre-planned if you ask me. That Selig wasn't going to be there, the thing that is seemingly pissing Sir Alex off, had to nave been known by his team and the storming out and saying, to the arbitrators, ah, just do what you want but WE aren't going to put up with this was just designed to take the heat off of them and throw it to MLB's side. I caught only seconds of his visit w/Francesa but Rodriguez was playing the angry, innocent man role quite well. Having said all that, the one thing I've been saying all along here is that Selig can't afford to swing and miss on this one. If this 211 game suspension (still don't know how he came up with that number) gets wiped out or even if it's merely knocked down to the standard 50 (ARod is still technically a first offender here) then it's going to look like a victory for camp AR while Bud is going to look real weak on his way out the door.

d'Kong76 Nov 20 2013 07:01 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Pre-planned? Ya think? I can't help but imagine if this was all going on and he was on the Mets. There were so many outraged people that he was never landed years ago. I can't look at him without wanting to spit.

Ceetar Nov 20 2013 09:08 PM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Kong76 wrote: Pre-planned? Ya think? I can't help but imagine if this was all going on and he was on the Mets. There were so many outraged people that he was never landed years ago. I can't look at him without wanting to spit. never would've happened with the Mets (nevermind that the Mets aren't are run a little big smoother, and with a wee bit more compassion. not much, but the Yankees set a low bar) things would've been different, but it just never would've evolved that way. Sure, he still would've cheated, just like all the other players who are still cheating and not getting caught because they picked doctors better at covering their tracks, but he never would've gotten a 10 year contract with opt-outs and the Mets wouldn't have then redoubled his contract in 2007. He'd probably still be a Yankee now, them having picked him up after the Mets realized playing an aging player with no DH was a bad idea, ala Piazza.

metirish Nov 21 2013 07:04 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

The lawyer for Rodriguez doing the full on media charm . I would love to see Selig in the witness seat though , fuck him too.

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2013 07:18 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 21 2013 07:20 AM

metirish wrote: I would love to see Selig in the witness seat though , fuck him too. Sure, but we wouldn't see it anyway (these arb hearings aren't generally open to the public) and there's still the whole matter of Team ARod pretending that there's something that would come out in the hearing if Bud were testifying that wouldn't come to light with Rob Manfred, Bud's #2 guy, as the point man for the league. This being insulted (or surprised) that Bud wasn't going to be forced to show (he never is part of these from what I understand) sounds more like an excuse to bolt the proceedings (thereby not testifying himself) than it does an actual legal complaint. That ARod embellishes it with his whole, 'Bud hates me/Bud hates New York' song and dance doesn't add to his credibility. Now if this ever got to a full blown legal case then Selig could be compelled to testify and it would become must-see theatre. But, again from what I hear, these kinds of cases generally don't go to trials because, short of evidence of flat-out perjury or a blatant disregard for the rules in the hearing, judges tend to look at cases like this and say: 'Hey, it was binding arbitration that your union and your employer agreed to ... I'm sorry you didn't like the result but, again, note the binding adjective here'.

Lefty Specialist Nov 21 2013 07:19 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Wonder if that interview with Mike F was planned, too... "Mike, I'll be throwing a hissy-fit for the ages and I'll talking to you about 10 minutes later. Make sure your schedule is clear."

MFS62 Nov 21 2013 10:17 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Somewhere, Marvin Miller is laughing his ass off. Later

Ceetar Nov 22 2013 07:53 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

caught some of A-Rod's lawyer on with the WFAN guys this morning. Guy sounds like a real sleezeball, so I like Alex's chances. I didn't realize that whoever stole the documents tried to bribe A-Rod with them first. Are we sure this isn't the first couple of episodes of the new 24 season?

Frayed Knot Nov 22 2013 08:59 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Lefty Specialist wrote: Wonder if that interview with Mike F was planned, too... Seeing as how, at the same time that ARod and one lawyer were talking with Mike F., another one of his lawyers was across town talking to Michael Kay on his talk show, I'm going to venture a 'Yes' on that.

Ceetar Nov 22 2013 09:11 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: Wonder if that interview with Mike F was planned, too... Seeing as how, at the same time that ARod and one lawyer were talking with Mike F., another one of his lawyers was across town talking to Michael Kay on his talk show, I'm going to venture a 'Yes' on that. Lawyer this morning kept saying he was offended when Carton kept insisting that. But yeah, seems likely. Maybe they didn't plan it quite when/how it happened, but simply as a planned reaction when/if Selig didn't show.

Frayed Knot Nov 22 2013 09:57 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

They knew in advance that Selig wasn't showing.

Ceetar Nov 22 2013 10:03 AM Re: A-Rod and others in new PED report

Frayed Knot wrote: They knew in advance that Selig wasn't showing. Sounds like they thought they could pressure him into showing. The lawyer said that he thought he'd show, and even the PA lawyers thought so. But yeah, my guess is that they planned the hissy fit in reaction to him ultimately not showing, knowing that that's probably how it would go, but are spinning it as not being planned because it was Bud's decision not to show up that started it.