Alex Rodriguez Drug Scandal
A-Rod the Banned Plays on
On August the 25th
Major League Baseball (MLB) handed down Alex Rodriguez’s Drug related
suspension that was to extend through the 2014 season. In a statement from the
MLB, the ban was for the “use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited
performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth
hormone over the course of multiple years.” (cbsnews.com, 2013). Rodriguez was
one of 13 players to have been suspended by the MLB for their link to a now
defunct biogenesis clinic in Florida. This clinic has been accused of
distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs to athletes across a number of
professional sports. (cbsnews.com, 2013). As A-Rod has stated he will appeal
his suspension which is to cover 211 games, if unsuccessful the suspension will
further continue into the 2015 season. (thestar.com, 2013). Through all the
controversy of simply just the findings of the investigation, there is even
more controversy that has been created by Alex Rodriguez’s appeal. Due to
current rules of the MLB, as the arbitrator who is looking over A-Rod’s case
(Frederic Horowitz) won’t be ruling till November or December, Mr Rodriguez
will be allowed to continue playing for the rest of the MLB season.
The other players that have been
notified of their suspension from Major League Baseball have already accepted
their bans. The players to have accepted their 50 game bans are, Antonio Bastardo
(Phillies), Everth Cabrera (Padres), Francisco Cervelli (Yankees), Nelson Cruz
(Rangers), Fautino De Los Santos (free agent), Sergio Escalona (Astros),
Fernando Martinez (Yankees), Jesus Montero (Mariners), Jordan Norberto (free
agent), Jhonny Peralta (Tigers), Cesar Puello (Mets) and Jordany Valdespin
(Mets), (theguardian.com, 2013) with Ryan Braun accepting his 65 game
suspension from his involvement with the biogenesis clinic. A-Rod is as said
before the only player to ‘vow to appeal’ (theguardian.com, 2013) and us such
is still playing in the MLB.
A-Rod is due to miss games this year, it doesn’t seem
right how a player who is so heavily embedded in a drug scandal, handed a 211
game suspension and can now affect games and ultimately the pennant race. There
is no justice in the MLB as long as the long-time Yankees third baseman
is allowed to keep playing. (bostonblobe.com, 2013). To everyone the fact A-Rod
appealed is not due to him trying clear his name, but instead to rain in as
many pay checks before the ban is put into place. Alex Rodriguez is the highest
paid player in Major League Baseball, earning $29,000,000 for the year,
(data.newsday.com, 2013) he clearly wants to get as much of his salary possible
before he is thrown out of the game. What also provides another embarrassing
moment in this whole drug scandal is the situation with pitcher Ryan Dempster.
The Red Sox pitcher took justice into his own hands by hitting A-Rod with a
pitch on his fourth try, now Ryan will be missing games due to his suspension
on the hit before Mr Rodriguez does.
This appeal process that is part of the MLB system at
the moment is only paving the way for justice within the game to be put in a
state of suspension. Allowing a player to continue playing whilst under heavy
evidence of drug related offenses is simply laughable. A-Rod has assisted the
Yankees with a batting average of .281 in keep the baseball club in the race
for finals this year. (bostonglobe.com, 2013). In addition with the Yankees
edging closer to a wild card spot, only being 2.5 games shy of clinching the
spot, if they were to succeed then the appeal hearing would be further delayed.
(Sportsworldnews.com, 2013). With reports confirming that if the Yankees are “still
standing come September 30, the hearing for Rodriguez’s grievance will be
pushed back to allow him to focus on the playoffs.” (Sportsworldnews.com,
2013).
In conclusion, I can’t believe that Major League
Baseball has this system in place. It is an utter failure. Take away the fact
that this 211 game ban is the biggest in MLB history, how can a drug ban system
have this type of appeal system where it takes so long to get a hearing, let
alone allow the player to continue playing. It’s not hard to come to the
conclusion that this appeal from A-Rod is clearly financially driven, the MLB
has to fix up its regulations so this cannot continue. If the Yankees were to
make this years’ post-season, then it will be interesting to see how the MLB
will react and deal with the A-Rod situation. In the end the evidence is
stacked high against A-Rod and much of the baseball community including myself
can come to their own conclusion on what will happen when the hearing on his
drug related ban occurs.
References:
(2013, August 5). Alex Rodriguez hit with drug suspension
through 2014 as MLB drops hammer.
CBS
News. Retrieved from
Mike S. (2013, September 19). Alex Rodriguez Suspension
Hearing September 30 Delayed If Yankees In Wild Card Chase?
Sports
World News. Retrieved from
Christopher G. (2013, August 23). Alex Rodriguez’s appeal is
a sham.
The Boston
Globe. Retrieved from
Pedro G, T. J. Quinn. (2013, June 5). MLB seeks to suspend
A-Rod, Braun.
ESPN.
Retrieved from
Ronald B. (2013, August 5). MLB drug scandal: Alex Rodriguez
can play during appeal: report.
The
Star. Retrieved from
Ronald B. (2013, August 5). MLB bans A-Rod, 12 others in
Biogenesis drug scandal.
The
Star. Retrieved from
David L, Steve B. (2013, August 6) Alex Rodriguez and 12
other players suspended in Biogensis PEDs scandal.
The Guardian.
Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/aug/05/alex-rodriguez-suspended-mlb-peds-drugs
Telegraph Sport. (2013, August 5) New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez banned for 211 games after drugs scandal.
The Telegraph. Retrieved from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/baseball/10224420/New-York-Yankees-third-baseman-Alex-Rodriguez-banned-for-211-games-after-drugs-scandal.htmlTelegraph Sport. (2013, August 5) New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez banned for 211 games after drugs scandal.
The Telegraph. Retrieved from
Brown J. (2013, August 6) A-Rod, 12 others suspended in Biogenesis scandal.
The Miami Herald. Retrieved from
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/06/3543980/a-rod-12-others-suspended-in-biogenesis.html
Jones T. (2013, June 6) No sympathy for A-Rod, others in latest baseball drug scandal.
Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/players-in-latest-baseball-drug-scandal-draw-no-sympathy/2125278
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