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In a surprising move, Alex Rodriguez has decided to drop his lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the players union.
Cassandra Negley from Sporting News reports:
Alex Rodriguez on Friday dropped his lawsuit against Major League Baseball. Rodriguez sued MLB and its players union in January in an attempt to overturn his 162-game suspension (plus any 2014 postseason games) for taking banned substances and twice trying to obstruct baseball’s investigation.
A-Rod filed his lawsuit two days after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz shortened the penalty from its original 211-game term. The suit accused the MLB Players Association of “bad faith” and alleged the union breached its “duty of fair representation.” It also alleged the MLB and MLBPA imposed the suspension without just cause. A-Rod and his lawyers asked to have the ban thrown out.
A-Rod filed papework Friday to dismiss his lawsuit against MLB and the MLBPA.
“We have been informed that Alex Rodriguez has reached the prudent decision to end all of the litigation related to the Biogenesis matter,” Major League Baseball said in a statement Friday afternoon. “We believe that Mr. Rodriguez’s actions show his desire to return the focus to the play of our great game on the field and to all of the positive attributes and actions of his fellow Major League Players. We share that desire.”
From the MLBPA: “Alex Rodriguez has done the right thing by withdrawing his lawsuit. His decision to move forward is in everyone’s best interest.”
Neither A-Rod nor his lawyers have spoken publicly about withdrawling the lawsuit.
Despite being dealt the most severe punishment in the history of the baseball’s joint drug agreement with the players, A-Rod is still a member of the New York Yankees and is allowed to attend spring training, which is not included in the suspension. It doesn’t look as though he’ll be doing so, however.
Next summer, when the Baseball Hall of Fame commemorates its players in Cooperstown, NY, and players are inducted into the Hall of Fame, there will be quite a few who have either been linked to steroids or have actually tested positive. These players are Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and the infamous Rafael Palmeiro who pointed his finger while being asked questions by Congress members on Capitol Hill, only to test positive for a performance enhancing drug months later.
“I used to love the Sosas and Bonds but now I hate them,” says Hector Ortiz, 32, a resident of the Bronx. “They should not be in the Hall of Fame and I hope they all never make it in for lying to us fans.”
Why not let these players in? They have contributed in major ways to the sport of baseball. The amount of fans not only increased and was at its peak during this period of steroid use, but a tremendous amount of money was also generated whether through jersey sales, or autographed merchandise that the fans brought for each of their respected teams.
I’m sure other players have either done drugs before these guys, so why single them out?
Paul Molitor and Ferguson Jenkins, who were voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in previous years, were busted in the 1980s for using cocaine. They were first ballot Hall of Famers, so obviously the offense was overlooked.
We all know that people are willing to do whatever it takes to reach the top of the pedestal and be the greatest.
And since the dawn of baseball, players have used whatever substances they believed would help them perform better, heal faster, or relax during a long and stressful season. Zev Chafets, a contributor at the New York Times, writes that as far back as 1889, pitcher Pud Galvin ingested monkey testosterone, and during Prohibition, Grover Cleveland Alexander, also a pitcher, calmed his nerves with federally banned alcohol, and no less an expert than Bill Veeck, who owned several major-league teams, said that Alexander was a better pitcher drunk than sober.
Mickey Mantle developed a sudden abscess on his left hip, that kept him on the bench in 1961, and even caused him to be hospitalized, during his home run race with Roger Maris. Where did the abscess come from? In his book “Cooperstown Confidential,” Chafets writes that the abscess came from an infected needle used by Max Jacobson, known as Dr. Feelgood, a fraud who injected Mantle with a home-made brew containing steroids and speed.
Hank Aaron once admitted to taking an amphetamine tablet during a game. Amphetamines are used as a performance and cognitive enhancer. It also induces physical effects such as decreased reaction time, fatigue resistance, and increased muscle strength. Willie Mays was accused of keeping something called “red juice” by former teammate John Milner in his locker. What was this “red juice?” It was a liquid form of speed. Sandy Koufax admitted that he was often “half high” on the mound from the drugs he took for his ailing left arm.
That is a list of a few great players who have widely been known as guys who changed the sport of baseball, and who are credited with being among the all-time greats who have had negative gossip around their careers, but it is rarely brought up.
Why? Could the voters who select the Hall of Famers be so hell-bent on getting the steroids and their history out of the game? Or do these voters have their own agenda because they were all seemingly lied to? No one can know for sure, but the conclusion that can be drawn is that baseball is full of heroes, and it is also full of bad guys. These voters are probably voting in the players whom they viewed as heroes. Seems a little biased to me.
The voters should allow players such as Sosa, Bonds, Clemens, and McGwire into the Hall of Fame. They did change the way the sport was viewed throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
It was actually an enjoyable sport to watch. Players were hitting balls 500-plus feet almost every time. Pitchers were at their best during this time period as well.
Give these players that have been accused or tested positive and have the numbers to get into the Hall of Fame their rightful spot. Just designate it as the “Steroid Era” and put asterisks next to each stat and each name that corresponds to it. For goodness’ sake, paint the room black and dim the lights if you have to, but do not erase these guys from history.
We now realize that it was a dark time, but we should remember what happened and move on.
New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez has been suspended for the entire 2014 season and playoffs.
After months of bickering back and forth with Major League Baseball (MLB) and it’s commissioner Bud Selig, and his own team, the decision has been made to suspend Alex Rodriguez.
Fredric Horowitz, who was the arbitrator during the saga, reduced the suspension from 211-games to a full season.
Rodriguez has filed a lawsuit against baseball and the players’ union alleging that Horowitz was biased during the arbitration process.
The lawsuit can be read here: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/ARODMLB01132014.pdf
After months of discussion on whether or not the Japanese pitcher would come to the US, he has decided to join the New York Yankees, disappointing the fan bases of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs, who were all rumored to be in the mix to land Tanaka.
The deal is worth $155 million over seven years and it includes an opt-out clause after the fourth year, according to reports.
Tanaka, 25, was dominant during his time in Japan. He went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in the Japanese League last year. Many also believe that his talent translates to him being a top of the rotation starter in the US.
The Yankees on top of the $155 million, had to pay a posting fee of $20 million to the Rakuten Golden Eagles, Tanaka’s team in Japan, just to be able to talk to him.
Tanaka will join outfielders Carlos Beltran, and Jacoby Ellsbury, along with catcher Brian McCann, on the revamped Yankees roster. According to many baseball analysts, Tanaka will be either a number one or two starter for the team.
The Yankees beat the Friday deadline of 5 p.m. for when a deal and physical had to have been completed.
In 175 games (2007-2013) for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, Tanaka was 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA and had 53 complete games which included 18 shutouts.
It is a risky deal but only time will tell whether or not it was the correct choice.
The New York Yankees made the signing of outfielder Carlos Beltran official Thurday and introduced him on Friday morning at Yankee Stadium.
Beltran, 36, said during the press conference that he was happy to be back to the city where he once played for the crosstown rival New York Mets for seven years.
“Having the opportunity to come back again as a Yankee means a lot to me,” Beltran said. “I grew up being a Yankee fan. I grew up being a Bernie Williams fan. At one point [in 2005], I almost got a chance to sign with the Yankees, but it didn’t work out,” said Beltran during the press conference. Instead, he signed with the Mets. Although he had a few good years with the Mets, the marriage between the two was bumpy.
The Yankees and 8-time All Star Outfielder Beltran agreed to a three-year, $45 million dollar deal two weeks ago. The move was an immediate response to the departure of Robinson Cano, who signed with the Seattle Mariners for a whopping $240 million dollars over 10 years.
The Yankees also signed Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year. $153 million dollar deal. Ellsbury played for the Boston Red Sox last year.
This will be the sixth team that Beltran plays for during his 15 year career. With the St. Louis Cardinals last year, he hit .296 with 24 homers, 84 RBIs and had an OPS of .830, leading the team to the World Series and his first.
The switch-hitting Beltran not only brings his experience, and his power to the Bronx, but he also brings leadership and a strong veteran presence to a clubhouse that has lost legends Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte to retirement.
The addition also gives the Yankees and manager Joe Girardi a more versatile lineup to combat other teams with. Although Robinson Cano is no longer on the team, the additions of Beltran, Ellsbury, a healthy Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, along with more pieces that are being added, the Yankees lineup will not have more depth but it will also have more speed toward the bottom and top.
Beltran has had issues with his knees over the past few years stemming back to his days with the New York Mets. The New York Yankees as a result will monitor him as he plays right field. They will also utilize him as a DH.