"Today is a sad day for MLB, the fans of this great game, and all players who may have been negatively affected by others selfishness, Ultimately, although today will be a day of infamy for MLB, it is a tremendous step in the right direction for the game we love." ~ Jose Bautista: Tampa Bay Rays third basemen
Over 8 months later, it has happened. 8 months after we were given the first hint that Yankees star Alex Rodriguez might be suspended, he has.
8 months after the word Biogenesis was widely introduced into our vocabulary, we have finally been given some clarity on what that strange combination or words actually means. But even now, so many versions conflicting reports and hope for various suspensions later, even now, that simple word while it has been finally defined, its meaning remains crazily different depending on who you are.
First and foremost, if you are Alex Rodriguez well, Biogensis means 2 things. Number one, it signifies the drug scandal that turned you into the most hated athlete on earth, but also, it represents a 211 game ban that will void over 36 million dollars of your contract.
If your name is either, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Jesus Montero, Everth Cabrera, Francisco Cervelli, Antonio Bastardo, Jordany Valdespin, Fernando Martinez, Jordan Norberto, Fautino de los Santos, Cesar Puello or Sergio Escalona, Biogenesis means a 50 game suspension that basically whips out the reminder of your 2013 MLB season.
If your name is Joe Girardi, this mega ban, despite it's taking out one of your top hitters in addition to smacking one of your catching prospects, is actually a good thing. Between Rodriguez and suspended catcher Francisco Cervelli, Biogenisis has giving the Yankees an additional 38 million dollars to play around with, a good thing seeing as they are one of the least efficient salary teams in baseball.
8 months after the word Biogenesis was widely introduced into our vocabulary, we have finally been given some clarity on what that strange combination or words actually means. But even now, so many versions conflicting reports and hope for various suspensions later, even now, that simple word while it has been finally defined, its meaning remains crazily different depending on who you are.
First and foremost, if you are Alex Rodriguez well, Biogensis means 2 things. Number one, it signifies the drug scandal that turned you into the most hated athlete on earth, but also, it represents a 211 game ban that will void over 36 million dollars of your contract.
If your name is either, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Jesus Montero, Everth Cabrera, Francisco Cervelli, Antonio Bastardo, Jordany Valdespin, Fernando Martinez, Jordan Norberto, Fautino de los Santos, Cesar Puello or Sergio Escalona, Biogenesis means a 50 game suspension that basically whips out the reminder of your 2013 MLB season.
If your name is Joe Girardi, this mega ban, despite it's taking out one of your top hitters in addition to smacking one of your catching prospects, is actually a good thing. Between Rodriguez and suspended catcher Francisco Cervelli, Biogenisis has giving the Yankees an additional 38 million dollars to play around with, a good thing seeing as they are one of the least efficient salary teams in baseball.
For Rodriguez, Girardi and his Yankees, and those 12 other suspended players, their interpretation and the impact delivered by Biogenisis is largely centered around the suspensions or money aspects of this singular event. But for Bud Selig and the MLB as a whole, this 8 month whirlwind of a doping saga represents something so much larger than the one south Florida anti-ageing clinic that has corrupted their league once again.
It is no question, for 19 years, Alex Rodriguez has been a thorn in the side of the MLB, working his way out of some drug involvement in 2003 then lying about the fact that he would never again use PEDs. They would love to kick him out of baseball for good, but even though that may never happen, holding him off the field until April of 2015 is a close second. But there's a catch.
Rodriguez has found a way to avoid the suspension, at least for a short time. For guys like Cruz and Peralta today and Ryan Braun a couple weeks ago, they all accepted their suspensions immediately meaning that each of them would begin serving those suspensions the second they accepted them. Rodriguez on the other hand immediately responded to the MLB's announcement with this statement: "I am disappointed with the penalty and intend to appeal and fight this through the process. I am eager to get back on the field and be with my teammates in Chicago tonight. I want to thank my family, friends and fans who have stood by my side through all this."
So, although there is likely no way for Rodriguez to get out of at least some sort of suspension, he eluded to possibly the one reason he has not accepted the suspension. A-Rod will take the situation into court meaning that with all the different steps necessary to overturn or confirm this suspension, Rodriguez' appeal could drag on for weeks. In the meantime, with his suspension not yet accepted, he will be allowed to play at least until a verdict is delivered, a fact that with New York not that far out of the pennant race could serve up yet another spell of controversy should New York close their gap in the Wild Card race and get to the playoffs.
Alex Rodriguez WILL be suspended, don't get me wrong, but that punishment will not be effective immediately, a fact that I personally, do not understand. We all know A-Rod is guilty, so why should he be able to play?
Cheating is bad, and bad things in pro sports are punished with swift action. Alex Rodriguez is cheating and cheating is bad, but for this Yankees 3rd basemen, it has already taken 8 months for justice, and as it stands, we may still have to wait a little longer.
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