A-Roid offered a deal to avoid a lifetime ban

[Can_of_corn]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/when-it-comes-to-fighting-mlb--alex-rodriguez-not-afraid-to-go-dirty-043054756.html

Plenty of players throughout the Biogenesis investigation questioned the tactics of the league – the threats, the strong-arming, the perceived bullying. Only one came to the table with a half-billion dollars worth of contracts in the bank, a spot high on the all-time home run list and a reputation beyond salvage.

It was bad enough to piss off the guy who hates losing. The guy who hates losing, has the means to fight it and doesn't mind getting a little dirty? That's an invitation to disaster.

[isestrex]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10005806/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-walks-own-grievance-hearing-says-disgusted

Rodriguez slammed his hand on a table at Major League Baseball's Manhattan office and cursed at baseball COO Rob Manfred, according to a source with knowledge of the proceedings.

Cry me a river

[Can_of_corn]

The arbiter might not like that.

[Moose Milligan]

Bold prediction: A-Rod commits suicide.

A dude that desperately wants to be loved by so many, is trying his hardest to fight an uphill battle and just keeps digging himself into a deeper hole no matter how hard he fights.

This won't end pretty.

[Can_of_corn]

Bold prediction: A-Rod commits suicide.

A dude that desperately wants to be loved by so many, is trying his hardest to fight an uphill battle and just keeps digging himself into a deeper hole no matter how hard he fights.

This won't end pretty.

Well if he does, I hope he takes Bud down first.

I will also say that yes, Bud should have been forced to testify. All of this is his baby.

[Aglets]

So in his statement (released through a spokesperson of course) A-Roid basically calls the entire system a farce and says that he will refuse to participate further.

So......is he in any kind of legal trouble if he refuses to come to his own hearing?

Would the appeal be dropped?

Forget Judge Judy, this would be must-see TV in my house if some network could somehow get the rights.

[Ommaculate]

Rodriguez slammed his hand on a table at Major League Baseball's Manhattan office and cursed at baseball COO Rob Manfred, according to a source with knowledge of the proceedings.

He is getting very defensive. Means he is guilty. He will no longer participate.. does that mean he will never play again?

[Aglets]

He is getting very defensive. Means he is guilty.

This was kind of my thinking as well. If things were going his way there's no way he would just quit right? Looking good for the Yankees and MLB it appears.

[Can_of_corn]

So in his statement (released through a spokesperson of course) A-Roid basically calls the entire system a farce and says that he will refuse to participate further.

So......is he in any kind of legal trouble if he refuses to come to his own hearing?

Would the appeal be dropped?

Forget Judge Judy, this would be must-see TV in my house if some network could somehow get the rights.

Why would he be in legal trouble? This is an arbitration hearing between him and MLB.

[Can_of_corn]

He is getting very defensive. Means he is guilty. He will no longer participate.. does that mean he will never play again?

His guilt isn't really the issue, the arbitrary and excessive nature of his suspension is.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Deadspin gave a pretty good summary of how I feel:

In a vacuum, Rodriguez is one of the most unsympathetic athletes ever. But put up against the machinery of Major League Baseball, clearly out to make an example of A-Rod and cover its own legally questionable a**, he's downright heroic.

http://deadspin.com/a-rod-storms-out-of-hearing-says-mlb-is-full-of-****-1468314996?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

[Can_of_corn]

Deadspin gave a pretty good summary of how I feel:

http://deadspin.com/a-rod-storms-out-of-hearing-says-mlb-is-full-of-****-1468314996?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Yep that has been my position all along.

[Migrant Redbird]

This should not affect the outcome of A-Rod's grievance arbitration case. MLB will still need to convince the arbitrator that 211 days is an authorized penalty under the CBA, and I'm skeptical they can do that. If they were still in the negotiation phase and if A-Rod's side agreed that 211 days was an acceptable alternative to a lifetime ban, then it would be different. However, the arbitrator should be evaluating a penalty that's provided by the CBA, not some alternative unilaterally invented by MLB.

The first issue the arbitrator needs to decide is whether A-Rod violated the rule against PEDs usage, and whether the legal evidence is sufficient to prove it. This must be done for each of the alleged violations.

Then, the arbitrator must decide how many of the alleged violations can stand as a separable count. If not, then it's a single event under the CBA, punishable by a maximum 50-game suspension.

If the arbitrator decides that there are multiple violations, then he could approve multiple penalties, which could be applied concurrently or consecutively. This would logically lead to a 100-game suspension, a 150-game suspension, or a lifetime ban.

I just don't see how the arbitrator could possibly uphold a 211-game suspension. It seems to me that he would be compelled to reduce the suspension or toss it out altogether.

A-Rod's lawyer threatened to continue the fight in court. This seems like an empty threat to me. I am assuming the CBA sections establishing the arbitration process included language whereby both sides agreed the arbitration decisions would be final. The CBA language should prevent the courts from accepting jurisdiction unless A-Rod's lawyers can convince a judge that the CBA process was substantially violated. The only chance I see of that would be if the arbitrator upheld the 211-game suspension..

[Can_of_corn]

Nice write-up.

I do have to wonder if A-Rod did himself some harm today with his antics.

I would hope that someone with the role of an arbiter would ignore his outburst when rendering a decision.

[SeaBird]

His guilt isn't really the issue, the arbitrary and excessive nature of his suspension is.

Rodriguez and his attorney's have been adamant in denying any use of illegal PED's sine he lest the Rangers' organization. Joe Tacopina is on record as saying Rodriguez would not accept even a 1 game suspension. MLB has said his use was rampant and designed to skirt the CBA and the Drug Policy agreement in addition to trying to derail their investigation.

As for the length of the suspension and how the number 211 was derived, Rob Manfred, MLB's COO and possibly the next commissioner, is on the panel representing MLB (Prouty represents the MLBLA). Manfred testified under questioning from Tacopina during the hearing. Tacopina could have asked him. I'm sure Selig discussed this with his BOD. It doesn't require a Selig appearance.