162 game suspension for A-Rod

[Can_of_corn]

While I get your overall point, MLB doesn't give the first rat's ass about Bosch's activities, except in the context that they are now obsessed with "cleaning up" the game. Which makes every single one of their actions with Bosch completely understandable: they want the info on the elements inside MLB, they're targeting the players and problems within MLB. They don't care what happens to Bosch, whether he "gets away with it," or not, because they want him to tell them about who they really are after. Yeah, he makes out like a bandit, but he was never MLB's target. And as far as this tactic goes, this happens so often in our own judicial system (nail one element, use that element to gain evidence on bigger targets) that I have a heard time calling it unethical. Now, the legality of how they went about it is obviously up in the air.

They knowingly purchased stolen documents. Not sure how the legality of that is "up in the air".

[Stotle]

I'm speaking in generalities here. As judges gain experience, they (1) get a better feel of when they are at risk of getting reversed by the Court of Appeal, (2) become more willing to take that risk when they feel strongly about an issue, and (3) become more concerned about resolving as many cases as they can quickly, to avoid a backlog building up. Plus, an experienced judge probably would have encountered dozens of cases where the losing party challenged an arbitration award, and would have a very good feel of where the line is between the vast majority of cases where the court must defer to the arbitrator and the rare cases where a court can find that extraordinary circumstances warrant vacating or modifying an arbitration award. The legal standards are pretty clear, but it helps to have encountered the issue repeatedly.

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense; appreciate the insight.

[The Wedge]

They knowingly purchased stolen documents. Not sure how the legality of that is "up in the air".

What I meant was that they're not facing repercussions at this time for the legality, not that there's wiggle room in what they did in that instance. It's really the only possible thing that the suit can really pluck at, though, but to what end? Oh, those were stolen documents and therefore obtained illegally by MLB, but are those the same things they want to redact in the suit?

I mean, at some point, the A-Rod side enters "Doth protest too much" territory, which by my view was about 6 months ago. I really do get that you want MLB to have comeuppance of their own in this, I just think it's the wrong case for which it to happen. MLB definitely over-extended themselves in their fervor to get all of the players (and especially Rodriguez) in this. But all those suspensions (upheld and not challenged) and as the A-Rods challenges keep hitting wall after wall, it just seems like there's an "ends justify the means" thing going on with the whole issue. I think history will be the judge of Selig and MLB in these matters, though I know you'd rather it be the courts.

[Can_of_corn]

Oh I don't care if the suspension gets overturned as long as all the dirty laundry becomes public.

I will be happy if Bud is disgraced and MLB embarrassed.

[Redskins Rick]

Oh I don't care if the suspension gets overturned as long as all the dirty laundry becomes public.

I will be happy if Bud is disgraced and MLB embarrassed.

So how would you feel, if all the dirty laundry comes out, and A-Rod is truly the a-hole here and a total d-bag?

[Migrant Redbird]

They knowingly purchased stolen documents. Not sure how the legality of that is "up in the air".

We went through this before, and I'm not at all convinced the documents acquired by MLB were protected by law against being "stolen". It's analogous to the monster's second set of books that got "purloined" by his bookmaker and turned over to the FBI. While it's true the MLB investigators gave "Bobby" $125K for the books, they also prevented them from being destroyed, provided a conduit for those records to the appropriate prosecutors (if they're interested) and, in the meantime, used them to corroborate Bosch's testimony and punish A-Rod a fraction of what he deserves.

That anyone could hate Selig and MLB so much that they'd pull for A-Rod boggles my mind. It's going to take a lot more bold measures like this to clean up baseball and I, for one, am going to be cheering them on.

Now if you have any substantial evidence that MLB's actions impeded criminal prosecutions, I might have a little sympathy for your position.

[Can_of_corn]

So how would you feel, if all the dirty laundry comes out, and A-Rod is truly the a-hole here and a total d-bag?

Oh I firmly believe he is.

I just think that MLB's conduct has been just as bad.

Just from what we already know MLB has operated in an illegal and unethical manner through this whole process.

I would also be surprised if there was not collusion between MLB and the Yankees last summer.

[Can_of_corn]

We went through this before, and I'm not at all convinced the documents acquired by MLB were protected by law against being "stolen". It's analogous to the monster's second set of books that got "purloined" by his bookmaker and turned over to the FBI. While it's true the MLB investigators gave "Bobby" $125K for the books, they also prevented them from being destroyed, provided a conduit for those records to the appropriate prosecutors (if they're interested) and, in the meantime, used them to corroborate Bosch's testimony and punish A-Rod a fraction of what he deserves.

That anyone could hate Selig and MLB so much that they'd pull for A-Rod boggles my mind. It's going to take a lot more bold measures like this to clean up baseball and I, for one, am going to be cheering them on.

Now if you have any substantial evidence that MLB's actions impeded criminal prosecutions, I might have a little sympathy for your position.

Major League Baseball officials impeded a Florida Department of Health investigation of Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch by purchasing clinic documents they likely knew had been stolen and had been warned not to obtain, sources close to the investigation told "Outside the Lines."

The Department of Health closed its case on Bosch, who is not licensed to practice medicine, in April with a $5,000 fine and cease-and-desist letter. On July 31, Bosch signed an agreement with health officials reducing the penalty to $3,000.

A state official said the limited scope of the investigation and its conclusion were direct results of MLB officials purchasing documents related to the since shuttered clinic at the center of a performance-enhancing drug scandal involving Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and at least a dozen other players.

The source said MLB knew the documents had been intended for Florida investigators and that the purchase of them hindered the state investigation by preventing the department from gathering additional evidence against Bosch, doctors and others affiliated with the clinic. Further, MLB officials never told health department officials they had obtained the records, the source said.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9977389/major-league-baseball-purchase-biogenesis-documents-impeded-florida-department-health-investigation-sources-say

[Redskins Rick]

I like what Crush said:

MLB Network Radio ‏@MLBNetworkRadio<small class="time" style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(187, 187, 187); position: relative; float: right; margin-top: 1px;">9m</small>

Chris Davis: I watched 60 minutes, I didn't agree with Tony Bosch that this is part of the game, cheating is not part of the game. #Orioles

Retweeted by Roch Kubatko

[Redskins Rick]

Oh I firmly believe he is.

I just think that MLB's conduct has been just as bad.

Just from what we already know MLB has operated in an illegal and unethical manner through this whole process.

I would also be surprised if there was not collusion between MLB and the Yankees last summer.

I respect you a lot on here, but, I know, here's the BUT.

I don't believe MLB has tried to destroy evidence, tamper with the criminal process, buy witnesses off and cover things up.

Can me dumb, call me naive.

I don't like Bud one bit, but I don't think he is unethical and you think he is. I think he is a front for the owners, and not a good commish, but thats my opinion.

[Can_of_corn]

I respect you a lot on here, but, I know, here's the BUT.

I don't believe MLB has tried to destroy evidence, tamper with the criminal process, buy witnesses off and cover things up.

Can me dumb, call me naive.

I don't like Bud one bit, but I don't think he is unethical and you think he is. I think he is a front for the owners, and not a good commish, but thats my opinion.

I just provided a quote from the state of Florida saying that MLB impeded a criminal investigation. That's tampering with the criminal process.

[Redskins Rick]

I just provided a quote from the state of Florida saying that MLB impeded a criminal investigation. That's tampering with the criminal process.

from that very same article, its a he-said-she said, how about another source to back up that claim. Sounds like federal investators stopped the health department:

An MLB official denies impeding the Florida Department of Health investigation while also suggesting repeatedly that the health investigation was more a regulatory than criminal undertaking and therefore not as serious. A source told "Outside the Lines" the health department ultimately stepped aside from its investigation at the request of federal investigators,

[Can_of_corn]

from that very same article, its a he-said-she said, how about another source to back up that claim. Sounds like federal investators stopped the health department:

An MLB official denies impeding the Florida Department of Health investigation while also suggesting repeatedly that the health investigation was more a regulatory than criminal undertaking and therefore not as serious. A source told "Outside the Lines" the health department ultimately stepped aside from its investigation at the request of federal investigators,

Which doesn't mean that MLB didn't engage in criminal activity and impede an investigation. They just got the Feds to intercede on their behalf.

Some folks think that the end justifies the means and whatever MLB has to do to "clean up the sport" is justified.

I think that MLB shouldn't engage in criminal activity and should be hesitant about engaging in unethical actives over PEDs.

[Redskins Rick]

Which doesn't mean that MLB didn't engage in criminal activity and impede an investigation. They just got the Feds to intercede on their behalf.

Some folks think that the end justifies the means and whatever MLB has to do to "clean up the sport" is justified.

I think that MLB shouldn't engage in criminal activity and should be hesitant about engaging in unethical actives over PEDs.

Is that what really happened, or is that an just an educated guess?

[Can_of_corn]

Is that what really happened, or is that an just an educated guess?

They admitted buying documents that they had a reasonable suspicion were stolen, that is the burden of proof. The State of Florida has not filed charges. So while they were not convicted of illegal activities, they have admitted to them.

Same with impeding an investigation, the State has said they did but no charges were filed.

I wouldn't bother filing charges either, the State of Florida has more important things to do.