Don't get Arod's penalty

[Danzz]

Arod got about 3 times the penalty as the other players. May not be a fan of the guy or the Yankees but his penalty is excessive. He wasn't the only player with multiple violations. I hope he comes back during his appeal and has a decent year.

 

[Cheddie]

The penalty is not just for use, as it is with the others. MLB is alleging that ARod also actively attempted to obstruct their investigation, and repeatedly lied to MLB investigators. One expected point not mentioned today - ARod reportedly also recruited clients for Biogenesis. Braun also got a longer suspension because he admitted lying to MLB investigators.

 

[WestHartHusk]

The penalty is not just for use, as it is with the others. MLB is alleging that ARod also actively attempted to obstruct their investigation, and repeatedly lied to MLB investigators. One expected point not mentioned today - ARod reportedly also recruited clients for Biogenesis. Braun also got a longer suspension because he admitted lying to MLB investigators.

No an A-Rod defended, but so did Melky Cabrera when he set up a fake website to throw MLB off the track, and he still only got 50 games. Either this is personal, this is the Yankees bidding, or some combination of the two.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think the good news about ARod's penalty and appeal is we are likely to find out exactly what he did. MLB threatened lifetime ban in BIG effort to get ARod to cop a plea. Everyone else they tried this with (Braun, etc..) took the deal = seems they have compelling evidence. But heck Braun got off on a bs technicality last time and MLB seems to use selective and suspect methods to catch/suspend. Best guess is ARod did in fact try to bribe, obstruct and destroy evidence but there are a almost always holes in a case and ultimately the suspension will be lessened.

I think it was a good move for ARod to appeal regardless of the evidence.
A. Guys like Braun still have a future and a reputation to rebuild, so argument to accept punishment and try to move past
B. ARod is hated regardless and with multiple steroid convictions he is way tainted either way
C. A suspension through 2014 effectively ends his productive career (regardless of contract) so he HAS to appeal
D. We all want to see the evidence so the appeal is functional for everyone

But who cares about ARod, he is mediocre now anyway. Counter-intuitively anyone who is NOT a Yankee fan should actually root for him to just get a 2013 suspension so that his salary goes back on the books in 2014. Yankee fans pretty much want him gone if they have any clue about luxury tax implications or if they care about having players they can respect.

The ARod extension through 2017 with all of the HR milestone bonuses will likely go down as one of the stupidest contracts ever. There are staggered bonuses beginning in 2014 for HR's 660 - 743 which now basically add CAPITAL LETTERS TO FACT THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS ONLY DONE TO CASH IN ON ASSUMED ALL-TIME HR CHAMP CHASE. Now at 646 HR's but with only 64 from 2010-present (2010-30HR, 2011-16HR, 2012-18HR) EVEN if he is reinstated he is not breaking the record. I guess I'd like him to be suspended so that he can't end up surpassing Willie Mays 660 HR's - although the silver lining there would be those bonuses triggering for a record that people will vilify versus celebrate.

 

[60'sfan]

What is amazing to me is that Arod appealed and the appeal is unlikely to be heard before November. The wheels of justice grind slowly.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Does anyone really doubt that the Yankees were cheering on the investigation and whispering "lifetime ban" in the ears of anyone in Selig's office that would listen? If they could get A-Rod's final years off the books then they'd only be stuck with the increasingly "albatross-like" contracts of Sabathia and Texeira in their declining years. As it is, they may get out of A-Rod's contract for next year (although it wouldn't surprise me if he ultimately gets 75-100 games and they have to pay some of it), but will still have an AAV of about $74M on the books in 2015 and 2016 for those three guys. They will probably have reset the luxury tax clock in 2014 because of the suspension, but will still be heavily weighted down in their efforts to rebuild.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Does anyone really doubt that the Yankees were cheering on the investigation and whispering "lifetime ban" in the ears of anyone in Selig's office that would listen? If they could get A-Rod's final years off the books then they'd only be stuck with the increasingly "albatross-like" contracts of Sabathia and Texeira in their declining years. As it is, they may get out of A-Rod's contract for next year (although it wouldn't surprise me if he ultimately gets 75-100 games and they have to pay some of it), but will still have an AAV of about $74M on the books in 2015 and 2016 for those three guys. They will probably have reset the luxury tax clock in 2014 because of the suspension, but will still be heavily weighted down in their efforts to rebuild.

'
I kinda doubt or half believe that they did. Either way, so what? Its about 1/100 of hiring a PI to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield.

 

[Dove]

Through the whole ARoid affair I have come to see how much of a Cashman is. From publicly calling ARod "an asset" to recently referring to him as "Mr. Rodriguez" throughout a corporate-approved statement. I hate the guy.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Through the whole ARoid affair I have come to see how much of a Cashman is. From publicly calling ARod "an asset" to recently referring to him as "Mr. Rodriguez" throughout a corporate-approved statement. I hate the guy.

I disagree. Cashman's outbursts I think are
1. ARod is a jerk, so Cashman has zero tolerance or respect for him
distant 2nd. Cashman's bosses are pretty hard to work for
Even more distant 3rd. Cashman has probably been in his job too long. No patience left and lots of wtf do I have to lose candor

 

[Dove]

He should have left 3 to 4 years ago.

 

[arnie3]

Cashman despises ARod. He wanted no part of the extension that Mr Steinbrenner pushed through. It was a ridiculous contract and the Yankees seemed to be bidding against themselves. I don't hate Cashman as a GM but I think that with his ego he'd be hard to be around for more than 10 minutes. That being said, at this point I'm wondering if the circus that happened last night around ARod is here for the duration of this season. It's very painful to watch, even more painful to witness what's on the field day to day. Sad year for Yankee fans.
Jeter to the DL replaced by ARod! What more can be said than that? Have we hit rock bottom yet? Probably not.

 

[Cheddie]

No an A-Rod defended, but so did Melky Cabrera when he set up a fake website to throw MLB off the track, and he still only got 50 games. Either this is personal, this is the Yankees bidding, or some combination of the two.

Do the Yankees want to get out from under ARod's contract? Damn right. Have they played a role in this? No f'in way.

Is it personal? Perhaps. It was unquestionably personal for Braun, and MLB took a moderate course. It's really is a case of let's see what you have Bud. Until more details come out about the actual "obstruction" it's purely speculation on everyone's part. I have to believe that MLB has the goods; otherwise why would everyone else forego an appeal. ARod has more to lose than anyone, and has plenty of $ to fight this. It's a PR war, and despite arguably taking PEDs for years and blatantly lying, he seems to amazingly have supporters.

ARod provoked the Yankees, leading to the "Mr." Rodriguez mention. ARod said he didn't feel right, the team sent him to a specialist, then ARod arranged for some jerk to go on FAN and contradict the team's doctor, although he'd never met ARod. ARod then claimed the Yankees were conspiring to keep him off the field, leading to Cashman's comments..

 

[mauconnfan]

The penalty is not just for use, as it is with the others. MLB is alleging that ARod also actively attempted to obstruct their investigation, and repeatedly lied to MLB investigators. One expected point not mentioned today - ARod reportedly also recruited clients for Biogenesis. Braun also got a longer suspension because he admitted lying to MLB investigators.

I hear ya but didn't they all "lie" if they cheated?

 

[Waquoit]

Cashman despises ARod. He wanted no part of the extension that Mr Steinbrenner pushed through.

It wasn't the Boss. He wasn't making any decisions by that time.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Cashman really can't either publically or privately absolve himself from blame in the ARod or relief pitcher (Soriano?) signings. Ultimately it is part of Cashman's job to talk the owners out of it and if not to make the best of it. It serves no purpose (for the Yankees) to claim it was out of his hands because he SHOULD be able to exercise some persuasion and he DEFINITELY is tasked with making the best of it.

Seems kind of like the President vs GM issues the Red Sox had between Luchhino and Theo which ultimately led to Theo deciding Larry was right/in charge and taking a similar job elsewhere. Difference is Theo simply made the struggle for power public and didn't go to the extreme Cashman has in separating himself from specific team moves.

 

[arnie3]

It wasn't the Boss. He wasn't making any decisions by that time.

If you read John Shea's Article today in the SF Chronicle, it goes along with my statement from yesterday- Mr Steinbrenner over-ruled Cashman and made the deal.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/s...llels-between-Bonds-and-Rodriguez-4711896.php