OT: A Rod Goes Lance Armstrong on MLB

[RockyMTblue2]

A Rod has sued MLB for tortious interference with his Yankee contract among others. Note he waited til he had his 44 games and the end of his season before filing it. What is being reported as the core of his beef is that MLB both coerced and paid Bosch to get his cooperation and obtain damning documents from his Lab operation. This is a silly, ego driven strategy as far as I can see. Lords of baseball are not backing away from this one. His lawsuit has less chance than the just concluded Jackson family suit against AIG. The actual complaint filed in court may provide more, but media reports fail to provide any allegations of activity that is "unlawful" in the tortious sense of that word, which is the core and essential linchpin of the cause of action A Rod's legal team is pushing.

Perhaps he hopes to use the lawsuit to make it look like MLB is picking on him and that will some how win him public support and make the MLB back off. I think MLB has correctly judged that most fans want the drug abuse era over and want everyone to take their dose of medicine. Of course, there are those who say they don't care how juiced these athletes are as long as they perform. Shame on them.

Article: http:bleacherreport.com/articles/1798334

 

[EricLA]

Interesting. I supposed it might depend on whether you are a Yankees fan or not, but I'd like to see him banned for whatever time frame his actions dictated. I think it's 50 games for first offense and 100 games for 2nd offense. Is this his first offense?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Second offense eric. Coped to using while in Texas.

 

[EricLA]

Second offense eric. Coped to using while in Texas.

Ah ok then. So it would be 100 games? Looks like he'll be out for more than half of next year if his punishment is exacted properly...

 

[stamfordhusky]

Second offense eric. Coped to using while in Texas.

That offense did not count under the MLB agreement. So it is a first offense, punishable by 50 games. The rest of the 211 games was for improper conduct.

I'm not sure who I dislike more, ARod or Bud Selig. Will be glad to see both of them gone from MLB.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Second offense eric. Coped to using while in Texas.

Copped to using after his name was leaked from the Mitchell report...as was big papi...who said the punishment should be an entire season for cheaters...I agree with him but am still waiting for him to sit.

BTW...the league is still loaded with users...they're just great at hiding it. Arod still hasn't been caught. Papi hasn't been caught but is playing like he turned back the clock. Balco and biogenesis labs were uncovered by reporters...it wasn't drug testing that exposed these guys. If the bad guys have chemists telling them how to beat the tests, chemists could tell MLB how to catch them. It's a joke.

 

[Zorro]

When Jim Bouton wrote openly about the endemic use of "greenies" by just about everyone playing MLB over fifty years ago ("Ball Four") the reaction of MLB was indignation at Bouton for violating the confidence of the locker room. Bouton was, I believe, barred from attending any Yankee alumni functions until maybe a year or so ago. No one, as I recall, made any attempt at that time to do anything about the use of peds by the players.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Copped to using after his name was leaked from the Mitchell report.

True, but that did not count as an offense since it was a special test agreed to between MLB and the player's union to determine if some sort of mandatory testing program should be instituted. That initial testing was supposed to be completely confidential and it was agreed that there would be no punishment of any kind for those who tested positive.

That is why the Biogenesis situation would be A-Rod's first violation under the MLB program, worth a 50-game suspension by itself.

 

[huskiemaniac]

When Jim Bouton wrote openly about the endemic use of "greenies" by just about everyone playing MLB over fifty years ago ("Ball Four") the reaction of MLB was indignation at Bouton for violating the confidence of the locker room. Bouton was, I believe, barred from attending any Yankee alumni functions until maybe a year or so ago. No one, as I recall, made any attempt at that time to do anything about the use of peds by the players.

That's right...because big home runs sell tickets, as everyone knows...a HR battle really sells tickets! MLB would shoot players up if they could get away with it.

 

[cohenzone]

I'm a Yankee fan, but don't sympathize with A Rod. And Red Sox fans are full of it as to A Rod mainly because if he'd been allowed to go, he'd have been welcomed in Boston with open arms and he'd probably be getting the Big Papi love. They always loved and still do, that punk Pedro, If baseball isn't doing something about the unnamed users, that should be investigated.

 

[Icebear]

Nah, some don't want him on any basis. I prefer him in NY sucking up their payroll.

 

[pinotbear]

I'm a Yankee fan, but don't sympathize with A Rod. And Red Sox fans are full of it as to A Rod mainly because if he'd been allowed to go, he'd have been welcomed in Boston with open arms and he'd probably be getting the Big Papi love. They always loved and still do, that punk Pedro, If baseball isn't doing something about the unnamed users, that should be investigated.

sayeth the representative from the Halfway-House that Ruth built...

 

[Cheddie]

It's the strategy of someone who can't swim drowning in the deep end of the pool. He's at odds, either legally or strategically with everyone - Selig and MLB; the Yankees; the Yankee's representatives including their team doctor; and, per today's NY Times, the players' union.

He alleges that MLB using bullying tactics to build its case against him. But that's precisely what MLB alleges ARod did himself in trying to cover up his PED use. That's why his penalty is so disproportionate.

 

[cohenzone]

sayeth the representative from the Halfway-House that Ruth built...

Yah, Pedro isnt't a Punk, Papi isn't a juicer and I'm the tooth fairy. When there was talk the Yankees wanted Pedro post Bosux, I plain didn't want him. Papi has admitted to juicing but of course is idolized. For reasons explicable only by Yankee hatred, Chowdaheads booed ARod even though he was set to sign with you. If Pedro is a hero, a guy who would have dented the monster enough to set it back 5 feet would have been on a pedestal on Yawkey Way.

 

[pinotbear]

well, yer first sentence is accurate: after that...

 

[rvwsleep]

The truth is hometown fans cheer for the uniform with little or no regard as to who is wearing said uniform. Barry Bonds was cheered through his last game by Giant fans.
Is there any doubt that if the initial AROD trade to the Red Sox been approved he would have been welcomed with open arms by the Fenway faithful ?
As huskiemaniac stated previously. The vast majority of players were linked by investigative reporters researching Balco and Biogenesis. Not by the drug testing of MLB which, I think at this point, must be considered ineffective. Who knows how many similar labs are supplying players with PED's that circumvent MLB testing ?
By the way, if I told you that an all time great player had his best HR/AB ratio at the age of 39
( 40 HR's in 392 AB's - better than 1 HR per 10 at bats !!). And that this player admitted (in his biography) to using PED's (amphetamines), would you think that player belongs in the HOF ? That player's name ? Henry Aaron !!!!!! So, be careful when throwing stones.

 

[geordi]

Or he thinks that, by filing the lawsuit, he can get a restraining order barring baseball from suspending him until after the suit is settled. Then, if the suit takes two years or more to settle, he'll be at the point of retirement anyway so a suspension is moot. Still, I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Nah, some don't want him on any basis. I prefer him in NY sucking up their payroll.

Red Sox fans loved manny being manny...they can love anyone wearing their laundry...

 

[huskiemaniac]

Nah, some don't want him on any basis. I prefer him in NY sucking up their payroll.

Payroll isn't the real issue...their payroll is met before a ticket is sold...roster spot is a problem however.

 

[Alydar]

Copped to using after his name was leaked from the Mitchell report...as was big papi...who said the punishment should be an entire season for cheaters...I agree with him but am still waiting for him to sit.

BTW...the league is still loaded with users...they're just great at hiding it. Arod still hasn't been caught. Papi hasn't been caught but is playing like he turned back the clock. Balco and biogenesis labs were uncovered by reporters...it wasn't drug testing that exposed these guys. If the bad guys have chemists telling them how to beat the tests, chemists could tell MLB how to catch them. It's a joke.

I worked in horse racing most of my adult life. The use of PED's there goes back hundreds of years. Like you stated, chemists are usually two steps ahead of the testing. It's impossible for the industry to keep up. And like you said, performance improves, fans love a winner and those in charge put on blinders until the whole thing gets exposed because a violator becomes an informer to save his/her own skin. Then the leaders of the sport express shock and form a committee to investigate.
.

 

[Icebear]

Red Sox fans loved manny being manny...they can love anyone wearing their laundry...

Nah, never was a Manny fan. He treated the game like it was a slow pitch softball tournament. I hate the way major leaguers dress today without stirrup sox in team colors instead walking all over their hems. They just look sloppy. I am a diehard traditionalist when it comes to unis.

 

[Icebear]

Payroll isn't the real issue...their payroll is met before a ticket is sold...roster spot is a problem however.

Both work for me.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Nah, never was a Manny fan. He treated the game like it was a slow pitch softball tournament. I hate the way major leaguers dress today without stirrup sox in team colors instead walking all over their hems. They just look sloppy. I am a diehard traditionalist when it comes to unis.

Sure...but you weren't cheering for him when he was jacking a HRs and leading the sox to the series? Come on...there's no way you couldn't be pulling for him to do well...while he was in your favorite uniform...

 

[Icebear]

Sure...but you weren't cheering for him when he was jacking a HRs and leading the sox to the series? Come on...there's no way you couldn't be pulling for him to do well...while he was in your favorite uniform...

Not really, I have always loved the Sox but always felt Manny disrespected the game. It has always been about the team and players that put team first. It's why I like Mo Riveria and Jeter. Why I liked Mattingly. Why I don't like ARod and don't like certain others.

 

[SubbaBub]

This has been and always will be about money. Players, owners, MLB are all looking to be paid or not to pay.

Arod is a serial user, under his contract he is due the same 50 game suspension as every other user, including those still using which includes players on every team.

Arod is a target because of his contract same as Braun was. My ideal scenario is he is banned for life but MLB has to pay damages totaling the value of his contract for their NCAA style stupidity.

Of course, they bought information and paid witnesses. MLB doesn't have subpoena power, so there is no scenario where a guy making big $$ from players for selling to players turns over.