Let me get this straight. According to published reports in Yahoo! Sports and elsewhere, Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal will NOT get suspended for their involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, because all already were previously punished by MLB for the positive PED tests they had related to their connections to Biogenesis. (They are apparently considered the same incident.)
Meanwhile, according to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News and other published reports, Alex Rodriguez is about to be suspended for…wait for it folks…multiple violations of MLB’s PED policy involving the same incident. Madden explained on WFAN’s Boomer and Carton Show how this may work:
“We are talking here (about) non-analytical violations, i.e. in absence of a positive drug test,” he said. “OK? Now, let’s just say for example, they have proof — good proof, legitimate proof, records, whatever — that Alex Rodriguez sought to buy drugs. That’s a violation. Now they have proof that Alex Rodriguez actually bought drugs. That’s a violation. Now they have proof that Alex Rodriguez was administered drugs. That’s a third violation.”
So, again, let me get this straight. Melky Cabrera, who had a fake web site created to explain his PED usage, doesn’t get any more punishment. Neither does Yasmani Grandal. And 2013 All-Star Bartolo Colon, who is 40 years old, 14-3 with a 2.54 ERA, and leading the league in complete games this season, has simply found the fountain of youth, and there is no reason to investigate him any further. It’s just a miracle!
But A-Rod is allegedly guilty of multiple violations for something any person getting caught with steroids would have to do — seek to buy PEDs, buy them, and take them. C’mon now. (I also have to laugh over the other idea floated recently regarding tougher suspensions for A-Rod — that he “recruited” players for Biogenesis like some demented Amway salesman. I thought Alex had no friends in baseball, yet now he’s the Pied Piper of PEDs?)
Madden also told Boomer and Carton: “Trust me on this, guys. This is no vendetta on Selig’s part.”
Really? It sure sounds like one. Especially given the MLB leaks that Selig plans to 1) ban A-Rod from ever playing baseball again, and 2) wants to punish A-Rod much more harshly than anybody else out there, with an unprecedented use of his powers.
Something I noticed regarding MLB’s reported plans to punish Rodriguez via the Commissioner’s powers via this clause:
Article XII(B) of the Basic Agreement says: “Players may be disciplined for just cause for conduct that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of baseball including, but not limited to, engaging in conduct in violation of federal, state or local law.”
If Bud Selig is going to use this to punish Rodriguez, then why hasn’t he used that to go after MLB players who drive drunk, beat their wives, or break the law in some other ways? And why didn’t he use that against players named in the BALCO scandal?
The New York Times says that historically, the clause has only been used for gambling-related offenses, and that the players’ union is not happy about the idea of if being used here. In fact, Michael Weiner tells the Times that they have received assurances in the past from Bud Selig that it would not be used in other cases.He also says that “I do not expect” Article XII(B) “to be invoked” in this case.
In addition, there is this tidbit buried in today’s anti-A-Rod story in the Daily News:
By using Article XI, Selig would risk a federal court case or a reopening of the collective bargaining agreement. If the Players’ Association decides to reopen the CBA to negotiation, the union would still find it difficult to defend Rodriguez because many of its players have abandoned support for the Yankees’ disgraced third baseman.
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