• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The Alex Rodriguez defense takes shape

V

Via

Diamond Member
I just heard an interview with that loudmouth Stephen A. Smith on ESPN this morning, and it's pretty clear which way ARod's people have decided to go with this: they're going to make this case about the Yankee's desire to get out from under Rodriguez's contract, and they're going to use talking heads like Smith and former players like Johnny Damon (and the intrinsic Yankee hate that exists outside of New York) to sway public opinion in ARod's favor.

His camp is denying that MLB has reached out to them to negotiate, and claim all negotiations are happening exclusively between MLB and the Yankees. This is going to be interesting. I'm sure a lot of big-time corporate trials have been about way less money than is left on ARod's contract.

I hate that guy, but I'm willing to wait and see how this plays out before I agree with the lifetime ban.
 
I'm so conflicted. Hate the Yankees, but also hate Arod. I think I'd like to see them have to continue to pay him for years
 
Interesting in that I seem to remember hearing just a few days ago the Commissioners Office said they have had no discussions with the Yankees about A-Rod.

It's either a ploy by A-Rod to get a better deal, or he has decided to go "full lawyer" and fight.

The dangle of the 60 million A-Rod would still get if he takes the year and half suspension would seem to be a strong incentive. I wonder if the Yankees could still go to court claiming the year and a half off, if he takes it, was his own fault and that because of that when he comes back his skills have diminished and the Yankees shouldn't owe him the full amount.
 
Problem is, if A-Rod goes through the courts, enough evidence could come out to interest the Feds in trying him for his crimes.
 
I'm not sure why Arod deserves a lifetime ban and so many other cheaters have either been ignored (the other 99 who tested positive when Arod did) and others only get 50 games, and Manny Ramirez got 50 and then 100.

If MLB is drawing a line in the sand i'm fine with that; lets lifetime ban all the steroids users.
 
jpiniero said:
Problem is, if A-Rod goes through the courts, enough evidence could come out to interest the Feds in trying him for his crimes.
Click to expand...

I'll be upset if this ends up before congress again. Absolutely baffled me to see athletes and steroids being investigated by congress.
 
It's been an interesting weekend. If you can believe the reports Alex asked for a meeting with both MLB and the Yankees and was turned down. Now Alex is talking about how "people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract".

My best guess is Alex was concerned that if he took the year+ ban the Yankees would try to get out of the 60 million they owe him. It looks like he wanted some guarantees from the Yanks and he won't get them. Without the guarantees I can see him not taking the deal since it means he would probably still have to go to court to get his money and maybe lose.

I think we may see Selig drop the banhammer for life on Alex.
 
Sinsear said:
I'm not sure why Arod deserves a lifetime ban and so many other cheaters have either been ignored (the other 99 who tested positive when Arod did) and others only get 50 games, and Manny Ramirez got 50 and then 100.

If MLB is drawing a line in the sand i'm fine with that; lets lifetime ban all the steroids users.
Click to expand...

From what I've heard, the purported lifetime ban for Rodriguez isn't for steroid use, it's because MLB allegedly has evidence that not only did he lie, but he also attempted to obstruct the investigation and threatened other witnesses if they spoke out against him.
 
Doping and HGH are par for the course at that level. Professional sports are dominated by freaks of natures and drugies. Most substance abuse starts in high school, and is accelerated in college.

I can guarantee that the Yankees didn't care about A-Rod's extracurricular activities until he started statistically slumping. A-Rod has a decent case.
 
The big hope for the Yankees is that A-Rod goes at least for the whole year next season.

For the last couple of years its clear the Yankees want to get under the "luxury tax" minimum for a season. The luxury tax increases the more years you go over the limit, up to a certain point. The Yankees are at the highest percentage point now and would very much like to go one season below the cap, because that reduces the rate in subsequent seasons. You essentially start over when you go a season under the cap.

It looked like the plan was to do this in either 2014 or 2015. Without the salaries of Rivera, Pettite, Jeter, etc. If A-Rod is gone next year, his 25 million means the Yankees could do it that year. If he's gone for good than they can wait til 2015 when a number of large contracts expire.

So, Yankee haters should hope that A-Rod beats the rap. Otherwise the Yankees will be back in the free agent market sucking up talent.
 
The Yankees are aiming to go below the 189 Million threshhold for next year. With Granderson, Rivera, Youkilis, and most likely Pettite and Kuroda (wants to finish his career in Japan) off the payroll, they can do it and still pay Arod. Even if Arod comes off, they still have to pay Cano as he is a free agent this year and will command upwards of 20 million per. The Yanlees will not be "sucking up free agent talent" this year.


Edit: forgot that Hughes is off payroll after this year as well.
 
Last edited:
They'll settle. Not a chance either side will risk airing this out in a courtroom. MLB doesn't want to disclose their knowledge of how widespread PEDs are/were. The Yankees don't want to have to testify of their knowledge, nor of their motives related to getting rid of his contract, and A-Rod absolutely doesn't want to bear the costs associated. If the union ends up representing A-Rod, though, he does have every incentive to drag the league and the team through a trial.

I'd be surprised if the league doesn't offer him a suspension for the rest of this season sometime in the next week or two.
 
Sinsear said:
The Yankees are aiming to go below the 189 Million threshhold for next year. With Granderson, Rivera, Youkilis, and most likely Pettite and Kuroda (wants to finish his career in Japan) off the payroll, they can do it and still pay Arod. Even if Arod comes off, they still have to pay Cano as he is a free agent this year and will command upwards of 20 million per. The Yanlees will not be "sucking up free agent talent" this year.


Edit: forgot that Hughes is off payroll after this year as well.
Click to expand...
They have to stay below the threshold for the whole season so it would 2015 when they would be able to re-enter the market.

I was wrong about the tax resetting completely. It only goes down a bit. However, it goes down each time they are under, up to three years, when its back to the lowest level. This might have changed recently.

And I really wonder how much they will be willing to offer Cano. He's only hit more than 30 home runs once and only got more than 100 rbi twice. And did that with a very high number of at bats. He doesn't walk a lot and doesn't steal bases. Plus he's thirty years old and in the post ped era that's older than it used to be.
 
While Arod deserves the worst, this having been atleast his 3rd proven time of taken PED's - as well as supposedly obstructing this investigation - the Yankees also deserve the worst.

This year they are paying the 38 year old $29 million. Before the 2008 season, they signed him to a $275m, 10-year contract, which of course is when he began his predictable decline from being one of the best regular season players in the league.

The Yankees competed with themselves for a contract of that amount, no other team was expected to have come close to signing him for near that amount. So let the Yankees choke on every single dollar they were asinine enough to have signed him for. Laughing at them would be the appropriate response.
 
jjsole said:
While Arod deserves the worst, this having been atleast his 3rd proven time of taken PED's - as well as supposedly obstructing this investigation - the Yankees also deserve the worst.

This year they are paying the 38 year old $29 million. Before the 2008 season, they signed him to a $275m, 10-year contract, which of course is when he began his predictable decline from being one of the best regular season players in the league.

The Yankees competed with themselves for a contract of that amount, no other team was expected to have come close to signing him for near that amount. So let the Yankees choke on every single dollar they were asinine enough to have signed him for. Laughing at them would be the appropriate response.
Click to expand...
so to answer tech's question, the Yankees will probably outbid themselves to keep Robbie Cano. 😀

MLB is trying to "negotiate" from a position of strength. Shoot for the 214 game ban and know that with the appeal process, they'll probably "settle" for 150-162 games. "Everybody wins" lol: MLB nails its big fish, the Yankees get some salary relief and A-Fraud still pockets $60M+ of the rest of his mega-deal.

There's a good chance Rodriguez doesn't get into the career 700 HR club (even if he does, an asterisk the size of Barry Bonds head will be attached).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top