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Rodriguez Seeks Meetings With Baseball and Yankees Rodriguez Seeks Meetings With Baseball and Yankees
(about 3 hours later)
SAN DIEGO — Despite a combative stand Friday night that seemed to set him on a collision course with Major League Baseball over his impending suspension, Alex Rodriguez reached out to the commissioner’s office on Saturday, through the players union, and also contacted the Yankees directly to seek a meeting, according to two people briefed on the matter who were granted anonymity because they were not permitted to speak about it publicly.SAN DIEGO — Despite a combative stand Friday night that seemed to set him on a collision course with Major League Baseball over his impending suspension, Alex Rodriguez reached out to the commissioner’s office on Saturday, through the players union, and also contacted the Yankees directly to seek a meeting, according to two people briefed on the matter who were granted anonymity because they were not permitted to speak about it publicly.
The commissioner’s office dismissed the request, both officials said, and for now is sticking to a take-it-or-leave-it proposal that Rodriguez accept a suspension through the end of the 2014 season. The request was made by Michael Weiner, the executive director and general counsel of the players association, on behalf of Rodriguez, the Yankees’ embattled third baseman. The commissioner’s office dismissed the request, both officials said, and for now is sticking to a take-it-or-leave-it proposal that Rodriguez accept a suspension through the end of the 2014 season or baseball will go ahead and administer the punishment anyway. The request to M.L.B. was made by Michael Weiner, the executive director and general counsel of the players association, on behalf of Rodriguez, the Yankees’ embattled third baseman.
The Yankees, who declined to comment on the matter, ignored Rodriguez’s direct request for a meeting because they are not involved in the investigation into his association with Biogenesis, a defunct anti-aging clinic in South Florida that reportedly sold performance-enhancing drugs to players, or the negotiations involving Rodriguez’s suspension from baseball.The Yankees, who declined to comment on the matter, ignored Rodriguez’s direct request for a meeting because they are not involved in the investigation into his association with Biogenesis, a defunct anti-aging clinic in South Florida that reportedly sold performance-enhancing drugs to players, or the negotiations involving Rodriguez’s suspension from baseball.
The purpose of the proposed meetings was to work out an agreement that would mitigate baseball’s suspension of Rodriguez, which is expected to be handed down on Monday. The purpose of the proposed meetings was to work out an agreement that would mitigate baseball’s suspension of Rodriguez, which is expected to be handed down by Monday. Even if Rodriguez is suspended, he may be able to appeal and play Monday in Chicago.
A person close to Rodriguez said the requests did not constitute a new direction. Rather, they were part of a continuing dialogue between the players association and Major League Baseball about the Biogenesis investigation.A person close to Rodriguez said the requests did not constitute a new direction. Rather, they were part of a continuing dialogue between the players association and Major League Baseball about the Biogenesis investigation.
During the investigation, Rodriguez and his representatives have met with baseball officials several times. The officials contend Rodriguez has had enough chances to make a deal already. During the investigation, Rodriguez and his representatives have met with baseball officials several times. The officials contend Rodriguez has had enough chances to make a deal.
Major League Baseball is expected to suspend Rodriguez and more than a half-dozen other players, and people on both sides of the matter said they could not see a way that Rodriguez’s situation can be resolved amicably. Rodriguez has become increasingly aggressive in his reaction to the investigation. On Friday, after a rehabilitation game in Trenton in which he hit a home run for the Yankees’ Class AA affiliate, Rodriguez made a thinly veiled accusation that the Yankees and M.L.B. were conspiring to “cancel” his contract. He is set to earn roughly $95 million through 2017, but he would not be paid during a suspension. Although the idea of a meeting was rejected, baseball will still listen if Rodriguez or one of his representatives calls on Sunday to say he is willing to accept a severe punishment, one of the people informed on the matter said.
If Rodriguez were suspended immediately for the rest of this season and all of 2014, he would lose approximately $36 million. In 2015 he would be 39 years old, and trying to return after missing two full seasons. Rodriguez, a three-time most valuable player, has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs while he played for the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. His most recent troubles stem from an article in January in The Miami New Times that described how various players, including Rodriguez, received drugs from Biogenesis. Major League Baseball launched an investigation that is now close to fruition, with Rodriguez the most high-profile target. He has not played this season as he rehabilitates from hip surgery, and now faces a possible suspension that could cover as many as 214 games. He stands to lose as much as $36 million in salary.
Baseball would prefer that Rodriguez accept a punishment the way Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers’ slugger, recently did. Braun agreed to be suspended for 65 games this season for violating the sport’s antidoping code, forfeiting nearly half his $8.5 million salary. As a result of the Biogenesis investigation, M.L.B. is expected to suspend Rodriguez and more than a half-dozen other players, and people on both sides of the matter say they do not see a way for Rodriguez’s situation to be resolved amicably.
Baseball is prepared to make its case to an arbitrator if Rodriguez appeals any ban, which appears likely. The person close to Rodriguez said his legal team was preparing for a lawsuit that could draw M.L.B. into long and potentially embarrassing testimony. Rodriguez’s team would argue that the real motivation behind the investigation was not performance-enhancing drugs, but a desire to void his contract. Rodriguez has become increasingly aggressive in his reaction to the investigation. On Friday, after a rehabilitation game in Trenton in which he hit a home run for the Yankees’ Class AA affiliate, Rodriguez made a thinly veiled accusation that the Yankees and M.L.B. were conspiring to “cancel” his contract. He is set to earn roughly $95 million through 2017, but he would not be paid during a suspension.
Once a player is suspended, he has the right to appeal to an arbitrator, and under normal circumstances he can play until a decision is rendered. Commissioner Bud Selig could invoke a special clause in the collective bargaining agreement to avoid that process, rendering Rodriguez unable to play immediately. But the union, which rejects the viability of that power in this case, would immediately go to the arbitrator and request a stay of that penalty. If the stay is granted, Rodriguez would be allowed to play. If Rodriguez were suspended immediately for the rest of this season and all of 2014, when he returns he would be 39 years old and trying to play after missing two full seasons.
Baseball would prefer that Rodriguez accept a punishment the way Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers’ slugger, recently did. Braun agreed to be suspended for 65 games this season for violating the sport’s antidoping code and for violating the collective bargaining agreement, forfeiting nearly half his $8.5 million salary.
Baseball is prepared to make its case to an arbitrator if Rodriguez appeals any ban, which appears likely at this point. The person close to Rodriguez said his legal team was preparing for a lawsuit that could draw M.L.B. into potentially embarrassing testimony. Rodriguez’s team would argue that the real motivation behind the investigation was not performance-enhancing drugs, but a desire to void his contract.
Once a player is suspended, he has the right to appeal to an arbitrator, and under normal circumstances he can play until a decision is rendered, a process that can take more than 30 days. Commissioner Bud Selig could invoke a special clause in the collective bargaining agreement to avoid that process, leaving Rodriguez unable to play immediately. But the union would immediately go to the arbitrator and request a stay of that penalty. If the stay is granted, Rodriguez would be allowed to play.
If the sides can reach an agreement before Monday, when Rodriguez is scheduled to rejoin the Yankees in Chicago, there would be no appeals process and Rodriguez would accept a punishment.If the sides can reach an agreement before Monday, when Rodriguez is scheduled to rejoin the Yankees in Chicago, there would be no appeals process and Rodriguez would accept a punishment.
Amid the acrimony and legal posturing, Rodriguez, who has yet to play for the Yankees this season, is apparently rounding into shape after hip surgery and a quadriceps injury. On Friday night he hit a towering home run in Trenton, and after the game he indicated he would fight any suspension through the appeals process. He said the Yankees and M.L.B. would benefit from a suspension and were therefore conspiring to impose one. Amid the acrimony and legal posturing, Rodriguez is apparently rounding into shape after hip surgery and a quadriceps injury. On Friday night he hit a towering home run in Trenton, and after the game he indicated he would fight any suspension through the appeals process. He said the Yankees and M.L.B. would benefit from a suspension and were therefore conspiring to impose one.
“When all this stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract and stuff like that, I think that’s concerning for me,” he said.“When all this stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract and stuff like that, I think that’s concerning for me,” he said.
People who spoke to Yankees officials after Rodriguez’s comments said they were simultaneously saddened and amused by them, and they pointed out that the Yankees did not initiate the investigation into his reported involvement with Biogenesis.People who spoke to Yankees officials after Rodriguez’s comments said they were simultaneously saddened and amused by them, and they pointed out that the Yankees did not initiate the investigation into his reported involvement with Biogenesis.
Of course, with the Yankees’ offense looking so sluggish this year, they could actually use Rodriguez on the field — a once-unlikely event that may actually happen on Monday. With the Yankees’ offense looking so sluggish this year, they could actually use Rodriguez on the field — a once-unlikely event that may actually happen on Monday. But Trenton Manager Tony Franklin said Saturday evening that no one from the Yankees called him to get a progress report on Rodriguez.
Rodriguez played again in Trenton on Saturday and drew four walks and scored a run while playing third base.