The result of Alex Rodriguez's appeal is in, and he will be suspended for 162 games, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. Rodriguez plans to appeal the suspension in federal court. The suspension will cover the full 2014 season, and also the postseason, Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown tweets. The suspension previously was 211 games. Even though the suspension was reduced, the decision by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz appears to be a victory for Major League Baseball, which won a suspension for A-Rod that goes far beyond those of other first-time PED offenders.
"The number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one," says Rodriguez in a statement released on his Facebook page. "I am confident that when a Federal Judge reviews the entirety of the record … the judge will find that the panel blatantly disregarded the law and facts, and will overturn the suspension."
The MLBPA, meanwhile, says in a statement that it disagrees with the arbitrator's decision, but respects the process that led to it. "We recognize that a final and binding decision has been reached, however, and we respect the collectively-bargained arbitration process which led to the decision," says the union.
A-Rod's suspension for the entire season means the Yankees will save about $24.3MM against the 2014 luxury tax threshold. Rodriguez's luxury-tax figure is $27.5MM, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes (via Twitter) that the Yankees will be assessed about $3.16MM of that, since 183 days, and not 162, counts as a year. In any case, the suspension could help the Yankees get below the $189MM threshold, if they choose. The Yankees will also save $25MM in salary.
That savings could give the Yankees more flexibility to pursue Masahiro Tanaka or other free agents. Also, the Yankees may now look for another option at third base, even though they have Kelly Johnson — a report earlier today indicated that they could consider Michael Young or Mark Reynolds, both of whom are free agents.
Not sure how to feel…
No way A-Rod doesn’t take this to federal court.. This is far from over in MLB’s case, but I wouldn’t expect A-rod to step on a field next year regardless of the outcome of the federal case
He definitely will. He said it in his statement
If he takes it to court, he’ll get an injunction allowing him to play until its resolved. No way this is settled by season end, never mind the start.
No way he gets an injunction to overturn an arbiter’s decision that relates to a labor contract unless the arbitrator is seen to have been wholly unjust and unfair. And there’s absolutely no way that happens. ARod will not be allowed to play this season no matter what he does.
“unless the arbitrator is seen to have been wholly unjust and unfair”. That will probably be his exact words for the injunction.
Yeah but it takes a huge leap for a judge to overturn a decision that’s the result of a CBA. I just don’t think a judge will be willing to touch the decision, though I could see Rodriguez seeking damages in some kind of civil suit. He will have to remain suspended the entire season unless something fairly unprecedented happens. Judges very rarely meddle in arbitration that’s the result of a labor contract like the one between MLB and MLBPA. Horowitz will have explained his position and the judge will look at that. If the decision is even remotely within the bounds of reason given the circumstances, the judge will do nothing to block it.
OK Adam here’s my case I present in front of a Federal Judge: your honor MLB suspended Ryan Braun for 50 games on his second offence, I have never been suspended for any usage of PED’s and have been unfairly singled out by their process. I should have received no more than a 50 game suspension. A Judge with any moral standards will immediately issue an injunction.
Braun agreed to admit his guilt in exchange for a 65 game suspension. ARod took his chances, not accepting a plea offer and got a harsher punishment. Happens all of the time in criminal law that people get lesser sentences than they might otherwise receive if they admit guilt to some offense. No judge who acts professionally will have a problem with Braun getting a lesser punishment, having, unlike Arod, admitted his guilt. Not to mention, Arod may well have done more to warrant punishment (ex. trying to cover up evidence) than Braun.
And the judge will say you never denied the allegations in the hearing you stormed out. You attacked the witnesses and evidence but never denied the allegations. Give me a signed sworn statement you did not use PED’s which A-rod would never do because it would open him up to federal purgery charges. A-Rod cheated….He got caught….Look at how far Armstrongs Federal case went….The judge said The Federal courts have no jurisdiction to look over penalties, suspention or bans made by the bodies overseeing sports or their arbitatration rulings. A-Rod will not even get a day in court
Braun got 65. the extra 15 were for the fake website he made to try to hide his illegal use. If A-Rod had shut up and worked with MLB I bet you he would have 100 games maybe in the 80-85 range but he decided to fight for his “legacy” because now all his stats are tained and he will never see the Hall.
If he can get on the field that is the best case for the Yankees. The farther they can push his time served on any suspension is better.
If he can get on the field that is the best case for the Yankees. The farther they can push his time served on any suspension is better.
Courts strongly defer to decisions rendered during binding arbitration. Alex is going to have to show an appearance of bias or the result conflicts so much with the evidence that no reasonable person could have decided that way.
Either way, he will be allowed (and surely will) file an appeal but I don’t expect it to make a difference
His filing of a civil lawsuit shows he didn’t expect to receive a fair and even punishment, with that said a judge has to by law issue an injunction until it can be heard in Civil court room.
Judge doesn’t have to do anything. ARod, by vrture of becoming a member of the players association submitted himself to the rules and regs of the CBA which states grievances are handled through arbitration. He went through the process (i.e., had his day in court to defend his rights) and lost.
To secure a preliminary injunction in a federal court ARod must satisfy the following elements:
1) that there is a likelihood of irreparable harm with no adequate
remedy at law;
2) that the balance of harm favors the movant;
3) that
there is a likelihood of success on the merits of the case; and
4) that
the public interest favors the granting of the injunction
Prong #4 is going to be the most difficult. As has been said in this thread, courts are very reluctant to overstep an arbitration decision. It is public policy to refrain from doing that outside of bias or a decision that is clearly against the basis of evidence.
I personally don’t see ARod being able to satisfy the requirements to be granted a preliminary injunction. If he wants to continue his suit he could do so and demand damages for lost wages.
Federal courts don’t like to hear arbitration cases period let alone sports steroid cases. Armstrong had a better case than A-rod and the judge said it wasn’t the courts place to deal with sports suspentions, bans or penalties especially when there is an arbitration system which Armstrong went through and lost just like A-Rod………oh and later he admitted he did use…just saying
I really hope some tweets come out with the Yankees signing Grant Balfour. Would be nice. I want some rage in NY.
Good he deserves it
This isn’t ending anytime soon.
Next stop…
Federal Court
Do us a favor and retire!
Will not happen Arod loves money and his ego is so big. Even he believes he didn’t take steroids. He learned that from Constanza.
Show me a person on earth who would leave $60+MM on the table. ‘Arod loves money and his ego is so big’? I suppose you think Jeter plays simply for the love of the game, and that his awful contract negotiation tactics and steadfast refusal to move from SS when they acquired A-Rod were because he’s such a humble guy?
Actually, as much as I hate to defend A-Rod, he makes more money doing anything but baseball with his other businesses. You were right that it is his ego that is leading to him not just accepting it.
Well, it saves the Yankees more money than I want them to save, but it at least loses A-rod a whole season. Shame they can’t tack on a clause disqualifying him from postseason play next year.
Yea if somehow the Yankees make the postseason , I wonder if he would be eligible. I would assume yes.
He should be, in the same sense that Peralta and Cruz were eligible for the Tigers and Rangers. I wonder how his salary (and what amount comes off/stays on the books) is affected based on whether or not the Yankees make the playoffs?
EDIT: Although I’m recalling the “must be on the roster on September 1” rule, but I think he could still be an injury replacement? There was some way Peralta managed to get around that.
I read they are still hit with $3 million towards the payroll because a full season is actually based on days which is about 180. Not games which is 162
Man, I want to make $3million while not being permitted to work.
But after missing an entire year would the Yankees really want him on the postseason roster? It takes time to get into a rhythm.
The article says “the entire 2014 season including the postseason”…sounds to me like they included the clause.
That text wasn’t there when I made the initial comment. Good to know, though.
The article says “the entire 2014 season including the postseason”…sounds to me like they included the clause.
Should have reduced it to 100 games so we can put this all behind us. 162 games is begging A-Rod to take it to federal court.
It isn’t the arbitrator’s duty to avoid federal court. It is his duty to hand down the suspension he sees as fair.
I’m confident 100 games would not have deterred him from going to federal court, If it were 50 games, he might have left well enough alone. Also agree with what yclept said.
Doesn’t matter, this will not be overturned. Good explanation here:
fangraphs.com/blogs/arbitrators-decision-on-rodrig…
A couple questions someone could maybe help me with:
1) Does this federal court injunction stuff prevent A Rod’s salary from coming off the books despite Horowitz’s decision?
2) If A Rods salary stays on the books and he loses in federal court are the Yanks reimbursed for Luxury Tax purposes?
Thanks in advance!
$3,155,737.70 stays on the books since it is 162 games not a full season of 183 days.
The entire 27mil stays on the books until the case is heard in a federal court regardless of what Horowitz and Steinbrenner want.
Not true, until ARod appeals to a federal court and a judge holds up the suspension, to wait for a trial. The judge might say you are still suspended unless he wins the appeal.
As of right now ARod is suspended.
1) Yes he remains an employee until the case is heard and the salary stays the same.
2) No because they had to pay the salary of an active ballplayer.
Oh man, good info. I appreciate it.
I’m not sure how long this will drag out in federal court, but it doesn’t seem the suspension creates as much payroll flexibility as is being reported.
Thanks again!
This is the best news I’ve heard in weeks.
This is the best news I’ve heard in weeks.
Love him or hate him, MLB has a set amount of games suspended and should maintain that with everyone.
I agree. This will go to court, you give Braun 65 games, but 211 for Arod?
He tried to buy evidence and hide his cheating, he deserves an extended suspension…
Meanwhile, all Braun did was make a mockery of the system and get a man fired…which got him an extra 15 game slap on the wrist (on a bad team going nowhere last year, with his contract extension not kicked in yet). There’s a reason they set up the rules – so that players wouldn’t be treated differently under similar circumstances.
Not condoning Braun, anyone who tampers with anything should receive more severe penalties…
Melky made a fake website to try to cover up evidence. Only receives 50 games.
You mean the same evidence MLB had already purchased and had stolen?
This seems awfully steep compared to the other penalties.
His offence was more egregious as he tampered with the investigation, his name has also shown up before on steroid sheets at BALCO.
So caught with evidence and tried to hinder the case and further smear baseball i think 162 is reasonable.
He was not on the BALCO list he was on the annonymous baseball test list along with David Ortiz, who for some reason has saint hood in MLB.
The Yankees have a lot of influence in the Commissioners office.
Exactly where in the JDA allows for the suspension of a player for an entire year for a player that has not failed a drug test? This was nothing more than a witch hunt.
I believe it’s either the “Yankees Really Need the Money” or “MLB Wants to Keep Salary Standards Low” clause.
Yes, the greater than one year suspension is all about getting the Favorite Team money to spend. I hope A-Rod wins. MLB is far from innocent in this matter. MLB made way too much money on A-Rod while they looked the other way. I hope this leaves a big ugly mark on Selig’s career. He’s the guiltiest of them all.
the 211 games was for the rest of 13 and all of the 14 season. the steroid era is an ugly mark on selig’s career but ignoring it and letting in continue would be worse.
LOL. He did ignore it. He rode on it’s coat tails while McGuire and Sosa brang back the fans lost from the strike of 1994.
Most of the original suspension was technically for attempting to impede the investigation, as I recall.
Then MLB would have to suspend themselves as they also tried to illegally purchase evidence. There was a great 6 page piece on how Biogenesis started to unfold all because Bosch owed an employee four grand and he wanted revenge. Long story short, both sides were shady in extracting documents from said employee.
if mlb were the police or da’s trying to build a legal case to send a-rod to jail purchasing the information would be illegal. they are a private organization gathering information about their workers. not the same thing.
Real question, not rhetorical; So why is A-Rod’s attempt to purchase the very same documents considered an impediment of the investigation? Shouldn’t A-Rod have equal rights?
Seriously? How is a-rod attempting to supress the info to avoid punishment not impeding an investigation? MLB was gathering information about players engaged in ilegal activities. A-rod was trying to hide his lawbreaking activities.
But it’s a private investigation you said. Why is MLB, a private entity, allowed free reign in their non criminal investigation?
You could be 100% correct, but it seems A-Rod has every right to purchase documents from a private party whether or not said documents may be of interest to MLB.
and they have every right to suspend him for doing so. they are only stopping him from working for their organization. the players and mlb have agreements in place and he violated them. he is suspended. i would be very surprised if the courts inserted themselves into a collectively bargained issue.
50 games for a first offense on the same grounds for which the rest of the Biogenesis crew was suspended and without positive tests for most of them.
Anything beyond that was a Selig smoke screen, which backfired. Fortunately for him, he fired the last arbitrator so Horowitz probably wasn’t willing to throw Selig under the bus with an appropriate punishment.
But the MLBPA can fire the arbitrator too.
Has the MLBPA stood up for A-Rod at any point during this sideshow? I’m pretty sure Horowitz knew which side to lean.
They should. Even if Arod is a clown, it sets a bad precedent to allow Selig to take away contracts like this.
No, it wasn’t a witch hunt- it was a late Christmas present from MLB to the Yankees.
To Yankees-
“Gift Card Good For One Masahiro Tanaka and/or Matt Garza”
-Love, MLB
how can you still call it a witch hunt when an independent arbitrator agreed to the full season suspension?
Independent? LOL Yeah sure he was.
A-rod and MLB agreed on the individual and also agreed that the arbitration would be binding.
Really just wish he’d take the suspension and leave it be. Now it will go to federal court, and drag on even longer.
Why should he?
His suspension is way longer than what the agreements say, and what the precedent was that other players got.
He also impeded an investigation which got him more games.
to braun and a-rod: come in and talk to us and we’ll suspend you for the rest of the year. fight us and you will be out for this year and next.
from braun: ok
from a-rod: you can’t tell me what to do.
What is there salary at now ?
$3+ million is counted towards the payroll
Now we are going to hear non Yankee fans complain about them saving money. If the league is going to make things fair all around as far as $ and payroll goes when it comes to suspensions, then the Yankees shouldn’t pay a dime if the Brewers , Tigers and Dodgers didn’t pay for Braun , Peralta and Manny respectively. Whether it’s for a player making $2 million or $25 million.
The Yankees, Brewers, Tigers and all others ought to be held liable for salary forfeited on account of PED suspensions. The money ought to continue to count against the Luxury Tax and the money itself ought to go into the MLB Player Relief fund or whatever it is they use as their players’ slush fund. It’s despicable that teams want to act as if they’re the victims of PED use after MLB owners and management turned a blind eye to PED use for so long.
I wouldn’t have a problem with that at all. But the same rule should apply throughout the league for all teams, and it does.
They shouldn’t.
It is the players choice to use the drugs, if you are suspending the player without pay then the team shouldn’t have to pay. They aren’t getting the production.
I really like half your statement. The other half – not so much.
1. Money that was allocated to players should count against the luxury cap. This will incent teams to look for good guys and promote a clean atmosphere.
2. If a player is suspended, the team retains the money and can allocate it somewhere else.
This would still penalize a team (at least big spenders) for their presumed benefit of having a player cheat. However, it would not cripple a team due to actions taken by the player and completely out of the control of the team.
Here, the Yankees would save $27M (or whatever the number is) but A-Rod would still count against the luxury tax.
I’m of the opinion that teams should be encouraged to self-police by not getting a payroll break from suspended players. As it is, the system facilitates teams signing players they know are using to huge contracts, protecting them while it’s convenient, and then throwing them under the bus. Game won’t get any cleaner until a player suspension would be just as much a burden to the team.
But you don’t always know who is using. My work requires a drug free, if they fired me they should be able to go out and hire someone to replace me. If you make teams responsible for still paying the player then they have no reason to not work to cover it up as hard as they can.
So you make teams take the initiative to test and ensure that they’re drug free. Also, analogies to real world jobs are never really valid here.
I agree comparing 25-100K jobs is a far cry from 8 figure salaries, but I know steroids involve cycling on and off and there’s ways to time your blood levels of free range testosterone.
I’m with you on cleaning up the game, but if MLB didn’t catch all these guys with testing throughout the season, what makes you think the individual teams have greater testing abilities?
Why should teams do the job of the league for them? At the end of the day MLB is the figure in charge and teams and players are simply living by their rules and regulations.
Then free agency would become so much more complicated. You think the known loss of draft picks is big, What about the speculation of who is using.
That would be terribly unfair. I hope you see the flawed logic there. Teams are already penalized by losing the players on field performance and long term marketability.
Who are the Yanks going to replace A-Rod with; Reynolds, Young, Nunez, Johnson?
A cheater on a rookie contract or a perennial AS is still a cheater.
The Yankees have been hoping for A-Rod to be suspended so that they would have money to spend elsewhere. It’s been the whole drama behind whether or not the Yankees could afford to land Tanaka.
How is that penalizing the team by taking the player off the field? Taking A-Rod off the field is exactly what they wanted to do.
Your not addressing the issue as a whole. A-Rod’s saga is circus theater and Tanaka was always in the cards but is far from a guarantee to land with the Yanks.
The Yankees have to replace A Rod 2-3 WAR with a replacement level player, so if Tanaka nets 3-4 WAR, I don’t see the huge net gain.
The team should have to donate the money to charity.
Can’t speak for the rest of the teams, but as a Brewers fan the Brewers payed Braun up to and immediately after his suspension. According to this report, the season is 183 days and so apparently the Yankees have to pay him for those 21 days.
Now we are going to hear non Yankee fans complain about them saving money. If the league is going to make things fair all around as far as $ and payroll goes when it comes to suspensions, then the Yankees shouldn’t pay a dime if the Brewers , Tigers and Dodgers didn’t pay for Braun , Peralta and Manny respectively. Whether it’s for a player making $2 million or $25 million.
Overreaction kinda? Sheesh. It’s a game.
Well, Shots are what got him into trouble in the first place so I doubt he should have more of those.
I’d like to hear how they came up with 162 games.
It’s not like it’s a random number.
Yankees can’t sign all of the top-tier free agents AND stay under the luxury tax threshold? MLB to the rescue!
This is sad. Arod will still make more money in 2014 than 95% of the Mets.
That’s going too far. He wasn’t the only one who cheated and overall it’s just a game. Don’t ever wish death upon somebody. Ever.
I think Tanaka is going to the Dodgers.
Not the Red Sox then? Didn’t you just say that Red Sox aren’t going to be outbid?
I think Tanaka is going to the Dodgers.
When you look at it all of the big time Japaneses or Korean picthers have gone to the Dodgers first. Hence Hedio Nomo, Kuroda, Chan Ho Park. Kazo Ishii.
The Dodgers have the same amount of money to spend on Tanaka as do the Yanks, and the dodgers need a back up plan if Clayton, doesn’t re up.
Even though they don’t have to pay A-Rod, I still think his money should be incorporated into the payroll, luxury tax etc.
Although that would make sense, that’s not how things work. So the Yankees get a mulligan on this year.
Of course it should. But then they couldn’t sign Tanaka and Garza and still stay under the threshold.
That’s exactly the point. The team would also get penalized. That will be the only way players will stop with PEDs is if their team gets hurt by it, too.
Too bad it’s not 161 games. Then they’d have to pay him 28 mil for one game.
That’s not how MLB salaries work….
LOL, Not how it works at all.
It’s not like that at all, actually.
Of course you do
I like it!
A-Rod’s statement about this is disingenuous at best because he didn’t write it!
It should be interesting what the Player’s Association will do.
I wanted him to be suspended for way longer
Great win for MLB and the fight against PEDs.
Regarding comparing 162 games to 183 days how do you do that? I do not see a common denominator between games and days. For the sake of argument the first 2014 mlb games is march 22 and the last is September 28 which exceeds 183 days.
Man. Either outcome would have been fantastic.
Either:
A) No A-Rod this year
or
B) Yankees have to pay luxury tax
was it really reduced?he was banned 211 games last year, supposedly covering 2013 and 2014. They never wanted to touch 2015. The only thing this did was allow him to finish the season.
Assuming A-Rod doesn’t play in 2014, he “comes back” at 39 years and 8 months with a one year layoff? Ouch.
I think ARod would be smart to stay out of federal court. If he goes there all of his testomonies to Grand juries are available to the MLB.
I believe he only tested positive once? He admitted he did in early 2000s, but he only tested positive once. I dont like ARod one bit, but it shouldn’t be over 100 games. You have to be fair to everyone, even if they have allegedly been involved a lot.
Read into the story a little more.
A-Rod has been cheating for years. The MLB drug testing is weak, and just because A-Rod was able to beat the system, A-Rod does not have the right of only getting 50/100 games.
Braun has been cheating for years. The MLB drug testing is weak, and just because Braun was able to beat the system, Braun does have the right to a reduced suspension, because he can still be valuable and his team doesn’t mind paying his salary.
What MLB is doing here is far worse than any cheating a player has done.
The book only listed substances in the year that Braun got caught. A-rod had years listed. Furthermore, the case was decided by an independent arbitrator. In other words, someone who is not on the side of MLB or A-Rod.
If the arbitrator ruled in favor of A-Rod, he would have lost his job, the same way the arbitrator for Braun did. How independent do you really think that is?
Can the Yankees return the 2009 WSC that A-Rod helped them win. No need to reply and that was not a question, its just aggravating beyond reason that the Yankees will probable come out this this A-Rod situation with enough cash relief to obtain Masahiro Tanaka.
Ha, I will argue that it was Hideki Matsui who was the man in that series!
Also, if the Phillies had started Happ instead of Pedro Martinez, the Phillies would have won… maybe. So who really knows.
And reports are Matsui talked Kuroda into pitching again this year if his body felt good. Godzilla, a Yankee legend of my generation!
A-Rod in Game 3 HR, woke the Yankees from a 3-0 deficit against Cole Hamels. He led the Yankees in the postseason with a .365 average, six homers, 18 RBIs, 15 runs and 12 walks?
So how many World Series rings will other teams have to return due to steroids?
Can the Red Sox return both of their rings and re-instate the curse then? Or does it not count when Man-Ram and Ortiz help someone win?
I think this was to be expected considering how things had gone up to this point. Probably a good thing overall. what a distraction this guy has been to the sport.
As stated already he agreed to the CBA and now he’s not happy with this the entire thing just because it didn’t go his way. He wanted this appeal and there’s no way around that fact. He went through the process it took a couple months and he just hates the result and the fact that the arbitrators agreed with MLB enough already he should have taken the suspension and shut up he won’t lose future salaries after the 2014 season
Nice now sign Mark Reynolds, Tanaka, Garza, and grant Balfour
Why does everyone think Reynolds is still good? He can’t even hit LHP for power anymore, they shoukd sgn Jeff Baker. He can actually mash LHP and plays more positions.
He did fine for us when the the NYY sign him.
He did league average (105 wRC+) but in only 120 PA, that’s the definition of small sample sizes. At the end of the day you are still signing a guy to bat against LHP who hit .225/.319/.406 against LHP in 2013, which is awful for a platoon only player who can’t defend at first or third. Baker on the other hand hit .314/.407/.667 with 10 HRs against LHP, one is clearly superior.
Last year, Yankee 3B had a 69 wRC+ which was the Worst In Baseball. Will gladly take 69 to 105.
I didn’t even know baker was an option tbh.
He hasn’t been linked to the Yankees nearly as much since his name is less sexy but considering both are no more than platoon players with bad D he’s the vastly superior option.
so is he allowed to keep playing as long as he keeps appealing to different courts and different jurisdictions?
I don’t think so. He needs to get a temporary injunction from a Federal judge to stop the suspension if he’s going to play. That’s a possibility, but by no means a certainty
I really hope A-Rod wins his appeal in federal court.
I doubt a federal judge will even agree to hear it. A legally binding decision by an independent arbitrator is rarely even heard let alone overturned unless there is mounds of evidence of gross misconduct.
He might actually have a case though. Braun failed two tests. Only lost what 100 games. Melky failed a test and attempted to cover it up and only lost 50 games. Yet Alex has no failed tests and still loses a full season. I’m by no means a arod supporter. I’m just surprised
A federal judge can only review the actions of the arbitrator and not the evidence in that case or any other. A judge can only get involved if there is clear evidence that the IA acted egregiously, inconsistently, was coerced, bribed or otherwise influenced. A-Rod’s action were far more egregious that any other player so far. Even if a judge that is looking for some free publicity should take the case you can bet his/her decision will be overturned faster then you can say HGH.
If anyone thinks this is an independent Arbitrator you’re out of your mind. He was hired and would have been fired if he severely reduced the penalty.
an arbitrator is hired by BOTH the MLB and MLBPA and can be fired by either at anytime (except during proceedings) for any reason. He is not an employee of MLB solely he is paid per case by both.
Are arbitrators hired only just once or are they the go to guy for every arbitration?
They can be hired repeatedly for as long as both parties want them. There is a National Board of Arbitrators (I may have the name of it wrong) that the two parties select from with both sides having the right to “veto’ until a suitable person is selected.
To Yankees-
“Gift Card Good For One Masahiro Tanaka and/or Matt Garza”
-Love, MLB
Someone’s bitter
Nope. Just realistic. The Yanks as currently constructed aren’t a playoff team unless they add at least 1 or possibly 2 more legitimate SPs, and it would be bad for business if they missed the playoffs two years in a row so MLB stepped in to protect their financial interests.
From a strictly utilitarian perspective, it makes sense…
But as a fan, it’s a joke.
Realistic? Do you have some kind of source other than aLame Excuse of how the league loves the Yankees? If the league loves the Yankees, they wouldn’t hit them with a (Deserving) luxury tax hit year after year.
Of course they currently are not constructed as a playoff team. I’m not sure why you even bought that up. Pitchers and catchers haven’t even reported yet.
Maybe you should worry more about your O’s than a rival team.
Of course I’m just speculating.
But it’s based on the evidence that’s available to us, which certainly casts a bit of a pallor over the league’s motivations. Melky had an actual positive test and he also deceived investigators with his fake website nonsense. What did he get? Fiddy games, the same punishment that A-Roid should’ve received.
There are people who think this isn’t good for the Yankees but…are 20-25 HR really worth $28 million plus luxury taxes (assuming they also sign Tanaka)?
EDIT: Plus he’s due another $6 million for getting to 660 career HR.
When your admittedly still enormous profits drop by 50 million due to falling attendance (without counting concessions) in a season where fans could see the no playoffs writing on the wall all year long. Then yes, 3 WAR player instead of Nunez or whatever retread the Yanks sign is worth the 32-35 million A Rod would cost in total.
The addition of Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran, and potentially Tanaka should be enough to draw people into the ballpark. I doubt that will be the Yankees’ biggest issue.
And the loss of Cano, Pettitte, Rivera hurts the team quite a bit. I’m not saying A-Rod brings fans to stadium, I’m saying wins and playoff appearances do. A-Rod helps facilitate that with an additional 2-3 WAR over Nunez, Reynolds, Young, whoever they will replace him with.
Is 3 WAR really worth $28 million+++?
Let me say as it stands today, I obviously would not give A-Rod a 28 Mil salary with HR bonuses as the cherry. But in truth, the Yankees were around a 75-79 win team last season.
The Yankees business model is ultimately based on performance and playoff appearances. You’re not going to maintain a fan base that massive (band wagon or not, the more people spending money, the better) without producing results.
So, is 3 WAR really worth it? Well that depends on how next season unfolds. If the difference is A-Rod helping an 79-83 club end up as an 82-80 team, than of course, absolutely not.
Conversely and without having the means to calculate exact playoff revenue and consequential secondary profits (more merchandise sales, increase in season tickets for 15′, FA good will, etc), a three game swing which leads to a playoff berth (e.g. 92-60 opposed to 89-63) is of great value to the Yankees and their way of business.
Matt, let me put it this way. The Yankees reinvest a below average percentage of their revenue back into their team. I believe it was 43% (220+ payroll vs 570 revenue), less than the recommended 50%.
It costs my wife and I roughly 300 dollars for two tickets, parking and concessions. I am more than happy to see A Rods contract (albeit an outrageous one) honored and in turn see him on the field performing above replacement level.
Vis a vis Joel Sherman…how does 162 games not equal the entirety of the season?
it does for playtime but the players union was able to get a season to be more than 162 games (not incl postseason) per contracts. So you can be suspended for whole season and still get paid
The suspension does include the postseason, because on August 31, A-Rod will be on the restricted list, being automatically ineligible for the postseason as a result.
Good info, thanks!
So what are the possibilities going forward now that he begins his appeal?
This was the appeal. The original suspension would have cut into 2015 as well.
I’m pretty sure he is going to try to appeal this ruling to federal court, though.
No. The original suspension was for the end of 2013 and all of 2014.
The entirety of the suspension would have been tolled into 2015 as well (49 games).
No. The way it was originally set up was for the 49 games to be the remaining 49 games of 2013. The suspension was not supposed to touch 2015. Arod’s initial appeal meant that it would, but it originally was not supposed to have anything to do with 2015.
There was nothing to do with years, it was planned to suspend him for the rest of 2013 and all of 2014, which was 211 games. However, if his appeal did nothing, and it was still 211 games, then there would’ve been a 49 game spillover into 2015.
Yes, but the key word is ‘originally’. It was originally meant to suspend him for the remainder of 2013 and the entirety of 2014, hence the awkward number of games (211).
I hope Arod wins this was clearly a biased case. Braun a two time offender received a 65 game suspension, while I don’t necessarily want PED use in MLB or any sport, I do recognize the unfair labor practice used by MLB, on the one hand you have a two time loser getting nothing in regards too punishment while on the other hand they threw the book at a first time offender, sorry in our society that doesn’t equate to equal justice under the law…. Like I said it will be overturned in a Federal Court. Unless Lady justice just closes her eyes.
I think its safe to say A Rod continues his battle against this suspension, but it’s really a waste of everyone’s time. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. He will fight, fight and fight some more, even though he’s as dirty as they come in MLB.
I don’t , he is too expensive for his actual value. The Yankees are actually close to opening up lots of money – especially around the year AROD comes off their team in a few years. They maybe old but they will have a lot of money to sign free agents if they don’t get bogged down now
“The deck has been stacked against me…” A-Rod as martyr? I have a hard time with that. This just goes on. He choose this path, and I don’t see him getting off of it. The lawsuit and the legal bills will continue, And we will all be forced to watch. A-Rod, with all due respect, you really didn’t need to do PEDS. You had your contract, you were going to the Hall of Fame eventually, why?
Player lied about using while he was reigning MVP: 60 something game suspension. Player lied about using PEDs after admitting to have used them in the past: reduced to full season + postseason. This is why I find myself liking baseball less and less each year
Player tests positive and tried to cover it up by having his cousin create a fake website and supplying company. Gets suspended for 50 games.
I love how everyone automatically assumes now that arod is gone for the year, assuming a judge does not
Overturn the suspension(I can’t see it happening). That the Yankees automatically are going to sign tanaka and then some. And everyone assumes tanaka will be a good pitcher. He has an equal chance to be a bust. He is more innings on his arm than any other 25 year old. He has been pitching full time professionally since he was 18. That’s a lot of innings. He has a shot to be an even worse contract than arods. Granted, I like everyone, want him on my team. But I don’t assume he will be a beast. And remember the Yankees are only saving money this year. They still owe Alex what like $70 million after this season.
What it does is it puts the Yankees in an excellent position to sign Tanaka because they just knocked 24.3 million dollars against the luxury tax off their payroll. Couldn’t have asked for anything better.
There’s one big difference between Braun and A-Rod, which is that Braun bargained for his suspension. A-Rod sued and blasted everyone. Sometimes, it’s better to talk than fight.
If you completely ignore the Braun failed test mess, then sure. Braun threw anyone he could under the bus until he ran out of options just like A-Rod.
I didn’t say Braun was a good guy. He’s not. I’m saying he made a logical decision based on what he knew the evidence (and his history) was. A-Rod made the choice to go to the mattresses.
Hope he sues them successfully.
His suspension is 162 games, not days.
Is it odd that even as a Yankee fan, I find myself rooting for A-Rod? What he says about the “corrupt investigative program from any variety defense by accused players, or any variety of objective review” makes sense to me. The number of games on these suspensions is completely random.
I stand with Alex Rodriguez….
LOL, thanks Horowitz, a lovely savings for the Yankees. Tanaka here it comes. 🙂
Actually this is probably what the Yankees did not want. ARoid was going to take the less games suspension, now he’s going to appeal the ruling and who knows how long that may take.
Yankees should be stuck with him since they pretty much outbid themselves to give him that contract. He had already folded and said he didn’t want to leave AND they already knew he was on the “juice”
Arod gets suspended for the season and now the Yankees can sign Tanaka.
Truth and goodness prevail?
LOL. once I heard 162, woohoo.
Tanaka for Rotation
Jeff Baker to platoon at 3rd base vs Lefties
Grant Balfour for bullpen
Yankees are golden. Tanaka will go there. Kuroda Tanaka and C.C.
Everyone says they want to rid the world of PEDs and such, but when it comes down to it, only when it helps their team. All the people complaining that the commissioners Office is helping the Yankees are just made because It’s the Yankees. The league must show that they’re not playing around and will give out harsh punishments if you try to get around the system as A-rod tried to do. 162 does seem like a bit too much but it’s just when you look at all the things Arods done to tarnish the leagues name.
If what is said is true, which is not only did he do it but also tamper with the evidence then he deserves every BIT of that suspension. If he did this, do you really want this guy being a ‘role model’ for kids? Him and Ryan Braun, who should have got a heck of a lot more than what he got for his suspension as well. He resorted to character assassination even though he was guilty, even before the other evidence showed up a year later…
Part of Alex Rodriguez’s Statement:
I have been clear that I did not use performance enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline, or violate the Basic Agreement or the Joint Drug Agreement in any manner, and in order to prove it I will take this fight to federal court. I am confident that when a Federal Judge reviews the entirety of the record, the hearsay testimony of a criminal whose own records demonstrate that he dealt drugs to minors, and the lack of credible evidence put forth by MLB, that the judge will find that the panel blatantly disregarded the law and facts, and will overturn the suspension. No player should have to go through what I have been dealing with, and I am exhausting all options to ensure not only that I get justice, but that players’ contracts and rights are protected through the next round of bargaining, and that the MLB investigation and arbitration process cannot be used against others in the future the way it is currently being used to unjustly punish me.
That’s his position for the press. He will put it before a judge, who will then decide whether to go against Supreme Court precedent and set aside the ruling of an arbitrator selected through a process springing from a complex collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated by both sides and with a high degree of granularity. If a judge agrees with him, he will get his money. But, and I realize you are a supporter, if A-Rod did do many of the things alleged, including buying up evidence, then if he gets a reversal, he will just be someone who beat the rap on a technicality. That’s a stain all the money in the world won’t wash away.
I’m completely with you. I’m not sure a judge is even going to HEAR this case (beyond preliminary motions); overruling a binding arbitration ruling is not something that a judge does lightly.
Looking at all the arguments here pro and con about teams policing their own players brought a question to mind. Does anybody know if when a player is acquired in any way that requires he pass a physical (free agency, trade, etc) if the physical includes a drug screening?
If I’m the Yankees I bring in garza,Jimenez and young.
If you’re the Yankees, you’ll never get under the luxury tax threshold.
Actually I’d like to see Yankees get Balfour young and either garza or Jimenez if not both…. Again very unlikely all 4
He should consider himself lucky. Just shut up Alex!
He should be thrown out of Baseball.
Tony Clarke should fire Horowitz. Bud Selig has delivered for the Yankees. The savings will make it less likely the Yankees sign anyone else since 189 is well within reach.
Boras will find a way to get Stephen Drew to the Yankees.
The best for Drew were IMO the Cardinals. If they, who’s got a loaded farm, rather take Jhonny Peralta, it says something about Drew and current value/quality of draft picks.
If the judge is a Mets fan then he is done.
With this suspension the Yankees are now at 150 mill payroll, giving them more flexibility to sign Tanaka, and maybe even a close like Grant Balfour and a 3B like Michael Young or Mark Reynolds
Its the Yankees. When do they not have the “flexibility”?
Face it, the days of Alex Rodriguez as the face of Major League Baseball are over. Time to concentrate of the brilliant play of guys like Mike Trout, Yasiel Puig and Bryce Harper! Baseball is in good hands!
If Alex wants to play any more baseball after 2014, he better buy a first basemen’s glove. His knees and hips can’t handle a full season at Third. And kiss the Yanks goodbye.
He is on the fast track to becoming the most hated player in the history of baseball. I hope he fights this in every legal court he can, blows his entire estate on lawyer fees and ends up broke and out of baseball forever.
This was lose lose scenario for most MLB fans, in my opinion. The average fan dislikes Arod. The average fan dislikes Bud Selig. I dont trust Arod. I dont trust Bud. I would like to go a season without PEDs being the main focus point.
Lets focus on Trout, Harper, Puig, and all the young up and coming talent for the future.
This is terrible because it should have been doubled not reduced. It doesn’t matter he’ll never play again … More importantly he’ll never be in the hof.
I’m not a fan of A-roid in the least but I find it amzing how the yankee’s did everything they could to not pay him the money.. not only would he earn 28mm a year but also $30m in marketing bonuses for HR milestones from 660 HR to 763HR