Friday, October 18, 2013

Fair trial for A-Rod?

As I’m sure everybody knows, Alex Rodriguez’s arbitration hearing continues in New York with him appealing against the 211 game suspension handed down to him by MLB.

Like a lot of Yankees fans, I would like to know exactly what evidence MLB have on A-Rod and how they justify his suspension being 211 games (I know it was the number of games remaining in the 2013 regular season and all of 2014 season but I want the actual reasons for why it is so long). On the face of it, A-Rod is a first time offender under the MLB drug scheme. If MLB are claiming obstruction of their investigation and coercion of other players then there are 2 issues:

1) What proof is there? How substantial and reliable is it? 
2) Since a situation like this has not been legislated for, who has decided on the term?

Sure, it seemed like a nice number at the time, taking A-Rod out for the rest of the season and all of next but if it is upheld, then surely it would now have an impact on his 2015 season, such as it may be, which seems a bit harsh. If he is going to face a suspension in the realms of this amount of games, surely missing an entire season would be punishment enough? Again though, I come back to the fact that A-Rod is a FIRST TIME offender (assuming they even solid enough evidence to back this up).

I’ll admit, when this first came out, I was shocked and believed that if all of the allegations were true, then A-Rod should have the book thrown at him. Initially, I would probably have backed a full lifetime exclusion from the game. BUT, when I actually sat back and looked at it in the cold light of day, rather than the harsh bright lights of the media, I thought to myself, “Why is A-Rod being treated SO MUCH differently to others?”

This smacks of a vendetta by MLB to get rid of a player who, admittedly, can be prickly and kind of arrogant. A-Rod has always been a polarising figure in baseball, who in England we would describe as being like Marmite – you either love him or you hate him. No matter what you think about him as a person, he is a stand out player. Ok, so the Yankees may have made a mistake on his 10 year contract but that’s hardly his fault – he wanted a long term deal and to be paid well for his abilities. Because, he does not always conform to how MLB want him to behave, they now appear to be taking issue with this. From what I have heard, there is a good deal of delving into A-Rod’s personal affairs in the appeal hearing, which I know is a standard legal practice in order to attempt to sway the decision maker (Judge, jury or in this case Fredric Horowitz) one way or the other. It just does not seem right though to be dragging this up; it has little to do with the case, apart from seemingly trying to discredit A-Rod.

At the end of the day, if A-Rod HAS done something wrong, then he should be punished. There is no way that we can teach kids that you can get away with something, just by appealing it even if you have done wrong. The sticking point is that A-Rod should not be treated any differently to other people and he should receive a fair hearing and if it comes to it, a fair punishment. If Mr Horowitz decides that the 211 game suspension should be upheld, then I hope we are given some justification for the term. In fact, whatever the decision is, I would like it to be transparent so that we can see exactly what evidence led to it and how the punishment has been decided.

A little while ago I made the following declaration, “My name is Clive Barker, I am a New York Yankees fan and I forgive Alex Rodriguez”.

This is not something that I did lightly but as it says, I am a Yankees fan. I feel that we need to forgive A-Rod and accept that he may have messed up. Forgiving him does not mean that we condone him not being punished if he has done something wrong but it does mean that we can move on.

Ultimately, all we are asking for is that A-Rod be given a fair hearing and if it comes down to it, a fair punishment. This would be best for A-Rod, best for the Yankees, best for the fans and best for baseball, which is the key here! Baseball does not need to get dragged through the mud for singling out and discriminating against one player. This would be worse for the game than the whole steroid saga as it is a basic human right to have fair trial and fair punishment. In a way, this whole A-Rod thing, transcends baseball and comes down to fairness and doing the right thing, no matter what!

18 comments:

  1. Great Article. The sad truth is baseball (the all American sport) is being dragged through the mud. I am as guilty as the next person for reading all the trash on this, seeing personal attacks on everyone involved and the media (for headline sakes) dragging his personal life into this story when it does not belong. If he has broke rules on PED's then give him the correct punishment and move the headlines back to BASEBALL as a whole not just ARod

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    1. You, young lady and Clive are singing my song.
      I have been saying forever, it seems, that if guilty, give him the same as others got! But, some A-Rod haters think it is a crime to watch a game and have your lady feed you a handful of pop corn.
      Things such as that, don't have anything to do with baseball but, put a headline on your blog of A-Rod----------------- ! and everyone will read it.
      Fair is fair and I have not seen it from the media or many fans.
      Nice to see some objectivity once in a while.
      While he is a Yankee, I will have his back. If found guilty and is still a Yankee, I will have his back, but not be happy about it!

      28-14

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  2. Old Kenny.....this is a test, trying to get the photo up.

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    1. Your photo is up good sir, nice work. Cute kid!

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    2. Daniel...the boy, was Caspar Goodrich. Painted in 1887. The son of Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich.
      Young Caspar served as a Lieutenant, USN, 1897-1907.
      Lt. Goodrich was killed...July 1907, in a turret explosion in Cape Cod Bay.

      No history relating Caspar, to myself. I was drawn to that painting years ago. And as
      you see today, his image, and my name, are joined.

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    3. Awesome! I could tell it was a hand painted picture. At least there is a story behind yours, mine is an "original" Derek Jeter typical picture lol.

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  3. I support anyone who wears the uniform no matter what, the Yankees run that deep in my soul. If A Rod cheated, like old ranger said, he should be punished (fairly mind you) but I still support him. I supported Andy Pettitte, I supported Jason Giambi, hell I even supported Chris Stewart once or twice... A Rod is no different.

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    1. That is the Way it is in the USA....I and many others spent many years trying to make sure it would stay that way.
      Now some Yankee hater (Bud) comes along and wants to change the rules in the middle of the game. 1st=50, 2nd=100 3rd=life. We are only on the number 0.
      Media and bloggers have said A-Rod was using every where from high school to this year.
      Question; where in the heck would he ever get the money for the stuff, he was from the wrong side of the tracks. They ain't paved with gold over there...been there and got the hell out, just like A-Rod and many others did. Work at what you are good at and be the best...he did do that!
      Talent is talent, and that is his biggest sin...if guilty...he wasted the God given talent others would do anything to have. Unforgiveable!

      28-14

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    2. That is one of the biggest misconceptions about this case.

      A player can be suspended for things other than being found guilty of using a PED, which is what's happening with ARod. His alleged obstruction of MLB's investigation is another reason why his suspension is more than 50 games.

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    3. It's not a misconception, I know there is more than just a test that brought all this on. That is what started it though, using steroids. If you want to suspend him for that then go ahead but my point still stands that the 50 games should never have happened without the failed test.

      Alos we have heard no rumors of Ryan Braun obstructing anything, or really doing anything. He admitted it eventually and accepted a suspension over 50 games. Unless of course they are socking 10+ games on for the Fed Ex man's "mistake" last year

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    4. You're missing another point... You don't need a failed test to be suspended. The Joint Drug Program is a heck of a lot more than "if you test positive you get suspended 50 games for the first offense, 100 games for the second, and a lifetime ban for the 3rd."

      And if there was evidence of Braun obstructing the investigation, then you can be darn sure he would have gotten more than he did too.

      I don't have all the facts, and I never will. But neither do you. The only people that know this stuff will probably never share that knowledge. So all we can do is assume.

      I don't support MLB or Alex Rodriguez. I support the Yankees.

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    5. My point still remains the same. Why the odd numbers? Why over 60 games for Braun? Why over 200 for A Rod? Why all this and Manny Ramirez got three failed tests and never got the lifetime ban and cheated and manipulated the system?

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    6. That's the thing... we don't know, and likely never will.

      I did read that somebody with MLB laid out the reason for the 211 game ban for ARod, but it was never released. It could be all BS by Bud and MLB, but it's not like Alex is a stand-up guy that would never do something wrong.

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    7. I have never defended Alex, said he was innocent, or said he should not be punished. From day one until the day the last game is served I will only fight for the fair suspension. As a Yankees fan and someone who directly or indirectly spends money to help the Yankees and MLB I think I have the right to know what the hell is going on.

      Obviously while the trial is still going on everything has to stay hush hush, I understand that and respect that, but eventually if it does not come out I will trust the MLB and MLBPA as much as I trust the US Government... none!

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    8. Aroid will get suspended more games than the others because he tried to bribe Biogen. It will all come out eventually. A bum is a bum, a cheater is cheater, a liar is a liar.......a horse is a horse of course of course.

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  4. Say bye-bye to Aroid. Soon he'll be sleeping with the Fish.

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  5. Aroid reminds TWASP of OJ. Eventually these dopes get whats coming to them.

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  6. If you believe Aroid only took PEDS in Texas ...... then you believe that OJ didnt murder his wife... and you believe in little green apples, and that it dont rain in Indianapolis in the summertime.....

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)