The Pennants Are Flying, As Is The Trash, And Apparently There Is A Team In Houston

[flyfisher]

Problem is you can't really go to a regular court because all kinds of anti-trust laws and the like are broken but that is where the union and the MLBPAA comes in to play.   I am not sure what other recourse they have since the suspension has already been reduced once but i guess you never know.  I think this penalty/suspension is so extreme not only because of what he did but also because he hindered the investigation and managed to skirt punishment many many times.  Not to mention the black eye he put on the sport with all his straight out lying, apologizing....rinse and repeat.

 

I do think you are right though, why wouldn't he play.  As long as he is not retired he will get his money.

[deaknh03]

Problem is you can't really go to a regular court because all kinds of anti-trust laws and the like are broken but that is where the union and the MLBPAA comes in to play.   I am not sure what other recourse they have since the suspension has already been reduced once but i guess you never know.  I think this penalty/suspension is so extreme not only because of what he did but also because he hindered the investigation and managed to skirt punishment many many times.  Not to mention the black eye he put on the sport with all his straight out lying, apologizing....rinse and repeat.

 

I do think you are right though, why wouldn't he play.  As long as he is not retired he will get his money.

I think the union dislikes him as well, he has lied and they know it, but for the sheer fact that anything dealt to him ultimately affects the rest of the players for years to come, will have the union on his side. I do think it will end up in court, he will sue MLB, essentially the owners as a whole, and most likely win. Nothing brought against him would hold up as evidence in a court, it's a lot of he said she said, the she being alex.

[deaknh03]

and if he comes back to try to play in 2 seasons from now, the Yankees pay him his contract and let him sit on the beach.

[flyfisher]

I have heard and read that arbitration based decisions are hard to overturn, basically the courts feel like it is a waste of their time.  You are right though, it seems like a lot of back and forth but i have no clue about the hard evidence but it must be pretty good to hand out this type of suspension.

 

I hope he retires and then when he is eligible for the hall of fame he doesn't get the required votes to be on the ballot the next year and we never see him again....it just burns me up that he was caught, then went around and talked to kids about not doing PEDs and was using at the same time and lying about it, again....

[deaknh03]

I have a different train of thought. I think players from the roid era need to be voted on by their numbers, and if and when they get in the hall, the general public is smart enough to understand what they did. My reasons are because so many players were doing it, it's impossible to differentiate if and who was actually doing it, for example the guys pitching to Bonds were on it, so wouldnt that even the field? Also the owners, MLB in essence, knew these players were doing it, and basically condoned it, and now they try to make the players out to be the bad guy? Steroids were along way before the big boom of players taking it in the mid 80s-late 90s, players were taking it as far back as the early 70s, just not as widespread. Vote them in based on their stats, just like the rest of baseball history, and let the fans make their own judgements. There is plenty of losers in the morals dept in the hall, lets not be high and mighty now.

[flyfisher]

I see that side of the equation but to me if you are a confirmed cheater then you shouldn't be in.  There are a lot of people who think the HOF is a representation of the league and these players should be included but i for one don't feel they deserve it, especially repeat offenders after the ban was in place, like for a guy like A-rod.  And technically while it wasn't rested for it was still illegal

[Jigfishn10]

You know, I've been flip flopping on the roid/HOF issue for a while and the only terms I can come up with is that they should not be in the HOF. Believe me, I love watching baseball, playing baseball and coaching my 9 year old son for 4 years. For much of the roid error, it was entertaining as all H3LL and as a fan, it was great to watch, but then you put the element of kids trying to emulate their "heros" and that's what does for me. It's hard to talk to a bunch of youngsters who ask questions about "why didn't so and so get in the HOF?" 

 

After coaching these kids last season, who try and mimic - you name him - batting stance, to get them to bat the way they feel natural and free swing as they should be, the kids are just way too impressionable at this stage in their baseball experience to make excuses that "A-Rod did it this way, why can't I?" There are far too many health issues to consider after your baseball life.

 

If A-Rod really wants to help, leave baseball and quietly go away. He would help a lot of young kids now by getting out of the spot light. JMO

[deaknh03]

You know, I've been flip flopping on the roid/HOF issue for a while and the only terms I can come up with is that they should not be in the HOF. Believe me, I love watching baseball, playing baseball and coaching my 9 year old son for 4 years. For much of the roid error, it was entertaining as all H3LL and as a fan, it was great to watch, but then you put the element of kids trying to emulate their "heros" and that's what does for me. It's hard to talk to a bunch of youngsters who ask questions about "why didn't so and so get in the HOF?" 

 

After coaching these kids last season, who try and mimic - you name him - batting stance, to get them to bat the way they feel natural and free swing as they should be, the kids are just way too impressionable at this stage in their baseball experience to make excuses that "A-Rod did it this way, why can't I?" There are far too many health issues to consider after your baseball life.

 

If A-Rod really wants to help, leave baseball and quietly go away. He would help a lot of young kids now by getting out of the spot light. JMO

Children need to be taught by their parents about right and wrong, not baseball players, they are NOT role models.

[Jigfishn10]

Children need to be taught by their parents about right and wrong, not baseball players, they are NOT role models.

 

Can't argue with you there Derrick, but when they hit 18, it's hard to preach to them. They're free to make they're own decisions. I'm sure a bunch of these players were taught by their parents right from wrong and made bad decisions. H3LL, I still make bad decisions and my father admits to it as well. We're human.

[deaknh03]

Yes but because you, john, make a bad decision, bonds shouldnt be in the hall? How are your choices their fault?

[flyfisher]

I totally agree that parents should be role models and for the most part they are but if you are trying to be an athlete yo hare going to look up to those players unless of course your dad played pro ball.

 

It's a tough one for sure and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out because so far, the majority of the rood era people are not getting nearly the amount of votes.

 

Bonds is a tricky one though because he has never been proven to be dirty but all indications are that he was...which is sad because he was truly HOF worthy prior to this whole PED explosion.

[Jigfishn10]

I agree with you flyfisher, Bonds didn't need to get on the junk to be a HOF'er and I would put Clemens and, yes, Alex Rodriguez in that category. Those guys just needed to play the game and the numbers would have just accumilated for them for HOF credentials.

[flyfisher]

Clemens yes A rod....i don't know because he was dirty in texas and then with the yankees so i find it hard to believe he didn't in seattle too.

[Jigfishn10]

You may be right flyfisher, A-Rod could have started the juice in a contract year or he got on the juice in Texas to live up to the contract. I thought he explained that in his "public" interview on TV, but you never know. I'll give you that.

[flyfisher]

Yeah i take what he says as pretty much worthless.  He has been caught lying so many times there is nothing that he says i find to be valid....much like Braun.

[Jigfishn10]

At least Braun is some-what apologetic

[flyfisher]

At least Braun is some-what apologetic

no he wasn't...he only did that after he was busted again...

 

Another opinion on the whole arbitration piece...

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10278552/a-rod-faces-difficult-road-getting-mlb-suspension-overturned-federal-court

[MCS]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/arbitrator-rules-alex-rodriguez-to-be-suspended-for-2014-season?ymd=20140109&content_id=66433260&vkey=news_mlb

You know the Yankees are happy to not have to pay the salary....now the question is given his age is in reality a lifetime ban??

To answer you question yes it is a lifetime ban. He will go out like bonds, especially after this mess. No one wants this kinda of drama on a team.

And while they are not role models for life, I remember being a kid setting my stance up like Cal, kids see how they play the game and think it is the right way to go about it. Their dad didnt play ball why listen to him any how.

That's just my two cents.

[flyfisher]

To answer you question yes it is a lifetime ban. He will go out like bonds, especially after this mess. No one wants this kinda of drama on a team.

And while they are not role models for life, I remember being a kid setting my stance up like Cal, kids see how they play the game and think it is the right way to go about it. Their dad didnt play ball why listen to him any how.

That's just my two cents.

At least you picked one of the classiest guys in all of sports

[Jigfishn10]

Man, the Yankees got Tanaka yesterday, did they ever stack up this off-season!? Robinson who?

[flyfisher]

Losing Cano is going to be bigger than they think....losing grandersen doesn't help either

[MCS]

Man, the Yankees got Tanaka yesterday, did they ever stack up this off-season!? Robinson who?

Starting second baseman Brian Roberts lol perfect compliment to tex how many games you think that right side will play together my guess is 1 opening day lmao. They don't know who's at 3 yet. Kelly Johnson and that utility guy....they look real stacked lol of course you could go the O's route and announce a signing only to back out repeatedly makes it real enticing for other FAs to attempt to join your ball club. And while the O's are giving out physicals why not get rid of that bum remimold lol he join Roberts up there in ny

[MCS]

Man, the Yankees got Tanaka yesterday, did they ever stack up this off-season!? Robinson who?

BoSox 2014! Their division to lose buddy. Time to put a string of rings together

[flyfisher]

I am amzaed and sooo thankful the Phillies have such an awesome GM in Amaro....i mean first they signed Marlon Byrd and now Abreu!!!

World Series in 2014!!! 

[deaknh03]

I am amzaed and sooo thankful the Phillies have such an awesome GM in Amaro....i mean first they signed Marlon Byrd and now Abreu!!!

World Series in 2014!!!

I heard they're looking at signing greg luzinski to add some pop to the lineup.