New York Yankees Rumors: MLB Might As Well Hand Alex Rodriguez a Lifetime Ban


A-Rod Suspension

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The 38-year-old third baseman for the New York Yankees has been the rumor mill headliner in the past few weeks as a result of the Biogenesis PED scandal. All of the signs point to a fast-approaching implosion for Alex Rodriguez’s career as several reports surfaced today that the MLB office plans to act swiftly and severely.

I first heard about MLB’s plans to suspend Rodriguez during a FOX Saturday afternoon baseball game. Ken Rosenthal, an MLB on FOX reporter, tweeted this around that time:

Rosenthal prefaced that tweet with another which cited multiple reliable sources for this information. Later in the day, SportsCenter tweeted out a breaking news blip stating just about the same thing as Rosenthal said. The planned suspension ought to be enforced on Monday and Rodriguez plans on appealing this ruling until the bitter end.

With this verdict being passed down from the league office, I believe that A-Rod might as well just have received a lifetime ban from baseball. In his best case scenario, it takes weeks or months to get the decision overturned via appeal, but even then, Rodriguez’s image is so tarnished in baseball fans’ eyes that he will never be trusted again.

In a medium case scenario, Rodriguez accepts his punishment like a man and sits out the end of this season and the entire 2014 season. He could then return and try to reestablish himself as a ballplayer and attempt to rebuild his character in the public eye.

Alas, more than likely, this will be a worst case scenario outcome for Rodriguez. He will likely fight this ruling to the bitter end, lose the respect of any fans who held on to faith that possibly he could be proven innocent and will either retire or try to make a futile attempt at a return in 2014. With his turning 40 years old in the middle of that season and a reputation for cheating and lying, it is unlikely any team will give the historic veteran a chance.

A lifetime ban would be a swifter and more merciful judgment for Rodriguez, but either way, A-Rod might have played his last games in MLB this season.

Isaac Comelli is a Los Angeles Dodgers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @IsaacComelli, “Like” him on Facebook or follow him on Google+.


Around the Web

ZergNet
Partner with USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties
=