I hope they don't come to terms and MLB just goes after the lifetime ban... an example needs to be made... http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9530007/sources-mlb-alex-rodriguez-far-apart-suspension-settlement
Enough is enough already. Announce the suspensions and hit Arod with the lifetime ban. He can then go ahead and fight it.
One thing is for sure, we know he has the money to fight it. I am tired of his arrogance and he forgets that nobody is bigger than the game. Suspend him Bud now, allow for the legal process to figure it out, if he is innocent time will tell. But end this chapter now, and while I'm dreaming, Take the 30million from the rest of this year and next and use it toward a settlement on the remaining 3 years if the ban is this year and next. If the Yankees stand for anything any longer, it is who gets the privilege to wear pinstrips.
Lets be serious though if he is suspended for the rest of this season & all of next approx 220 games (w/o pay) That means he'll be coming back in 2015 as a 40 year old who hasn't played a professional game in over 2 1/2 years. Its going to be painful watching this bum make 20M+ for doing very little.
Every waking day I check on this situation and hear they look to get something done by a target day which changes every day. I was surprised at Showalters comments and more so by those of Stephen A. Smith saying the Yankees should pay up because they issued the contract. Bunko. I am tired of hearing about these players missing out on a pennant race, tough, by doing what they did they chose themselves over their teams. I'm sure there are a lot of fans out there tired of this BS and are on the fringe of walking out if this situation is not handled soon.
I'm kind of surprised that there can be "talks", just give him the games and say take it or you're out.
Man, is MLB losing in a game of chicken? Selig is an absolute joke. Part of me hopes that this is Arod's camp calling a bluff, though the fact that they've even attempted to negotiate admits a degree guilt.
First, the pressure is on Arod to decide. The ball is in his court. If any of you have ever been involved with contract negotiations where there is a union involved, the process by default takes time. MLB I feel, is also trying to engage the Union simultaneously as well as with Arod's legion of lawyers. MLB wants to be sure that they have the Unions blessing in so much that they and the union look like co-prosecutors to future PED violators and that they can no long use PED's and then have the union leverage MLB on the players behald to salvage future earnings. This will in my opinion set the precedents for all future suspensions in the years that follow thus the lets get it right mentality. At the same time, MLB wants to be sure to not look Machiavellian in its pursuit of Arod so that MLB wins in the court of public opinion also. The strategy in these type of negotiations is not to be the first to flinch. I believe MLB has said this "We heard that as of last night, your legal team has walked away from the table. Our offer is still the same, the suspension we discussed with your legal team will not change, however MLB will give you an additional 72 hours (the weekend) so that your camp can make one final decision. By doing this, it pits Arod against in legions of attorneys, who by ego alone are praying for him to fight it, this is how they get paid, make careers, good or bad. IN the end Arod has to see the wisdom of not risking a lifetime ban, not forfeiting the larger portion of 100 million, and try to salvage whatever amount of dignity he could possible have left. Otherwise he becomes this decades Jose Conseco, a circus act....
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 MLB dealing with multiple players, multiple lawyers, multiple teams, union, evidence and gears not moving fast as at least public hopes
