Alex Rodriguez Suspension Looming – Baseball Theorists Think Quad Injury is Exaggerated
Former MLB poster child and New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez could be the next big name star suspended for PED use after Ryan Braun's Biogenesis involvement admission yesterday. However, Rodriguez could perhaps avoid suspension with a number a crafty movies according to baseball "conspiracy theorists."
The Yankees third baseman made an appearance on New York sports station WFAN last week, where he told host Mike Francesca that he expected to be back yesterday, which would mean his rehab assignment was successful.
However, the ball player felt a tug on his left leg while playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, and was flown back to New York for tests.
It was then that he was diagnosed to a mild quadriceps strain.
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The Yankees will have to petition the league for more rehab time because he is past his allotted amount, so for now he will be on the disabled list.
Being on the DL brings up a number of possibilities. It appears A-Rod could just be days or even moments away from some sort of suspension by the MLB. Therefore, he will be barred with out pay for what some are saying 100 games or more.
Rodriguez is a second time offender of banned substances may already feel his chances of credibility and the Hall of Fame are over, so all he has left is to get paid what he is owed, $114 million.
"And if A-Rod saw no way of escaping such punishment, it makes sense as well to believe he'd want to protect the $100-plus million he is still owed on his contract, and do so at all costs," wrote John Harper in the Daily News. "Essentially that means beating MLB to the punch by proving that he can't play any longer - that after his second hip surgery last winter, his body can't withstand the rigors of playing baseball on a daily basis."
"If he can make that case before a suspension becomes official, Daily News' sources say that insurance policies, either that of the Yankees' or A-Rod's personal policy, would allow him to keep all or most of the money he would otherwise lose," the article continued.
Another theory milling about is that A-Rod's injury is not as bad as it appears, and that this is the Yankees way of ridding them of Rodriguez's contract and affiliation with tarnished baseball.
"Is it possible that Rodriguez's quadriceps injury - the reported severity of which came as quite a surprise to Rodriguez - is merely part of a grand plan to fulfill the Yankees' wishes he never wear their uniform again?" said Bob Nightengale in USA Today. "Could this be evidence the Yankees need to prove that Rodriguez - who hurt his quad returning from major hip surgery in January - will never be able to physically perform at the major-league level again, permitting them to collect their insurance money and A-Rod to cash in the rest of his $114 million?"
For now, nothing is certain except Rodriguez has the support of his teammates regardless of the outcome.
"I have to support him," Yankees closer Mariano Rivera said to the Daily News after mentioning if he's caught doing wrong, he will have to accept. "He's my teammate. He's my brother. I'm not saying he did or didn't do it, but if it happens. I can't throw him in the street. He's still my brother."
