A-Rod officially files appeal of 211-game suspension

August 7, 2013 by Mike Axisa 11 Comments

Alex Rodriguez has officially appealed his 211-game suspension for his ties to Biogenesis, the players’ union announced. No surprise here, everyone knew this is coming. He had until tomorrow to file the appeal and can continue to play until the arbitrator makes his ruling. The Joint Drug Agreement says that’s supposed to happen within 45 days, but apparently that’s not a hard deadline and this is expected to drag on into the winter.

trr

In a word, who gives a sh*t?
- lightSABR
  
  The Yankees. The longer this appeal drags out, the more games the arbitrator can knock of the suspension while still keeping his salary off the books for all of 2014.
Kiko Jones

Question: if a decision is rendered, say, in November and he ends up getting banned for the whole 211 games, that would be all of 2014 and a third of 2015?
- Jake
  
  I actually think this will lead to arod’s suspension being reduced to 162. This way both win some. Arod gets a reduction and selig gets to ban him for a whole season for obstruction.
- trr
  
  That’s correct, Kiko.
  And the arbitrator can shorten the suspension , leave it the same, or even make it longer
Umbrelladoc

Of course, it is possible that a decision is made too late for the Yankees to count on his salary being off the books. Or putting the Yankees over 189m by reducing the suspension to 50 games.
- OldYanksFan
  
  There is a near ZERO chance he gets 50 games. It is possible he gets 100, but I think unlikely. I think he gets 150. It’s basically the whole season, but means the Yanks only get to deduct about 90% of his salary (as opposed to 100%).
Darren

I hope he wins outright, but that sounds unlikely. So, best case scenario is probably 50 games.

Mike, I assume a suspended player can’t play in minor league games. Can he participate in extended spring training or any other team activities? Simulated games?

Independent league?? With Yankees permission of course.
- radnom
  
  I hope he wins outright
  
  Why?
Kiko Jones

Don’t quote me on this but while suspended I think you can play with the minor league affiliates but no independent leagues or winter ball.

Also, if I’m not mistaken, A-Rod’s suspension is a 50/161 breakdown: the first part for PED use and the second half for obstruction. Why MLB chose 161 and not 162 is weird, but that’s how it is, supposedly.
Fezz

Does his suspension go on hold during the appeal? I’d assume his 211 games don’t begin until he starts them; so theoretically has he just pushed his suspension – if upheld – into the 2015 season now? seems like a risky thing to do as he isn’t getting any younger.