Major League Baseball is expected to take a huge leap today toward safeguarding the integrity of the game — as the New York Yankees, and their fans, begin to contemplate life without Alex Rodriguez.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig appears set to announce suspensions of about a dozen players for their use of performing-enhancing drugs. Most will receive 50-game bans, but the biggest hammer will come down on Rodriguez — who is likely to be barred the remainder of this season and all of 2014.
That would keep him off the field for more than 210 games, the longest stretch in the steroid era. And it might mean a sad final ending to a sensational career for Rodriguez, who’d be 40 when the ban ends.
Selig has no choice. MLB reportedly has evidence that, besides using PEDs, A-Rod helped other players get them and conspired to block the league’s probe of the matter. And use of PEDs has cast a cloud over baseball for years. Fans wonder if the top players cheated to get ahead. Major records are questioned. Players who don’t resort to PEDs face an unfair advantage.
All of which erodes confidence in the fairness of the game, undermining its public appeal. Even the players union now sees this.
Sure, the Yankees will miss the 647-home-run hitter’s bat. But a ban will likely save them money from his sky-high salary. That can now be put to use elsewhere for 2014.
As for Alex Rodriguez, shed no tears. In 2009, he admitted that he had used steroids while with the Texas Rangers, between 2001 and 2003. Now, it seems, he continued to cheat over the past few years as well. His actions have hurt his team, his fans and the game. He deserves what he gets.
Then again, these days, cheating and misbehavior seem to be a prerequisite for electoral politics.
Who knows? Maybe he’ll run for office.