TAMPA — Despite a looming suspension, A-Rod is putting up a strong public front.
Alex Rodriguez gave a small group of reporters a thumbs-up and a large grin as he drove past following a brief workout to rehab his strained left quadriceps muscle yesterday at Steinbrenner Field.
His current predicament, however, is no laughing matter.
The embattled slugger, who has not played for the Yankees this year after offseason left hip surgery, could soon be handed a suspension for the rest of this season and all of next season as there are strong indications Major League Baseball will announce penalties in the Biogenesis case this week, possibly as soon as today, The Post's Joel Sherman and Ken Davidoff reported yesterday.
FLIP ATTITUDE: Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, his MLB suspension imminent, continued light on-field workouts in Tampa, then smiled to reporters on the way out yesterday.
It has been baseball's plan to announce simultaneously the suspensions of the 15-plus players who are believed to be facing penalties in the performance-enhancing drug case. The league went ahead with the suspension of Brewers slugger Ryan Braun only because he agreed to accept a penalty of 65 games without an appeal.
Rodriguez's representatives met with MLB officials last week, sources told The Post, to get a better understanding of the penalties Rodriguez could be facing. However, a member of Rodriguez's camp said it is "unequivocally untrue" that Rodriguez is seeking a settlement.
It is believed Rodriguez's punishment will surpass Braun's. MLB believes it has more evidence against A-Rod than it did against Braun, and also thinks A-Rod obstructed the investigation.
A lifetime ban seems unlikely, because Rodriguez has not been suspended previously in his career, though commissioner Bud Selig could ask for one knowing an arbitrator — if Rodriguez appealed the suspension — would lower it to an acceptable length.
As a way to levy a sanction that would not be reduced, there is the belief that Selig will request the rest of this year and all of next year. That could, in effect, end Rodriguez's playing career as it would seem far-fetched a player in deteriorating health could not play this season or next and come back in 2015.
Rodriguez is owed $61 million from 2015-17, which might be a reason for him to accept such a penalty, protecting the future salary.
For now, Rodriguez still is working to rejoin the Yankees. He hit off a tee and took soft toss in the bowels of Steinbrenner Field before playing catch and taking ground balls in a stationary position in the rain-soaked outfield — similar to the light baseball drills he went through on Saturday, his 38th birthday, at the Yankees' minor league complex.
The plan for Rodriguez, general manager Brian Cashman has said, is to play in a simulated or minor league game on Thursday. If Rodriguez appeals the suspension that is expected this week, he can keep playing until his appeal is heard.
It has been an eventful week for Rodriguez, who has clashed with the Yankees over his quad, releasing a statement that he was ready to join the team on Friday and sending his MRI results to Hackensack University Medical Center orthopedist Michael Gross (who touted Rodriguez's good health) without the Yankees' knowledge. Rodriguez also went on WFAN without the team's consent, and when asked whether he trusts the Yankees, said, "I'd rather not get into that."
Cashman shot back on Friday, challenging Rodriguez to file a grievance regarding his quad, which he has yet to do.
Rodriguez, alas, has not acted like a healthy player with two extremely light workouts that cast doubt on his readiness to play on Thursday.
But, as it turns out, that may not matter. Rodriguez has bigger problems that his health.
zbraziller@nypost.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment