Because, as of this moment, the career of Alex Rodriguez is basically over. No, he hasn't decided to retire just yet, but when a story broke on Tuesday with damning information that Rodriguez had acquired PEDs from Anthony Bosch, and his "BALCO of the East coast," Biogenesis, Rodriguez's credibility came tumbling down yet again.
In a career that has been marred with steroids, front page and back page embarrassment, infidelity, pictures of him with dozens of women not named his wife, and of course not to mention a reputation as the most un-clutch postseason performer in baseball history, Rodriguez finally got TKO'd in the 12th round.
And this time the Yankees have had enough.
According to the report Rodriguez began acquiring steroids from Bosch in 2009, paying him as much as $3,500 for HGH. He was named 16 times in Bosch's notebooks for purchasing drugs to enhance his performance; A-Rod even had his cousin Yuri Sucart buy steroids for him from Bosch. Sucart was banned from the Yankees facilities back in 2009, but according to notebooks, Rodriguez was a Bosch client through last season. Plus, A-Rod was Bosch's favorite client according to the report from the Miami New Times. By the way, Rodriguez had his best postseason as a Yankee in 2009 when he hit .365 with six homers and 18 RBI as the Bronx Bombers won the World Series. Coincidence?
This is a big revelation. During his tumultuous stay with the Texas Rangers, a time where he made it be known he didn't enjoy being "the face" of the Texas Rangers after spending the better part of his early career in the shadow of Ken Griffy Jr. up in Seattle, Rodriguez was an admitted steroid user from 2001-2003.
Now it appears that Rodriguez has been using steroids during his rocky stay in New York.
With five years and $114 million left on his contract, the Yankees desperately want to find a way out of the contract. That is easier said than done. According to the rules provided by MLB, the Yankees nor any other team can impose a punishment greater than the mandatory 50-game ban for first time offenders. Plus the Yankees failure to do something back in '09 when A-Rod was just a year into a brand new 10-year $275 million extension, after he admitted steroid use, could hurt the Yankees chances of trying to release him.
This is the mistake the Yankees made when the decided to keep Rodriguez after his public opt out in 2007 when he announced his intentions during that year's World Series to test free agency. The Yankees decided to award A-Rod with a mega contract, thinking that he would be on the precipice of history by breaking numerous offensive records, because he hit 54 homers and drove in 156 that year.
They let their dreams delude them when the tea leaves told them to move on. Up through 2007 A-Rod was a total bust in the postseason. Drawing the hatred of Yankee fans everywhere, nobody came up smaller when it mattered the most than Rodriguez during his first four years in New York. The Yankees should have let him walk when he opted out. Hindsight of course is 20/20.
Now the Yankees are stuck with a player who is not only a total liar and cheat, but a guy who is breaking down. Rodriguez had hip surgery this month and is likely lost for the entire 2013 season. If Rodriguez were to miss this season, and not return until 2014 he could face a 50-game suspension, meaning he won't be on the field again until June of 2014 at the earliest.
Look for the Yankees to at the very least try to withhold Rodriguez's salary if he is to be out for the next year and a half. There are no restrictions on a team from taking financial action against a player who is either injured or facing legal proceedings. The only difference is the Yankees can't just cut him loose.
If Rodriguez has any self respect left in his humiliating career, he should walk into the sunset and never be seen from again. He is a total disgrace not only to the Yankees but to baseball. He joins a select group of super-star athletes who made monkeys out of Major League Baseball, the press and the fans by cheating on the game with PEDs.
If there were any doubt about Rodriguez's Hall of Fame chances, they are almost certainly dashed now. He will have almost zero shot of getting into the Hall at this point, since his compeers Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are having a very difficult time swinging votes from the baseball writers for the prestigious honor, and may never get in.
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