Though Alex Rodriguez was handed a monster ban by MLB commissioner Bud Selig, Rodriguez, unlike any other players caught up in the Biogenesis scandal, chose to appeal his suspension and played for the rest of the year, mostly to loud booing or complete silence.
Rodriguez is now ready to make what could be his final stand. He showed up at MLB's offices on Park Ave. this week to make his case, and was greeted by several supporters protesting his suspension.
Many speculated what A-Rod's defense could possibly be, particularly given the lack of fight from any other players. Would he challenge the length of his suspension because he hasn't failed a test since 2003? Was his name conveniently tied in to the scandal because of his prior mishaps?
No, the answer is far more simple. In fact, it's the oldest excuse in the book, used by anyone from Roger Clemens to Barry Bonds: I didn't know what I was taking.
According to a source with knowledge of Rodriguez’s ongoing arbitration hearings, the embattled Yankee and his lawyers have presented a case based partly on the idea that Rodriguez believed the substances he procured from the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic were innocent legal supplements.
This excuse didn't work for Clemens or Bonds in the long-run, and the report says it isn't likely to work for Rodriguez.
Oh, and those protestors defending him? Turns out they were paid by an associate of Rodriguez's.
Do better.
