On A-Rod and Cheating

Wallace Matthews, reporting earlier this week for ESPN New York:

For the first time since the next potential court battle involving Alex Rodriguez became public, a New York Yankees official has gone on record confirming that the club has no intention of paying the controversial slugger a $6 million bonus for hitting his 660th home run.

“We have the right but not the obligation to do something, and that’s it,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman before Saturday’s Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park. “We’re going to follow the contract as we follow all contracts, so there is no dispute, from our perspective.”

In other words, in the Yankees’ interpretation of the contract, they are under no obligation to pay off on a deal they feel is no longer valid due to Rodriguez’s 162-game suspension for drug violations last year.

On Twitter, people are asking how I square criticism of Brady and the Patriots with my rooting for Alex Rodriguez. It’s true, I am rooting for A-Rod now that he’s back. But, I’ll forever be disappointed and embarrassed by his cheating with PEDs. I wish he’d never done it. It will forever taint his personal accomplishments and the success the team had while he played. He’s emerged from suspension a tragic figure, who I would argue is getting exactly what he deserves.

I don’t expect Patriot fans not to root for Brady next year. But I do think they should also forever be disappointed in him for this.

Also, to be clear, I consider PED abuse to be a far more significant offense than ball-doctoring.

★ Thursday, 7 May 2015