TEARS OF A CLOWN

People want this all over.  They want Alex Rodriguez gone. Alex says let's end this and just when you thought a suspension would come down... nothing yet.  Now Alex says he wants to be in uniform on Friday night.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale writes HERE,  "Alex Rodriguez said... he wants to immediately end his feud with the New York Yankees and suit up Friday night when they return home at Yankee Stadium. 'I think the Yankees and I crossed signals,' Rodriguez said in a statement sent to USA TODAY Sports and other news outlets. 'I don't want any more mix-ups. I'm excited and ready to play and help this team win a championship... I feel great and I'm ready and want to be in the lineup Friday night... Enough doctors, let's play.'''

It's really not that simple.  There are many factors involved here. If Alex comes back, the Yankees have to pay him.  If he's suspended, they don't. I'm trying to make it as simple I can to understand because it's much more complicated than that, but that is it in a nutshell.  The biggest thing though is the Yankees doctor's claim that Alex has a quad strain and they don't want to play him yet. Alex, and "his" doctor says there isn't a strain... and he's ready.

One problem, Alex's doctor, Dr. Michael Gross, is apparently under investigation.  According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN, who I feel like digs up everything bad about the Yankees (and he does a good job doing it), "A doctor who disputed the interpretation of an MRI showing that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had a quad strain was previously reprimanded by the state of New Jersey in February for not properly supervising an unlicensed employee."

The doctor Marchand writes about it Dr. Gross.  So, of all the doctor's in all the world to get a second opinion from, Alex finds the one that's being investigated. I mean, the dude would have had better luck Googling anyone else. Come on.   Everyone has said Alex was an amazing ball player in his time, but no one said he was smart. This is getting dirty now.

USA Today says this whole thing broke down was like this:

"The Yankees, according to a high-ranking official told USA TODAY Sports that Rodriguez telephoned Levine at 11 p.m. Tuesday, but said that Rodriguez told him that he already sought a second opinion.  Levine, according to the official who was unauthorized to speak publicly, said that Levine asked Rodriguez the name of the doctor. Rodriguez refused to answer, the person said. When Gross publicly conveyed that he was the doctor who examined Rodriguez's MRI, Levine and Yankees GM Brian Cashman telephoned Gross at his New Jersey office, the person said, but that Gross refused to take their calls."

It's clear, the Yankees hate Alex Rodriguez and the circus he has brought with him and Alex wants the money he's owed in his contract... that's why he wants to play.  The Yankees are most likely working in concert with Major League Baseball, and perhaps the Players' Union as we speak, to try and prevent Alex from playing and time a suspension. And look, that is MY opinion, because this would be the biggest fish EVER and will set the tone for how the landscape of PEDs and baseball changes. It will also ensure that Bug Selig did "everything" he could to clean up the sport, before he leaves as commissioner.  

Finally let me say this... stop telling me that Alex Rodriguez swindled the Yankees signing a $100 million dollar contract.  It's stupid.  The Yankees wanted that deal done because they thought Alex would be the next all-time home run king.  They rolled the dice and were wrong... that's business and it was a bad business deal... get over it.  Sure, Alex destroyed his body with whatever he put into it, or not, but when this deal was signed... everyone knew he was the best baseball player money could buy.   It is what it is... and if the Yankees can figure out a way to save some money on this bad investment knowing what we know now, so be it.  But remember, in business it takes 2 to tango... Alex and the Yankees tangoed.  That's it.

One more thing... I am not rooting for ARod's demise... I am saddened by it.  My son is crushed and looking for new heroes, only to question if these new "heroes" are also "users." Do you know what this environment does to a child who wants to play baseball professionally some day? If you want to know... ask my son, who just wants answers and is confused beyond belief by this entire mess. I hate seeing it... but hopefully he's strong enough to understand right from wrong... one can only hope as a parent.

Remember something, for a 10 year old, a hero or role model is a ball player or a movie star... not a parent.  Sure, Overtime parents become role models, but not yet.  And that's all I want these athletes to realize... they're role models, whether they like it or not... so start acting like it...that's all.

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