Michael Weiner held the MLBPA All-Star press conference today, and told reporters the 50-100-lifetime suspension protocol does not apply to the Biogenesis investigation. Suspensions would fall under the commissioner’s “just cause” discretion.
Mike Weiner says the Players involved in Biogenesis not bound by drug agreement and could get 5 game suspensions or even 500 games
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 16, 2013
As Wendy Thurm notes:
That’s good news for a player who’s never tested positive for PES but who’s name shows up on some Biogenesis documents. Maybe he only gets a five or ten game suspension because there’s only circumstantial evidence. But it could be bad news for others, like Alex Rodriguez, who are reported to have had a long-standing relationship with Tony Bosch and Biogenesis. If the league develops evidence of pervasive use or possession by A-Rod, it could seek much harsher penalties, even if they fall short of a lifetime ban.
This gets more interesting all the time.
I’m not sure Weiner was fully endorsing that interpretation. At least in the article I saw, he was quoted as saying “That’s the theory.” Given the clear language of the CBA to the contrary, I can’t believe the Union would continue to hold that position — and even if the Union did, any individual player’s lawyer surely would not agree.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-doping-case-could-months-resolve-202211009.html
I am shocked Wiener is conceding to Buds interpretation. This is certainly not the intent of the JDA the players agreed to. Weiner is either too sick or has to cozy a relationship with Bud to represent the players. Time for him to step down-NOW.
[2] I agree.
And I agree with David that it’s getting “interesting”. If Selig goes through with what he’s threatening, it’s almost guaranteed that he’ll be in court. He can’t be confident that he’ll win. So he must be relishing a legal fight, just for the muscle-flexing publicity of it.
Dickhead.