Gomes: 'Doesn't Make Sense' A-Rod Can Play During Appeal
BOSTON (CBS) - Major League Baseball suspended Alex Rodriguez for 211 games on Monday for his involvement in the Biogensis scandal, but the third baseman is appealing the ban and will be allowed to suit up for the Yankees while that process plays out.
That has a few players around the baseball upset, including Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes.
"I don't think so, to tell you the truth," Gomes replied when asked if it's right that Rodriguez can play during his appeal, according to CSNNE.com. "I can imagine being the pitcher, just knowing this guy is on or has done steroids. That's not an equal battle right there. I don't know how that would really work out. Good thing I don't pitch. It doesn't make much sense that he's still playing."
Rodriguez's appeal won't likely be heard for another month -- at the earliest. He was one of 13 players suspended by MLB for PED use on Monday, though the 12 others were only banned for 50 games. Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig hit A-Rod with a 211 game ban "based on his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including Testosterone and human Growth Hormone, over the course of multiple years."
The MLB Players Union is backing Rodriguez in his appeal, another aspect of the situation that Gomes finds bothersome.
"A little bit," Gomes said. "Because we do pay dues that go to our union that pay for our union guys to battle for our insurance and our pension and travel around and make sure we're doing OK. That's where our dues go. So I hope our dues don't go to his lawyer fees by any means. I don't know -- I think there's still so much info we don't know about all that."
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Gomes did say that Monday was a positive day for baseball, but further actions should be taken.
"What's happening today is what they wanted to happen, so its good. But I think we need to… do we want to catch people or stop people from doing it?" Gomes told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller. "That comes with the penalties. The penalty for speeding isn't too high; we're still going to speed on the highway. But there are other penalties that will stop you from doing it."
So would he be for harsher penalties for PED users? There's no question about it.
"It wouldn't affect me, so yeah," said Gomes.
