Fallout From Performance-Enhancing-Drug Report Just Starting
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The fallout from a Miami New Times investigative report is just beginning as multiple players deny they had any involvement with the company Biogenesis and performance-enhancing drugs.
Biogenesis billed itself as an anti-aging clinic and has been shut down for roughly a month.
James Newmeyer always wondered about the anti-aging clinic beneath his mortgage company. All he knew for sure was the clinic attracted wealthy customers.
"Just thought it was funny there was an anti-aging clinic here," Newmeyer said. "Really nice cars - I don't know too much about cars, but Ferraris, Lamborghinis, things like that."
The biggest name on the list the New Times released was New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. The multi-time All-Star has admitted to using PEDs in the past, but claimed to have stopped in the early part of the 2000's.
But, the New Times report said the three-time American League Most Valuable Player bought human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing substances from Biogenesis from 2009-2012. Rodriguez, through his new public relations team, has denied the allegations contained in the report.
But A-Rod's denial isn't carrying much weight with baseball fans and the media covering baseball. It's also put Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees in a very tough position dealing with A-Rod and his future.
Major League Baseball is limited in what it can do to A-Rod. First, MLB must use its investigative unit to determine if there are enough facts to back up what was reported by the New Times. If the facts are found and substantiated, then MLB can act with regard to A-Rod.
The worst penalty MLB can probably hit A-Rod with at this point is a 50-game suspension, which is standard for a first-time positive test for performance enhancing drugs, even though technically A-Rod hasn't tested positive.
As for the New York Yankees, there were reports late Tuesday the team was looking into whether it could void A-Rod's contract with the team. The Yankees still owe Rodriguez $114 million over the next five years.
It was a bad contract the Yankees agreed to, but, that appears to be a far less likely outcome due to the joint drug agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. According to the JDA, a contract can't be voided for facing discipline for a PED violation.
The only other option for both Rodriguez and the Yankees is if doctors and A-Rod determine that his career is over due to his hip injuries. If that happened, roughly 85 percent of A-Rod's remaining contract would be covered by insurance.
Rodriguez was not the only MLB star implicated by the New Times report. The New Times said records from Biogenesis also listed Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, and Nelson Cruz along with Gio Gonzalez, and Yasmani Grandal.
Cabrera, Colon, and Grandal were all suspended for 50 games each last year following tests that showed the players had elevated levels of testosterone.
Gonzalez, of the Washington Nationals, posted a denial on his Twitter feed: "I've never used performance enhancing drugs of any kind and I never will, I've never met or spoken with tony Bosch or used any substance provided by him. anything said to the contrary is a lie."
Colon refused comment and Cruz's law firm denied the "allegations and inferences."
The New Times report said it obtained notes by clinic owner Anthony Bosch listing the players' names and the substances they received. Several unidentified employees and clients confirmed to the publication that the clinic distributed the substances, the paper said.
The employees said that Bosch bragged of supplying drugs to professional athletes but that they never saw the sports stars in the office.
There was no answer at Bosch's Coral Gables home just blocks from UM. The clinic's signs have been removed and the doors have been locked at what was Biogenesis. Newmeyer said Bosch is no longer welcome in the building.
"A couple weeks ago our landlord put a sheet of paper on everybody's door, "if you see this man in the building, please let us know or call the cops because he's not supposed to be there,'" Newmeyer said. "I guess they'd been evicted."
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