Francesa Demands A-Rod Investigation Be On The Up-And-Up
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- As far as WFAN host Mike Francesa is concerned, there is something about this Alex Rodriguez investigation that doesn't add up.
Rodriguez, who is in the process of appealing his 211-game suspension under the joint drug agreement for his ties to Biogenesis, the shuttered anti-aging clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs, wants his grievance hearing made public, yet so far baseball has not agreed.
Francesa on A-Rod investigation
However, that doesn't mean what's being discussed in front of arbitrator Fredric Horowitz isn't getting out there anyway.
"I've said this from the beginning – if A-Rod is guilty he should be punished. And that's why I think it's wrong for baseball to even not make all of this evidence public," Francesa said on the air Thursday. "You know what? Both sides dump it all out there today, to everybody. Dump out every word that has been said in that courtroom, or that arbitration hearing. Dump out every word so that baseball will stop leaking it. And the other side, countering the fact that baseball's leaked it every day, will stop leaking it.
"Throw the stuff and put it out there."
Francesa said considering the reputation baseball has for policing itself, the fans should have the right to make their own judgments of A-Rod's guilt.
"Priorities matter and the way you go about doing business matters. And baseball here, as has been brought up a million times, how many things did they do wrong in this whole investigation? How much of this investigation isn't on the up-and-up? And I think we want baseball to be on the up-and-up in this investigation. I would think so," Francesa said.
"And we want whoever is to be punished to be punished," he added.
Baseball handed down its punishment in early August after a lengthy investigation. Rodriguez's attorney, John Tacopina, accused the league of utilizing "shocking and deplorable" investigative methods.
"The things that they have done, the lines that they have crossed, the laws that they have ignored, the ethical violations that have been committed by members of the legal team," he told CNN. "It's disheartening because Major League Baseball is supposed to be the pinnacle of a sports organization in this country."
A-Rod was given his lengthy ban. Twelve other players accepted 50-game suspensions. Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun served 65 games.
Rodriguez has brushed off questions about whether he received PEDs from Biogenesis, saying he'd have the opportunity to tell his story in due time.
"Rodriguez's discipline under the joint drug prevention and treatment program is 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," MLB said in a statement on Aug. 5. "Rodriguez's discipline under the basic agreement is for attempting to cover-up his violations of the program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner's investigation."
Earlier this week, in a story first reported in Newsday, A-Rod's lawyer said the Yankees' third baseman has had no recent use of PEDs.
Rodriguez admitted in 2009 to using PEDs from 2001-03 while playing for the Texas Rangers. He was linked to the Biogenesis clinic and its operator, Anthony Bosch, in a bombshell Miami New Times report in January.
"When I did something wrong, I came forward, I admitted it," A-Rod recently said, a source told Newsday. "That should be enough for right now. People should understand that."
Rodriguez was the only player to appeal his suspension. A ruling isn't expected until well into the offseason.
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