Report: A-Rod, Braun and others may consider plea deal with MLB

According to Bill Madden and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News, Alex Rodriguez's legal team is internally discussing a possible plea deal in the wake of Friday's interview with MLB's investigators regarding the ongoing Biogenesis scandal. It is believed the league broached the subject of settlements during their meetings with Ryan Braun and other players as well.

From the Daily News report:

According to the sources, a 150-game suspension might be the best that could be expected for Rodriguez, who is rehabbing from hip surgery with high Single-A Tampa and was chastised by the Yankees Saturday for failing to report to the team's complex for Friday night's game following a four-and-a-half hour meeting with MLB officials who outlined their case against him.

According to another source, Rodriguez's meeting with MLB ended at about 4 p.m., and a clearly shaken Rodriguez then met with MLB Players Association reps for an hour and a half to discuss what had been outlined by MLB officials. When Rodriguez didn't show up at the Yankee complex, GM Brian Cashman then tried to reach the three-time AL MVP, who told him that he “just couldn't make it.”

Meanwhile, an A-Rod spokesman told The News Saturday night in reference to a possible plea deal that “nobody from Alex's team has made any such comments, and as we have said before, we are respecting the process and following the procedures as outlined in the joint agreement."

Under the Joint Drug Agreement, players are suspended 50 games for their first violation, 100 games for the second, and a lifetime ban for the third. A 150-game suspension is not specified in the agreement.

The Daily News coverage alleges that MLB, who is working with Biogenesis chief Anthony Bosch, has extensive evidence -- including testimony from Bosch -- that A-Rod "committed multiple violations of the Joint Drug Agreement, including acquiring performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch for several years."

“I can see a scenario where if they've got multiple offenses (against A-Rod) that rather than going for his career with an arbitrator, baseball might settle on something like 150 games,” said one of the Daily News' sources. Another said: "The bottom line is (MLB) wants these guys out of the game ... In (A-Rod's) case, 150 games would sufficiently accomplish that.”

Rodriguez, 37, is working his way back from offseason left hip surgery and has not played this year. He is currently on a minor league rehab assignment that expires one week from Monday. No player is paid during a drug-related suspension. A-Rod still has four years and nearly $100 million remaining on his contract after this season.

Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic in South Florida, has been under investigation by MLB for potential ties to performance-enhancing drugs. Bosch agreed to cooperate with the investigation after being threatened with a lawsuit.


(cbssports.com)