Alex Rodriguez Biggest Name Among 13 Players Suspended

Yesterday was a day that Major League Baseball has been looking forward to for a long time now. The league made the announcement to suspend 13 total players for their use of PED's and links to Biogenesis. Biggest name on that list? That would be one Alex Rodriguez. Don't get me wrong there are some big names on this list, but Rodriguez is by far the biggest name on that list, and the one facing the stiffest punishment from baseball. Don't get me wrong, the other 12 guys suspended have an impact on their teams in some way, but Rodriguez is the biggest fish in this pond. Rodriguez was the one who was hit the hardest.

Rodriguez's suspension is the equivalent of 211 regular-season games because he has 72 hours to inform baseball that he will appeal. Rodriguez will be allowed to play until his appeal is heard. This process could drag out until the middle of September and carry over until April of 2015. Now there is a lot to get into here with this whole thing. First off is why is Rodriguez even considering trying to appeal this? He took steroids, then tried to steer investigators off the course. So he interfered in the investigation, and thought he could get away with it. Right away there should be no appeal allowed and should be forced to take the suspension as it is. I know I'm about to contradict myself, but here goes. At the same time the appeal has to be allowed because if it isn't it would open up a whole can of worms that Bud Selig's office doesn't really want to deal with, so they are allowing the appeal to go through.

Rodriguez has been trying to save face the last few weeks, and has tried to make out to be innocent in this whole thing. Come on A-Rod, you aren't innocent, people aren't stupid they can see right through you give me a break. This suspension also proves to me that A-Rod is a liar too. Think about this. Back in 2009 A-Rod came out and admitted that he used steroids from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. In that same press conference, he said that he should be judged from here on out and that he had stopped using steroids. Well we now know that he is full of it. With Rodriguez now back in the Yankees lineup until the appeal process is over, this brings into question what it will do for them going towards a possible playoff push. It doesn't matter whether or not Rodriguez is in the Yankees lineup, they are still a long shot to make the playoffs, especially with how tough it is sitting in 4th place in the AL East and the three teams ahead  of you are all on hot streaks and playing much better baseball. So this suspension really hurts both the Yankees and Rodriguez.

And lets not forget, there are also 12 other players here who were suspended, but unlike Rodriguez, these other 12 guys aren't going to appeal their suspensions and they will serve them. Here are the other players who were suspended for PED use without appealing:

Nelson Cruz OF,Texas Rangers
Everth Cabrera SS, San Diego Padres
Jhonny Peralta SS, Detroit Tigers
Antonio Bastardo, Philadelphia Phillies reliever
Francisco Cervelli, Yankees catcher (on DL)
Jordany Valdespin, New York Mets outfielder (minors)
Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners catcher (minors)
Cesar Puello, Mets outfielder (minors)
Sergio Escalona, Houston Astros pitcher (minors)
Fernando Martinez, Yankees outfielder (minors)
Fautino De Los Santos, free-agent pitcher
Jordan Norberto, free-agent pitcher

So there is the full list of suspended players. Oh course the Rodriguez suspension is the biggest one, not only based on player name but also on length of suspension. There are two others who were suspended, that have an impact on their team more so than the others. Those suspensions being Nelson Cruz of Texas and Jhonny Peralta of Detroit. The reason I say this is because both teams, Texas and Detroit, are in the middle of possible tough pennant races. Don't get me wrong, the other suspensions have a big impacy too, lets not short change that fact. What I mean is the loss of Cruz and Peralta have playoff implications for their clubs.

Texas I feel was hit hard by the suspension of Cruz. He was the best player on the team, leading the club in homers with 27 and RBI's with 74. He was also the best player in the outfield. Now without him in the lineup, leaving manager Ron Washington in a bit of a pinch. Texas right now sits in 2nd place in the AL West and they are desperate to try and catch the 1st place Oakland over the last two months of the season. Texas at the moment is just two games back of Oakland for 1st place in that division. So the loss of Cruz for Texas I feel is huge. As far as Peralta goes for Detroit, it is a loss but not as bad as the one in Texas. Sure he's a good shortstop, I won't deny that. But the Tigers offense can still roll right along without Peralta in the lineup. Yes it's a loss, but I don't think its as damaging as Texas. Detroit right now is four games up on the 2nd place Cleveland Indians in the AL Central.

So now that steroids suspensions have been handed out, we can all try and move on with the rest of the year, and enjoy what is sure to be an exciting final two months of the regular season.