Alex Rodriguez Case Gets More Interesting By The Minute

We all read the sports pages and listen to sports talk radio. We all know what's been going on with Alex Rodriguez and the steroids case. The new twist yesterday just turned the heat up on the case and made things more interesting. Rodriguez is appealing his 211 game suspension for steroids. The case took an interesting turn during the hearing yesterday when Rodriguez walked out of the hearing. Why did he leave? Because baseball commissioner Bud Selig didn't show up at the hearing. Selig was asked to show up to testify on the case, but wasn't forced to show up thus not giving the time to the case. This angered Rodriguez, with good reason.

This, and subsequently what Rodriguez told local radio station WFAN afterwards, made me rethink this whole case. First things first. Bud Selig no showing at the hearing tells me something. I know he is a busy man, with running Major League Baseball and all, but still this case is a big deal and he needs to make time for this case. It's his prized story and he wasn't there for it. That tells me one of two things. Either he doesn't have time at all, or he just stopped giving a damn about this case. This is making a statement that Selig and baseball aren't trying to push this hard for this incident anymore. It's telling me that Baseball is sort of turning their back on this incident.

Which leads me to my next point with Rodriguez. He went straight from the hearing to WFAN in New York and went on the radio to give his side of it. When asked if he had done any steroids, any interfering with witnesses, or anything he has been accused of, Rodriguez answered no to all of it. Rodriguez maintained his innocence. Today Rodriguez attorney's said that they will not show anything else to baseball until baseball steps forward and the commissioner agrees to testify. It may not be the smartest of moves but I like that idea. The reason is because it's fully calling the bluff of Major League Baseball. Its saying to me that Rodriguez's people are done busting their humps to get this resolved since baseball doesn't seem interested in getting more involved.

Based on what has happened in the last two days, i'm starting to see that Rodriguez may be in the right here and the suspension should be reduced. Did he do steroids? I have no idea. Lets say that he did, based on everything that has gone down the last two days, Rodriguez should still be suspended but it should be cut in half.  Why? Because baseball doesn't seem to have as much conviction anymore. With Selig not showing up it shows that baseball just wants this out of the way already and its not going to happen. Baseball is shooting themselves in the foot on the whole issue.

Here's what I would do. I would say get Rodriguez and his people in a room with Commissioner Bud Selig and his people. Lock them in a room and nobody leaves until we get all the facts straight and a final decision is reached. Do I think A-Rod is guilty? Yes but now it doesn't appear to be as bad as baseball made it sound.

I know this is getting confusing, trust me its confusing for me too. But we will keep an eye and ear on this story as more information becomes available.