Alex Rodriguez Suspended!!!

Today, Major League Baseball has announced their suspensions involving the Biogenesis situation in Miami. 12 players have accepted suspensions for 50 games, including Yankees’ catcher Francisco Cervelli, who has been injured for most of this season and AAA outfielder Fernando Martinez. Today, the whole world finally got the answer on the Alex Rodriguez situation. The Yankees’ third baseman will been suspended, beginning Thursday  for 211 games by Major League Baseball, which covers the rest of this season, postseason games in 2013, and the 2014 regular season.

The reason the suspension is 211 and not the reported 214 games is because with any joint drug suspension, the player is allowed three days to decide whether or not to appeal the suspension and file a grievance. This is the expected outcome that will come from Rodriguez’s camp. Barring a last second change, it appears that Alex Rodriguez will be back in the starting lineup and could be replacing Derek Jeter on the roster spot, should he be placed on the disabled list. We should know more about tonight’s lineup/pending roster moves when the Yankees’ clubhouse opens at about 4:40 ET, according to ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand.

has officially been suspended, but is expected to be in the lineup tonight. (Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Here is the statement, given by commissioner Bud Selig about 45 minutes ago:

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.  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.  The suspension, which will become effective on Thursday, August 8th, will cover 211 Championship Season games and any 2013 Postseason games in which Rodriguez otherwise would have been eligible to play.

UPDATE: A-Rod is in the Yankees’ lineup tonight, playing third base and batting cleanup behind Robinson Cano. Derek Jeter has placed on the disabled yet, as Brent Lillibridge has been designated for assignment and David Adams has been called up from Scranton.

What are your thoughts on the A-Rod suspension? Are you looking forward to watching him play tonight?