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Yankees News: Alex Rodriguez Rejected By Yankees, Meets With New Commish

By Billy Brost

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So much for Alex Rodriguez quietly coming into spring training, keeping his mouth shut, and just trying to blend into the pinstriped woodwork after serving a one-season suspension for his involvement with the Biogenesis PED scandal. If this is the start of 2015 for A-Rod, it’s certainly not starting off the way he had hoped.

Recently, Rodriguez, attempted to make amends with the club, whose team doctor he attempted to sue, not to mention the Player’s Union, MLB, and anyone else that attempted to stand in his way of playing during the 2014 season. He reached out to the New York Yankees, and wanted to meet with management and ownership, and apologize for his behavior over the past several seasons. Rather than entertaining the star-crossed slugger, the Yankees instead said “nope.” Instead, Rodriguez, who is six home runs shy of tying Willie Mays on the all-time list, will have to wait until next month, when position players report to George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, along with his teammates, if he plans to speak to the team.

According to a report in the New York Daily News, Rodriguez plans to hold a press conference at some point during spring training, to apologize to fans, his teammates, the organization, and baseball for his actions, the first step to moving on from what has become a toxic and circus-like atmosphere everywhere he goes and no matter what he does. The report also suggests the Yankees may or may not give him the forum to do so, and he might be on his own in setting up such an announcement to address the public.

While the Yankees have rejected A-Rod’s request, new MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred did not. According to the NYDN, Rodriguez has met with Manfred multiple times, trying to heal wounds that run deep, and including an incident during his arbitration hearing on his suspension, in which he stood up during proceedings, cursed and Manfred, and walked out of the courtroom and straight to Mike Francesa’s radio show to plead his case.

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Manfred, appearing to try to be the bigger person, actually gave Rodriguez and audience, and according to a person close to the situation, finally told A-Rod that “…You’re done here…You’re a Yankee and you’re going to have to work it out with them.” With the Yankees telling him to hold off until spring training, it appears the days of special treatment, or even basic acknowledgement have come to an end.

The Yankees are still on the hook for A-Rod through the 2017 season, and $61 million dollars. But, with that said, he’s approaching Mays, and if healthy, could technically make a push to possibly get to Babe Ruth at 714 career home runs before his contract expires. Rodriguez is also only 61 hits shy of 3,000, which begs the question, how do the Yankees handle these milestones?

The next big battle between A-Rod and the Yankees could come, when he reaches Mays, reaches Ruth, or even loftier milestones of Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. Each milestone has $6 million in performance bonuses tied to it, and the team might argue the fact that A-Rod’s PED use was unknown at the time the contract was signed, and therefore the team shouldn’t have to pay for milestones achieved under false pretenses.

Next: What Do The Yankees & MLB Do When That Day Comes?

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