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Yankees News: Blood Brothers? MLBPA To Back A-Rod vs. Yankees

By Billy Brost |

How quickly times can change. Wasn’t it just about a year ago that Alex Rodriguez was not only on the outs with the New York Yankees, but with his own Players Union? A year or so ago, A-Rod had been suspended by Commissioner Bud Selig for the entire 2014 season AND postseason for his involvement with the Biogenesis/PED scandal that rocked the baseball world. He was the only player who wouldn’t take his punishment. No, Alex Rodriguez filed lawsuits against everyone within spitting distance–including the very union that had represented him during his appeal of the suspension.

After a massive call by fellow players to send A-Rod packing out of the MLBPA, it appears from a legal standpoint, all is forgiven, and the two parties are preparing to join forces again against A-Rod’s Yankees. The 39-year old former three-time AL MVP, has a separate agreement with the Yankees, based on performance milestones being reached. The contract, which the Yankees are now fully prepared to fight to get out from under, states that Rodriguez will be paid increments of $6 million dollars each when he moves up the career home run list. First on that list is Willie Mays at 660–only six away from A-Rod’s current career total, then of course Babe Ruth at 714, Hank Aaron at 755, and A-Rod’s new best friend, Barry Bonds, at 762. Six million for each step on the ladder, and the Bombers are saying no way.

Rodriguez recently made an attempt to meet with Yankees’ officials, and mend fences, but rather than being welcomed back with open arms and a clean slate, A-Rod was told to hit the bricks, show up in Tampa and be prepared to earn your roster spot. Make no mistake, A-Rod isn’t going anywhere. The Yankees won’t eat $61 mil to send him away. However, they aren’t going to sit by and watch him rob them of multi-millions of dollars for past PED use either.

But the fight won’t be an easy one for the Yankees, as the MLBPA will fight the team tooth and nail to ensure A-Rod gets the money he agreed to. The Union isn’t so concerned with the fact that it’s A-Rod, they honestly behind closed doors, wouldn’t care if he lost his cash, but are taking the stance according to the NY Daily News, that it is a slippery slope with players’ contracts if teams can finagle their way out of them on technicalities. It would establish in the Union’s mind, a dangerous precedent, and using A-Rod’s deal as the guinea pig, they will do whatever needs to be done to protect one of their own–even if he did sue them previously.

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