Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez

(Photo credit: USA Today)

Forgive me for being late on this story as I have been vacationing down the Jersey Shore this week, but on Monday, Major League Baseball finally handed out the suspensions involving the players implicated in the Biogenesis investigation. Twelve players were given 50-game suspensions. Those players included Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, and Evereth Cabrera just to name a few. However, the name most people were paying attention to, Alex Rodriguez, was handed the largest suspension that wasn't a lifetime ban in MLB's history, 211 games. That means A-Rod won't get the opportunity to play again until the 2015 season. However, he does get the opportunity to appeal. During the time leading up to when his appeal is heard, he can play. Since most experts are saying that he won't be able to get a hearing until November, I guess we will see A-Rod (unfortunately) in a Yankee uniform for the rest of the season. His reception in his first game back in Chicago went as expected. The boos rained down on him at every at-bat and whenever he did anything in the field. When he struck-out looking in his last at-bat U.S. Cellular field erupted in cheers. This is will probably be the standard crowd response from opposing fans when the Yankees are on the road. The real test is going to come Friday when A-Rod plays in his first game back in front of my fellow Yankee fans. Honestly, I have no idea what the crowd reaction at the Stadium is going to be. If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably going to be 75%-25% boos-to-cheers. Where do I fall? If I was there, I'd be booing the crap out of him. There are plenty of reasons that I fall on that side. Some are obvious; some not so much.

After 2009, A-Rod's play began to decline. He wasn't the player he once was. His power numbers were down, he was striking out more, and his defense was beginning to take a dive. In just one season after leading the Yanks to the World Series, he had just as quickly turned into a liability. Most Yankee fans, myself included, started to sour on A-Rod based on his play alone. Add the fact that he kept getting major injuries putting him on the Disabled List for long periods of time and his albatross of a contract, and there was plenty of ammo for Yankee fans to use to justify hatred towards A-Rod. You then have A-Rod admitting to using "a banned substance" and his connection with Canadian sports medicine specialist, Anthony Galea, which just added more fuel to the fire. But on top of all of that, there's one quote that really set me over the edge:

"I'm a human being. I've had two hip surgeries. I've had two knee surgeries. I'm fighting for my life. I have to defend myself. If I don't defend myself, no one else will."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! My aunt that lost a five-year long battle with ovarian cancer was fighting for her life! YOU'RE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ATHLETE! You're not "fighting for your life," as you say. You're fighting because your ego is too big for it's own good and you can never not be the spotlight. So, you foolishly drag this whole thing out just because you think you have a shot to overturn your suspension. Keep dreaming. When the arbiter holds up the suspension, I hope you'll be happy with all the time and effort you wasted. This leads me to why I think A-Rod's suspension is not harsh enough.

Agree with me or not, Alex Rodriguez should be banned from baseball for life. I look at it this way: A-Rod used the game of baseball as his own little toy. He did everything with only his best interests in mind, he always thought he was above the game, and shamed the game of baseball in the process. This all started with his insane contract with the Texas Rangers. He then used PEDs to try to justify the contract he signed. When he was traded to the Yankees, he did nothing to help our team in the postseason until 2009. Other than that year, his postseason numbers as a Yankee are abysmal at best. He opted out of his deal with the Yankees only to sign a BIGGER deal, and this was all announced during the World Series. No respect whatsoever. Now this whole circus that will surround him and the Yankees for the rest of this season. ALL OF THAT compounded on top of each other is why I think A-Rod deserves to be banned for life. What A-Rod did to the game is far worse than anything Pete Rose ever did, I don't care what anyone says. I still say Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. He never bet against his own team, but I digress. Monday was a rough day for baseball thanks to A-Rod once again, but it was a good day in the sense that MLB basically showed that it's finally beginning to take the steps necessary to crack down on PED users once and for all.