Tony Clark: Players' Association Has No Issues With A-Rod Going Forward
TAMPA, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — It's all good, A-Rod.
Union head Tony Clark says the players' association has no issues going forward with suspended New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
Rodriguez sued Major League Baseball and the players' association in January in an effort to overturn a season-long suspension, then dropped the lawsuit this month. Rodriguez initially was suspended for 211 games in August by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, and the union filed a grievance to overturn the discipline. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz shortened the penalty after a hearing the three-time AL MVP claimed was flawed.
"The page has been turned," Clark said Monday after holding the union's annual spring training meeting with Yankees' players.
Rodriguez was among 14 players suspended last summer following MLB's investigation of a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned substances. He was the only player to contest his penalty.
"I'm comfortable with the process that is in place," Clark said. "A player has an opportunity to go through the process as one of the players did. Others decided not to go through the process."
Rodriguez will be 39 when eligible to return next year and has three seasons and $61 million left in his record $275 million, 10-year contract with the Yankees.
Clark has not talked with Rodriguez since the litigation against the union was dropped on Feb. 7.
"Alex is a member of the players' association," Clark said. "He will serve the penalty that he's been given by the arbitrator, and he will come back in spring training ready to go wherever that happens to be. He's under contract with the Yankees. I would expect him to be in camp with the Yankees. Am I concerned about anything beyond that? No."
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