Swing and a miss
Thursday, October 3, 2013, Alex Rodriguez filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig accusing them of a “witch hunt” designed to defame the reputation of the baseball star. The Huffington Post states, “The lawsuit, filed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court, seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for what it alleges was a relentless campaign by the league and Selig to “destroy the reputation and career of Alex Rodriguez.” The suit was filed during initial hearings to overturn the 211 game suspension after violations by Rodriguez in regards to baseball’s drug agreement. Rodriguez is claiming that Bud Selig is going after him to make up for previous inaction in relation to other cases concerning performance enhancing drugs. Additional allegations claim criminal and unethical activity by the MLB including intimidating witnesses and pay outs for testimonies.
The lawsuit claims that allegations against Rodriguez have cost him millions of dollars in terminated contracts, and interferences with future negotiations. Specifically, Nike and Toyota were in talks for potential sponsorship contracts, and have since discontinued negotiations. Rodriguez had also done his own voice work for an animated character in an upcoming film about the history of the New York Yankees, and his character has been eliminated due to public controversies. “There are two legal claims made in the suit, that MLB and Selig interfered with Rodriguez’s existing contracts and that they interfered with his prospective business relationships”. The MLB claims this is a desperate attempt by the Yankee and that the lawsuit contains several inaccuracies.
Alex Rodriguez was once seen as a hero to Yankees fans, and in the past year his reputation has taken a turn for the worse. Fans feel betrayed by the baseball superstar. Some continue to support him through thick and thin, while others have abandoned him. Could this lawsuit be a last chance for A-Rod to salvage what’s left of his memorable career as a baseball player?