A-Rod Accuses Major League Baseball Of Committing Crimes During Biogenesis Investigation

Reuters

After Bud Selig publicly praised Major League Baseball's drug investigative team, Alex Rodriguez fired back, releasing a statement in which he accuses that same team of committing crimes during the investigation that led to his suspension (via USAToday.com).

"I am deeply troubled by my team's investigative findings with respect to MLB's conduct...How can the gross, ongoing misconduct of the MLB investigations division not be relevant to my suspension, when my suspension supposedly results directly from that division's work?...It is sad that Commissioner Selig once again is turning a blind eye, knowing that crimes are being committed under his regime."

While A-Rod does not specify what crimes he believes MLB committed, he may be referring to the reports that MLB investigators paid for stolen Biogenesis documents with $125,000 in cash. That payment was allegedly made at a restaurant with the cash handed over in a bag according to a lawsuit Rodriguez has filed against Bud Selig and Major League Baseball.

MLB vice president Rob Manfred responded to A-Rod's statement with his own statement saying Rodriguez's use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) was "longer and more pervasive than any other player." Manfred also accused Rodriguez and his representatives of "ongoing, gross misconduct."

After that statement, Joseph Tacopina, one of A-Rod's lawyers, denied that Rodriguez has used PEDs and accused Manfred of a "slanderous attack" Tacopina called for Manfred to be removed from the three-person panel hearing Rodriguez's appeal of a 211-game suspension.