Yankees: 'Put Up or Shut Up' A-Rod
The Yankees have accused Alex Rodriguez of attempting to divert attention away from his pending suspension over drug usage by filing a lawsuit against the major league baseball team on unrelated charges.
Alex Rodriguez has plans to file a lawsuit against the New York Yankees, citing the team failed to inform him about injuries that he may have incurred over the last season. Rodriguez hired lawyer Joseph Tacopina more than two weeks ago, as the results of an MLB investigation on the usage of performance-enhancing drugs were revealed. A number of players were issued suspensions that would last until the end of the season. But A-Rod was suspended for a full 211 games- a punishment the player says is unfair.
As a result, Rodriguez plans to file an appeal. But as attention surrounded the player's suspension has mounted, A-Rod has issued new complaints, this time against the New York Yankees. His lawyer said over the weekend that Rodriguez was planning to file a formal grievance against the Yankees over their handling of his medical problems, according to the New York Times.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The threat to file suit however is the last straw for Yankees' president, Randy Levine, who said Sunday that Rodriguez can "put up or shut up."
"If he's going to file a grievance, that's great," Levine told the NY Times before the Yankees' 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox. "That will finally put all the medical issues to rest. And if he is willing, we will be happy to release all his medical records to the public."
In a statement, Levine expressed disappointment over the A-Rod situation. Charging the player with using the team to divert attention away from the fact that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs, Levine said its time for A-Rod to take responsibility.
"Alex and his team will apparently say anything to divert attention from the real issue of did he or did he not use P.E.D.'s," Levine said, referring to performance-enhancing drugs. "They said I would receive a commission if I got the team out from under his contract. That's not true. They said we fined him $150,000. That's not true. They said we didn't give him the best medical care. That's not true.
"It's really sad that we're in Boston in the middle of a pennant race in crucial games and this is what this organization has to deal with. It's about time he lived up to his commitments to his teammates and the organization," he told the Times.
