A-Rod has been suspended 211 games by Major League Baseball for, according to the official statement released, possessing testosterone and human-growth hormone over multiple years, for attempting to hide his violations and for "a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner," announced Monday by MLB.Rodriguez was first suspended for 214 games.  Then 211, starting this Thursday. And can actually play while appealing, which he has three days to do. WHAAAAAT? Are you confused yet?

 

This is all you need to know in this order about the entire A-Rod soap/drug opera:

 

  1. A-Rod was suspended by MLB at 3:00 PM EST on Monday, August 5 for repeatedly violating the Joint Drug Policy and impeding the investigation about Biogenesis through the 2014 season.
  2. He has been given a three-day appeal window, which puts the initial suspension of 214 at 211 because A-Rod is allowed to play during the appeal and will play at least three games.  ESPN television does a horrendous job explaining these things.
  3. It looks like A-Rod will appeal within this 72-hour period, which means the ACTUAL appeal will not be heard until early October or November.  Michael Weiner, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, has already stated as much.  A-Rod will likely have nothing going on in October because the Yanks won't be playing OR he will lose the appeal if heard in October because Rodriguez doesn't come through during this month anyway (come on, laugh a little).

So there you have it.  In the end, expect Alex Rodriguez to miss somewhere between 150-211 games starting next season.  The only guarantees in all of this should A-Rod appeal, which he will because he is A-Rod, will be that Rodriguez will miss all of next season and will in fact play the rest of this season because of the appeals process.  He could miss part of 2015 only if the game total of the suspension is obviously greater than 162, a full MLB season.

By:  Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," M-F 1-4, Yankees pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio.  Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/MikeLSports.  

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