We are hours away from the Midsummer's Classic, but Citi Field already is alive
Fans are tailgating in the parking lot, stages are being set up for pre-game shows, the media already has met with Commissioner Bud Selig and the clubhouses are about to open.
The news so far today concerns MLB's investigation of the Biogenesis scandal. Selig told members of the BBWAA this afternoon that the investigation was ongoing and the results will be announced at their completion. He was asked about suspensions possibly affecting teams in the playoff race, and Selig basically said that he didn't care about the timing, only that they are thorough and aggressive with their investigation.
``We have to do what we have to do," Selig said.
But union head Michael Weiner said that, because of the time needed to prepare and hold hearings, it was doubtful that any player who wants to challenge any penalties, cases would not be decided until after the season. That avoids a potentially messy issue during the second half of the season for contenders worried about losing key players.
"When all the interviews are done, we will meet with the commissioner's office and we'll try to work something out," Weiner said. "Our players that deserve the suspensions, we'll try to cope with their suspensions. Our players that don't deserve suspensions, we will argue that they don't deserve a suspension. And I hope we have success. We may not have success on every single player, but I hope we have a fair amount of success."
Weiner received a lengthy standing ovation at the end of his time with the BBWAA. Wiener has been battling brain cancer and addressed the group while seated in a wheelchair, unable to move his right arm.
Joe Torre was on hand and said expanded instant replay is on track to be expanded in 2014 and that they were in the, `tweaking,' stages.
