Q&A: the Rodriguez case
Q: Who ruled on Alex Rodriguez's suspension?
A: Fredric Horowitz, baseball's chief arbitrator, issued the ruling. He weighed testimony he had heard during two weeks of hearings. Rodriguez was present for most of those hearings until he left in anger toward the end when Horowitz declined to order Commissioner Bud Selig to testify.
Q: Is this the longest suspension ever served by a baseball player?
A: It is the longest suspension for doping. Previously, the longest was the 105-game ban that Miguel Tejada received in 2013 for the use of amphetamines. Other players have been barred for life for other reasons, as in the Pete Rose gambling case.
Q: What does the ruling mean for the Yankees?
A: The Yankees are off the hook for the $25 million they were obligated to pay him for the 2014 season. But when the suspension ends, Rodriguez will still be owed $61 million.
Q: What does the suspension mean for Rodriguez's playing status?
A: He is prohibited from playing for minor league teams affiliated with MLB, and because professional leagues in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan honor suspensions by Major League Baseball, he cannot play in those countries either. He might have an option via various independent minor leagues.
