Michael Weiner, the executive director of the MLB player’s association, said Wednesday the MLBPA will not be defending every player tied up in the Biogenesis scandal, according to the New York Daily News.
Weiner said if there is an immense amount of evidence tying any player to the Biogenisis clinic, the players association won’t fight to prove them innocent.
“I can tell you, if we have a case where there really is overwhelming evidence, that a player committed a violation of the program, our fight is going to be that they make a deal,” Weiner explained at a Hurricane Sandy charity golf event at Bethpage Black. “We’re not interested in having players with overwhelming evidence that they violated the (drug) program out there. Most of the players aren’t interested in that. We’d like to have a clean program.”
One of the players who could face a huge suspension is New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. According to sources, there is a lot of evidence tying the former MVP to the scandal and he could face a 150-game suspension. All players connected to the scandal will soon meet with MLB officials and the player’s association.
More than 20 players including Rodriguez are expected to face suspensions for their connection to the clinic, according to ESPN.com, citing a report from the network’s show “Outside the Lines.”
Technically, the players found guilty of participating in the scandal, are not bound by the regular performance-enhancing drug policies. Usually, with if a player is found guilty of using PED’s they face a 50-game suspension, then 100-game for a second offense and then they’re banned for life If caught a third time.
However, in this situation the player’s did not fail a drug test and they are being looked into for “non-analytical” reasons.
"In theory, [the players] could be suspended for five games or 500 games, and we could then choose to challenge that," Weiner explained Tuesday before the All-Star game. "The commissioner's office is not bound by the scale we have in the basic agreement."
Weiner has also said any suspensions handed down would most likely be served in 2014.
