The Old Yeller shooting highlight arrives on page 24 when the writing team turns its attention to NY Daily News columnist Bill Madden, aka "the Ghost of Dick Young." Since spring, Madden had been assuring everyone that A-Rod would never play an inning for the Yankees, that he couldn't swing a bat, that he was "the most wanted criminal in the game's history" and at one point, that he was comparable to Whitey Bulger, the Boston gangster. Madden became A-Rod's harshest critic.
"Throughout the interview, Madden discussed confidential details of Mr. Rodriguez's investigation, punishment, and appeal. When Francesa questioned Madden about the veracity of his information, Madden emphasized that he had complete access to MLB officials, and was getting his information directly from "Baseball."
Madden said MLB had enough evidence on A-Rod to bring a lifetime ban, that A-Rod would never play again, that owners wanted him gone, and that A-Rod had offered to accept a 100-game suspension and then retire - but Selig rejected it.
Madden's article in the Daily News the following day provided even more detail, quoting sources inside baseball as saying that "[a]t first [the 100 game deal] might have sounded compelling to MLB ... But then the question of who would be paying him the guaranteed contract arose. Baseball couldn't saddle the Yankees with that."
If this lawsuit ever gets to court - (ah, sadly, it won't) - it would be baseball's trial of the century. But as Yankee fans, we should fear the consequences of all this. It's fun to watch, but I can't help but think that it's going to chase Joe Girardi out the door.
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1 comment:
I have nothing to add to this except that the mention of GWAR made me laugh out loud...assuming it refers to the band which recorded (and by so doing provided much anger at a former workplace of mine, not due to but surely welcomed by me) "Meat Sandwich" and not some new sabermetric equation.
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