Anthony Bosch and the double standards of MLB

Anthony Bosch, founder of Biogenesis, has been sentenced to four year emprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. He has pleaded guilty to distributing testerone. Bosch dealt human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs to Major League Baseball players as well as high school athletes. Of course this is a case outside the jurisprudence of MLB, but it has some close ties with MLB and the PED users.

The following players were involved in the Biogenesis scandal (penalty between brackets):

Alex Rodrigues (211 games)
Ryan Braun (65 games)
Nelson Cruz (50 games)
Everth Cabrera (50 games)
Jhonny Peralta (50 games)
Antonio Bastardo (50 games)
Francisco Cervelli (50 games)
Jorday Valsespin (50 games)
Jesus Montero (50 games)
Cesar Puello (50 games)
Sergio Escalona (50 games)
Jesus Montero (50 games)
Cesar Puello (50 games)
Fernando Martinez (50 games)
Fautino de los Santos (50 games)
Jordan Norberto (50 games)

Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colón, and Yasmani Grandal were already caught in what later would be know as this Biogenesis case and served a 50 game suspension before Biogenesis gained a lot of media attention.

The players that were suspended 50 games cooperated in the investigation and were “rewarded” with a mild punishment.

But what about Alex Rodriguez? Why was he suspended a full season? Sure he did everything to get rid of the proof (trying to buy his files from Biogenesis to destroy them), attempts of bribing witnesses, trying to sue MLB and the MLBPA. So a couple of these things would be reason for a nice criminal record IMHO. But… according to a report, A-Rod has admitted under oath in January 2013 to prosecutors and federal agents that he used PEDs deliverd by Biogenesis. So in fact at some point he already admitted that he used. So why this whole circus?

This plea does not mean that I agree what A-Rod did. He used to be one of my favorite players, but that is far behind me. Just like the other players involved, he should have been suspended for life. If he had not been this stubborn he could have gotten away with a 65 game ban, just like Ryan Braun.

The tricky part in this verdict is the knowledge that MLB had of his steroids use. In 2007, his body was so addicted to the stuff that he asked MLB for permission to use it. In February 2007 MLB gave Rodriguez a TUE,  a document that excuses samples that test positive for specific banned drugs. So they were aware of his use. So why did they start this witch hunt? The only reason for that is they (read Bud Light Selig) wanted to make an example out of him.

Why did Ryan Braun only get 15 more games of suspension than the other PED sinners? Wasn’t he the person that denied to use after he was caught in 2011? Wasn’t he the person that said that it was proof of his innosence when his sample was treated in a wrong way? He only got out of a 50 game suspension because the laboratory didn’t treat his sample according to the rules. But in fact there was enough proof. When Braun’s name appeared in the Biogenesis reports MLB should have kept the previous case in mind. Maybe they did; why else did he get 65 games instead of 50? But on the other hand, he should have been subject to a 100 games suspension IMO. He was a second time offender after all.

Look, I am not saying that what Ryan Braun did was the same as what Alex Rodriguez did. Not even close. But a second time offender should get 100 games (even though he sneaked out of the first suspension). He kept saying that he was innocent. A-Rod did a lot to get rid of the proof of his role in the Biogenesis case. So when it comes to that, his ban is appropriate. But on the other hand, MLB knew that he was using. They gave him this TUE in 2007. So why, when they turned a blind eye in the years before 2013, did they treat Rodriguez so harshly? In my opinion only to wash their hands clean of their dotty attitude during the heyday of PED use, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were in the midst of a homerun race; when Barry Bonds broke MLB’s all time homerun record. Those events were good for baseball, so why accusing the actors of PED use?

Talk about double standards.