MLB Hands A-Rod 211-Game Suspension For PED Drugs; NYY Player Says 'I'm Am Fighting For My Life' As He Appeals Decision

Bronx bomber, Alex Rodriguez, stepped out to the plate at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago to face the White Sox on Monday night. The Yankees third baseman made his 2013 debut in MLB, after his hip injury in January and shortly after appealing his 211-game suspension for using performance-enhancing (PED) drugs. Missing more than half the season this year, A-Rod's decision to appeal came as no surprise to Major League Baseball's executive director Michael Weiner who issued a statement regarding the Biogensis suspensions. "Mr. Rodriguez knows that the Union, consistent with its history, will defend his rights vigorously," said Weiner in the league's news release.

A-Rod's Biogenesis scandal has negatively impacted the Yankees' performance as the team is currently in 14^th place in the league, reports ESPN. The suspensions on the Yankees team are "another black eye for us, but we're trying to clean this game up," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who also lost catcher Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli has accepted a 50-game suspension for using PED drugs.

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A-Rod's Appeal

A-Rod's decision to appeal the 211-game suspension means that he can play with his team until arbitrator Fredric Horowitz rules on Rodriguez's appeal. According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the appeal must be heard within 10 days by Horowitz who then has 25 days to make a decision when possible, reports USA Today. According to a conference call on Monday, Weiner believes the Bronx bomber will get to finish his season as the appeal process will most likely play out after the end of the Yankees season. Horowitz's schedule does not permit him to review the case and come to a decision until November, reports MLB.com. If the arbitrator decides to rule on A-Rod's appeal, the suspension will not go into effect until the start of the 2014 season and will then continue to the 2015 season.

A-Rod's 10-year, $275-million contract that goes well into the 2017 season is at risk if his 211-game suspension follows through, says CNN Money.

The deviant Yankees player neither denied nor confirmed allegations of using PED drugs in a news conference on Monday. "We'll have a forum to discuss all of that and we'll talk about it then," he said to the press when asked about his involvement with PED drugs.

A-Rod also told the media about his passion to win this legal battle against MLB. "I'm fighting for my life. I have to defend myself. If I don't defend myself, no one else will."

According to the Miami New Times, Rodriguez was tied to the Biogenesis clinic in South Florida, which was accused of distributing PED drugs to MLB players. Documents reportedly show that A-Rod paid $12,000 a month and received a total of 19 different drugs and supplements by Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch, reports USA Today.

Read more: A-Rod Gets Second Opinion From Doctor Michael Gross

The Dirty Dozen With 50-Game Suspensions

A-Rod received the heavier sentence of the 13 players who were suspended by MLB for using PED drugs. The 50-game suspension ruling for the other 12 players was accepted and not appealed, leaving room for the players to return after the playoffs. A-Rod's suspension is much more severe in comparison because of his attempt to "cover up his violations of the program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioner's investigation." The dirty dozen involved in MLB's Biogenesis scandal are:

Major Leaguers

Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers

Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers

Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners

Francisco Cervelli, Yankees

Everth Cabrera, San Diego Padres

Jordany Valdepsin, New York Mets

Antonio Bastardo, Philadelphia Phillies

Sergio Escalona, Houston Astros

Minor Leaguers

Fernando Martinez of the Yankees

Fautino de los Santos of the Padres