Alex Rodriguez Suspension: Bud Selig Defends A-Rod Ban, MLB Commissioner Says It's 'Eminently Fair'

When it comes to Alex Rodriguez's suspension, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig isn't backing down.

Selig stood by his decision to suspend the embattled Yankees third baseman for 211-games due to his alleged connection in the Biogenesis scandal and his link to performance enhancing drugs, saying the ban was "eminently fair."

"I spent many, many hours thinking about it," Selig said on Thursday at the quarterly owners' meetings in Cooperstown, N.Y., according to ESPN. "Trying to be fair, trying to be logical and rational. And the one thing you learn in this job after 20-something years, I wouldn't second-guess it today at all."

Selig handed down the suspension to Rodriguez back on Aug. 5, for his alleged violation of the MLB's drug policy, but the slugger is currently appealing it. 

Despite A-Rod, 38, fighting the suspension, Selig stands fully behind his decision.

"I know why I did it, and what I did," Selig said per ESPN. "I thought it was eminently fair then and I think it's eminently fair today." 

There have been many players and people outside of baseball that have come to the defense of A-Rod, saying his ban is too harsh. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" last week and defended Rodriguez while saying Selig runs the MLB like the 'Mafia.'

Still, Selig isn't interested in what outside parties think of his choice to ban A-Rod through the 2014 regular-season.

Rodriguez will continue to play for the Yankees this season as his appeals process won't be complete until arbitrator Frederic Horowitz hears his grievance, likely after this season in November or December.

A-Rod has played in nine games this season, and is hitting .278 (10-for-36) with one homer and four RBIs.

Despite the controversy surrounding it, Selig is standing by his decision no matter what outside opinions may be.

"I can't control what other people say and do," Selig told ESPN. "I have a job to do, and the job is to protect the integrity of the sport and enforce our program, and that's what I'm going to do."

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