Embattled New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has finally gotten what he wanted--a chance to tell his side of the story during the appeals hearing of his suspension--but reports now indicate that A-Rod will not appear at an interview with Major League Baseball investigators Friday in Manhattan due to flu-like symptoms and may not appear at all in front of arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.
A-Rod was suspended for 211-games in August by the MLB for his connection to Anthony Bosch and the Biogenesis clinic, but he chose to appeal his punishment, which was the harshest out of all 14 players involved.
The appeals hearing is on hiatus and Rodriguez was scheduled to tell his side of the story Monday by testifying against the MLB's charges that he obtained and used illegal performance enhancing drugs he received from Bosch and the now defunct anti-aging clinic in Florida.
According to ESPN, Rodriguez was supposed to meet with MLB investigators in Manhattan Friday but was advised by doctors in Los Angeles not to fly to New York so he will miss the meeting. The report also states that A-Rod may also choose to not testify in front of Horowitz at all.
"The guy really wants to testify," a source told ESPN on Thursday. "He's dying to tell his side of the story. But his head is all clogged up right now."
ESPN reports that a spokesperson for the MLB wasn't sure whether or not Rodriguez was planning on rescheduling the interview.
According to ESPN, there was hesitation about Rodriguez taking the stand for fear that if the league thought Rodriguez was being dishonest the league could bring further discipline on him by adding up to 100 more games to his suspension.
According to the report, A-Rod's strategy was to take the stand and say that he never used or received any PEDs from Bosch. The MLB planned on questioning him over any kind of PED use throughout his career including human growth hormone, and they were also planning on questioning Rodriguez on his decision to allegedly "plead the fifth" when he was asked about Biogenesis and his involvement with Bosch back in July.
It's uncertain if Rodriguez will testify, but the hearing and the fight of A-Rod to save his baseball legacy while the MLB seeks justice--which has seen many twists and turns--continues Monday in New York.
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