Alex Rodriguez will likely receive his punishment tomorrow: a suspension through the 2014 season, sources tell USA Today and ESPN. MLB and A-Rod's lawyers were said to he hammering out a settlement, but sources tell ESPN that talks broke down yesterday when commissioner Bud Selig refused to negotiate with the Yankees, and A-Rod pissed him off by telling the media he wouldn't negotiate at all. MLB reportedly offered him a deal to take lifetime bans off the table if he would agree to potentially being suspended for more than 50 games. A-Rod's camp "unequivocally" turned the offer down, says ESPN. Now he's apparently looking at a 215-game ban—the longest ever since Pete Rose's 1988 lifetime ban, according to USA Today.
A-Rod is expected to appeal the reported suspension, and MLB is also expected to refuse to let him play while he appeals. "If this goes to arbitration, it could get very, very ugly," a source tells ESPN. USA Today reports that A-Rod plans to immediately file an appeal to let him at least play against the White Sox tomorrow. He is expected to fly to Chicago tonight, and the Yankees' manager says he has penciled the star in on the lineup. About 12 other players are also expected to be suspended tomorrow. (More Alex Rodriguez stories.)
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