The Biogenesis PED scandal just took another major twist Friday morning, one that may continue to damage the image of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. (if it can be damaged any more)
According to a report by CBS’ 60 Minutes, allegations have been made that Rodriguez’s camp leaked information and documents linking Brewers OF Ryan Braun and fellow A-Rod teammate Francisco Cervelli to the Biogenesis Clinic in southern Florida.
“60 Minutes” has learned that members of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez’s inner circle in February obtained and leaked documents that implicated Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun as well as his own Yankees teammate, catcher Francisco Cervelli, in the doping scandal that has enveloped Major League Baseball.
The leak came just days after the weekly newspaper Miami New Times published documents in January detailing Rodriguez’s pervasive use of performance enhancing drugs.
The handwritten documents of Anthony Bosch, the key witness in Major League Baseball’s PED investigation, revealed comprehensive doping regimens that Bosch had engineered for a host of professional athletes. His cooperation with MLB has resulted in the suspension of Rodriguez and 13 other major league players.
Braun and Cervelli’s names were redacted in the Miami New Times documents. Members of Rodriguez’s camp at the time obtained unredacted versions and leaked them to Yahoo! Sports, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The unredacted documents also implicated Baltimore Oriole Danny Valencia, who MLB later investigated and cleared.
In addition to the 60 Minutes report, the Miami New Times also released images of some documents related to the clinic which included some of Tony Bosch’s hand written client lists back in late January. Deadspin, in light of these new allegations towards A-Rod also posted them on their website today.
According to Deadspin, three names were initially blacked out by an unknown person however the website (via Yahoo) posted what looked to be the same image without the black out which was previously printed in the New York Times.
In addition to these documents Rodriguez’s ‘inner-circle’ is also being accused of buying two additional sets of documents that too were eventually obtained by Yahoo.
Now at this point it’s somewhat unclear as to why Rodriguez would without hesitation leak documents that Major League Baseball had yet to obtain. However the overwhelming belief is that A-Rod was looking to deflect attention away from him in favor of another big name like Ryan Braun something that Rodriguez’s lawyer is denying.
“The allegations are untrue and are another attempt to harm Alex — this time by driving a wedge between Alex and other players in the game. While Alex focuses on baseball and repeatedly states that he is going to respect the appeal process, the drumbeat of false allegations continues.”
The Braun window seemed though like a very opportune time for A-Rod to strike and deflect considering the media storm that would descend upon the Milwaukee outfielder after his positive test a couple years ago and successful appeal. Because of that and Rodriguez’s general reputation around the league as a total scumbag it wouldn’t at all be surprising if the aforementioned was true.
Further if the allegations were in fact true Major League Baseball could seek further punishment for the embattled Yankees third baseman since this leaking of information violates the CBA’s confidentiality clause and interferes with the initial investigation done by the League.
Either way the Yankees begin a weekend series with the Red Sox tonight in Fenway in which these latest accusations should certainly add more fuel to that warm Beantown welcome.
h/t: The Big Lead, CBS 60 Minutes, Deadspin, Yahoo! Sports, Miami New Times, New York Times