Alex Rodriguez walked out of his grievance hearing on Wednesday and hours later, unexpectedly walked into Mike Francesa's radio show on WFAN in New York. A-Rod explained why he walked out of the hearing, telling Francesa that "I lost my mind" after an arbitrator ruled that baseball commissioner Bud Selig didn't have to testify.
The Yankees slugger repeatedly called out Selig and said he is "done" with the arbitration process.
"What we saw today, it was disgusting," Rodriguez said. "And the fact that the man from Milwaukee that put this suspension on me with not one bit of evidence. Something that I didn't do. He doesn't have the courage to come look me in the eye and tell me this is why I did 211? I shouldn't serve one inning... and this guy should come to our city. I know he doesn't like New York. I love this city. I love being a Yankee. My daughters grew up in New York. And for this guy, the embarrassment that he's put me and my family through. And he doesn't have the courage to come see me and tell me 'this is why I'm going to destroy your career'? And I have to explain this to my daughters every day?"
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Back in August, A-Rod was given a 211-game suspension "based on his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including Testosterone and human Growth Hormone, over the course of multiple years," per MLB.com. Rodriguez was also punished under the labor contract for "attempting 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," per the Associated Press.
While talking to Francesa on Wednesday, A-Rod denied any wrongdoing in the case. He said he hasn't used performance-enhancing drugs since 2003 and that "there was no obstruction."
That wasn't the only thing Rodriguez denied. Francesa also asked A-Rod about a report published in 2012 by the New York Post claiming that he flirted with a woman in the stands and gave her an autographed baseball with a note on it.
"I know I'm struggling but I'm not doing that bad," Rodriguez said laughing.
UPDATE: The MLB commissioner's office responded to Rodriguez's comments in a statement.
"In the entire history of the Joint Drug Agreement, the commissioner has not testified in a single case," the statement said, per the Associated Press. "Major League Baseball has the burden of proof in this matter. MLB selected Rob Manfred as its witness to explain the penalty imposed in this case. Mr. Rodriguez and the players' Association have no right to dictate how baseball's case is to proceed any more than baseball has the right to dictate how their case proceeds. Today's antics are an obvious attempt to justify Mr. Rodriguez's continuing refusal to testify under oath."
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