Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
Alex Rodriguez looks no worse for wear after skipping Friday’s arbitration hearing with an illness.
Showing little sign of the illness that KO’d him from a scheduled meeting with nemesis Major League Baseball Friday, Alex Rodriguez emerged from a black SUV Monday at 9 sharp, ready to resume his contentious arbitration hearing at baseball’s Park Avenue offices, where his legal team opened its defense.
“Hi guys, how are you? I’m excited to get back in there,” the embattled slugger said as a media throng trailed his every step into the 245 Park Ave. entrance.
RELATED: A-ROD CALLS IN SICK FOR MEETING WITH MLB
Noticeably absent Monday was the roaring group of A-Rod supporters from the non-profit group, Hispanics Across America, who have gathered to cheer on Rodriguez during the first eight days of proceedings. Although a barricade was set up along Park Ave., there was nary a protester in sight.
Also absent Monday was Rodriguez’s defense attorney, Joseph Tacopina, but he is giving closing arguments in a separate case.
RELATED: A-ROD TO MEET WITH MLB FOR PRE-TESTIMONY INTERVIEW: SOURCE
Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
Alex Rodriguez chats with reporters on his way into MLB’s Park Avenue offices Monday, where his contentious arbitration hearing resumes.
Rodriguez was scheduled to meet with baseball officials Friday for a pre-testimony interview, after his attorneys signaled he would take the stand as part of his grievance to contest the 211-game doping ban he received from commissioner Bud Selig Aug. 5. As part of baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, MLB can interview A-Rod prior to any testimony.
But Rodriguez called in sick, and presumably Fredric Horowitz, the independent arbitrator in the slugger’s case, will weigh in Monday on when Rodriguez would testify and when that might occur. The hearing is scheduled to run through this weekend and into early next week.
RELATED: A-ROD MAY GET GRILLED BY MLB BEFORE TESTIMONY OVER BAN
Rodriguez’s lawyers are expected to call witnesses, including a drug expert who is expected to raise the issue of why Rodriguez never tested positive if he took large amounts of banned substances, as well as Dan Mullin, the head of the unit which carried out the probe into the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic and its founder, Anthony Bosch.
Rodriguez’s camp has accused MLB of aggressive tactics in carrying out their investigation, and in a separate lawsuit A-Rod filed against Selig and MLB, Mullin is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former Biogenesis employee. A-Rod’s team will continue to try and discredit Bosch as well.
RELATED: A-ROD’S ARBITRATION BATTLE WITH MLB RESUMES MONDAY
Baseball slapped Rodriguez with the historic ban for repeatedly violating its drug agreement and for obstructing baseball’s probe. If Rodriguez takes the stand, he would likely testify that he didn’t procure performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch nor use them. Baseball claims he was doping between 2010-12, and according to sources, MLB has amassed a mountain of evidence against the three-time AL MVP, including electronic communication between him and Bosch.
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