ESPN reports New York Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez stormed out of his grievance hearing with MLB officials after an arbitrator ruled commissioner Bud Selig did not have to testify before the disgraced slugger's legal team.
The website reports Rodriguez slammed his hand on a table at the league's Manhattan Park Avenue offices and even cursed at MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred after Fredric Horowitz rendered his decision.
Rodriguez is fighting to overturn the record-setting 211-game suspension he was hit with last summer over alleged violations of the sport's drug agreement and labor contract.
"This is ridiculous!" ESPN reported Rodriguez shouted, just before pointing a finger at Manfred, who actually oversaw MLB's investigation into the Biogenesis clinic suspected of being a source of illegal performance-enhancing drugs for as many as 15 major league ballplayers, and adding "you know you're full of s---!"
Rodriguez's attorneys David Cornwell and Jordan Siev remained in the hearing room and entered into the record that they believe the hearing is "an unfair process," according to a source.
Later Rodriguez issued a statement reading "I am disgusted with this abusive process, designed to ensure that the player fails. I have sat through 10 days of testimony by felons and liars, sitting quietly through every minute, trying to respect the league and the process. This morning, after Bud Selig refused to come in and testify about his rationale for the unprecedented and totally baseless punishment he hit me with, the arbitrator selected by MLB and the players' association refused to order Selig to come in and face me.The absurdity and injustice just became too much. I walked out and will not participate any further in this farce."
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