The Alex Rodriguez saga has perhaps mercifully come to an end as the embattled New York Yankees third baseman told reporters on Wednesday that he has finally accepted the 162-game suspension four days after it was handed down to him by arbitrator Frederic Horowitz due to his role in the Biogenesis scandal and use of performance enhancing drugs. A-Rod said it will be a good chance for him to "rest mentally and physically."
According to ESPN, Rodriguez conducted a meeting with the media in Mexico and said that he was remorseful for his PED saga dominating headlines and that he was thankful for the outpouring of support from his Yankees teammates and retired players.
"It's a very sad story," Rodriguez said per ESPN. "And we hope we can take it out of the newspapers and I hope we can start concentrating on all the good things the big league is doing with all the young players moving forward."
ESPN reports that Rodriguez wouldn't address the suspension or other legal issues but talked about what his future holds now that he must wait until 2015 to get on the diamond again.
"I think that in the year 2014, the league could have done me a favor because I've played 20 years without a timeout," the three-time Most Valuable Player said via ESPN in his first public comments since the suspension was announced. "I think 2014 will be a year to rest mentally and physically prepare myself for the future and begin a new chapter of my life."
While many have speculated that A-Rod may never play a single game of baseball after the myriad of lawsuits and legal issues, Rodriguez said he plans to finish out his three-year deal in New York and come back strong.
"I have three years left on my contract starting in 2015 and I hope to play very well and finish my career in New York," Rodriguez said, according to ESPN.
Rodriguez was suspended by Bud Selig and Major League Baseball for 211 games but decided to appeal the ban and played out the 2013 season after returning from injury until Horowitz heard his appeal.
Horowitz knocked his ban down to 162 games and the 2014 playoffs and said he found "clear and convincing evidence" that Rodriguez used three banned substances and tried to obstruct the MLB's investigation into the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic twice.
Rodriguez responded by suing the MLB and the Player's Union while also announcing that he'd be attending spring training since he isn't banned from the preseason.
Yankees' owner Hal Steinbrenner said A-Rod is an "asset" and a "great player" but wouldn't address 2015.
"I have not thought about 2015, nor am I going to right now," Steinbrenner told ESPN. "My focus has to be right now. But when he's on and when he's healthy, he's obviously an asset. We'll see what happens."
Alex Rodriguez will not play in 2014, but it's unclear what's in his future after that.
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