NEW YORK: Alex Rodriguez, baseball’s highest-paid player and one of the sport’s greatest hitters, was suspended for a record 211 games yesterday for alleged doping offences.
Another 12 players, including three All-Stars, were handed 50-game suspensions by Major League Baseball following a long investigation into links between top players and a Florida clinic accused of supplying performance enhancing drugs.
MLB released a statement identifying the following players that had been given the lesser bans: Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta, Philadelphia Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo, New York Mets outfielder Jordany Valdespin, Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, Seattle Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, New York Mets outfield prospect Cesar Puello, San Diego Padres pitching prospect Fautino De Los Santos, Houston Astros pitching prospect Sergio Escalona and New York Yankees outfield prospect Fernando Martinez.
They were all treated as first-time offenders and will serve their penalties - about eight weeks in MLB - in time to rejoin their teams for the postseason play-offs.
Rodriguez was banned until the end of the 2014 season - the longest doping penalty ever handed by MLB.REUTERS
