It’s safe to say that Boston Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez aren’t best friends.
Gomes, who was vocal last season about Rodriguez being able to play during his suspension appeal, again called out A-Rod before Thursday’s Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards dinner. Gomes told the Boston Herald that he’s not a fan of Rodriguez’s decision to sue Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association in an attempt to get his 162-game suspension overturned.
“He does steroids or whatever, it sucks. He does this or that, it sucks. He’s always in the news, it sucks,” Gomes said. “But this is the players’ union. He’s going against — it’s all of us. Not a real good idea.”
Rodriguez initially was suspended for 212 games for his connection to the Biogenesis clinic that allegedly distributed performance-enhancing drugs to several major leaguers. The suspension since has been reduced to 162 games, but Rodriguez continues to deny any wrongdoing, leading to a lawsuit that has many players rattled.
“I think what he had going on is pretty individual,” Gomes told the Herald. “He did it. It was his decision, his suspension. But I don’t think it’s really a good idea to go after our union. Down to my [expletive] kids, down to the benefits we have, down to our retirement fund, the union makes our lives better. We pay dues to the union for our rights.”
David Ross also made it clear Thursday that he’s not happy with Rodriguez’s decision to sue the players’ union. The Red Sox catcher said on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan that he’d like to see the suspended slugger take more accountability for his actions.
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