Reporters continue to dig up details on the Biogenesis story, and MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner doesn't like it. In a statement issue today, Weiner said, "The leaking of confidential information to members of the media interferes with the thoroughness and credibility of the Biogenesis investigation. These repeated leaks threaten to harm the integrity of the Joint Drug Agreement and call into question the required level of confidentiality needed to operate a successful prevention program."
Weiner later added, "It would be unfortunate if anyone prejudged the results of the investigation based on unsubstantiated leaks that are a clear violation of the Joint Drug Agreement." The latest report came from T.J. Quinn and Mike Fish of ESPN, who wrote, "Commissioner Bud Selig's office is expected to suspend Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez Rodriguez, along with as many as 20 players sometime after next week's All-Star break, for their roles in the Biogenesis case."
The big question: how will the inevitable appeals play out for those players? FanGraphs' Wendy Thurm wondered today if Selig himself might be the only person hearing appeals and making the final decision, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes,"All would be heard by a single arbitrator, Fredric Horowitz." Horowitz was appointed baseball's arbitrator last summer after Shyam Das was fired. Rosenthal pictures a drawn-out appeals process. Furthermore, Ronald Blum of the Associated Press wrote today, "Lengthy proceedings make it nearly a certainty most, if not all, suspensions would be served in 2014."
