A-ROD LAWYERS UPDATE HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST MLB

BUD SELIG & FAN

Alex Rodriguez's lawyers updated his lawsuit against Major League Baseball and Bud Selig yesterday.

The 33 page amended complaint, was filed in federal court in Manhattan yesterday.

The amendment added new criticism of commissioner Selig for not testifying in the union's grievance to overturn Rodriguez's suspension.

"Mr.Selig chose to hide in his office in Milwaukee rather than come testify at the grievance hearing in New York. In Mr.Selig's world, apparently the 'buck' does not stop with Bud. Mr.Selig lacked the courage of his convictions to explain under oath the reasons for the suspension and the conduct of the investigators. His silence on these issues speaks volumes and leads to only one logical conclusion - his actions, and those of the MLB personnel he controls, were aimed at destroying the reputation, career and business prospects of Alex Rodriguez."

The lawyers also accused Mr.Selig of conducting a 'witch hunt' against Rodriguez, repeating what was in the original complaint.

They also included a photograph of Selig posing with a fan wearing a red shirt that had 'A-ROID' written across the front. " Sadly, this cowardly stance by Mr.Selig is consistent with his past and highly inappropriate conduct in posing, smilingly, with a young fan wearing a T-shirt with a derogatory message directed at Mr.Rodriguez. One cannot imagine the Commissioner of any other professional sport - or indeed the CEO of any business - doing something similar with respect to one of his or her players or employees."

MLB has had the suit removed to federal court because Rodriguez claims Selig interfered with his business relationships. MLB says the case should be in federal court because of provisions of the Labor Managment Relations Act and intends to as for a dismissal. 
Rodriguez's lawyers meanwhile want to have it moved back to New York state courts. A hearing for this matter is scheduled for January 23rd.

The lawyers also released statements of people who were on Rodriguez's witness list but never got to testify.

They included statements by Marcelo Albir and Lazaro Collazo accused MLB investigators of harassment. Gary Jones, a friend of Porter Fischer claims he was paid $ 125,000 in $ 100 bills by MLB Senior VP Dan Mullin at the Cosmos Diner in Pompano Beach last March and $ 25,000 by Mullin for additional documents the following month. Fischer also claims he told Mullin that the documents had been stolen.

MLB says the first payment was $ 100,000 and denies the comments Jones made to Mullin.