A-Rod Storms Out Of Hearing, Says MLB Is "Full Of Shit"

The Alex Rodriguez Show rolls on! And gets better with every episode. Today, according to reports, Rodriguez swore, walked out of his arbitration hearing, and said he won't participate any more after it was ruled that Bud Selig would not have to testify.

Today, in the 12th day of Rodriguez's hearing challenging his 211-game suspension, arbitrator Frederic Horowitz ruled that Selig would not be forced to give testimony. At that point, Rodriguez slammed his fist on the table, shouted "This is ridiculous," pointed at MLB COO Rob Manfred, who led the investigation against him (and also sits on the panel who will rule on Rodriguez's appeal), and said "You know you're full of shit!"

Rodriguez's attorneys later released a statement that seems to indicate A-Rod won't be returning for the rest of the hearing.

"I am disgusted with this abusive process, designed to ensure that the player fails. I have sat through 10 days of testimony by felons and liars, sitting quietly through every minute, trying to respect the league and the process. This morning, after Bud Selig refused to come in and testify about his rationale for the unprecedented and totally baseless punishment he hit me with, the arbitrator selected by MLB and the Players Association refused to order Selig to come in and face me.

"The absurdity and injustice just became too much. I walked out and will not participate any further in this farce."

I am overjoyed at this latest development. The Rodriguez investigation, overflowing with sex, drugs, and lies, has already been the most entertaining baseball story of the year. But it seems the shit had yet to hit the fan.

In a vacuum, Rodriguez is one of the most unsympathetic athletes ever. But put up against the machinery of Major League Baseball, clearly out to make an example of A-Rod and cover its own legally questionable ass, he's downright heroic. He's been abandoned by the union, which is supposed to stand behind its members through thick and thin. If his statement sounds like a man convinced that everyone's out to get him, that's exactly what Rodriguez believes. But here's a sobering thought...what if he's right?