Today A-Rod’s arbitration appealing his 211-game Biogenesis suspension begins. Saw this tweet from New York a few minutes ago:
AROD supporters lining up outside MLB offices before start if arbitration hearing.
— steven marcus (@newsdaymarcus) September 30, 2013
Which, I know, right? A-Rod has supporters? Besides me, anyway. I couldn’t make it, though, because apparently the airlines don’t give apologist discounts for last minute fares. Which is totally unfair. I’d be there waving a flag and stuff, though.
But before you lament society’s degenerate nature, it’s not like there are throngs of people there. Just a small fervent base:
ARod arrived in black SUV at 927, accompanied by lawyer Joe Tacopina. ARod immediately went to group of supporters waving Dominican flags.
— NYDN Sports I-Team (@NYDNSportsITeam) September 30, 2013
ARod greeting supporters Monday morning – via photographer Anthony DelMundo. pic.twitter.com/NzfTWAvxmJ — NYDN Sports I-Team (@NYDNSportsITeam) September 30, 2013
Call me cynical — and with the caveat that I haven’t seen any larger photos showing the entire area yet — but I can’t help but think this is less grassroots support than Astroturf. A-Rod’s legal team is not made up of P.R. newbies, and they are probably quite able to rangle up a group of folks to show up around the time A-Rod’s car showed up at hearing headquarters.
If we later learn that there were thousands chanting “Free A-Rod,” however, we can reexamine what we think of society’s degenerate nature.