A-Rod's suspension travesty. The kangaroo court has ruled.

There's so many things wrong with how the whole Alex Rodriguez scenario has played out that's it's hard to know where to start. But let's take a look at it anyway.

In case you haven't noticed, it seems nowadays the majority of lemmings that readily believe anything they read, or see/hear on TV or the internet, with the media being the biggest culprits by fanning the flames, wants to be a "witness for the prosecution". Nevermind trivial stuff like having hard evidence of wrong-doing, many just can't seem to wait to join a lynch mob. Keep piling on the innuendos, embellishment, and allegations long enough, and next thing you know the masses will swallow it -- hook, line, and sinker. He must be guilty. Get the rope, pick out a big tree, and we're gonna have ourselves a hangin'. Yee-ha.

But that doesn't make it right. Consider.....

Many are now saying Major League Baseball came down so hard on A-Rod because he denied ever using performance enhancing drugs, ala Lance Armstrong. That's just a flat-out lie. In 2009, of his own free will and accord, Rodriguez admitted using PEDs when he was with the Texas Rangers, but stopped using them circa 2003. After his voluntary mea culpa in 2009, MLB sat pat and took no action. Nothing happened. Rodriguez played on.

In the interim, few would doubt A-Rod has been "tested" often, but never turned up a positive sample. Sure, the same could be said for Lance Armstrong, but continually testing negative hardly goes to proof of substance abuse. That's absurd. Only a kangaroo court that had already reached a verdict before any evidence was presented could jump to such a conclusion.

And that's just it. There was no court. Just allegations made and a sentence handed down. Excuse me, but didn't we leave out a big step here? You know, like that pesky little thing called a trial, where both sides have to put their cards on the table, and a supposedly impartial judge or jury deliberates before rendering a verdict?

MLB issued an official statement saying A-Rod's punishment was for his use and possession of various substances over a period of years. Really? Well gee, he told them that 4 years ago. And it's been a decade since he claimed he stopped with, so far, no evidence shown to contradict him. Perhaps the players' union would be wise to include some form of a statute of limitations in the next collective bargaining agreement. Right now, it appears MLB can go back as many years as they feel like to punish someone at their whim.

It gets worse. The hypesters would have us believe Rodriguez "obstructed" MLB's investigation. Translation? If someone accused of a crime exercises their right to remain silent, they will be labelled "uncooperative". Let the piling on begin. If they advise others to do the same, then they're some sort of evil conspirators that are "obstructing justice". The feeding frenzy will be on. All to often, the original presumption of innocence until proven guilty gets chucked out the window in the process. They've even gone so far as to insinuate Rodriguez was recruiting others to takes PEDs. In other words, he was a "pusher". Excuse me, but somehow I find that hard to believe.

But few seem to notice -- or care. And that's a scary thought. Yeah, it's easy to lay back and pile on out of ignorance when it's happening to somebody else -- but I dare say one would see it from a whole different perspective if it was happening to them, or a loved one. Especially if they were innocent.

This is not say A-Rod is innocent. What he's done or not since 2003 is unknown to yours truly. Likely to anyone reading this, as well. You may think you know -- but if you're honest with yourself -- deep down you know you really don't.

I've heard the talking heads say MLB has paper trails and mountains of evidence against Rodriguez  but, ironically, never heard MLB make that same claim. Maybe they do, and maybe they don't.

Thing is, A-Rod can continue playing because he's appealing his suspension. The first step will be to Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB itself, which will likely be a slam-dunk affirmation of the original sentence.

But eventually, if Rodriguez sticks to his guns, this whole mess will wind up in front of an arbitrator. Like a real court. At that point, MLB will have to show their supposed mountain of evidence. It will be put up or shut up time. Selig and his henchmen better hope they have the goods beyond a reasonable doubt, or the entire state of Wisconsin won't be able to supply the eggs that will be thrown in their face.

The vast majority of the other players on MLB's hit-list accepted their 50 game suspensions as first time drug policy violators. One could surmise that rather than fight it, and risk the further fury of MLB in the future, they just want to get it over with. Take the whupping, go away for a while and, most importantly, fall off the radar screen of the media vultures. Come back next year with a clean slate. It makes perfectly good sense.

Yet A-Rod poses a unique case. If he rolled over and accepted the suspension, he'd be pushing 40 before he was allowed back on the field, and would have been away from that level of competition for a year and a half. Whatever skills he stills possesses likely would have eroded away to next to nothing by that time -- the considerable money the Yankees still owe him be damned.

Two things. Obviously, Rodriguez wants to play -- now. And second, why not fight? At this point he really has nothing to lose.

Instead of all the rumors, suspicions, and heresay that we're being bombarded with -- here's a novel idea. Have everybody put their cards on the table and let the chips fall where they may. By appealing his suspension, basically this is all A-Rod is asking. He got convicted and sentenced without a trial and wants an open and fair hearing. Seems fair enough to me.

The horde of armchair prosecutors will get over it -- eventually. They will no doubt find a slew of other fish to gut and fry along the way in their minds -- even if they've never dropped a line in the water.

Though I must admit they're world class when it comes to baiting hooks.