End of A-Rod's career may be nearing, but new questions are arising

Braun went away quietly. The endgame here is more complicated. This is about far more than one test sample. This is about years of behavior. It's about a team

Tom Verducci | Jul 30, 2013

End of A-Rod's career may be nearing, but new questions are arising /

MLB is reportedly considering a lifetime ban for Alex Rodriguez over his alleged role in the Biogenesis scandal. — MLB is reportedly considering a lifetime ban for Alex Rodriguez over his alleged role in the Biogenesis scandal :: Chuck Burton/AP

Braun went away quietly. The endgame here is more complicated. This is about far more than one test sample. This is about years of behavior. It's about a team against its own player, players against owners and players against players. It's about possible labor unrest and legal challenges. And it's about Alex Rodriguez, so if anybody tells you they know exactly how it's going to end, just laugh at them. The only certainty about the ending is that it will be messy.

Published Jul 30, 2013

TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.