Michael Weiner: Alex Rodriguez appeal verdict will likely come after 2013 season

Alex Rodriguez and his appeal against his 211-game Biogenesis suspension will not be a short contest. The news just keeps on rolling in on the Biogenesis investigation suspensions.

Michael Weiner says A-Rod's appeal verdict will not come until November or December.

— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) August 5, 2013

Weiner, the president of the MLB Players Association, released a statement supporting A-Rod's case a little while ago, and this tweet from the Tyler Kepner of the New York Times is the first we've seen on any sort of timeframe for the duration of this case. It now appears that barring injury, A-Rod will be allowed to play the remainder of the season for the Yankees since this case will not be resolved until November or December.

The 211-game penalty is quite hefty, as writers like Craig Calcaterra have indicated. It goes far beyond any other Biogenesis suspension and seems to place an arbitrary cost on the alleged violations beyond simply using Biogenesis PEDs. It's likely MLB chose this number with the idea that it would never actually be implemented because A-Rod was unlikely to accept it. The arbiter will seek a balance from this high number and whatever Weiner and A-Rod want. (My guess is their minimum is the Ryan Braun 65-game ban.) It's possible that a ban beyond 162 games could reach into 2015 as well since A-Rod will not be serving any suspension this year, but we'll see if it actually ends up being that amount. It could simply be all or a significant fraction of the 2014 season.

Hope you're all ready for the mess of the next several months.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Alex Rodriguez suspended 211 games by MLB & will appeal
• Biogenesis suspensions: Francisco Cervelli suspended 50 games, will not appeal
• ESPN presents: "The Suspension - An interview with Bud Selig"
• Alex Rodriguez: Distraction from what?
• Bud Selig's current steroid hardball does not excuse willful ignorance of '90s