Alex Rodriguez Brian Cashman
In 2009, Alex Rodriguez admitted to using steroids when he was with the Texas Rangers. Reuters
Alex Rodriguez
New York Yankee's Alex Rodriguez during a Chicago White Sox MLB game in Aug. Reuters

After months of swirling controversy and under threat of a 211-game suspension for alleged steroid use, New York Yankees third-baseman Alex Rodriguez has fired back at Major League Baseball and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig with a lawsuit. Announced in the midst of Rodriguez appealing his suspension, the suit states that the league and Selig are responsible for smearing Rodriguez’s name and character, inevitably costing him millions of dollars.

According to Yahoo! News, the lawsuit says: ''Taking down Mr. Rodriguez would vividly demonstrate that Commissioner Selig had learned from the errors of his previous explicit or tacit tolerance of steroid use.” A-Rod goes so far as to call this a witch hunt directed at him in order to destroy his career and reputation.

The Yankee is said to be seeking monetary and punitive damages for what he alleges has been done to him. Moreover, in terms of his suspension, the New York Post noted that his 211-game suspension is the longest suspension ever handed down to a player, aside from a lifetime ban. The suit says the length of the suspension actually goes against his contract, which allegedly states a maximum suspension of 50 games.