A-Rod's lawyer says MLB's evidence won't hold up

New York • Major League Baseball's evidence against Alex Rodriguez is so weak he shouldn't serve even one inning of his 211-game suspension, the lawyer for the Yankees slugger said Monday.

Joe Tacopina told NBC's "Today" show that the case will "never stand up" in court or before an arbitrator. The league recently suspended Rodriguez, along with more than a dozen other players, for their relationship with a clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs.

Rodriguez appealed the penalty and can play until there is a ruling. MLB's case is based on evidence from Biogenesis clinic founder Anthony Bosch, who Tacopina said has "no credibility."

"I know the evidence against Alex Rodriguez, and I will tell you this: It will never stand up in a court of law or in an arbitration-panel courtroom. Never," Tacopina told host Matt Lauer.

"Alex Rodriguez, when we confront this evidence, will have been found not responsible to the point where he shouldn't serve one inning of a suspension as opposed to 211 games," Tacopina said. "I know the evidence in this case."

Lauer asked Tacopina if A-Rod would have agreed to a 50-game ban, as 12 other players did without appealing.

"If he listens to me, if I were advising him based on the evidence and based on what I know about the evidence," Tacopina said, "I would tell him, 'Don't take one inning, Alex. Forget 50 games. Don't take one inning.'"