A-Rod gets little sympathy at Okotoks Dawgs game

With the world’s highest paid baseball player caught in a performance-enhancing drug scandal, there was little sympathy for the accused cheater among players and fans as the Okotoks Dawgs played on Monday night.

New York Yankees superstar slugger Alex Rodriguez — A-Rod to his fans — has been suspended by Major League Baseball for 211 games for his links to a clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. He is appealing.

As Okotoks took to the field against the Lethbridge Bulls for game five of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) playoffs, Dawgs pitcher Chris Villalobos said the suspension is fair.

"They took something he loves to do away from him. That's good enough," he said.

David Head, who plays third base, A-Rod’s position, said the punishment should go further.

"As a Yankee fan I'm not a fan of A-Rod. I'm not upset what's happening to A-Rod. And I think the best thing the Yankees could do is part ways with him," Head said.

Kevin Kvame, the president of the collegiate summer league, said Rodriquez has set a bad example for younger players.

"There's no room for cheaters. That's all it boils down to," he said.

"They got to know they can get there on their own talent."

Peter Hutzal, a young third baseman, said his former hero let him down.

"I just loved the way he played. I kind of looked up to him as an idol. Like, I wanted to be like that. Now it's gone," he said.