Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Roberto Alomar Sued By Ex-Girlfriend For Unprotected Sex; Claims He Has AIDS

On Monday it was Alex Rodriguez. On Tuesday it was Miguel Tejada. Today it's Roberto Alomar.

OK, Alomar is retired. But still with everyday comes another headline with a baseball player.

Alomar is being sued by Ilya Dall, his former girlfriend for $15 million for having unprotected sex while having HIV. The ex-girlfriend does not have HIV but claims Alomar was diagnosed with full blown AIDs in 2006. (http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/02/10/2009-02-10_15m_lawsuit_claims_exmet_roberto_alomar_.html)

Alomar, who turned 41 on February 5th, has not made any comment on the matter. However, his father Sandy Alomar, a former major league player who is the bench coach for the New York Mets said the AIDS diagnosis is news to him.

He played in the big leagues from 1988 through 2004 with the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. Alomar won World Series rings with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He finished his career with a .300 lifetime batting average and 10 Gold Gloves for his stellar play at second base. His brother Sandy, Jr also played in the big leagues.

He becomes eligible to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2010. However, I don't Alomar is a first ballot Hall of Famer and this lawsuit will prevent him from being voted in on his first try.

There was also an incident he had with umpire John Hirshbeck in September 1996 which I saw live on television. Alomar was with the Orioles and was playing a game in his own stomping grounds in Sky Dome (he lived at the hotel during his days with the Blue Jays.) Alomar berated Hirshbeck on a called third strike. Hirschbeck allegedly used a racial epithet. Alomar responded by spitting in his face and making comments about Hirschbeck's son who had died of ALD. MLB suspended Alomar for 5 games and was fine $50,000 which he donated to the ALD Foundation. Alomar and Hirschbeck publicly settled their differences the following season and have appeared in public together on several occasions to raise money for ALD research.

So what to make of this lawsuit? Did Dall see the headlines about A-Rod and Tejada and decide to cash in? I don't think she has much of a case. Even if Alomar does have AIDS why was this woman still living with him after the time she alleges he was diagnosed with the disease? Either she's lying about his medical condition or if he is sick she is trying to take advantage of him.

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