In the latest episode of the ongoing Alex Rodriguez saga, the hard-hitting slugger seems to have found his defense.

It comes in the form of the oldest trick in the book: ignorance.

According to sources aware of A-Rod's arbitration procedure, the Yankee third baseman and his legal team have submitted a case built around the idea that Rodriguez got supplements from Biogenesis in good faith. In other words, he thought the supplements he got were all legal.

That case collides with Biogenesis owner Anthony Bosch who testified on Monday and Tuesday before a panel deciding on the 211-game bane that Rodriguez is appealing against. Bosch spent time with the panel validating documents and communications tracks that seem to point to a client-supplier relationship. The MLB argues that if the supplements were not illegal, they would not have been expensive and the transactions should have been out in the open, instead of being kept under lock and key.

Twelve players have been banned for 50 games for their association with Biogenesis. Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun was given a 65-game suspension, even though he had previously denied using illegal supplements. Braun accepted the suspension in July, saying that he used "a cream and a lozenge" for a short time in 2011 to aid in his recovery from a lingering injury.

The track Rodriguez is taking is nothing novel. In fact, Barry Bonds testified in 2003 that he thought the creams he got from BALCO were based on oil extracted from flaxseed. Roger Clemens said that he thought he was being given lidocaine and vitamin B-12 by his former trainer. In addition, A-Rod's legal team is said to be planning to attack Bosch's credibility, saying that he was paid by investigators in exchange for evidence and was withdrawn from a lawsuit if he cooperated. The Florida health department also fined Bosch $5,000 for posing as a doctor.

However, this strategy might not work. While Rodriguez did not test positive for any illegal substances during his association with Bosch, a 2009 Sports Illustrated report said that he had tested positive for steroid usage in 2003.

The arbitration hearing is currently ongoing at the offices of MLB commissioner Bud Selig. Rodriguez has been greeted by the presence of a group of supporters, who claim that A-Rod is being treated unfairly. Should the hearing not finish within the week, it will resume later in the month, possibly in November if the time is not sufficient to reach a decision.