New York ( CNN ) -- The court documents continued to fly in the ongoing legal battle between Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Major League Baseball . As Rodriguez ' appeal of his 211-game suspension went on hiatus this week so the arbitrator could tend to other matters , the MLB responded to his lawsuit against it and Commissioner Bud Selig with a motion to move it from state court to federal court in hopes it will be dismissed . In its 426-page filing , the MLB argues that Rodriguez should abide by baseball 's collective bargaining agreement and pursue his appeal solely through the arbitration process . Rodriguez : ' I 'm fighting for my life ' In response to the motion , Rodriguez ' attorney Joe Tacopina told CNN , `` As is its practice , MLB has chosen to share its filing with the press well before sending it to Mr. Rodriguez 's legal team . Nonetheless , Mr. Rodriguez 's claims against MLB and Commissioner Selig arise from their tortious conduct , separate and apart from the issues being decided in the arbitration process . It is ironic that MLB -- having filed suit in state court in Florida for tortious interference in order to obtain evidence to use in the arbitration proceeding -- now complains that Mr. Rodriguez 's tortious interference claim must be heard as part of the arbitration . MLB knows that these state law claims properly belong where they were filed , in the New York State Court . '' Attorney : Rodriguez had 'consulting relationship ' with Biogenesis . Last Friday Rodriguez filed suit against Selig and the MLB alleging that they `` engaged in tortious and egregious conduct with one and only one goal ... to destroy the reputation and career of Alex Rodriguez . '' The lawsuit claims that in its investigation of Anthony Bosch and his Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami , Major League Baseball engaged in vigilante justice to prove that Rodriguez was using performance enhancing drugs . Rodriguez fights suspension . `` They have ignored the procedures set forth in baseball 's collectively bargained labor agreements ; violated the strict confidentiality imposed by these agreements ; paid individuals millions of dollars and made promises of future employment to individuals in order to get them to produce documents and to testify on MLB ' s behalf ; bullied and intimidated those individuals who refused to cooperate with their witch hunt ; and singled out ( Rodriguez ) for an unprecedented 211-game suspension -- the longest non-permanent ban in baseball history , '' the suit says . Rodriguez , 38 , says he is fighting for his life in an effort to overturn the suspension . He has hired a high-priced team of lawyers , publicists and investigators . He has shown up each day during this week 's arbitration process at the MLB 's Park Avenue headquarters . His lawsuit outside the arbitration process is an effort to save his reputation and his $ 25 million salary for the 2014 season . Opinion : How A-Rod let us down .
Alex Rodriguez is appealing his 211-game suspension from Major League Baseball . His appeal is on hiatus this week . MLB says Rodriguez should abide by bargaining agreement and use arbitration process . Rodriguez : I 'm fighting for my life .