Boras hints that A-rod is likely to opt-out - Talksox

yankeessuck013 · 10-10-2007, 02:25 AM

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns

Alex Rodriguez's agent hints A-Rod likely to opt out of contract and become free agent
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
October 9, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez is ready to cash in. Again.

Agent Scott Boras hinted Tuesday that A-Rod will opt out of the final three seasons of his contract with the New York Yankees and seek a new deal in the free-agent market that will lock him up through his pursuit of Barry Bonds' home-run record.

Boras negotiated Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year agreement with the Texas Rangers before the 2001 season, a contract the Yankees took over when they acquired A-Rod before the 2004 season. His next deal could last for more than a decade.

"Alex wants to be in one uniform for a long, long time, if not to the end of his career," Boras said of the 32-year-old, headed to his third AL MVP Award. "I think Alex could play very reasonably until he's 45. So you're talking about a situation where we want this guy to be identified with one franchise and one uniform for a very, very long time."

Rodriguez enters next year 17th on the career home-run list with 518 and is 242 behind Bonds, who also hopes to play next season. The expected chase will be factored into the negotiation.

"That team is going to be associated with having a player in its organization that has this history, this value," Boras said, "and they're going to be able to market that and go through the varying chases and levels of passing players in his home run pursuits."

In describing how Rodriguez would benefit from free agency, Boras cited the increase in baseball revenue from $3 billion in 2000 to nearly $6 billion this year.

"The marketplace for negotiating contracts has changed so dramatically from when we negotiated in 2000 to where we negotiate in 2007," Boras said.

New York likely will approach Boras with an extension offer in the next few weeks -- Rodriguez must make his decision whether to opt out by the 10th day after the World Series ends.

Rodriguez must weigh that offer against what he could get as a free agent, keeping in mind that the market for a player in the $30 million-a-year-range is limited.

"He could opt out tomorrow if he wanted to, but I haven't discussed that with him," Boras said. "All those decisions will be made when we sit down and talk."

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels are viewed as possible destinations, although their payrolls are dwarfed by that of the Yankees.

Rodriguez is guaranteed $24 million annually by New York in each of the next three seasons. But part of that would be offset by $21,304,500 the Rangers still owe New York as part of the trade. In addition, Rodriguez is due $3 million each year by the Rangers, money that is deferred a 2 percent annual interest rate and scheduled to be paid from 2016-25.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that if Rodriguez opts out -- and the Yankees lose that $21 million subsidy -- the team would cut off negotiations.

"That would be my position, yes, that would be my very strong recommendation," he said. "There is a date and if you can make a deal before that date, fine. After that date, it becomes a much different economic animal. It makes less sense."

When Rodriguez arrived at spring training, he was coy when asked about his contract.

"I understand I have an option, but I also understand that I want to be a New York Yankee," he said, going on to add: "My goal is to go in with Derek and Mo and open the new stadium."

Closer Mariano Rivera and catcher Jorge Posada can become free agents after the World Series. Pitcher Andy Pettitte has a $16 million player option.

Rodriguez had a regular season that likely will earn him a third AL MVP award, leading the major leagues with 54 homers and 156 RBIs. But he went 4-for-15 (.267) with one RBI against Cleveland and is in an 8-for-59 (.136) postseason funk dating to 2004. He is hitless in his past 18 playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.

New York would have to replace A-Rod's regular-season offense if he leaves.

"A lot of it depends on whether he comes back here," said first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, A-Rod's former high school teammate and offseason workout partner. "That's like a domino effect. It's a big piece of the puzzle."

ARod2212 · 10-10-2007, 02:31 AM

He's creating as much leverage as possible against Cashman, but it's still going to come down to the decision to sign an extension or not. He's not doing anything until the Yankees offer him something.

TheKilo · 10-10-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARod2212

He's creating as much leverage as possible against Cashman, but it's still going to come down to the decision to sign an extension or not. He's not doing anything until the Yankees offer him something.

ARod made no commitment to the Yanks whatsoever after the game the other night. He could have made things a lot easier to clear up if he said "I want to be a Yankee" or "I still want to play here" and he didn't say anything of the kind.

I do think he ends up as a Yankee next year but I'm not as confident of that as I once was.

He Hate Me · 10-10-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKilo

ARod made no commitment to the Yanks whatsoever after the game the other night. He could have made things a lot easier to clear up if he said "I want to be a Yankee" or "I still want to play here" and he didn't say anything of the kind.

I do think he ends up as a Yankee next year but I'm not as confident of that as I once was.

I don't want him if he opts out. If he opts out, we'd have to spend almost $60M just to sign three players (ARod, Jorgie, Mo), I think that's too much even for the Yanks. Not to mention that that $30M could be better spent in '09 when Johan becomes available

Mr Crunchy · 10-10-2007, 11:03 AM

the market is limited
the arod to the sox thing has life
the yanks are also high on mike lowell who is also a free agent
perhaps they swap teams,then we can move youk to 3rd and get a 1b who can hit 35hrs

TheKilo · 10-10-2007, 11:15 AM

You're gonna drop $30 million on a pitcher?

I love Johan but you're always one pitch away from the end of your career...

das11209 · 10-10-2007, 11:19 AM

I have expressed my feelings regarding this before.

A-Rod is the best player in baseball and he might get the best money from at least 5 teams(Yankees, Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, Angels). Apart from the Dodgers - all other teams have a shot to the play-offs almost every year. All these teams are big market teams with good fan base so he will get the endoresement money. Why he would be in NY when he will have to play second fiddle to captain Jeter - when he knows he is much better ball player than Jeter and each and every aspect of the game. Why he would love to be in NY - where the spotlight is always on him - surely he would like some privacy when he takes a stripper out? Why he would be in a city where the fans constantly booed him till the first game of this season - where he hits meaningless 'homeruns' and chokes in clutch?

I do not see any single reason why A-Rod would prefer NY (unlike Mo, Petite, Posada - he could not care less if Torre goes or stays) - and it will be nice if Jackson and GOM can enlighten me. On the otherhand - Lowell is a product of Yankee system - much less baggage - and will fit in great in that clubhouse.

Mr Crunchy · 10-10-2007, 11:22 AM

johan was 15-13 this year with a 3.33 era
go ahead and give him 120M for 4....
didnt randy johnson have similar #s in arizona with 2 less runs earned the year the yanks got him for a mere 35M??
the best thing the sox did this year was watch johnson leave ny
that cocksucker owned us while he couldnt beat anyone else.

das11209 · 10-10-2007, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Crunchy

the best thing the sox did this year was watch johnson leave ny
that cocksucker owned us while he couldnt beat anyone else.

David Ortiz must have thrown a block party out to celebrate Randy leaving NY.

He Hate Me · 10-10-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKilo

You're gonna drop $30 million on a pitcher?

I love Johan but you're always one pitch away from the end of your career...

I wouldn't drop $30M on him, maybe $25M. I wouldn't be shocked if we gave him $30M, I mean technically we gave Roger $28M, any decent agent will use that as leverage.

YAZMAN · 10-10-2007, 12:29 PM

Mr. Boras, Omar is on the phone for you...

BudLight · 10-10-2007, 12:44 PM

When Rodriguez arrived at spring training, he was coy when asked about his contract.

"I understand I have an option, but I also understand that I want to be a New York Yankee," he said, going on to add: "My goal is to go in with Derek and Mo and open the new stadium."

If this statement were true, why would Boras basically state the opposite now regarding A-Rod. Oh yeah, Boras is an asshalf !! Boras controls what A-Rod does, not A-Rod. While he is without a doubt the best player in the game today, I do not believe he plays for the love of the game, he's purely about the $$$$ and he has the perfect agent for that mentality.

das11209 · 10-10-2007, 01:17 PM

At the end of the day - A-Rod is the best player in baseball and we should go after him if we can financially. Noone would argue that he is a class act given his history (snapping the ball from Arroyo's hand to this year's 'Ha' incident at Torronto). But I would still like to have him in my team because it gives us the best chance to win. I like all those 'love of the game' stuffs - but in Kevin Costner movies not in real life. In real life successful people quite often are assholes - that's just the way it is.

BudLight · 10-10-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by das11209

At the end of the day - A-Rod is the best player in baseball and we should go after him if we can financially. Noone would argue that he is a class act given his history (snapping the ball from Arroyo's hand to this year's 'Ha' incident at Torronto). But I would still like to have him in my team because it gives us the best chance to win. I like all those 'love of the game' stuffs - but in Kevin Costner movies not in real life. In real life successful people quite often are assholes - that's just the way it is.

When agents like Boras inflate salaries to ridiculous amounts though, the game suffers. Small market teams can't compete year after year. Attendance suffers in those markets. What is A-Rod's value - whatever someone will pay - that's great except only a handful of the teams in existence can afford it. Revenues from postseason play only make it into the pockets of a few teams. I understand baseball is a business, but there also has to be a line drawn somewhere when running that business starts to hinder the enjoyment of the sport for the fans.

das11209 · 10-10-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudLight

When agents like Boras inflate salaries to ridiculous amounts though, the game suffers. Small market teams can't compete year after year. Attendance suffers in those markets. What is A-Rod's value - whatever someone will pay - that's great except only a handful of the teams in existence can afford it. Revenues from postseason play only make it into the pockets of a few teams. I understand baseball is a business, but there also has to be a line drawn somewhere when running that business starts to hinder the enjoyment of the sport for the fans.

I am not sure I completely agree with you. Now this system is not going to change like NFL where you have salary cap and all teams have equal opportunity to win. Baseball will be the story of 'haves' and 'have nots'. In spite of that - there is parity in baseball. The Yankees do make playoff every year - but Cleveland, a team of half the payroll of Boston can knock them off. DBacks and Rockies play for division while a big market team like the Mets collapses. So there is opportunity for small market teams - even though they may not be able to land A-Rod.