Waffles Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/base...ract/index.htmlA-Rod to opt out of contractBoras notifies Yankees of client's free-agent wishesBy Jon Heyman, SI.comDENVER -- Alex Rodriguez notified the Yankees on Sunday that he's opting out of his record $252 million contract, SI.com has learned.Rodriguez's decision means he will become a free agent and be able to negotiate with all clubs. Rodriguez's bombshell move will shake up the entire winter for the Yankees -- who had hoped to retain him with a big extension -- as well as other big-market clubs that will now pursue him.Rodriguez's agent Scott Boras said he sent word of the opt-out in writing Sunday and left phone and text messages for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.According to team president Randy Levine, the Yankees were unaware of Rodriguez's decision.The Yankees have said that once A-Rod opts out, they wil not pursue him, since they will lose the benefit of the Texas Rangers' $30-million subsidy."Alex made the decision today,'' Boras said. "I thought we should notify the club.''The Yankees were preparing an extension to his current contract for either five or six years, believed to be for close to $30 million annually. However, team officials said Boras has politely declined to meet with them in recent days, and they never presented the offer.Rodriguez technically had until 10 days after the World Series ended to exercise his opt-out rights, which were provided in his $252 million Texas deal. However, Boras said Rodriguez felt there was no way he could make a decision to stay in that short a period of time since several situations remain unsettled, including those of Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.So the Yankees arch-nemeses are six outs away from their second World Championship in four seasons, and one of the best players of all time decides to leave them rather than accept the Yankees' reportedly astronomical extension offer. Oh, fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBGKon Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Wow, let the A-Rod Sweeps begin....- Cubbies?- Angels?- Dodgers?- Red Sox? (dare I say it)What other options are there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Someone explain to me how Miss October here got voted as MLB's Best Clutch Performer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Looks like the decision to not bring back Torre is blowing up in the Yankees face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HedleyLamarr Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Wow, let the A-Rod Sweeps begin....- Cubbies?- Angels?- Dodgers?- Red Sox? (dare I say it)What other options are there?He'll probably end up in Anaheim, the owner is a Latin American and seems to be player-friendly.Now if Frank Wren wants to make a splash in his first offseason as Braves GM, signing Rodriguez would sure be a helluvah way to start.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigga Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Someone explain to me how Miss October here got voted as MLB's Best Clutch Performer?Now THAT'S funny.Ladies and gentlemen, let the bidding begin! I don't think he wanted to go back to New York in the first place after the last few tumultuous post-seasons. I would guess he'll end up in either San Francisco or Boston, with maybe Baltimore as a dark horse. If Lowell doesn't re-sign, you might as well go ahead and start ordering your A-Rod #3 Red Sox jerseys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigga Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 :censored:ing double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njmeadowlanders Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Wow, let the A-Rod Sweeps begin....- Cubbies?- Angels?- Dodgers?- Red Sox? (dare I say it)What other options are there?- Giants? (Maybe too pricey for them, they have the $ though if they're willing)- Mets? (of course they're an option, though they almost certainly wouldn't pursue him.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I think one way or another ARod is in LA next year. Dodgers need a starAngels need another bat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njmeadowlanders Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 ....oh, and don't count the Yanks out just yet....yeah, they said they wouldn't negotiate if he opted out, blah blah blah. Maybe they didn't think he'd call their bluff or vice versa? Who knows....but don't count them out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Count them outHank and Hal Steinbrenner are starting to look like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waffles Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 I think Anaheim is the perfect fit for him, and lord knows they need consistent protection for Vlad in the lineup. Anaheim is (close in proximity to) a big market (or in it, if you ask Arte Moreno) but doesn't have the same media or fan harshness or scrutiny he's endured in New York (everyone out here seems to be a lot harder on the Dodgers than on the Angels). Vlad and A-Rod could rival Ortiz and Manny as the best one-two punch in baseball.One person who has to be happy about this is Tom Hicks...he's off the hook for the money he was paying the Yankees for taking A-Rod off his hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyk Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Looks like the decision to not bring back Torre is blowing up in the Yankees face.I think thats the excuse he will use, but that wont be the real reason he's leaving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapshot Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Weren't the Cubs rumored to be the primary candidate for A-Rod's services? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Weren't the Cubs rumored to be the primary candidate for A-Rod's services?He'd be a perfect fit for that franchise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DG_ThenNowForever Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 You've got it all wrong. Both A-Rod and Griffey have decided they have as much money as they'll ever need in their lives, and have thus decided to re-sign for pennies on the dollar and play for fun in the friendly confines of Safeco Field. You heard it here first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I really hope the Red Sox resign Mike Lowell, but that probably won't happen. The Red Sox will bid on (and eventually lose) out on A-Fraud. Meanwhile, Mike Lowell signs a nice deal somewhere and the Sox are without a 3rd baseman, unless Youkilis fills the role and they aquire a first baseman. When it comes down to it, I think Lowell with his contract will get you more bang for the buck than A-Rod would and his contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waffles Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 I'm not crazy about the timing of this. The fact that Boras would announce such a major piece of business on a SUNDAY NIGHT that happens to be the same night of the POSSIBLE LAST GAME OF THE WORLD SERIES makes it appear as though he is trying to either piggyback off of or overshadow whatever happens tonight.And I wonder why he would justify this decision with the uncertainty of the Posada/Mariano/Manager situations when he had (at least) ten more days to decide whether or not to opt out. It doesn't sound like A-Rod wanted to stay no matter what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I can see it now...Make it happen, Tony Reagins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH42XCC Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I don't know where he'll be going, but I'm pretty sure it won't be the Mets. Reason: they already have an All-Star 3rd baseman in David Wright and a "young-but-established" shortstop in Jose Reyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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