Abreu had to stay; A-Rod had to leave
-
- November
- 2
The Yankees had little choice but to retain Bobby Abreu. They need a third baseman, a closer and a catcher. They didn’t need to add right fielder to that list.
Abreu is not a dirt-on-the-uniform type so fans tend to get down on him. But when you look up after 162 games, he has 100+ RBI and 100+ runs scored and he plays most every day. For one year at his age, it’s the smart move.
——————————
The well-sourced Buster Olney reports that the the Yankees fell $100 million short of just getting a meeting with A-Rod.
The Yankees were willing to offer Rodriguez a five-year extension worth $150 million. That would give Rodriguez a total package of eight years and $231 million.
Boras wanted a package of $350 million. Presumably that would have meant an eight-year extension worth $33.62 million a year.
How could a team sign a 32-year-old player for 11 more seasons? I understand Rodriguez keeps himself in great shape. But 11 more seasons? Maybe there’s a team out there that will do that. But I can’t fault the Yankees for not.
It’s ironic that the Red Sox couldn’t make a deal for Rodriguez then won the World Series twice in four years. The Yankees made the deal, got progressively worse and then Rodriguez fled at the first opportunity after pretending he loved New York all season.
It’s a shame, in a way. The guy is a great player but he will be forever defined by his actions off the field.
This entry was posted
on Friday, November 2nd, 2007 at 3:16 pm by Peter Abraham.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Share and Enjoy: 
| 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
As I’ve been saying, the future looks incredibly bright.
Maybe if we got Manny Ramirez instead we Would have had a few more ring.
What’s even more ludicrous about giving a 32-year-old third baseman an 11 year contract is the fact that you will probably have to be moving him off of third base in just a few years. He will probably have to exclusively be a DH for the last four or five years of that contract. That’s an awful lot of money to pay for someone who will probably wind up as just a DH later on.
The difference between the Sox and the Yankees winning WS since 2004 is the choking away of the 2004 ALCS. That has more to do with Torre using an already overworked Tom Gordon in Game 3 with a *9 run lead* than it does with Alex Rodriguez.
The Yankees have played tight in the playoffs ever since. It wasn’t all Torre’s fault, but it was a major reason why he had to go.
On Arod, don’t forget if he goes to an NL team (looking likely) he won’t even get to DH at age 42. I guess there’s always a sucker out there and Boras will be right there to catch them.
AMEN on Bobby. 1 down, 3 more to go.
Yanks won 97 in ‘06 vs. 95 in ‘05. I think the term “progressively worse” is a bit misleading.
“fans tend to get down on him”
there was a fan heckling abreu during game 4 when i sat in right field. that ‘fan’ probably regrets that heckling to this day. his woman wasn’t too happy either…
I heard that his former teammates on Seattle and Texas called him “the cooler” because he cools off any team he plays on. Look at Seattle in 2001 and Texas in 2004. They both got a lot better
Dee- Good point, I should have stressed IF he stays in the American League. You’re right.
good synopsis peter, thanks.
i think i am slowly transitioning from anger at a rod, to the more humorous side of this. His credibility is completely hurt in my book, but having said that, I will take every chance to hear him in interviews the next 10 years. what an amazing guy.
A-AAAAAAA FRAUD…..AAAAAAAA FRAAAAAUD. I cant’ wait to hear the chants if he ever steps again on Yankee Stadium.
What a loser. Classless.
Greedy MOFO. We’re much better without him.
Borass is one sick puppy. 350 million that is more than the gdp for many countries and he wants ALex to make it for playing a kids game. There are people out there (like he claims is his mother did) working 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet and put food on the table and a roof over their families heads. When is enough enough? I understand you have an ego so big it can’t fit in the clubhouse, but at one point don’t you have enough money where you can stay for less in a place you claim you love?
The Yankees continue to look better and better in light of all the information coming out.
“A-AAAAAAA FRAUD…..AAAAAAAA FRAAAAAUD. I cant’ wait to hear the chants if he ever steps again on Yankee Stadium.
What a loser. Classless.
Greedy MOFO. We’re much better without him.”
It’s kind of hard to demonstrate that someone else is classless when you are acting classless yourself.
Unbelievable. What’s Bore-ASS going to use next as spin??
“Nah, he’ll be 100% healthy…I didn’t want to say this…but his father was a space alien so he ages more slowly.”
C’mon guys. PAY-Rod has shown himself to be nothing more than a mercenary concerned with just himself.
HEY!!!!! Here’s an idea…let’s come up with a fantasy All A$$hole Team!!!
Manager - Ozzie Guillen
3rd base - PAY-Rod
DH - Bonds
Who else can we add?
28 mil per season is MORE than fair - still a full $7 mil ahead of Jeter. 5 years is also pretty sensible.
And don’t tell me Boras wouldn’t try & figure out some way, even with an 11-year extension, for Alex to get out of it and get paid yet another gi-normous amount of money down the line.
I sincerely wish nothing but failure on him for the rest of his career. He just doesn’t get it.
Ant–Oh man, you could have too much fun with that…
Sheffield.
Ant928- Curt Schilling.
Boras is trying to get extra commision from Arod’s contract, as he’ll get a hell of a lot less than he figured on Gagne & Andru Jones’ contracts…
Thanks, Pete.
It looks like we’re close to solving the mystery.
Timeline:
1. Alex and Boras pow wow in Malibu where Boras tells Alex, you had a career year and the Yankees and New York will pay anything to have you come back. They love you now.
2. Boras instructs Alex to not communicate with Yankees or do interviews, secretly fearing that Alex might let a “I love playing in New York” slip out.
3. Boras (allegedly) tells the Yankees the posting fee to talk to Alex is $100M.
4. Yankees try to contact Alex, who has been instructed to not take or return calls.
5. Boras botches opt-out (who knows why? that was senseless and would have only embarrassed his client).
6. Seeing that the Yankees have opted out as well, other teams wipe their drool and promptly put out the message that they’re not in the market for $30M infielder. (Boras probably convinced Alex that he’s so great, he could play two positions at the same time. Teams would be able to pay his salary fielding only 8 players.)
7. Alex’s stock drops.
8. Eventually there will be a feeding frenzy and Alex will get his money. Boras will look like a genius.
In addition to the money the key parts of the contract will be the fine print. Will there be another opt out clause, what pother perks will come with it that will cost more momney.
>> The Yankees continue to look better and better in light of all the information coming out. >>
Agreed. We may lose 150 RBI’s in the process, but we’ll be a better team for it.
mel - great timeline.
explain #8 to me, cause I don’t know how that happens unless it is at the
cont.
…the less than 300MM level
>> 3. Boras (allegedly) tells the Yankees the posting fee to talk to Alex is $100M. >>
That’s not what he meant when he said “fell $100 million short of just getting a meeting with A-Rod.”
That means the $350 million offer had to be on the table before Alex would even show up to talk about it.
So glad they picked up Bobby’s option - he’s a better than average fielder and a very patient guy at the plate. As you say, Pete, the Yanks have other positions they have to fill so why waste the opportunity to have Abreau come back. As for A-Rod’s contract demands, I can’t wait to see what he ends up with - don’t believe there’s a team out there who will go for an 11 year deal, for crazy money like that. Boras must be smoking some of those funny cigarettes!
Ant928 - how about Schilling as the ace of the staff?? LOL
And he will be defined by his agent.
When you hear ‘Arod’ how will you not think ‘Boras’?
If Arod ends up getting the 350 million from some team then God bless him.
There is no reason the Yankees needed to lock this guy up past his 40th birthday. The sluggers who remained sluggers at that age all have steroid and HGH allegations to their names. See Bonds/Sheffield/Palmeiro for reference.
Whoever ends up paying Arod 30 million at age 40 will be regretting it for sure.
It’s why he can’t sign with an NL team. He is a 3b for another 5 years maybe and then he’s either a 1b/DH from there on in. Without a DH option, signing him for more than 5 years for an NL team is suicide.
I think he really thought his opting out would still lead back to the Yankees. He was wrong.
The only way he can save himself at this point is to fire Boras and go meet with the Yankees face to face. That won’t happen though because Arod has proven to us he’s an idiot.
When he’s 40 and playing in Anaheim or SF (part time since it’s a NL team), he’ll be looking back wishing that he didn’t make the moves he just did.
He’s turned himself into Bonds. He’s the 2nd most unlikable player in the league. The only people who will cheer him will be his home crowd, provided he produces. Bonds thrives on the hate. Arod never has. It’s a sad situation for a very talented guy who didn’t realize he could have built himself into a Yankee legend.
if negations started at 5/150 i bet Boras could have got an extra year so say 6/180. Thats means he would have been getting paid 30 million until age 41. That offer is completely fair.
whatever,
Thanks for the link in the previous thread. Did you notice that Igawa makes $4.00? lol
Ant928
I’ve got your catcher: A.J. Pierzynski!
Pete while 150 rbi is alot to lose, you are correct they will be a “TEAM”
Have another one to add, Varitek
Yup. We lose one more ‘ME’ player. Now lets hope we can add one more ‘TEAM’ player.
Ant - I think you can put Manny in there at LF… Actually, this is turning into a ridiculously good team.
Mel
I’m guessing you are not far off.
i see this list turning into a-rod, bonds, pierzynski, and assorted former/current red-sox.
Pete,
I got the $100M posting fee from the ESPN article. The Yankees were willing to make a shorter deal worth $250M, but Boras said that they had to ante up $350M just to sit at the table. I think Pete Abe’s saying the same thing. The gap was $100M.
The annual was the same, it was just the number of years. The Yankees would be insane to commit a 41 year old player $30M. In the end it’ll be better for everyone. This marriage is dead.
Mel- At $4.00, Igawa is still overpaid.
Go AwA-Rod may sign another 10 year contract, but Boras will probably stick some more opt out clauses in this next contract as well. This cycle could happen again in four years possibly. Just think how exciting (SIGH) that it will be to hear the question again in a few years- will A-Rod stay with fill-in-the-blank, or will he opt out?
John Gibbons vs Ozzy Guillen may be a toss up…
Ant- Can we throw in Milton Bradley somewhere on your team, too?
i guess picking up abreu’s option was a good deal . 16 mil is alot for abreu but he does get on base and he does score runs .
forget a-rod . i have been saying all year long he was going . now he’s gone . good riddens . the yanks need pitching , pitching and some more pitching .
pitchers like mo rivera .
pitchers like johan santana
pitchers like pettitte who have balls the size of watermelons .
Trot Nixon can split time with Raul Mondesi in RF with Kenny Lofton coming off the bench at CF/LF. they are all tools
i think a ” me ” type of player is going to have big problems with girardi .
J-dawg,
That’s mean. I still haven’t given up on Igawa.
O.K. this is how I can tell that I’m over Alex. I didn’t even realize that over the past week, I’ve stopped calling him A-rod and started calling him Alex. Weird.
Even if Arod hit 90 HR and had 250 rbi’s, $30 million/yr is waaaay too much for a ballplayer.
I bet you a lot of Yankees are glad to see him go although they would never say it in public.
chris-
I think you’re right. And I think Cashman and the rest know that too. So hopefully they’ll avoid bringing a selfish player into the mix..
I think we need to be more positve. Lets start a team of all good guys
P Mo Rivera
P Andy Pettitte
C Jorge POsada
i would rather be dead than have the likes of schilling on this team . why not trade for pedro while your at it .
Mel- I was just venting and ranting like I do sometimes. Actually Igawa’s last game against the Devil Rays was acceptable if you take away the walks. It will be interesting whether he is used in a long relief role, as a lefty reliever to (try to) get lefies out, or he is dangled as trade bait and traded.
Bobby is soft, but cuddly. I wonder what he’ll do when Girardi yells at him, “The f-ing wall is not electrified!” I don’t think that Jeter will have problems with Joe, Derek wants to win more than anybody else.
P Mo Rivera
P Andy Pettitte
C Jorge POsada
Yes - I care more about having these guys back.
Could care less about Arod.
Predition, Slimeballs ( I mean A-Fraud and BorSatan ) will come crawling back to the Yankees with their tails between their legs after NO-ONE gives them Jack-Doo-Doo close to that silly 350 million proposal.
G Love
A-Rod can sign with a NL team now because there will most likely be an opt out in the new contract too. Probably wouldn’t be until 7th or 8th year because that would put him in range to opt out after he breaks records.
There are also many different ways to structure contracts. I don’t know what rules MLB has in place for contracts but a front end loaded deferred money contract would guard against paying a 40+ year old too much money. A-Rod could continue to receive checks for millions of dollars well into his 60’s if MLB would allow it. Either that or all the deferred money could possibly be turned into an ownership percentage of a team after he has retired from the game.
I was always an A-Rod defender, but if this report is true, that is just obnoxious, and i’m glad we won’t have to deal with all his drama now.
#9
I think they’ll all be back.
I think once one of them stays with the team, the other 2 will as well.
We are not losing 150 RBIs from the 3rd base position. You got to figure that whoever we get to play 3rd via platoon or everyday starter that we’d get at least 60-70 RBIs. Plus its not like Alex gets 150 RBIs each year.
Peter
The Yanks picking up Abreu’s $16M option was the wrong choice. They should’ve bought out then let go of Abreu and signed Aaron Rowand for CF (Cabrera takes over RF). The Yanks have too much lefthanded hitting in their everyday lineup (Damon, Matsui, Giambi, Cano, and now Abreu) and ZERO righthanded hitting outside of Jeter and Posada and Cabrera batting from the right side (Posada’s stronger side is his left).
Abreu has limited power and his actual RBI total is RBI minus runs he costs the Yankees with his lousy defense. He had the 2007 he had because A-Rod was batting right behind him, but A-Rod is gone now. Don’t be suprised if he turns in a .269 BA, .339 OBP, 10 HR, 73 RBI crapout.
Let’s see:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
RIGHTHANDED POWER HITTING 3B???
Matsui DH
Posada C if he’s re-signed
(or the righthanded 3B here, Posada bats cleanup)
Cano 2B
Giambi 1B
(Give the Yanks at least 2 losses on his defense alone.)
Cabrera RF
For the record, it’s a REALLY bad idea to not take a math course since age sixteen and then crack open your GRE book a week before you’re gonna take the test…
Rebecca-
Maybe you’ll get lucky and all the math questions will have to do with Batting Avearges, ERA and OPS?
Ant - We have to ut JD Drew in Rf and it is not because of the red sox but he also is a $$$ guy with and he has nothing to back it up from the time he was drafted by Phllie (he still gets booed when he goes back there) to the current LA Dodgers opt out thing
nate c,
I think that if teams think there’s a chance to get Alex you got to offer at least $25M, right? Three or four teams bidding on Alex, pushes up the annual to at least $30M. All it takes is 2 teams, right? After all he’s still a good player, just misunderstood and mismanaged.
He will get the $30m a year, but I can’t see a team giving him more then the Yanks were going to or going over 6 years with an option of some sort. Who going to want to pay him $30m when hes ages 37-40. That is going to be a horrible back end of the contract especially if it is a NL team. His contract will definitely have a ton of options, bonuses, deferred money and weird contract language. The team should include “incentives” for $1m for every post season hit he gets, $2m for every 2B, and $5m for every homerun. Atleast they know they would never have to give him any of that extra money. I can not see a straight up 8 year deal.
Cookiemilk -
Not sure that signing Abreu means they are not going to go after Rowand. They will probably try to move Damon (not sure how successful they will be) and its likely that Melky’s name will come up in any potential deals.
Well he just might hit a homerun in the postseason when his team is down by a few runs, and the game is basically over.
Rowand is mediocre and I don’t want to see the Yanks sign another mediocre OF for the next 4 years when in two, the fans will be whining about how the Yanks need to trade this guy like they do with Matsui and Damon all the time.
Bobby Abreu is a better hitter than Aaron Rowand. Rowand played in a bandbox ballpark this year so his power numbers are inflated a bit.
Also, why commit to 5 years for Rowand when you only have to tie up one year with Abreu?
With Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata on the climb, the last thing the Yankees need is to tie up big years and dollars on “ok” (and nothing more) OF’s.
Remember one thing about the Arod money. Whatever money the Yankees pay him, they take a big luxury tax hit.
So, 28 million is really 32-34 because of the luxury tax implications.
Too much money for one player. Even a guy like Arod.
Going to be interesting to see where he lands.
DMan–hah! I’m not sure how much it will help. The good news, though, is that I should be okay for the verbal section.
But anyway. Back to baseball
IMO, the Yankees don’t need to concentrate on the OF, they need to fix the bullpen first and foremost, and get a 3B or find one internally. the OF is the least of their concerns right now.
sunny615-
Yup, and as its been mentioned a few times, in a year or two the Yankees will have some stellar OF’s coming up.
We don’t want them blocked by more aging OF with huge contracts…
Wow, just when you thought ARod couldn’t look any worse, here we are.
I doubt he can even get close to what Yanks are willing to pay (230mil/8yrs) let along $100mil more.
Kay is saying the red soxs are very interested in getting Alex.
Dawn of a New Curse:
Michael Kay (consider the source) is saying he spoke to someone in the know in Boston and says the Sox want Alex bad — for shortstop.
I say, good, go spend $100 million more than you need to and then kiss your postseason success goodbye.
Captains Corner,
I see what you mean. I still feel that Alex will try to stay in the AL, he needs to DH at some point in order to continue “The Quest”.
No one’s going to give him $350M, so Boras should try for a shorter, fat contract like the Yankees offered. And then he has options later where he can have options. As long as he can hit and play someone will give him money, especially if he’s close to breaking the HR record. If someone like Barry Bonds can get a team to give him $15M when he’s 42, then Alex should have no problem because he’s not tainted.
This is either an ego trip by Boras or an insecurity deal for Alex. But all I’s know is that Boras and Alex aren’t making any friends right now.
Bruce Jenkins of the SF Chronice had a great column about Arod the other day.
Bruce showed that, since Game 4 of the ALCS in 2004, Arod has come up 59 times in post-season play. In those AB’s, 38 runners have been on base. He didn’t drive in a single one of those runners. ZERO! Hardly “iconic”.
The only RBI he has in that time is the solo HR he hit in Game 4 of the ALDS this year.
You can cry “small sample size” all you want. However, that’s really amazing for a guy of his skills.
I’m sure that stat is not in Scott’s “book” on Arod.
The tough part of having Arod on your team (at these prices) is that, if you don’t surround him with talent, you aren’t going to win. Arod himself doesn’t guarantee your team will be better.
As we have seen in his four years in NY, he is not a guy that puts you over the top. That may be a byproduct of the game than a knock on Arod but, that’s another discussion for another time.
At 30 million a year, it really is a buyer beware situation for the team that signs him.
Sorry Jennifer, I post too slow
he said a “source close to the situation told him” I’ll take that and Alex’s agent 350 demand w/ a grain of salt I hate hearing a source if it’s true say the damn name !!!
“Kay is saying the red soxs are very interested in getting Alex.”
Wow - even more reason to hate him.
who knows hot stove hasn’t started but atleast my Knicks are not in the lime light
Even though Abreu isn’t one of those gritty guys, I still like him. It appears he’s a genuinely nice guy that enjoys playing the game. I appreciate that in this day and age!
Arod can’t play SS anymore. He’s 230 pounds and his range is not what it used to be.
If the Red Sox want to put him at SS, good luck. That would be a dumb move for the Sox.
I think the Sox are blowing smoke. I don’t think they want any part of Arod. If they do, they aren’t as smart as everybody wants to make them out to be.
Thats okay, your post was more thought out than mine. I just tried to post the info very quickly.
Adrian Beltre actually would be a pretty good trade option if Seattle doesn’t ask for the world in return. Beltre only has two years left on his five-year contract. He is a right-handed hitter to fill that need, he can hit 25 to 30 home runs, steal 15 bases, and hit around .280. He doesn’t set the world on fire like he did in ‘04, but he is a solid player. Plus he isn’t too bad defensively and he is only 28 years old. He may be a pretty good fit after all. Just a hunch.
I want a crack at the All A-Hole team
C- Michael Barret
1B- Kevin Youkilis
2B- Jeff Kent
SS- Julio Lugo
3B- Pay-Rod
LF- Milton Bradley
CF- Mike Cameron
RF- JD Drew
DH- Barry Bonds
SP- Curt Schilling
SJ: You _are_ talking about the guys that signed JD Drew and Julio Lugo…
I heard that Alex will only consider playing in Boston if he gets to wear that cool ‘C’ that Varitek wears on his uni.
I wonder who’d be the first to crack him with a pitch. My money’s on Joba. He’s so funny, he looks like an angel, buy I think he’s got a mean streak in him.
Francesa said yesterday that he spoke with a friend who has knowledge of the Red Sox front office and that person told him they were interested in A-Rod too. It might not be instead of Lowell but in addition to Lowell.
“IMO, the Yankees don’t need to concentrate on the OF, they need to fix the bullpen first and foremost, and get a 3B or find one internally. the OF is the least of their concerns right now.”
They do have a glut there, though. One is young and has some promise, two are older and expensive, but still productive. Both pretty much LF/DH at this point, though Johnny can probably play CF in a smaller park. It makes sense to think about moving one of them to fill one of these other holes.
Mike R–You’re missing Sheffield. And that wasn’t me on MVN, btw…
I heard that Alex will only consider playing in Boston if he gets to wear that cool ‘C’ that Varitek wears on his uni.
only 1?
You are completely right Rebecca. I have ammended the list.
C- Michael Barret
1B- Kevin Youkilis
2B- Jeff Kent
SS- Julio Lugo
3B- Pay-Rod
LF- Gary Sheffield
CF- Kenny Lofton
RF- JD Drew
DH- Barry Bonds
SP- Curt Schilling
Much better. I know it wasn’t you now. The person was outed as an imitator.
I agree with SJ I can’t see the sox poisoning that clubhouse with Arod. I don’t think he is a shortstop anymore but either is Jeter.
A-Rod’s range at SS would be as good or better than Jeters. Even if the Sox sign Lowell for 3 or 4 years, A-Rod would be back at 3rd base by age 35 or 36.
The Sox are just playing the part of interested suitor in a behind the scenes deal with Boras. They have no interest to sign him, but do want some team to ruin their team by signing him.
Given that Ortiz knee could blowout and Manny being Manny - I could see the Red Sox having serious interest in Arod.
How do you make up A-Rod’s 54 and 156 RBIs?
Easy, you get a third baseman and a first baseman who each hit 27 home runs and drive in 78 RBIs. That’s doable. The two of them will be far cheaper than one A-Rod and it is likely that they will not be nearly as disruptive to the chemistry of the team as this guy was.
If ture, that kind of demand from Boras is obscene. The Dodgers don’t have that kind of money. Moreno says he won’t ante up much more than what he is currently paying Vlad.
It will be very interesting to hear the spin from Boras when A-Rod finally signs with someone for five years @ 125 million. That is about 100 million less than the Yanks offered. That would be fitting.
It makes no sense to think about moving either since a) Matsui has a no trade, b) Damon has a partial no trade and is a better option in left than Matsui. None of our albatrosses are going to get moved - Giambi, Matsui or Damon. If no one here would want to trade for other team’s albatross contracts like Glaus or Sexson… why would anyone want our albatrosses?
Arod to the Red Sox might be the only thing that brings the Yankees back into the fold - so you wonder where these rumors get started.
Beltre is an interesting option.. especially since the Mariners actually showed some interest in Igawa. Could be some synergies there.
The Red Sox may be “interested” but everybody is “interested”. Its at what price and how it fits into what they are doing.
He is HATED in Boston. Absolutely HATED. Will it work in Boston? Man, for a guy who has some difficulties in that situation, why would Arod put himself in that situation?
I suppose anything is possible but, it would be surprising if the Red Sox want to mess with what they have going by putting Arod in that mix.
Despite all our bitching, ARod likely will go down as hitting the most home runs ever. He will be especially lionized when he passes “Chemical Bobby” Bonds.
I think he could have gotten as much or more from the Yanks as any other team, because the Yanks have the biggest budget and because of the extra $21m from the Rangers. I think ARod simply didn’t want to play here.
Or, maybe he left for the same reason he left the Rangers: to win a World Series. In that case, the Red Sox might be his first choice. Ugh.
I dont believe that about Boston being involved one bit. I think they will definitely get involved just to mess with the Yanks and try to get Cash to sweat and see if he jumps and gives Boras keys to the Steinbrenner bank account. Kay says ALOT of things about sources just to get people to listen that never equal anything. Boston fans hate him as well as half of there team. Everyone heard what Varitek said yesterday about him, I am sure the veterans would go to the owners and never let it happens.
Why would that get the Yankees “back in”? Because Mike and the Mad Dog say so?
If the Yankees “got back in” for that reason, its dumb.
Let him go to Boston. Let the Red Sox take on the money, the diva behavior, the luxury tax hit, and the way it ties their hands in other areas.
Don’t think the Yankees haven’t gone over every contingency re: Arod’s departure.
If he wants to go to Boston, good luck to him. That’s a no win situation for Arod. Anything less than winning the WS, its his fault and he would get brutalized by the fans and media in Boston.
A friend of Alex said he has a great deal of interest in going to Boston. Wow I guess we shouldn’t have been ticked about how they treated him like a dart board, or how Jason threw his glove in his face. Since apparently he didn’t care.
After all the nasty, horrible things Red Sox fans have said about ARod for years, and all the fun they’ve made of him, not to mention some of the shots players on the Sox have taken at him, if ARod went to Boston it would be absolutely surreal, and really, quite hilarious.
I’ll believe it when I see it. And if he went there, it could be “the curse” all over again.
SJ44- That hate of A-Rod is the biggest reason why Boston won’t sign him. That front office has a strong history of listening to those fans. They’ll realize that even as talented as A-Rod is, that there is no way that the fans will ever embrace him enough to justify signing him. I just can’t see it happening.
OH!!! Another a$$hole pitcher…John Rocker? Was that the guy that didn’t like gays and blacks and all that?
BREAKING NEWS
I have a list of A-Rod’s demands to sign with the Red Sox.
1- He wants the uniform number 350. Guaranteed.
2- He wants to be captain.
3- He wants an A on his uniform instead of a C
4- Tek must catch without a mask.
5- Bronson Arroyo must issue a public apology for putting his glove in the way in 2004.
6- Dice-K must change his name to Dice-BB
He was hated in NY and 54 HR’s turned the crowd around fast. Varitek may hate him but how many more years do you think he’s going to be catching in Boston.
Ant. He is the Closer. That’s the guy I was missing. Brilliant!
Alex may be hated in Boston, but many would change their tune.
They don’t really need to bring in Alex. They’ve got a formula that’s working. Also you don’t think they weren’t chuckling after every postseason Alex at-bat after 2004? They have scouts and evaluators who do a pretty good job in Boston.
I don’t think that Boston’s interest would bring Yankees into the fold. They’ve moved on and are building the team from pitching, out.
“If no one here would want to trade for other team’s albatross contracts like Glaus or Sexson… why would anyone want our albatrosses?”
Because ours aren’t albatrosses. Matsui and Damon are STILL GOOD HITTERS. Sexson is a disaster, and so is Glaus…and Glaus has been linked to HGH. The comparisons just don’t exist.
Matsui probably wouldn’t go, you’re right. But at least people would want him, so it’s worth looking into.
Damon has expressed an openness to the idea of leaving. Better fielder in LF than Matsui? Yes. Good leadoff guy? Yes. But something has to give. And sitting Giambi on the bench every day isn’t going to happen. Neither is cutting him. If the team can find another leadoff guy, and somewhere to play him, then it makes sense to trade Damon.
If the Red Sox sign A-Rod, they will never win another World Series again.
You know one thing I heard brought up, is we didn’t only lose the Texas money, if we re-sign ALex at 30 million our luxery tax goes up as well, so it is more than 30.
I still think that Boston had a hand in the timing of the announcement. I think Boras got assurances from Boston that they are willing to meet his demands for Arod.
Boston is so arrogant and pompous that they think they are above the game, much like Boras and Arod. It’s a perfect match in many respects.
Not to mention with all the Arod hatred in NY right now, what would be a better landing spot than Boston to stick it to NY fans?
Boston is a front office that thrives on stats and “metrics” when evaluating players and after coming off the success of this season, they no doubt think their formula of winning is the right one.
What they don’t realize is that Arod brings with him more than offense. He creates drama for the team in and out of the clubhouse. He becoming the highest paid Red Sox player in the history of the organization is a terrible risk to take. Considering you add up what Oriz and Beckett make and it still doesn’t equal Arod’s pay, you can see where this will lead.
The Boston players hate the guy already. The Boston captain fought him on the field. Giving him more money than anyone else, especially guys who have won championships for them, is such a dumb move that it makes so much sense that Boston would make it.
I hope he goes there. I can’t wait to watch him fail 19 regular season games against us. It’ll be the 2nd biggest mistake of his career after turning his back on the Yankees and all the good will he had built up here towards the end of his run.
I don’t think that they’d get back in because of what M&MD say LOL… but looking at a potential lineup that has Youkalis, Papi, Manny, Arod, Lowell might. Personally I really hope not. We need to move on.
A-Rod going to Boston would just make me laugh. A lot.
Arod isn’t coming back to the yankees for several reasons. 1st one: Playoffs. Yes Yes and Yes, i know, small sample size, numbers inflated by the media, etc. Thats not the reason why I bring up the playoffs. I bring up the playoffs because he has played for them in 4 years and he hasn’t been the difference in getting past the playoffs. He isnt the reason why they have failed, but he hasnt been the reason they have continued. A huge debate can continue on what arod meant to the yankees in reaching the playoffs. In fact, Arod was worth 5 wins a season. And without Arod, we would have not made the postseason this past season. Its very hard to imagine that a batter can be the difference maker, on a regular basis, for any team in the playoffs. If so, players like Billy Hatcher, Pat Border and David Eckstien would be in the HOF. They arent. And if your mission statement says “Win a World Series” would you pay someone 30 million that hasnt been a difference maker? In all disclosure, the reason why the yankees havent made it to the world series these past 4 season has to do much more with pitching than arod. Then shouldnt you invest 30 million on pitching instead of one player?
Another reason why Arod doesn’t play for us anymore is arbitration and draft picks. With the yankees changing gears of late. They have become great at drafting player, especially those that other teams are affraid they cant sign. With Arod opting out and the yankees offering arbitration, next summer the yankees might be selcting 3 players from selections 15 thru 50. Not bad.
If arod had won a world series or two while putting up those same numbers in the playoffs that he already has, and if Joba Chamberlin and other draft picks wouldnt have panned out for them, there is no doubt in my mind that Arod would be coming back. What happened is that the yankees have realized that they dont need arod. Thats why arod is not coming back.
Arod not coming back has less to do with his image than he real worth to the yankees
Alex Rodriguez Night on Opening Day at Fenway Park. Free Blondie Masks and “Ha” t-shirts to the first 20,000 people.
Wow, I’m listening to Micheal Kay right now, and I had no idea that Bernie was a Boras guy…but really glad to see that Bernie ditched him =D
I love Bernie.
A-Rod does have a very big ally in the Red Sox clubhouse who is very popular with the fans- David Ortiz.
Folks, its all part of the game. Of course “friends” of Arod are going to say Boston is in the mix.
Think about it for a moment…..the guy had a HORRIBLE week. Upstaged the WS, Boras made an ass out of himself this week with asinine comments (like throwing Mo under the bus for Arod’s post-season failures), his “friends” have to say SOMETHING.
What better way to try and tweak the Yankees and send a panic in their fan base by saying, “Arod is REALLY interested in the Red Sox”?
If he is that interested, buying him off isn’t going to make him “love” the Yankees again.
I say, let him go. Goodbye, good luck in Boston, hope it works out.
You can’t make panic moves if you are the Yankees. We have seen with our own eyes the way Arod has a tendency of melting in big moments. This, in front of a fan base who WANTED to love Arod.
In this situation, fans HATE Arod. He automatically starts off being hated. Now, one 0-12 series against the Yankees and the hate for him starts all over again with Red Sox fans.
Just can’t see that happening. It goes against everything the Red Sox are doing. If they do it, that’s GREAT news for Yankee fans because it shifts ALL the pressure to the Red Sox.
1) While Boras works for ARod, don’t confuse the 2. If ARod goes to the Yankees, Boras collects his 10 or 15% on $150m. If ARod goes elsewhere for $250m, that 10-15 MILLION difference for Boras. I’m sure that plays into the equation.
2) Don’t you people speak Borasspeak? ie: Damon is worth 7 yrs/100m = 4 yrs/52m (and he got overpaid at that) ARod is worth 12/$360 = 8/$230. You don’t think Boras is putting out those numbers because he thinks they are realistic, do you?
I still think Alex will be left with out a seat on March 1 when the music stops.
Meanwhile, Boras is also trying to do damage control on why ARod dissed Hank Aaron by not showing up for the Henry Aaron Award he won, to be presented during game four of the W.S. Aaron managed to make it, and he was on crutches. So did Prince Fielder, who won it in the NL.
Now Boras is saying ARod is dieing to meet with Aaron to receive his award in person, and to just sit down and talk hitting for an hour with Henry. I think I’m gonna puke. ARod is phoney as a 3 dollar bill and Scott Boras is the prince of darkness who would bury the needle on a lie-detecting machine and probably sell his mother if he figured he could get top dollar for her.
And somehow, I doubt if Hammerin’ Hank, a true gentleman, would be interested in sitting down and talking with someone as disingenuous as ARod.
Rebecca, Bernie never fired Boras.
jennifer,
Wouldn’t that be awesome? If no one showed interest? I can see the headlines in the post now, “SHUNNED-ROD!”
A-Rod going to Boston is also a bit of a slap in the face to Mike Lowell. Lowell had an absolutely fine season. He was really their best hitter all year long, he played great defense, and was a good clubhouse guy. By signing A-Rod, they would basically be telling Lowell, “thanks for everything that you did, but we’re going in another direction, so long.” That would pave the way for the Yankees to make a strong push for Lowell, though. It would surprise me to see the Red Sox kick Lowell to the curb.
J-Dawg, Alex would replace Lugo not Lowell
They’d kick Lugo to the curb… not Lowell.
Brandon–but Bernie did sign on his own, no?
Mel, I would love it!! I would laugh my butt off!!
J dawg, they would keep both lowell and alex.
At $9M, someone would be interested in Lugo.
Or maybe Arod and Bor-ASS are thinking he knows he cant hit in the post season. So he joins a team that already has 2 stars that shine in the post season Man/Ort so maybe people would forget when he doesnt do anything. He joins them they will pitch and everyone else in the lineup will do there job and when he goes 0-20 with 17 strikeouts..he doesnt have to do crap but he gets himself a free WS. Try to jump on the wagon. That would be funny!!!
yes Rebecca, Steinbrenner had to save him otherwise he would have been a Red Sox CF.
Kay sure knows alot of dirt on the real Joe Torre
Hey SJ44
Bobby Abreu was protected by A-Rod and faced A.L. pitching all year, so his 16 HR and 101 RBI are inflated a bit. I guarantee you he doesn’t come close to posting those numbers with anyone else protecting him and without Damon and Jeter setting the tables with the deep 7-9 batting order behind them. Aaron Rowand is a younger, better all-around player. He BURIES Abreu defensively. In case you haven’t noticed, the Yanks OF is pretty bad: Damon and Matsui a year older, Cabrera buries both defensively but is more suited for RF than CF hence Rowand CF. Again, Abreu’s RBI total is really RBI minus runs he costs the Yanks with his lousy defense in RF whereas Rowand’s RBI total will be RBI plus runs he saves with his stellar defense in CF. Rowand has arrived at age 30. I guess you’d be unhappy with .309 BA/ .374 OBP/ .515 SLG/ .889 OPS/ 27 HR/ 89 RBI with stellar defense from your CF huh, cuz guess what? Rowand batting cleanup between Giambi batting third and Matsui batting fifth will post at least that next year with that protection and vs. A.L. pitching. Since when was Yankee Stadium a pitcher’s park?
Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata? Are you serious? Neither will be in the Yankees everyday lineup in 2008 or 2009. Try 2010 at the earliest, and that’s if they’re good enough to make it then stay there. Historically, Melky is the only Yankee farm system OF who ever panned out after Bernie Williams. Ledee and Spencer never made it as everyday players, Juan Rivera and Wily Mo Pena have had limited success and probably won’t make it. Damon and Matsui are signed through only 2009 and Cabrera is under contract through 2011 and isn’t arbitration eligible until 2010. Theoretically, the Yanks could have LF and RF open for 2010 if it was just Rowand in CF (Damon and Matsui let go, Cabrera traded or released). 2010 Rowand would be in the third year of a 4 or 5-year deal and only 32+ (he’d turn 33 in late August).
Boston, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore where the Yanks play 27-30 games a year are bandboxes. Toronto and Oakland are pinball machines -double and triple paradise. Big OFs Rowand can handle no problem. Cleveland, Texas, and Minnesota are bandboxes. Chicago, Detroit, and L.A. are somewhere between pitcher’s park and bandbox. Rowand would do nicely in Detroit’s CF. The only A.L. pitcher’s parks are Seattle and Kansas City but K.C. is the Yankees doormat and only recently has Seattle played well.
Rowand CF/ Cabrera RF/ Giambi batting third/ Rowand cleanup
> Cabrera CF/ Cabrera wasted as a super #4 OF/ Abreu RF and batting third before what righthanded cleanup hitter who isn’t A-Rod? You’re not batting another lefty after Abreu. I’d say Posada but he isn’t signed yet and may not return cuz from what I’m reading, the Yanks will not give him 4 or more years if that’s what he wants.
You lose.
If Boston resigns Schilling, and keeps Lowell, who’s not gonna be cheap, and signed ARod, their payroll would be taking on a Yankeesque look. I can’t see it.
Forget the Redsox going after Arod,, why the hell would they want him? And why the hell would he want them? The fans hate him, the players despise him. The SOX already have a winning formula, and he is an unnecessary additive.
It is all smoke. If any of it is coming from any Redsox official, you can bet it’s because they want to up the ante for the eventual suitor.
Besides, anyone with half a brain knows full well that Boras has one or two deals firmly in his pocket, otherwise he would have opted out his client without any guarantees.
IMO He is going to the Angels. Just got to go through all the diversion tactics by Boras right now to make everyone think there was no tampering before hand.
“At $9M, someone would be interested in Lugo.”
I don’t think so.
After being bad with the Dodgers and then coming back to the league and division he was supposedly comfortable with…he was still really bad. And he’s 32. The Sox will have to eat money to get rid of him.
No Pete ,Arod will be known for something else too,being a greedy hireling, and a head case player that needed a lot of attention,and ego stroking. Bye BYE Prissy boy,jerk!
I’m not doubting you guys, I am just thinking that it might be a struggle on Boston’s part to give big money contracts to A-Rod and Lowell. Plus A-Rod is listed on Yahoo at 225 lbs, probably 20 to 25 pounds heavier than the average shortstop. He may need to drop a few pounds to settle in. His defense may also be a struggle at short as well. He hasn’t been a regular shortstop since 2003.
“Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata? Are you serious? Neither will be in the Yankees everyday lineup in 2008 or 2009. Try 2010 at the earliest, and that’s if they’re good enough to make it then stay there.”
what the hell are you talking about ? learn about our farm system before you say some stupid sh** like that !!! Jackson is ripping a pitchers league Tabta w/ a broken hanbone in his wrist hit .305 w/ over 50 RBI. They are nboth ST options and sure bets for a 40 man roster by 20008 or 2009
Ya, as hilarious as it would be to see him unemployed in March, don’t count on it.
He’ll sign somewhere.
Boras really screwed the pooch on this one…I bet he could have squeezed another 2 million a year out of the Yankees on a long term contract, but 11 years? Come on.
Amateurs.
If beantown wants that fool,great take our sloppy seconds,and watch your team be in the basement next season for sure.
yankee 21,
I hope you’re not implying that Boras as an 11 year, $350 million dollar offer in his pocket because if this actually happens, that team is absolutely DUMB.
No player is worth that kind of money to an organization, especially the Yankees. Like they need A-Rod to make money.
I dont think he can play SS anymore. He is way too big for that. It would have to be a AL team, which I would bet that it will be the Angels. Even if he did play SS he only has a good 3 years left in the field, that is why he will be a DH at the end of the contract.
“I guess you’d be unhappy with .309 BA/ .374 OBP/ .515 SLG/ .889 OPS/ 27 HR/ 89 RBI”
Yes, he will certainly continue to play at a rate similar to his career year, achieved in a tiny stadium. Moving to Yankee stadium CERTAINLY won’t make him regress to his mediocre numbers from every single other season except 2004. And his all-out style of play CERTAINLY won’t begin to land him on the DL more and more often as he ages.
Aaron Rowand is a solid player who people like because he gets dirty. He is not a great hitter, and CERTAINLY not a cleanup hitter.
I hope he stays in the AL because whoever gives him that money is going to be in the cellar and w/o money to spend for a while. LA is not NY, not just any team can eat such a huge salary and focus on other weaknesses as well.
As stated before, pitching wins, not $27 million all stars.
I am of the opinion that Boras has something up his sleeve, prior to the opt out.
Angels- Maybe, but do they really want to pay a post-season dud 2x what the pay Vlad? Not really
Dodgers- Just too much money. and they hate the opt-out JD Drew. Plus, does Arod really want to play for Torre again?
Giants- a real possibility. He could just be the man on the team and never play in the post-season. After the terrible week he’s had, and the complete hit to his image (read endorsements and $), i don’t think he’ll go to a team without a real shot at the playoffs
cubs- no playoff hopes for a while and ownership issues
and that brings me to
the red sox- it’s the only team that can afford hit, plays in a hitter’s park, has protection for him in the line-up, and is big enough market that alex can make a lot of endorsement dollars. he must have paid attention when espn said that torre going to la barely caused ripples. he must also realize that he may never get good publicity, so in his mind, i bet that pub is better than no pub.
as a yankee fan, i hope he signs there and demands to be the next captain. he’ll bury the place
rowand has never started a game batting 4th. He has a total of 8ABs batting fourth. Rowand batting 4th makes as much sense as George Bush holding a diploma
Jake,,
You got to believe Boras has a deal in his pocket,, I’ve no idea what it is but he’ll execute it in due time or he wouldn’t have advised Arod to opt out and hit the street blind, without getting compensated at least as well as the current (now last) Texas 252m deal.
Is A-Rod turning into Barry Bonds Jr., or what?
Like I said before ,Arod may want to play til he’s 45(and look stupid like small balls Bonds ,just holding on) but his body may have another thought.Any team that cripples themselves with a player that long in the tooth(age) is headindg for financial ruin,like Texas almost did. They tied a lot of money up on Arod and were choke by the big contract.
“Angels- Maybe, but do they really want to pay a post-season dud 2x what the pay Vlad? Not really”
He is EXACTLY what they’ve been yearning for for several years, though: the big bat to play 3B and protect Vladdy.
I’m kind of hoping they _do_ sign him because then Figgins is without a position. I want him to leadoff and play CF for the Yanks. That’d allow Damon and Melky to be involved in deals for a 3B, a 1B, or position prospects. Or pitching.
I finally like what Brian cashman is doing. I would have fired torre and signed girardi. I would have exercised abreu’s option - close enough. Now, he must re-sign posada and mo and beg pettitte to exercise his player option.
I have two question for whoever is wise enough to answer them. One, What is the deal with Jason Isringhausen and Joe Nathan? They both have team options but were either of them back with their team yet? Two, How much would you be willing to give up to get MIGUEL CABRERA? He is a 24 year old, right-handed third baseman. He is a four time all star and has consistently had a superb OBP and a stellar batting avergae. He also has a good amount of power and he is a double machine. He is the best defensively and his work ethis has been questioned but girardi said he would be a good fit with the yanks and the two of them always got along in florida. He is arbitration elidgible and is soon going to be making 11 million. The marlins certainly would like to unload that for some league minimum players.
on ESPN’s site: guess the price just went up again on AROD!!!
Rodriguez is seeking a 12-year, $360 million deal, Boras said he has yet to discuss specific economics with any major league club
I wouldn’t mind seeing A-Rod in Boston either…escalates their payroll and inflicts cancer.
Don’t see it happening though. They can have him. Even more reason to hate him.
Joe Nathan is back, confirmed earlier this week
i meant he isnt the best defensively
Nathan has signed.
Boras doesn’t collect 10-15% on contracts. Agents fees can only top out at 5%, under Players Associations rules.
Cookiemilk, you have no idea what you are talking about.
You are the only person dumb enough to believe Aaron Rowand is a better offensive player than Bobby Abreu.
Arod protected Abreu? Please. The guy has been a solid hitter his entire career. A better hitter than Aaron Rowand.
At the rate Austin Jackson is going, he will be with the Yankees by September of 2008.
I lose? LOL That’s pretty funny coming from someone who thinks Aaron Rowand is an offensive star.
yankee 21,
i agree boras has something up his sleeve. i am just wondering if he or anyone REALLY believes that 12 years, 360 million is feasible and is going to happen.
That is INSANE. I don’t think the Yankees could even do that. I am sure as hell glad they didn’t that is for sure.
Jake- arod is a moron and an awful humanbeing but not everyone who screws over the yanks is a clubhouse cancer. That word is thrown around every time a player leaves - frankly, its annoying already. Arod goin to the redsox would be a big F us WHICH i dont quite get because he is the one that has screwed us again and again.
My family (in st louis) has said Larussa considered Jason the mvp on the cardinals this season,he saved over 30 games.
I’ll bet he’s coming back to the cards. Larussa said that to the media.
Jeter’s Future Wife- That price from Boras will be up past $400 million in no time.
Absolutely nothing surprises me at this point. Absolutely NOTHING.
Arod to the Red Sox????
It’s not happening, or I would have to consider becoming a Yankee fan! Did I really say that??
How does Abreu steal so many bases without getting dirt on his uniform?
What is A-rod’s track record in the majors?
I know what happened in New York, can someone tell me what happened in Seattle and Texas?
How did the players, media, and fans treat him? Was he clutch, beloved? I’m just trying to figure out if New York just wasn’t the place for him. As a GM, you’d looks at how a player’s done over the years before dropping *360 Million Freaking Dollars*.
So, is ANYONE going to end up taking A-Rod?
Boras is not talking with a club owner. He’ll negotiate with a stupid fool,that will buy his act hook line and sinker, and regret the deal.
Brandon
W T F are you talking about? So what Jackson and Tabata are tearing it up where they have been? Lots of guys tear it up in the minors vs. minor league pitching, they’re a dime a dozen. Neither will be in a Yankees uniform in 2008 or 2009, certainly not 2008, make book on that. And last I checked, the Yanks don’t need open or two guys who could just crack the 40-man roster in 2008 or 2009, dumba ss. B.t.w. if you knew jack about the farm system, you’d know .305 BA is not all that impressive when top prospects usually hit .330 or more, the logic being if they could smack the cover off the ball at at least a .330 clip, they most likely will produce at least league average in the bigs.
whozat
Rowand posted 27 HR and 89 RBI outside the cleanup slot this year. I see Rowand as a Bernie Williams type cleanup hitter. Bernie was never the prototypical cleanup hitter. Rowand would probably be more suited to being a #6 hitter:
Damon/Jeter/Giambi/Posada/Matsui/Rowand
I was thinking Rowand in the cleanup only if Posada signs elswhere cuz the Yanks would either need a righthanded 3B with power or righthanded Rowand in the cleanup. You CANNOT
have potentially 4 of the first 5 batters or 5 of the first 6 batters be lefties (Damon/ Jeter the only righty/ Giambi/ Matsui/ Cano).
Ray–That’s the rumor.
We would, of course, welcome you with open arms if that’s the route you choose to take!
Ray, welcome a board sweety,on behalf of the Yankee fans. There’s safety in numbers,guy!
Aaron Rowand is a Bernie Williams type cleanup hitter?
Are you serious? Aaron Rowand isn’t even CLOSE to being the hitter Bernie Williams was.
He’s had ONE good offensive year, in a bandbox ballpark. He’s not in the same league as a hitter as Bernie was.
Defensively? In Bernie’s prime, they are comparable. Offensively? Not even close.
Troy Tuliwiski and Jacoby Ellsbury were both in the Arizona Fall League last year. Neither guy was thought to be close to making the ML roster. Both did, and both contributed.
That’s what happens with younger, talented players. They can move up very quickly.
Austin Jackson doesn’t have to be on the 40 man roster right now to be considered a person who may be in the Bronx in 2009.
If he continues to play at the rate he is playing now (and right now, he is tearing it up in the Hawaiian League…..where Joba was last Fall), he will be in the Bronx in 2009.
Its why one year of Bobby Abreu is better than 5-6 years of Aaron Rowand. It gives the Yankees options, rather than being tied into a long term contract for a decent, but not star, player.
Pete,
You forgot to mention they need a FRONT-LINE STARTER!
Or did you not see that Boston and Cleveland had that - and we had Wang?
Dave,
Remember, the Yankees will always be better than the Red Sox, with or w/o A-Rod.
Do you know how much money that is to dump on one player? Insane.
I doubt it will happen, they aren’t that dumb.
Well, this will be a big decision for ARod, about where to possibly end his career, and Alex has talked how it’s something he will discuss at length with his “inner circle”, those closest to him, those he can trust.
Uh, I wonder if Joslyn Noel Morse, that blond stripper ARod was hangin’ with up in Toronto, is part of his inner circle?
Atul that’s why our new pitching coach might be able to help Wang.
“So, is ANYONE going to end up taking A-Rod?”
Yep and I think that he’ll ultimately sign for less than what the Yankees offered. Boras will come out and say that this proves that A-Liar is not obsessed with money. What it will really prove is that once the Yankees left the bidding table, everyone else gained an advantage.
My prediction: A-Fraud will be an Anaheim Angel of California by the end of the month. Also, the Angels will lose to the Yankees in the ALDS in ‘08 thanks to the subpar play of A-Dog.
It will be interesting to see when A-Rod signs whether Boras tries to include another opt clause after 5 years or so. It only makes sense that if the Yankees had signed him, there would be no such clause.
Everyone take a deep breathe.
There will be hundreds of rumors before he finds a new team and that’s probably not going to happen until December or January.
Some of you sound ticked off that he broke up with you before you broke up with him. Same end result either way.
SJ 44 you’re the resident knowitall in blog comments section
I never said Rowand is an “offensive star”. I do know he’d be the second best all-around player in the Yankees everyday lineup (first being Cano) when you factor in his defense, too bad you don’t. He is better than ALL Yankee OFs.
No matter, Cashman made a stupid move.
Take A-Rod out of the equation in 2007 then make me laugh and say Abreu posts the same numbers he did in 2007. Abreu wouldn’t. His Philly days are over, you want to live in denial of that, whatever.
2007 Rowand > 2007 Abreu, check the stats and b.t.w. check how Rowand was an integral part of Philly overcoming the Mets (who really beat themselves but Philly still had to win.) Who has a World Series ring? Rowand was the prototype for the 2005 Chi-Sox winning formula.
Rowand BURIES Abreu defensively. Rowand is a stellar CF whereas Abreu should be a DH for a small or mid market team.
If you think the runs Rowand saves in CF aren’t important, you don’t know as much about baseball as you think you do and in case you haven’t noticed, the Yanks have ZERO righthanded hitting and no certain power outside of Matsui cuz it’s no lock that Posada (who hit only 20 HR) will re-sign or Giambi (who hit only 14 HR in yet another injury-plagued year) will be 30 or more HR productive again.
Matusi may not even hit alot of HRs. Cano could hit 15 HR or 25 HR, I’d prefer he keeps hitting .300+ with solid defense and better OBP and at least 90 RBI. The last thing the Yanks need is Soriano II from him.
Yeah Catya… Bonds is barely holding on with over 450 PAs and a 1.045 OPS, 2nd in MLB only to ARod. Good call.
Not to get all Yankee Universe and everything, but if Alex goes to LA or Chicago will it be a big splash? I kind of feel that Alex was such a huge sensation because he played for the Yankees. If he goes to a smaller market (they’re all smaller, including the Mets) he’ll still have an impact, but I feel there won’t be as much hype and obsession surrounding him. That’s why I feel that it’ll be difficult for Alex to get huge deals from anybody but the Yankees (I’m not advocating for that!).
Supposedly Alex would pay for himself with tv deals and such, but people in LA were very *yawn* about Torre and staff coming in. I think Yankee fans were more interested than Dodger fans.
Just thinking that the Yankees made Torre a star and they made Alex the superstar into a super, duper star.
Hey guys even though beantown won the WS,Yankees had a winning record this year and last aganist them.They didn’t be the Yankees in division play they were relieved cleveland took it to the Yankees, that’s why them winning wasn’t hard to take. They didn’t beat the Yankees,they beat up on a very small market team,and now have their heads in the clouds.Because, they officially have the TWO (2004,2007)most bought,WS wins that money can buy. They bought TWO now!
Austin Jackson will be in Yankee Stadium no later then June 2009. His progress this year has been incredible. Tabata maybe Sept. 2009. Both of these kids will move up the ladder very quickly.
old yankes fan ,I know his ,JUICED record,smal balls, huge head(Literally) yada,yada,yada, (yawn)
You better believe there will be another opt out clause in any contract ARod signs, especially if it’s for 12 years. How could there not be. And why is ARod looking for a 12 year deal? That’s not smart. Teams change drastically over that kind of period of time. Look at the Tigers in a 12 year span and see how much they changed. Teams aren’t going to buy into what Arod is selling, especially seeing what he just pulled with the Yankees. No one will give him a 12 year deal knowing Arod will pull out as soon as he is able to. ARod also won’t accept a contract without a opt out clause.
He wants to always be made market value, yet wants a 12 year deal.
The more I hear the happier I am that ARod is gone. NO MORE DRAMA from that little lipstick wearing frosted hair havin’ fool. How can anyone like him after all of this.
The numbers for ARod are a distraction. Boras can ask for whatever he wants. The bottom line is ARod is worth whatever anyone is willing to pay him. I doubt it will be as high as Boras is asking. But when you ask high, you know that the people doing the bidding aren’t going to start too low.
Dave,
Also, when I refer to cancers, I am talking about when one person consumes attention, creates controversy (intended or not) and disrupts the team atmosphere. This past year seemed like a step in the right direction because A-Rod finally learned to shut his mouth.
That won’t hold true on his next team. He needs to the center of attention.
That is cancerous.
Stats and numbers don’t make winners and good people. Gary Sheffield proved that.
SJ 44 look at Rowand’s 2007 stats
.309/ .374/ .515/ 27 HR/ 89 RBI
Those are Bernie Williams type numbers, just less RBI cuz he batted lower in the order. He already buries Bernie defensively.
Rowand is only 30 years old.
Lifetime .286/ .343/ .457, so not just one good year. He had good seasons in 2004-2005 incl. .310 in ‘04. No, not Bernie (’putting words in my mouth again) but Bernie-TYPE. Potential to be Bernie in the Yankees lineup batting between Giambi third and Matsui fifth and vs. A.L. not N.L. pitching.
Again, Rowand would play in only two pitcher’s parks:
Seattle and K.C. Again, K.C. sucks and Seattle ain’t all that.
You’re not pulling up the look at Tulowitski and Ellsbury card with me. Jackson and Tabata are not them and for every
guy who shoots up like them there are 10 who hit like gangbusters and either never make it or flop in the bigs.
Also that out of nowhere position player is rare.
Now Aaron Rowand is a better offensive player than Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui? Only Cano is a better offensive player than Aaron Rowand?
Stop now while you can. At this point, you are embarrassing yourself.
Namecalling doesn’t make your points any more relevent. Didn’t under all the other blog names you used when you post such gibberish and it doesn’t now.
Rowand will never be better than Abreu…I dont care how old Abreu is. He is 33 and had one of the worst first halfs I have ever seen. If he is more consistent this year he will be much better than Rowand. Why sing Rowand to 5 years when you can have Abreu for one than see where he is next year. We dont need another johnny damond.
Does anyway here ever look at stats? Rowand, over 6 full years, has had 2 very good years of .900+/- OPS, and 4 average or less years of .750+/- OPS. His Carrer OPS is .805, while Abreu’s is .905. Those aren’t adjusted numbers, but have some meaning. He appears to be a slightly better then average batter for his position. He D is very good, but like Damon, it will take it’s toll.
why is everyone so obsessed with austin jackson. He was in A and Hi A ball this yr. He was mediocre in A ball and fantastic in hi A but it was half a season after a bad half in A ball. Am I missing something?
Nobody answered my question. WHAT WILL THE YANKS HAVE TO GIVE UP TO GET MIGUEL CABRERA? He is a perfect fit as a righty, clean up hitting third baseman. And the marlins wont be able to afford him pretty soon.
Cookiemilk you are not smart at all.
Doreen ,Exactly just like real estate,a house is worth what a person is willing to pay for it,the asking price isn’t important,what do you think it’s worth? Same way with Arod, who see’s the value in him for that amount!
SJ i totally agree with you, i really think AJAX will be here as a september call up. Ever since his promotion to Tampa he has been tearing up the ball. Now I know he hasn’t played in AA or higher yet but as long as he stays injury free, along with tabata, one of them should be here in 09. another great thing about having abreu around is that he can continue to nurture and teach tabata (a fellow countryman) forget rowland. hes a great defender but I don’t want the contract he will demand anywhere near the yankees. they al