Alex Rodriguez Opts Out

by Eric Simon on Oct 28, 2007 10:38 PM EDT in Rumor Mill

According to SI.com, Alex Rodriguez will inform the Yankees that he is opting out of the last three years of his contract. The Yankees were reportedly preparing a five-year, $150 million extension to present to Rodriguez and super-agent Scott Boras on Monday, a deal that would have kept A-Rod in pinstripes through 2015.

The news comes straight from Boras:

"Alex made the decision today," Boras said. "I thought we should notify the club."

It is likely no coincidence that this forthcoming announcement comes just a couple of days after news of the Yankees' offer surfaced. My guess is that A-Rod had zero interest in returning to the Yankees, as a five-year extension worth $30 million annually is pretty tough to turn down, even for someone with megabucks like Rodriguez. If we assume that A-Rod was looking for a ten-year deal, it doesn't seem unreasonable to think that Boras could have squeezed a couple extra years out of the Steinbrenner's. This decision tells me that Rodriguez wants out of the Bronx, and that he believes he can get something approaching 8/$240 elsewhere.

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Ladies and Gentlemen,

Your 2008 New York Mets!

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B Alex Rodriguez
CF Carlos Beltran
LF David Wright
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Lastings Milledge
C Ramon Castro/whoever

Do it, Omar. DO IT!!!!

Fire Willie Randolph!

by Greenpoint Ian on Oct 28, 2007 11:09 PM EDT 0 recs

Your 2008 New York Mets

SS Jose Reyes
CF Carlos Beltran
3B David Wright
2B Alex Rodriguez
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Moises Alou
RF Lastings Milledge
C Ramon Castro/Platoon

"I got my pregnant wife (the Yankee fan) with me. Hoping my kid learns to kick her everytime the Mets score." -Schifftis-

by future on Oct 28, 2007 11:36 PM EDT 0 recs

I still say

it makes more sense to move Wright to second base and play Rodriguez at third.

Congratulations to the world-champion Red Sox. Nice to see that a small sample can be accurate sometimes -- this year the better team won.

by anonymous on Oct 29, 2007 12:54 AM EDT 0 recs

Pretty awesome

I don't think we will get him, but this is still exciting. Where do you think he'll end up?

By the way, it's great to see Yankees fans stupidly rejoicing over this. Not that some Mets fans are any better (overheard in '07 at metsblog.com - "WE SHULD TRADE BELTRAN 4 ERIK BYRNES1!!!!")...

by vonhayes on Oct 29, 2007 9:18 AM EDT 0 recs

A-Rod

No on A-Rod. The Mets would never move Wright and Reyes off 3b and SS, esp. how disastrously the first move of Reyes went. A-Rod is too big to play second, so first is the only place that makes any sense really. Also, on a personal level I'd rather not have to root for the guy, what he did last night with the timing of that announcement was a joke IMO.

Keep Lastings Milledge Free

by DoctorK16 on Oct 29, 2007 11:11 AM EDT 0 recs

What Doc Said

I want to root for the team I want to root for.

by Simons on Oct 29, 2007 2:16 PM EDT 0 recs

Please

Whatever. If you're not going to root for the Mets if they sign A-Rod, you won't be missed.

The guy is dominant, he's a bat we could use. We have the money that signing him wouldn't cripple us from also paying Santana the money he wants as well.

"I got my pregnant wife (the Yankee fan) with me. Hoping my kid learns to kick her everytime the Mets score." -Schifftis-

by future on Oct 29, 2007 3:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

the money

Honestly, I think the money -- or really, the length of his contract -- is the one good reason to think twice about signing Rodriguez. He's going to be looking for a phenomenally long deal at a record salary, if the rumors are correct. And while his next, say, three or four years will almost certainly (barring injury) be worth $30M+, there is no reason to predict anything but the usual aging curve. By the age of 38 or so, Rodriguez will not be a good bet at anything like the current salary. This is why Boras is smart to get him out of the current deal now, when his current performance will seem to justify overpayment; and this is the one real legitimate reason not to sign the guy (assuming some team out there will be dumb enough to get into a bidding war on a 7-8-year contract, which seems likely).

by anonymous on Oct 29, 2007 3:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed

At 5/$150 you don't even think twice about it. Eight years, that's iffy. Though, $30 million ain't what it used to be and isn't likely to be what it currently is by the time his contract winds down.

by Eric Simon on Oct 29, 2007 4:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm torn

Part of me would love to see this guy in orange and blue, but the other part of me does not want them to mess with Wright or Reyes.

ARod is no spring chicken, and while we could definitely use him, he doesn't really "fit" this team.

by SQUAD on Oct 29, 2007 4:28 PM EDT 0 recs

why

doesn't he "fit" on the team? i see so many people saying that, but they can never explain why. then again, these are mostly people who believe in "clutch" and think that rbi's and runs scored are good stats for evaluating performance.

by gogomets on Oct 29, 2007 5:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Pretty easy to explain

Our two best players, and cornerstones, play 3B and SS, respectively.

He literally does not fit. There isn't an open spot for him.

I'm not a big fan of moving players around. It's one thing if Todd Zeile or Kevin Youkilis do it, or if Johnny Bench does it to prolong his career, but Wright and Reyes are All Stars at their position.

Not to mention that this team's problem is pitching.

So no, it has nothing to do with ARod coming up short in the "clutch." It has everything to do with there not being a spot for him. This just plays into the whole "bigger than the game/team" aspect of ARod.

That is something you cannot deny. ARod acts like he is bigger than the game. His announcement during the World Series last night drove that home once and for all, in my opinion. Do you really want to have this team deal with his sideshow? Not to mention having to answer questions about switching positions to accommodate him?

Again, with all that said, we would have a shot at the best player in the league, hands down. So even with all of the reasons I outlined above, you have to at least consider him.

by SQUAD on Oct 29, 2007 6:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

He doesn't fit on any team

He fits on an anti-team where his DP partner is Jeff Kent while Bonds and Bradley corner the outfield. George Foster's the hitting coach.

The guy is weird, all right? The glove slap, the pop up shout, the "24 kids and me" rap, the blue lips, the suit he wore at 2 a.m. to meet with the Red Sox, the predilection for manly mistresses... we're supposed to cheer this guy on? Pass.

by Simons on Oct 30, 2007 2:09 AM EDT up 0 recs

Depends on everything

A-Rod is the best hitter in baseball, period. Any team would love to have him. (Yankee fans who whine about his manliness are idiots.) The question is how much does he cost and where will he play. With his physique, there's no reason to believe he won't be extremely productive until he's near 40. He won't be 33 until next July. I'd go for a seven year deal, max. Maybe with performance-based options for additional years. He is likely to pass Bonds in the 6th or 7th year. I don't think anybody is worth $30 mill a year, but that's up to the Mets.

Where he plays is more problematic. In 2009, DWright or A-Rod could switch to 1B (Delgado's contract expires after next year); Wright's already talked about that. I don't think either of them or Reyes should be moved to 2B. No idea whether DWright or A-Rod could play outfield. That's the harder problem.

Let's Go Mets!

by twassel on Oct 29, 2007 4:55 PM EDT 0 recs

Options

Just a note...

Maybe with performance-based options for additional years.

These would actually violate the CBA. The only permissible type is of the playing time variety (e.g. innings pitched, plate appearances, games finished, etc.). Options can not be based on quality of play, only on quantity of play.

by Eric Simon on Oct 29, 2007 5:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

I still contend...

that if the Mets did acquire ARod, no one would be switching positions. I think we would see Reyes being dealt for pitching, with ARod moving back to SS.

A deal with Baltimore would make the most sense. Sign ARod, then send a package built around Reyes for Bedard, Hernandez, and Roberts. MLB Trade rumors linked to an article saying they may shop Bedard. Taking Ramon H.'s salary off their hands may make them more amenable to trading Bedard (plus the Mets need a catcher), and Roberts could play 2B and leadoff. In return the Orioles would be getting an exciting young SS to build their team around. I am sure the Mets would send some pitching their way (say Heilman and Pelfrey), and maybe they even throw in Gomez.

Even if the team acquired ARod, they would still need a front line starter. Look at Boston, they understand the need to front line starters. They traded for Pedro and then acquired Schilling. Once they let Pedro and Lowe walk, they traded for Beckett and then signed Dice-K. There are a lot of teams with good lineups, but it is usually pitching where the better teams distinguish themselves.

by SQUAD on Oct 29, 2007 6:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

Orioles

A deal with Baltimore would make the most sense. Sign ARod, then send a package built around Reyes for Bedard, Hernandez, and Roberts.

It would likely cost Reyes to get Bedard by himself, let alone Roberts and Hernandez. You want all of them? Think Reyes, Pelfrey, Milledge, Humber and Gomez, maybe more.

by Eric Simon on Oct 29, 2007 8:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hernandez

would be a salary dump, no? The Orioles are not competing in that division for a while. They need to start selling off their veteran players for prospects to rebuild. In short, I don't think Hernandez would cost the Mets all that much, especially if they take on all of his salary.

Maybe I was a bit ambitious with my proposal, but I think the O's are a good trade partner for the Mets.

At the least they should explore a trade for Bedard/Hernandez.

by SQUAD on Oct 29, 2007 9:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

O's

Bedard would be a huge get for the Mets, it's just not clear if the Orioles will be shopping him (despite what MLBTR is reporting). If the Mets could get Hernandez for bupkis by taking all of his salary, they should go for it. Roberts would also be a great addition, but .380 OBP/50 SB second-basemen don't grow on trees, and I think even the Orioles recognize that.

by Eric Simon on Oct 29, 2007 9:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

Roberts will be a tough get...

But I think Bedard/Hernandez is doable.

I too am dubious as to the true availability of Bedard, but I guess it kind of makes sense why they would deal him. That franchise is a mess and they should just blow it up.

Plus, this is a really weak FA year. If Minaya has a chance to swoop in here, he better do it fast before the O's change their mind.

by SQUAD on Oct 29, 2007 11:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Bedard

Bedard will command almost the same as Johan Santana will. I say just go for #1.

Talkin' Sports

by BlackOps on Oct 29, 2007 11:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wright

If Alfonso Soriano could learn to play the OF, David Wright could learn it. It's not like David lacks the speed to cover ground in left or right, and Beltran's fine defense would help him out.

Like you mentioned, David said he's move to accomodate A-Rod (unlike a certain other calm-eyed ballplayer who shall remain nameless).

I just think that if you have the opportunity to add the best player in baseball, you have to try to get him.

Keep A-Rod in New York! Bring him to Queens!!!

by Greenpoint Ian on Oct 29, 2007 8:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't disagree

If Wright is going to switch positions I would sooner he play second than the outfield, if those are his options. His bat will be much more valuable at second, though the position is admittedly much harder to play. If all of that worked out, though, Alou in left is preferable to Castillo (or whomever) at second.

by Eric Simon on Oct 29, 2007 9:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

shea rod?

its kind of hard to argue that the best hitter in baseball wouldnt somehow help the team. with reyes and wright holding down a-rod two positions tho, i dont see the mets offering the most cash. plus isnt a-rod trying to escape from new york?

by kendynamo on Oct 29, 2007 7:40 PM EDT 0 recs

Ah, the topic of cash.

Priority #1 for ARod and Boras. Nothing would suit them better than an offer from the Mets that they can shop around to LA, Chicago, et al., although I find it hard to believe that ARod would seriously consider remaining in NY.

by madisonmetsfan on Oct 30, 2007 8:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

So? Where will A-Rod go to???

You know the Mets would love to stick it to the crosstown Yankees, and they can afford it heading into a new ballpark in 2009. But they already have young stars at third base and shortstop so I don't think they are considering it that much. My money is on the Cubs, Rodriguez loved playing for Cubs manager Lou Piniella when the two were in Seattle, and Cubs fans are demanding a World Series in the wake of former fellow cursed franchise Boston winning its second in four years and A-rod is just who they need to make it happen. I also found a betting line that has them as favorite as well. I know the Cubs are ready to hand over the cash, sucks for us though.

by GeorgeF on Nov 2, 2007 4:05 PM EDT 0 recs