DENVER -- Alex Rodriguez and agent Scott Boras picked quite a time for their big announcement.
Olney: All About A-Rod
Alex Rodriguez couldn't be at the World Series to receive an award from Hank Aaron -- a family commitment was the stated reason -- but he managed to upstage Game 4, writes Buster Olney. Story
Smack in the middle of Game 4 of the World Series, Boras ended months of speculation and said Rodriguez is opting out of the final three seasons of his contract with the New York Yankees.
Upon hearing the news, the Yankees reaffirmed their position by responding with an uncompromising "goodbye."
"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner, a son of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and now the figurehead of the club's baseball operations, told the New York Daily News. "He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field.
"I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."
Steinbrenner told The Associated Press on Monday that the team left messages with Rodriguez, and "we really wanted to meet with him."
"We wanted him to stay a Yankee. We wanted to let him know how much we wanted him," he said. "The bottom line is ... do we really want anybody that really doesn't want to be a Yankee? How the heck can you do that? Compare him with Jeter. Jeter, since he was a little kid, all he ever wanted to do was play shortstop for the Yankees. That's what we want."
Boras said he attempted to notify Yankees general manager Brian Cashman of the decision but couldn't reach him, so he left a voice mail. In an interview with ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd on Monday morning, Boras said he and Cashman spoke on Sunday night but didn't specify at what point the discussion took place or what was said.
A-Rod Worth A Lot
Alex Rodriguez has an impressive career resume, which figures only to grow. Some of his career highlights:
• Youngest ever to hit 300 HR, 400 HR, 450 HR, 500 HR
• 6 straight 40-HR seasons; 10 straight 30-HR seasons
• 3 50-HR seasons
• 2 MVPs (2003 & 2005)
In addition, he's on the short list of players who have led baseball in home runs, RBIs and runs in the same season:
| Player | HR | RBIs | Runs |
| Alex Rodriguez, 2007 | 54 | 156 | 143 |
| Roger Maris, 1961 | 61 | 142 | 132 |
| Mickey Mantle, 1956 | 52 | 130 | 132 |
| Johnny Mize, 1947 | 51 | 138 | 137 |
| Ted Williams, 1942 | 36 | 137 | 141 |
Boras said Rodriguez made his choice because he was uncertain whether Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte would return to the Yankees. Boras said it became clear that the others wouldn't make a decision by Rodriguez's deadline to opt out, 10 days after the World Series.
"Alex's decision was one based on not knowing what his closer, his catcher and one of his statured pitchers was going to do," Boras said. "He really didn't want to make any decisions until he knew what they were doing."
Cashman did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Boras has drawn criticism for timing the announcement against the World Series.
"It doesn't matter to me, the timing," Hank Steinbrenner said. "But I'm sure there's a lot of people that aren't very happy about it. Other baseball people, the commissioner's office, the Red Sox."
Red Sox fans sure took notice fast. After their team won the title for the second time in four seasons, they stood behind the visitors' dugout at Coors Field and chanted: "Don't sign A-Rod!"
Rodriguez forfeited $72 million he was owed over the final three seasons of his record $252 million, 10-year deal, which he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. The Yankees lose $21.3 million in remaining payments from the Rangers, a subsidy agreed to at the time of his 2004 trade.
As for the possibility of A-Rod winding up in Boston, Lucchino said: "We're staying out of that discussion."
Said David Ortiz: "Man, I never would walk away from $150 million."
A-Rod, likely to win his third AL MVP award next month, made his decision before the Yankees announced a replacement for departed manager Joe Torre. Broadcaster Joe Girardi and bench coach Don Mattingly were the top contenders, and the team also interviewed first-base coach Tony Pena.
Now that A-Rod has made his decision, Texas turns out to be the biggest winner -- saving the remaining money it would have had to pay New York as part of the trade. Boras said the Rangers are still responsible for $3 million in annual deferred money A-Rod is owed in the next three years under the contract.
"We're going to wait until we hear officially, but obviously it would be welcome news on our end," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Rodriguez hit .314 this year and led the majors with 54 homers and 156 RBI. He was announced as a winner of a Hank Aaron award for offensive achievement before Game 4 but wasn't on hand to receive it. Boras said Rodriguez had a family commitment.
New York was preparing to offer Rodriguez a four- or five-year extension worth between $25 million and $30 million annually and had hoped to meet with A-Rod to present the offer.
"We didn't want to enter in a discussion of the economic parameters until we knew the status of players because that was central to Alex's decision," Boras said.
Rodriguez's decision was first reported by SI.com.
Another Boras client, J.D. Drew, opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers following the 2006 season and signed a more lucrative deal with the Red Sox. Boras and Boston denied they spoke before Drew became a free agent.
The Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels and even the New York Mets could be possible destinations for Rodriguez. Teams have declined to comment, citing tampering rules that prevent them from discussing players who aren't free agents.
A-Rod went 4-for-15 (.267) with one RBI against in the Yankees' first-round playoff loss to Cleveland and is in an 8-for-59 (.136) postseason funk dating to 2004. Even worse has been his postseason hitting in the clutch. He is hitless in his past 18 playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.
New York, entering its first season with a new manager since Torre took over in 1996, will have to find offense to replace Rodriguez's RBI, a prospect that should be daunting for the new manager, whoever it is.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Source: ESPN.com
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