ARod to opt out of contract

[See Red]

Are you naive to think the fans had anything to do with this decision? I am surprised that he opted out. However, this is all about money, always was.

 

It would not surprise me if he ended up coming back to the Yankees. It would not surprise me if he signed with the Marlins. Nothing about Arod surprises me anymore.

 

I never said it did. I said you got what you had coming to you...

 

But with that said, if it was all about the money wouldn't he have listened to the Yankees offer since that's where the most money probably was? I figure that he didn't fit in in that situation and the fans didn't help.

[ORS]

Are you naive to think the fans had anything to do with this decision? I am surprised that he opted out. However, this is all about money, always was.

 

It would not surprise me if he ended up coming back to the Yankees. It would not surprise me if he signed with the Marlins. Nothing about Arod surprises me anymore.

I'm guessing you didn't read Hank's declaration yet. There's a lot of bridge rebuilding to do for him to be in NY next year.

[Gom]

I'm guessing you didn't read Hank's declaration yet. There's a lot of bridge rebuilding to do for him to be in NY next year.

Nothing surprises me about this guy. If I could ever feel sad for someone who is so insanely rich, good-looking, and the best in the world at what he does, it's Arod.

 

In Seattle, he had a phenomenal team, and the love of the fans. The team started to decline, so he left...and signed the largest salary in sports history with a perennial last place team. Got tired of losing, and orchestrated a trade to the Yankees.

 

He ripped a player [Jeter] who was one of his best friends because he couldn't understand why an inferior player got so much more love than he did. He then orchestrated a trade to that team so he could win a championship, which he never did, and was in part, one of the main reasons for their initial success [in getting there] and one of the main reasons for their failure to win the championship [post-season numbers].

 

Finally wins over the city and the fans for having a career year and is instrumental in one of the best in-season turnarounds in baseball history, nearly single-handedly carrying the team to the playoffs.

 

Now...he was poised to make more money than any baseball player in history with the most famous team in baseball. His legacy would be completed with the most storied franchise in history. The Yankees and their rival Red Sox seemed poised, with their influx of young talent, to be atop of the heap for the next 3-5 years, and he had the ability to be the determining factor and add to the rivalry, and perhaps make great theater, regardless of the outcome.

 

So he leaves it all.

 

I can't really blame the Yankees, although I would like to, but it was ultimately his decision. I think in the long run, it's the best more for the Yankees for him to go. In the short run, it's devastating. However, I just don't get the guy. Unless he signs with the Red Sox, no team can offer the greatest chance of a ring than the Yankees over the length of his contract. No team can afford to pay him his salary and field a competitive team as well as the Yankees. No city will give him the marketing opportunities that New York gives him.

 

This is not bitterness or anger, just incomprehension. What did he want? A fan base, that would have embraced, had embraced him, because he came around after his struggles to shine. Money? Offered. A championship? The best attempt was put forward every year.

 

Thank you for two MVP's in 4 years. Thank you for trying your best.

 

Goodbye Arod. We liked you in New York. We tried to love you. We couldn't. Not because we didn't want to. We just didn't understand you.

 

You'll never really understand why Jeter, Papi, Manny, Tek, Gwynn, Ripken, etc. will always be loved more than you. That's what's sad. It's not just a job, take one look at the celebration the Red Sox celebrated tonight. Not many people get to celebrate at their jobs like you have the ability to do.

 

Good luck Arod..maybe your travels will one day bring you the championship you claim to desire. Even then, I'm not sure you'll ever be a part of the team that won it. Just the guy who got them there.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yankees Senior Vice President Hank Steinbrenner reiterated the club's stance to the New York Daily News.

 

"We're not going to back down," Steinbrenner said. "It's goodbye."

 

The Yankees had been constructing what figured to be a lucrative contract extension in order to keep Rodriguez, who led the Major Leagues with 54 home runs, 156 RBIs and 143 runs scored this season, batting .314 while helping the team to the AL Wild Card.

 

According to the report, the Yankees were never able to present the offer. Through Boras, Rodriguez -- who had said numerous times during the course of the season that he "loves" New York and wants to stay -- turned down a request to meet with club officials.

 

"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner told the 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."

 

[jmcc]

What a joke, 'the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay 200 million dollars to ........"

 

They are actually trying to use the payroll thing to their P.R advantage?

 

BS

[rician blast]

I'm surprised you Sox fans aren't angry about this attention whore deciding to make the announcement public in the middle of the clinching game.

 

as soon as it was announced I posted that the time was classless...and wreaked of "pay attention to me goddamit" syndrome.

 

Absolutely ridiculous.

[ORS]

You know, it's possible there's another motive. The announcement came out after Kielty's HR, when it was 4-1 in the 8th and the outcome seemed more definite. If he really just wants out of NY, perhaps it wasn't an attention grab and was timed to serve as a big middle finger to NY on the way out.

[BoSox21]

since A-Rod is no longer a Yankee, does this really belong in the Yankee forum?....

 

......*chuckle*

[BudLight]

Probably the best player of modern times, surely destined for the HOF. To the stats geek, he is the best to ever play the game, to the "fan" of the game he's the biggest ******* to ever don a MLB uniform. He wants it all, money, a ring and the adoration of the fans. He had adoration in Seattle, money in Texas and money in NY. I doubt he will ever be embraced the way he was in Seattle and IMHO that is what is most important to him, regardless of what he says. He will never figure out that there are still some who want to see players with a passion for the game and a loyalty for their team. Arod was on the Yankees roster but he was never on their team. The same will be true for wherever he signs, his ego and his agent will never allow him to be part of a team.

[jacksonianmarch]

What a joke, 'the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay 200 million dollars to ........"

 

They are actually trying to use the payroll thing to their P.R advantage?

 

BS

 

It had nothing to do with a PR thing. It had everything to do with his reasoning. He said he was unsure of who would be where and blah blah blah. I think Hank was pointing out that this team pays its players and goes out to get the very best that money can buy. So his reasoning of who will be where doesnt really hold much water.

[YAZMAN]

Pathetic, transparent fraud. Aren't there enough cheap, bleach blonde strippers in the Bronx?

 

I hope when the Mets sign him, it's for less money and it all blows up in his face.

[das11209]

We discussed it sometime back - and I was trying to tell the Yankee fans that now way he will never be back with them. He hates the Yankess the way fans turned on to him and they are Jeter's team even though Jeter is aweful in the field. When all set and done - he will probably make less money( considering endorsements) that he would have if he stayed as a Yankee. And I think he will be OK with that as long as he gets the recognition as the best player of the team as he should.

 

I think the cubs are the best destination for him. Lou loves him and after Boston wins twice in 4 years - Cubs will really make a push for the world series. It will be good for A-ROd to get away from AL east pressure also. The Red Sox will be in a tough situation - because the Yankees will go after Lowell with all the money they can throw at him. Oh well - I am not worried about the sox today - just gonna enjoy as much as I can.

[Mr Crunchy]

what a f***ing jerk

he already has 200M in the bank and access to another 250M if he stays

this is what the yankees always were

the circus

problem now is its a circus without winning

 

hal steinbrenner eh??

good

he knows all about yankee traditions and what it takes to build a team,just ask him

the year arod finally earned top billing he opts out

the year the drooling f***ing retard finally gives it up he gives it up to fredo corleone

go ahead

burn your bridges hal

54/150 doesnt come along all that often and it wont easily be replaced

[das11209]

The way everyone is saying that it is classless and disrespectful to the Red Sox. Peter Gammons is sportscenter was so mad that he disrespected the Red Sox rookies and blah blah blah. I agree it is classless from A-Rod who certainly has serious ADD problems. I do think that Red Sox fan in general does not look it as an insult - it is an added bonus to them. Even though Red Sox do not get A-Rod - it will be a great addition by substraction for them in the years to come. I would hate to be near a Yankee fan today though.

[He Hate Me]

I love the move. The big offense has gotten us nowhere the past few years. Let this be the start of a rebuilding or retooling, whatever you want to call it. I'm willing to bite the bullet for a couple of years if it means bigger payoff down the road. Hell any fan who went through the Mel Hall, Stump Merrill years wouldn't mind this. I been hungry before, hell I remember when Matt Nokes was our only all star rep, I can be hungry again.

 

And please, it wasn't about the fans. He got plenty of love in Texas and Seattle.

 

The guy is probably the greatest overall slugger in the game today. and I thank him for the two regular season MVP's. I wish ill luck on whatever team signs him to his $300M contract the same way I laughed and wished ill luck on the Rangers when they signed him to that $250M contract.

[jacksonianmarch]

i think this is the harbinger of things to come for us and I am okay with it. We have seen that the all star mercenary mentality did nothing for us. Shrewd moves coupled with great pitching and a very good farms system made us damn near unbeatable in the late 90s. It wasnt about an All-Star at every position. It was about a team that could outpitch you, get the clutch hits and then shut you down at the end of a game. They had a method to the madness and that method died in 04 when we went for offense and let pitching go by the wayside. Signing ARod was the cherry on top of that shitdick cake. We have a chance to get back to our roots, and we should now take it. Let all the FAs go, outclass other teams in the draft like we have for 2 yrs running and then pay through the nose for top tier pitching. No big deals for back end starters. Get the real deal or develop it yourself.

[He Hate Me]

i think this is the harbinger of things to come for us and I am okay with it. We have seen that the all star mercenary mentality did nothing for us. Shrewd moves coupled with great pitching and a very good farms system made us damn near unbeatable in the late 90s. It wasnt about an All-Star at every position. It was about a team that could outpitch you' date=' get the clutch hits and then shut you down at the end of a game. They had a method to the madness and that method died in 04 when we went for offense and let pitching go by the wayside. Signing ARod was the cherry on top of that shitdick cake. We have a chance to get back to our roots, and we should now take it. Let all the FAs go, outclass other teams in the draft like we have for 2 yrs running and then pay through the nose for top tier pitching. No big deals for back end starters. Get the real deal or develop it yourself.[/quote']

 

I agree, though I'd like to see Mo, Andy and Posada retire as Yankees.

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd rather get the picks. Let em go, offer them arbitration and get the draft picks. If we are gonna do this thing the right way, we might as well let em all go. With them, we make the playoffs and fail early. Without them, we fail in the regular season but build a self sustaining farm system that will benefit us greatly in the future.

[TheKilo]

i think this is the harbinger of things to come for us and I am okay with it. We have seen that the all star mercenary mentality did nothing for us. Shrewd moves coupled with great pitching and a very good farms system made us damn near unbeatable in the late 90s. It wasnt about an All-Star at every position. It was about a team that could outpitch you' date=' get the clutch hits and then shut you down at the end of a game. They had a method to the madness and that method died in 04 when we went for offense and let pitching go by the wayside. Signing ARod was the cherry on top of that shitdick cake. We have a chance to get back to our roots, and we should now take it. Let all the FAs go, outclass other teams in the draft like we have for 2 yrs running and then pay through the nose for top tier pitching. No big deals for back end starters. Get the real deal or develop it yourself.[/quote']

 

mmmmmm Drink it in

[TheKilo]

You guys really think Steinbrenner lite is gonna let you rebuild?

 

lol

[He Hate Me]

You guys really think Steinbrenner lite is gonna let you rebuild?

 

lol

 

I predict a trade for Johan in the winter where we give up 2 or 3 top prospects and at least 1 young guy on the ML roster.

[Mr Crunchy]

their could be a couple of huge pix with arods departure

maybe another brian taylor or drew henson could be had

[He Hate Me]

their could be a couple of huge pix with arods departure

maybe another brian taylor or drew henson could be had

 

his name is briEn Taylor

[Mr Crunchy]

Thanks for the spelling correction

some bad memories there mr yank eh?

[He Hate Me]

Thanks for the spelling correction

some bad memories there mr yank eh?

 

Put it this way. You remember the scene at the end of episode 3 of STar Wars where Obi is screaming at Anakin while he's injured on the ground "You were supposed to be the savior!"...well I felt the same way, just imagine Taylor with his million dollar arm broken from a stupid bar fight just a year or two after sufferign through the humiliation of a 100 win loss season...ugh

[jacksonianmarch]

it isnt perfect, we know that. At the same time, scouting seems to have gotten a whole lot better. And in the current scheme, the yankees can flex their financial muscle in the draft, something they didnt do back in the old days. If we get 13 picks before round 3, you can bet a good amount of those guys turn out to be major leaguers. Just take a look at our drafts from the past few yrs...

 

2004-

1st- Hughes

1st-comp- Poterson

1st-comp- Marquez

2nd- Brett Smith

3rd- Christian Garcia

 

Poterson is out of the yankee system. Brett Smith struggled in A+ and AA ball and looks like he wont make the bigs. Garcia had TJ surgery but is still a top yankee prospect. Marquez pitched well in AA and should be in AAA next yr. Hughes is a major leaguer.

 

Other picks of note in 2004: Michael Dunn, pick #999- the only other guy on the list still considered a prospect (now a lefty starting pitcher)

 

Of those top 5 picks, 1 was a great pick, and 2 of them are still considered good picks.

 

2005-

1st round- CJ Henry

2nd Round- JB Cox

3rd Round- Brent Gardner

 

Henry was a bust, but it got us Bobby Abreu, so that is kinda moot. JB Cox would have been in our bullpen this yr had he not had TJ surgery. I expect him to be a major leaguer this upcoming yr. Brett Gardner is a small speedster who will start in AAA this yr. Of the top 3, 2 have a solid chance of making the majors this upcoming yr, with one (Cox) having the potential to be a reliable player.

 

Other notables- Austin Jackson (8th round), and Alan Horne (11th). Both of these guys are consider top prospects in their respective positions. Horne could be a Yankee in 08 and Jackson has the potential to be as well.

 

2006

1st round- Ian Kennedy

1st round comp- Joba Chamberlain

3rd round- Zach McCallister

 

Kennedy and Chamberlain are in the bigs and McCallister is considered one of the best lower level pitching prospects in our system (even though he struggled with fatigue late).

 

Other notables: Betances, Kontos, Melancon, McCutchen, Patterson, Robertson.

 

Once again, of the top 3 picks, no strikeouts yet. And the depth of that draft was pretty astounding.

 

This isnt as much the crapshoot of old when the best players got taken in the order of their ability. Just look above for the examples. Betances was considered a top 10 pick, but fell to the 8th round due to salary demands. Melancon was considered 1st round talent, but fell due to injury concerns and salary demands. Robertson was a top 2 round pick but fell because he was a draft eligible sophomore with 2 yrs of college to bargain with.

 

Other guys like Kontos and McCutchen were nabbed by shrewd scouting.

[elsrbueno]

My $0.02:

 

1. I'm not sure the Yankees receive draft picks in A-Rod's case. Did the Dodgers get a compensation pick when Drew opted out? Did they even get the CHANCE to offer him arbritration? I'm not as well versed in the rules as I could be, but for some reason I think this is different and the same rules don't necessarily apply.

 

2. I honestly don't think this is about money. Sure, Scott Boras is a smart man and he knows more about the industry than I do, but if what we've read is true, that the Yankees were going to extend him for 30-ish million per season for 5 seasons I just don't see him getting MORE somewhere else. I also don't buy the BS about A-Rod being in doubt about Mo/Posada/Pettite I think that's just a convenient excuse-- the Yankees will contend next year. I think this is a pride thing. A-Rod was pissed that he was the best player in New York but didn't get the same respect as Rivera, Jeter, and countless others. My guess is that he'd like to sign somewhere where he can get paid big bucks and play shortstop. Unfortunatley like some others I don't know if A-Rod can be an elite shortstop again after not having played there and bulked up a bit, but we all know front offices don't always think logically. Personally I think the Angels makes the most sense (they need another bat, Moreno likes to spend money and take away attention from the Dodgers). Cabrera's got 1 more season on his contract, so he could be traded if A-Rod insists on playing short.

 

3. I can't see the Yankees rebuilding. If Cashman called the shots I'd say yes, but Hank Steinbrenner's made way too many "my team" comments to believe he's going to let Cashman make too many decisions. I think that's why Torre's gone and why the Yankees will attempt to add veterans rather than go through a rebuilding stage.

 

4. I'm not sure the Yankees are out of it. If I'm right about #3, and the Yankees take a "win now" mentality, they will see that there are very simply no players on the free agent market that will replace A-Rod's production. In a lineup that has a lot of declining players (Damon, Abreu, Giambi, Matsui) they could really use A-Rod's pop. I know Hank's saying goodbye but until he signs elsewhere I don't think the Yankees are truly giving up.

[jacksonianmarch]

Drew's clause specified that the Dodgers could not offer him arbitration, therefore not allowing the Dodgers to get a pick for him. That clause is NOT in ARod's contract.

 

Also, in terms of Hank, he listens to Cashman. Consider the Girardi potential hire. The only guy on the Girardi bandwagon was Cashman, now everyone is. Also, Cashman was the one who made the edict of dont opt out or else you are gone. Now Hank is adopting that too. I think Hank gets it. See, George made it pretty obvious that he wanted to win while he was still functioning and it hurt the club. Hank has a long ways before he gets to where George is.

[Beckett95]

you dont need him. Lowell has been everything you could have asked for and more. He reminds me of Brosius' date=' except better.[/quote']

 

why not sign both?

 

I think A-Rod can still play SS for 2-3 more years in his career, then after that the sox could move him back to 3rd. crazy idea I know, but imagine that lineup next year...

 

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Arod

Ortiz

Manny

Lowell

Drew

Youk

Varitek

[a700hitter]

Hell any fan who went through the Mel Hall' date=' Stump Merrill years wouldn't mind this. I been hungry before, hell I remember when Matt Nokes was our only all star rep, I can be hungry again.[/quote']

During those years, the Red Sox were in last place under Butch Hobson so0 you could tolerate it, but now the Red Sox are two time Champions and we will be beating you down while you are rebuilding. Yankee fans could never stand for that.