Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Third-Degree Burn: The Prodigal Son Returns?

By now, if you're reading this, you're hearing that it seems increasingly likely that Alex Rodriguez will return to the Yankees.

While I am a little conflicted by this, I am encouraged that it seems that A-Rod has done or is doing this without Scott Boras, and the statement he made on his website re-affirms that he went to the Yankees, and not the Yankees going to him.

If it is true, then the Yankees won't have to worry about filling a hole at third, and can instead focus on putting together something vaguely reminiscent of a bullpen, resigning Mo, resigning Molina and convincing Pettitte to come back for one last time.

Alex, dude, if this is true, you don't need to go on a 54 home run barrage. Play solid defense, get those hits in the ninth inning, when it matters, and if a guy's on second or third in October, get a hit. Even a dinky single.

Oh, and if you really did go behind Scott Boras to do this, let's just say I'll be noticeably impressed.

26 comments:

  1. This is exactly what I thought might happen and I have no problem with it. When whatever facts we can get come out, I suspect all the A-Rod non-fans will adjust. I am not certain the next season will differ that much from the last, but I would guess the Yanks will win a few Series with A-Rod if this comes to pass.

    Cheers, S

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  2. Dude, I agree about the mixed feelings. He was solid this year. I think if he signs another big contract with the Yankees, we'll have a less emotional year because the speculation around him will be gone.

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  3. Terrific post Rebecca. You said it all. No matter how we feel now, we'll all be completely satisfied if A-Rod delivers the goods. I know he can!!

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  4. Stephen: I'm far from the biggest A-Rod fan. However, as I said, I'm encouraged by the news I'm hearing: A-Rod went to the Yanks, and, apparently, without Boras. That is a good sign.

    Joey and Krista: Less emotional for him is a good thing, because so much of A-Rod's game is mental. No #500, no will-he-or-won't-he, etc.


    j-dawg: Thank you! And yes, now it's simply this: Deliver.

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  5. I don't know, I was quite happy to be free of him. He's a great player yes, but even if he wasn't attempting to he'd be a distraction.

    I don't mind moving our office down a peg if only to force us to concentrate on what we've been consistently lacking - PITCHING. Plus, I was happy with being free of a gigantic contract that would just keep sucking our salary's down into exorbitant levels.

    Especially since his bat hasn't done much in October I'd much rather use his money to get a Santana or a few good relievers.

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  6. rob--Yes, that is certainly a large part of why I'm conflicted about it, and why a lot of other Yankees' fans are, as well.

    However, it does seem that we're trying to solve the pitching problems from within, and would be great if it worked...

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  7. Hmm so much for the 'This ship has sailed' line from Cashman..

    I definitely have mixed feelings about this.

    The Yankees better get some more pitching.

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  8. I'm fine with this. Alex came back. The Yankees didn't pursue him and beg.

    Alex is a solid player no matter how you cut it. The pitching is a problem, but losing him doesn't get us pitchers. ;)

    Besides, we didn't have to trade Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy, Wang, or Mussina for him.

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  9. I have mixed feelings about this. I'm not terribly surprised, as I suspected this was a possibility from the start.

    A-Rod at age 40 earning $27 million scares me. I'd have preferred a shorter 5 year deal. I still think Lowell would be a good fit, as he's a winning player who costs less.

    I'm still trying to make sense of everything.

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  10. The one suggestion I've read - which I do like - is A-Rod and getting Lowell at first.

    If only to make it hard on the Sox to easily fill the gap. I'd just hope for them to shoot for Cabrera and have to give up a lot.

    But, I am happy with this simply because I didn't want us to overpay for Lowell who I think has only had such good numbers because he was at Fenway Park.

    His inflated stats (because of the Green Monster allowing him to pull successfully on the ball) made him a poor sole replacement for A-Rod, but if we don't lose him, yet also lose his production/leadership for Boston - all the better in my opinion.

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  11. I hope we are done messing with out position players now (except for signing Molina). We need to sign Wood and Marte for the bullpen, sign Mo, and let the kids audition for the rest of the BP spots.

    Oh yeah...trade Farnsworth for a bag of balls.

    Even if Pettit does not come back, I'm happy with our starting pitching come April. It will be light years better than last April's starters. Geesch....opening day 2006 starter was... was...... oh yeah.....

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  12. How do you feel knowing Boras and Arod got the best of the Yankees? With the extension the Yankees offered, they would have paid him roughly $205M over 8 years... now it looks like $300 (with incentives) over 10yrs. No matter how this is spun... the Yankees have fallen victim to Boras again....

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  13. Arod's Clause said...-

    What? Maybe re-read the facts a bit before you go Yankee bashing..

    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3109894

    You say "with the extension the Yankees ofered him they would have paid him 205 million over 8 years"

    Where did that come from? Where are you getting your information?

    Read some articles. Before he opted out, they all say the Yankees were prepared to offer what would equal out to 9 years at 260 million or 10 years at 289 million.

    So now, it'll be 10 years at around 270 million.

    That's less money. Do the math. The Yankees are making A-Rod cut out the money they should have gotten from Texas, before he opted out..

    Is it a lot of money? Yes. Is it the 350 million that Boras wanted? Not even close.

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  14. DMan said...

    Maybe YOU should do a little research.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071103/sp_nm/baseball_yankees_rodriguez_dc

    "The Yankees had planned to offer Rodriguez, 32, a five-year extension for about $150 million, club sources said."

    Lets do a little math. Last 3 years of Arod contract.. 7M per year kicked in by the Rangers... 24M per season minus 7m is what?? 17M X 3 yrs= $51M over three years PLUS the extension they rumored to offer... makes $201M. Got it?

    Oh... here is another article about what Arod was owed.

    http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/07/13/sports/professional/21_11_187_12_07.txt

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  15. DMan...

    Here's the article about $300 with the incentives. From the same guy who brought out the fact that Arod was opting out.... which means he probably has someone in Boras' camp.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/11/14/bc.bba.yankees.rodriguez/index.html

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  16. Well I couldn't get those links to work, but I understand your math.

    That said, you're looking at the first 3 years of the contract. I'm looking at all 10 years.

    The next 3 years would have been only 17 for the Yankees, thats true, but the extension the Yankees would have given him, would have combined to equal a contract upwards of 289 million.

    Everything that I've read has reported that it was the Yankees intention to ofer Arod a 9 or 10 year extension to make his deal worth 289 million.. You have obvouisly read somethign that says the extension would only be 201 million..

    We'll never know for sure because he opted out before any of that happened.

    So yes, over the next 3 years, the Yankees will end up paying more than 17 million. But, over the course of the 10 year contract, it will (as its rumored anyway) come out to be 270-275 million.

    So yes, the Yankees pay more over the next 3 years, but in total, it's a smaller contract.

    The Yankees basically made Arod eat the money they would have recived from Texas. But instead of eating it in the first 3 years, its just spread out across all 10.

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  17. Dman...

    Here is the one about Arod at 5 years, 150M.

    http://tinyurl.com/2o35l2

    Here is the one about his current deal.

    http://tinyurl.com/2jgqn3

    The extension that was going to be offered was only for 5 years, not 10. At 10 years... it would amount to a 13Yrs commitment.

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  18. Well I guess it's all based on where we get our info, since nothing was ever actually offered.

    I mean personally I think if Arod had sat down with the Yankees before he opted out, that the starting point may have been 150, but they would have negotiated it for awhile..

    I mean Boras wanted 350, the Yankees started at 150.. You have to figure they would have bargained for awhile?

    Or maybe you don't have to figure.. It's all speculation on both our parts because nothing was ever made offical, right?

    But you've got to admit, It's very rare for a team to make an offer and for a player not to come back with a counter-offer..

    So if he hadn't opted out and if the Yankees had offered that 150 million, don't you think Boras and Arod would have come back with a counter-offer?

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  19. Kinda funny how this whole off season has come around.A-Rod keeps our prospects intact but we can win without A-Rod we just need a starter to pitch 200 innings and a healthy squad.Health is what kills the Yankees espcially in April and May.


    I like Ian Kennedy but if we can get a Haren or something this is more important.3 rookies in the rotation doesn't help.Foret A-Rod bring in Pettitte or Haren.

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  20. retire21: pitching is important, and the three rookies might make 2008 full of some growing pains, but you're only a rookie once. The potential upside to each of the 'big three' is enough to warrant the Yankees not trading them.


    Remember, Maddox, Smoltz and Glavine were once rookies as well =)

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  21. REbecca:True about the upside.One of the three might not make it as a great stater.I don't think the Yankees are going into the season with three rookies and none have gone past 150 innings.If we were a rebuilding team then okay but we have too win now and preserve the future.

    I think Ian Kennedy is the weaker one and not close to Joba and Phil in stuff wise.If you want to get past the ALDS you need a ace with major league stuff.And Andy Pettitte is not 100% back.


    Hey The Twins are a small market team if Kennedy becomes great we can get him back again in 5 years:)


    Also Rebecca for Johan Santana(with a 6 year $175 million contract) for Cano straight up.What do you think?

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  22. Retire: I wouldn't do it. Cano is just as All-Star as Santana, or close to it, albeit being a position player.

    The Yankees have pitchers in the farm system. They have outfielders.

    As far as I know they do not have infielders.

    However, it is a tough call if you think about it. I tend to go with my gut here, and my gut says, don't do it.

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  23. Ian Kennedy,Alan Horne,Melky Cabera for Santana.

    only if Pettitte doesn't come back.


    I know these trade proposals get out of control but I'm just getting myself prepared to soften the blow when the winter meetings start.

    You are right not too many infielders.

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  24. retire: The second proposal of yours I would find a bit easier to stomach, though I still wouldn't want to part with IPK or Melky.

    However, we do have outfielders in the system, so if it's between trading Melky or Cano, my apologies to Leche, but he's the one I'd trade.

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  25. Well at least lets hope The A's go though a fire sale and we can steal Dan Haren from them.


    Also since this is a Alex Rodriguez thread I wonder what happens if Alex is on that Mitchell report or if Canseco says A-Rod took Steroids.I can't go though ten years of A-Rod like the Giants went though Barry Bonds.This is what keeps me up at this time of night.

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