Congratulations, Texas Rangers

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 7:47 PM PDT in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

DENVER -- Alex Rodriguez notified the Yankees on Sunday that he's opting out of his record $252 million contract, SI.com has learned.

Rodriguez's decision means he will become a free agent and be able to negotiate with all clubs. Rodriguez's bombshell move will shake up the entire winter for the Yankees -- who had hoped to retain him with a big extension -- as well as other big-market clubs that will now pursue him.

With the Yankees allegedly out of the picture, I've (perhaps irrationally, but I doubt it) resigned myself to the fact that Alex Rodriguez will begin 2008 with either the Angels or Red Sox.

Yeah, this is going to be a spectacular offseason.

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For the record, I'm hoping it's Boston

just so I can watch all those sorry sons of bitches backpedal.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 7:57 PM PDT reply actions

Do you think they'd trade man-Ram to make room?

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 7:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know if they need to.

There's a lot of money coming off the books (Lowell, Schilling, and Clement being the biggest investments).

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:02 PM PDT up reply actions

It just seems like a good time to trade him

regardless.

His production is becoming less consistent, and he is playing in fewer game, plus he needs to DH. And with less years and an inflating market, he seems tradable.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions

He only has one more guaranteed year

'09 and '10 are club option years. I think Boston probably rides it out.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't think it'll be a 2 team race.

The Cubs and a couple other teams will probably hop into the mix.

by SethGrandpa on Oct 28, 2007 7:58 PM PDT reply actions

Unless they think he's a shortstop

- which he isn't - I don't think the Cubs have room for him.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions

They could trade Lee.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:02 PM PDT up reply actions

What happened to San Francisco?

I thought I read there was interest?

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Oct 28, 2007 8:02 PM PDT reply actions

As a mystery team to drive up the price?

maybe

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:02 PM PDT up reply actions

If A-Rod really wants to win a championship

that would be the worst possible decision for him to make.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Same thing happened with Texas

Either way, do you remember hearing about that? Was that since disproven? When A-rod played in San Francisco there was a lot of buzz about him going there some day but I don't know what caused the rumors.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Oct 28, 2007 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Texas wasn't close to SF's current level.

The Giants are going to be really really bad for really really long. If A-Rod has any sense at all, he'll land somewhere else.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions

In your honest opinion

Because I don't actually know, do you really think he will make his decision based on postseason possibilities or because of the money the team offers. I actually may agree with you - this time around, I think he'll be worried about the postseason. But had the Yankees won this year I think it would have been money only.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Oct 28, 2007 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions

It'll be about both

but unless the Giants come in and offer him like $10m more a year than anyone else, I just don't think they stand a chance. Other teams are going to offer him a ton of money. Other, better teams.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Who could really be in the race?

Boston
Cubs
Angels
Giants
Mets

maybe???
Blue Jays
Dodgers
St Louis
Atlanta

by mark s @ Lookout Landing on Oct 28, 2007 8:05 PM PDT reply actions

No way ATL or STL

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions

A-Rod calling out the Yankees.

Awesome.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:10 PM PDT reply actions

Hmmm...

Howard Lincoln in 2000 = cheap-assed SOB.

Howard Lincoln in 2007 = SOB.

The M's have the money -- they could give him $30+ million a season. Get rid of Sexson's contract, and they could do it easily.

Clearly A-Rod isn't all about winning the championship. He wants the most money.

Considering he's the best player in baseball, I'd give it to him...

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Oct 28, 2007 8:10 PM PDT reply actions

PLEASE GOD

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Willie is ours, and you can't have him

by spittle8 on Oct 30, 2007 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions

That which can happen, will

and thus he will suffer a season ending injury after a record breaking April, just to piss everyone off.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Oct 30, 2007 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions

This is a crazy day

Arod is a free agent..crazy

I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Oct 28, 2007 8:12 PM PDT reply actions

You can't make this stuff up

NEW YORK -- The Yankees' year might have been an early loss if not for Alex Rodriguez's heroics. Time and time again, he came through with success in tight situations, helping to lead the club into the postseason.

For his efforts in what will be remembered as a remarkable individual season worthy of praise, Rodriguez has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the 2007 Major League Baseball Clutch Performer of the Year, presented by Pepsi.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:13 PM PDT reply actions

haha...

Boras will have that added to the brochures that he'll certainly have sent to ever MLB exec.

by PLU Tim on Oct 28, 2007 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Uh

by Gomez on Oct 28, 2007 8:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Great.

Now whenever I think of "Alex Rodriguez" I'm going to think of "clutch, presented by Pepsi".

by JLC on Oct 28, 2007 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Better than

"Clutch presented by Taco Bell"

That would be an oxymoron...

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Oct 28, 2007 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions

IDK

I often clutch after visiting Taco Bell

by Matthew on Oct 28, 2007 10:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Or Clutch presented by Reggie Evans

by Paytheline on Oct 28, 2007 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll bet that Bud is pissed...

about this being announced right now. This is so very calculated by Boras too.

by PLU Tim on Oct 28, 2007 8:18 PM PDT reply actions

Wow

All this without even meeting with them? Considering the rumors floating around about what they were going to offer him (essentially 8Y/230M), this is really surprising.

Anywhere but Anaheim. Please.

by Matthew on Oct 28, 2007 8:19 PM PDT reply actions

That's less annually than what he'll make

the next three seasons.

But it does have ridiculous long term security.

I think he wants the 8/260 treatment.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

It's not about...

making more annual salary...

It's about turning 83mil in guaranteed cash into 200+ mil in guaranteed cash.

by PLU Tim on Oct 28, 2007 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I had no idea they were real.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions

A-rod

You just went up in my book. Way up in my book. I used to hate you. Now I just won't like you when you do well against the M's.

Funk for '08!

by shunter160 on Oct 28, 2007 8:41 PM PDT reply actions

I hope Alex goes to the Dodgers.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:44 PM PDT reply actions

LA is a fun place with his kind of money

by mark s @ Lookout Landing on Oct 28, 2007 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah....

Let him go to the NL. Faraway from us.

Brandon Morrow = THE FUTURE

by Nola on Oct 28, 2007 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope he comes here

but as far as realism goes, that's probably best case scenario. But I hate the Dodgers too for what they did to Paul DePo. I need to find more teams that don't piss me off.

by Matthew on Oct 28, 2007 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions

He can go to the Blue Jays.

by JI on Oct 28, 2007 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

The more you think about other teams

the more reasons you find to hate them. So you need to rank by degrees of hatred. Hatred of Angels/Red Sox > hatred of Dodgers.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 28, 2007 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

off season post idea

by mark s @ Lookout Landing on Oct 28, 2007 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Hatred rankings?

That's not a bad idea - but it would have to include justification of such hatred. And, most likely, it will be a lot of people saying they hate the yankees and others vehemently disagreeing.

I'm okay with that.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Oct 28, 2007 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I know

I actually have a flowchart of my franchise hatred. That's why I said the Dodgers are the best realistic case.

I was hoping he'd stay with the Yanks actually.

by Matthew on Oct 28, 2007 9:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I've been calling A-Rod to LAD for 2 months now

MLS Seattle

by Nick S on Oct 28, 2007 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I think it'd be mildly ironic

if the Yankees went into next season with Wilson Betemit as their third baseman and the Dodgers went in with A-Rod as theirs.

A-Rod could easily become the king of LA if he went to the Dodgers.

Free Adam Jones

by bluemax on Oct 29, 2007 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions

How good are his numbers against NL teams?

Because it has been, "proven" (or so I heard from people talking on the radio) that when you switch leagues it takes adjusting time to get used to the style. And going from the NL to AL is much easier than going to the AL to the NL. Personally i think A-Rod is better than that and won't have a problem. But if he does...he chances of catching Barry Bonds could go out the door. I hope he goes to Kansas City because he wants to win.

Funk for '08!

by shunter160 on Oct 28, 2007 9:47 PM PDT reply actions