Uh-oh

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 11, 2007 3:55 PM CDT in News

The New York Yankees are willing to bend their own rules to keep Alex Rodriguez in pinstripes beyond this season.

The Yankees have changed their traditional stance and are now willing to negotiate during the season with their star third baseman on a contract extension, MLB sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The key sticking point for the Yankees in the prospective negotiations is that Rodriguez agree not to opt out of his current contract after this season and agree to add any extension to the current contract, which expires after the 2010 season.

While I still think ARod will opt out, this would be a bad thing...

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They can try all they want

Arod is going to be a FA this year. He might resign with them after he files; but atleast then, the Rangers won't be liable for the rest of that contract...

One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 11, 2007 3:51 PM CDT reply actions

I think AROD

wants a change of scenery. This is bad, though.

by OKC Ranger Fan on Jul 11, 2007 3:52 PM CDT reply actions

30+ a year

I think they could likely get ARod to agree not to opt out, but I bet its needing something about 35 million a year for 8 years to get him not to.

by JKolar on Jul 11, 2007 3:52 PM CDT reply actions

i think he opts out

if i wa a-rod id win the mvp tell new york to go to hell and go somewhere like LA or the cubs, he would be a god if he went to chicago

by weslyenkid01 on Jul 11, 2007 3:54 PM CDT reply actions

non-lawyer law thought...

It seems like any screwing with the negotiations to make sure that ARod doesn't exercise his rights to get gaurantee that money keeps coming from Texas may open a legal hole for Texas to get out of paying any of it, simply by claiming that the extension amounts to a de facto new contract, because it only happened because he was going to opt out. No one thinks that they'd be extending if he wasn't going to cancel the contract, so in spirit, it would be a new contract.

I don't know if Texas would want to go that direction, but if Hicks wanted to fight it out, he could make things messy enough that the payments may get reduced, if nothing else.

by JBImaknee on Jul 11, 2007 3:55 PM CDT reply actions

been wondering that too

If he signs an extension it could be argued that it voids the old contract and then means hicks does not owe the yankees money anymore... but my guess is hicks would never push it.

"Pimps be damned, it's harder out here for a Rangers fan!" "If you don't throw strikes first, you're last."

by rentz on Jul 11, 2007 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I wonder

What the MLBPA's take on contract modification to benefit the team vs. the player might be? Realizing that may be more perception than reality.

Time does funny things. The worst of which is, it keeps moving when you don't.

by Ed Coffin on Jul 11, 2007 3:57 PM CDT reply actions

I've been saying all along

that it just seemed like there was way too much free money sitting in the pot for the Yankees to not want to take advantage of it.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 11, 2007 3:57 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah

but it would be stupid for Arod NOT to test free agency. Has Boras ever not go into FA, in a FA year, with a superstar client?

One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 11, 2007 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Andruw Jones

by JKolar on Jul 11, 2007 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Screwed.

you have to assume we'll get screwed in the end either way - so I'm going to go ahead and assume that the Yanks do sign him to an extension and he doesn't opt out and we are't able to get out of paying for the next 3 years of his contract...instead of Murphy's Law, call it Rangers' Law

"No, Donny, these men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of."

by Walter Sobchak on Jul 11, 2007 4:21 PM CDT reply actions

I still think

ARod wants to go someplace that will pay him big, and ignore him when he cheats on his wife with roided up strippers.

by DJCahill on Jul 11, 2007 4:28 PM CDT reply actions

Hmmmm!

We're already paying him big money, Dallas has top-notch strippers...two out of three, so far!

Hit me in the eye...maybe I can see better.

by Clueless on Jul 11, 2007 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Also don't forget ARod

also likes to watch his wife with other men

GO KAM GO!

by hurlerhurley on Jul 11, 2007 10:45 PM CDT up reply actions

ARod

Reasons ARod will opt out:

Boras
He can go somewhere where he is the star.
Jeter.
Teams are much susceptible to overpaying when a guy is a free agent as opposed to an extension.
Does he really want to be playing 81 games in a stadium that favors left-handed batters when his power numbers start decreasing?
Yankee fans are spoiled. Does he really want to spend the rest of his career being intermittently booed for bad defense or poor post-season play?

Please add more . . .

by Randy Richardson on Jul 11, 2007 4:52 PM CDT reply actions