http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...offs/2007/10/28/rodriguez.contract/index.html
From SI:
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.
Rodriguez's agent Scott Boras said he sent word of the opt-out in writing Sunday and left phone and text messages for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
According to team president Randy Levine, the Yankees were unaware of Rodriguez's decision.
The Yankees have said that once A-Rod opts out, they wil not pursue him, since they will lose the benefit of the Texas Rangers' $30-million subsidy.
"Alex made the decision today,'' Boras said. "I thought we should notify the club.''
The Yankees were preparing an extension to his current contract for either five or six years, believed to be for close to $30 million annually. However, team officials said Boras has politely declined to meet with them in recent days, and they never presented the offer.
Rodriguez technically had until 10 days after the World Series ended to exercise his opt-out rights, which were provided in his $252 million Texas deal. However, Boras said Rodriguez felt there was no way he could make a decision to stay in that short a period of time since several situations remain unsettled, including those of Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.
From SI:
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.
Rodriguez's agent Scott Boras said he sent word of the opt-out in writing Sunday and left phone and text messages for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
According to team president Randy Levine, the Yankees were unaware of Rodriguez's decision.
The Yankees have said that once A-Rod opts out, they wil not pursue him, since they will lose the benefit of the Texas Rangers' $30-million subsidy.
"Alex made the decision today,'' Boras said. "I thought we should notify the club.''
The Yankees were preparing an extension to his current contract for either five or six years, believed to be for close to $30 million annually. However, team officials said Boras has politely declined to meet with them in recent days, and they never presented the offer.
Rodriguez technically had until 10 days after the World Series ended to exercise his opt-out rights, which were provided in his $252 million Texas deal. However, Boras said Rodriguez felt there was no way he could make a decision to stay in that short a period of time since several situations remain unsettled, including those of Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.
anyone who dishes out 30+ million a year for arod is out of there skull. cubs wont draw anymore fans with or without gay-rod. plus cubs spent way to much over the past 2 years on free agents. and they still wont win the central with him. i think the sox make a pitch for him to stick it to the yanks (and they have the cash to dish out). arod thinks the grass is greaner on the other side but will not win a championship with any of the folowing teams
dodgers
cubs
angels
dodgers
cubs
angels
Hendry and the Trib's deals w/Soriano, Ramirez, Zambrano, and DeRo etc...are bad. Someone is going to run into a mess down the road with all of those backloaded contracts. Lots of talk that selling the club is going to be very complicated because of the books...
IF the Cubs had not signed Soriano...then maybe they could be a player. Hard to envision them being in this "lunatic-sweepstakes" at this point.
To hell w/ARod, the Yanks would be better served focusing on re-signing Mariano and Jorge, and going out a getting a solid 3rd base man. For the $$$ ARod wants, what he delivers is not worth crazy loot (not to say he wasn't the reason the Yanks made the playoffs, but look where they are...home like me watching the Red Sox getting ready to celebrate).
LOL...I think the Yanks would be need to be on the H to sign ARod to a new contract. Waaaa, I want more $...hey good luck and so long to ARod, if he can get someone to give him the contract he wants, good for him. I would do the same. But at the same time, if someone asked me to sign them to a ridiculous contract, I would tell them to walk.
Oh...and feel free to put me atop the death pool list, don't have much time left w/all those cupcakes...LOL
