The Color of Money

Call me crazy, but after looking around MLB, I’m thinking Alex Rodriguez may have passed on the best contract out there. Now I know all the talk is that A-Rod will get the annual salary of 30 million dollars or that monster contract exceeding 300 million dollars, but I am having a very hard time finding a team that will offer that much money.

The sure bet was the New York Yankees but Rodriguez and Boras decided not to negotiate with the Yankees. New York was preparing to offer Rodriguez a four- or five-year extension worth between $25 million and $30 million annually and had hoped to meet with A-Rod to present the offer [NYTIMES]. Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees have repeatedly stated that if Rodriguez opts out, the Yankees will absolutely not pursue him on the free agent market. I for one believe them; going back on their word will only ruin future business endeavors.

While A-Rod is the best player in the game and every team would love to have him, only a hand full of teams can actually afford him. The short list includes the Mets, Red Sox, Angels, Cubs, Giants, then the maybe teams like the Dodgers, Mariners and Texas Rangers. These are the teams that are financially suitable for Boras and Rodriguez. The Mets would have to move David Wright to 1^{st ,} and I can not see A-Rod coming back to the
New York market…especially with the Mets. The Cubs would need the sale of the team to be approved in time to sign him, and from what I hear, that is probably not going to happen. He won’t want to follow Bonds’ act in San Francisco.  The Texas Rangers…well that is just a joke. The two most realistic teams in my opinion are the Boston Red Sox and the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles. But it would require the Red Sox to really open the bank and it would most likely mean letting go of World Series MVP Mike Lowell. From what you hear, the Boston fans want no part of Rodriguez. The Angels make the most sense because they are in dire need of a big bat and A-Rod teamed with Vlad is a dangerous duo. But Artie Moreno is on record saying he does not want to spend 25% of the team’s payroll on one player.

When it is all said and done, I believe A-Rod will be calling Los Angeles his new home, and will give the Angels that much needed power bat that has been the Angels Achilles heal the past few seasons.

Being that the number of teams interested in A-Rod is so low and the Yankees are not involved to drive up the price I am wondering if Boras may have over estimated the market for his prized client.

-Paul Schackman