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Thursday, December 13, 2007

A-Rod finalizes deal with Yankees

How dare he upstage the release of the Mitchell report…

NEW YORK—Alex Rodriguez set another record for baseball’s highest contract, finalizing his $275 million, 10-year agreement with the New York Yankees on Thursday.

A-Rod set the previous mark with his $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in December 2000. Traded to the Yankees in 2004, he opted out of that contract Oct. 28, during the final game of the World Series.

Vander Wal Generator (Juan V) Posted: December 13, 2007 at 12:31 PM | 23 comment(s)
Related News: General, NY Yankees

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1. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid Posted: December 13, 2007 at 12:56 PM (#2643897)

It's expensive, of course, but I still think this was the best alternative for the Yankees -- significantly better than trading for another big bat and putting Betemit at 3rd.

2. shoewizard Posted: December 13, 2007 at 12:58 PM (#2643905)

Getting in just under the wire?

3. Cowboy Popup Posted: December 13, 2007 at 12:59 PM (#2643908)

Awful suspicious timing, eh???

I knew A-rod would try to upstage something.

4. MSI Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:11 PM (#2643945)

In terms of PR, if he's not on the list it makes him look really good. If Pujols is on the list, then he easily has the crown for best position player in the MLB, accounting for supplements.

5. Devin has a deep burning passion for fuzzy socks Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:14 PM (#2643956)

I would think that if the Yankees had any clue A-Rod might be on the list, they would have held off (unlike Pettite, who really isn't a huge surprise based on past reports). OTOH, if there's anybody out there who would have the colossally bad timing to sign a 10-year deal 2 hours before he gets named as a steroid user, it's A-Rod.

6. aleskel Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:19 PM (#2643967)

I would think that if the Yankees had any clue A-Rod might be on the list, they would have held off (unlike Pettite, who really isn't a huge surprise based on past reports).

I would think that if there was any team who would say "#### the list, it doesn't prove anything and it doesn't have any teeth," it would be the Yankees.

7. Swedish Chef Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:23 PM (#2643978)

OTOH, if there's anybody out there who would have the colossally bad timing to sign a 10-year deal 2 hours before he gets named as a steroid user, it's A-Rod.

Only if that new contract has a steroid clause, then it would be unclutch enough. Otherwise it would be way too slick, a bit Jeterish.

8. Sometimes it Rains (sj) Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:24 PM (#2643980)

Rodriguez receives salaries of $27 million next year, $32 million in 2009 and 2010, $31 million in 2011, $29 million in 2012, $28 million in 2013, $25 million in 2014, $21 million in 2015 and $20 million in each of the final two years.

Pretty sweet deal for the Yanks. I would not be surprised if he was worth 20 mil a season at the end of his deal (who would have thought Randy Johnson's deal was possible in 1988?)

9. aleskel Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:29 PM (#2643990)

Rodriguez receives salaries of $27 million next year, $32 million in 2009 and 2010, $31 million in 2011, $29 million in 2012, $28 million in 2013, $25 million in 2014, $21 million in 2015 and $20 million in each of the final two years

wow ... that's actually an excellent distribution. I'm surprised ARod and Boras actually agreed to that.

10. Sean McNally Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:31 PM (#2643996)

Rodriguez receives salaries of $27 million next year, $32 million in 2009 and 2010, $31 million in 2011, $29 million in 2012, $28 million in 2013, $25 million in 2014, $21 million in 2015 and $20 million in each of the final two years

Given the current rate of salary inflation and actual inflation - the last few years of that deal look very nice.

11. Greg Maddux School of Reflexive Profanity Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:32 PM (#2643998)

Why? Frontloading makes it worth more.

12. Randy Jones Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:32 PM (#2644000)

wow ... that's actually an excellent distribution. I'm surprised ARod and Boras actually agreed to that.

Why wouldn't they? The money is worth more upfront than at the end of the deal. Backloaded deals are a benefit to the teams, not the players.

13. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:48 PM (#2644037)

Also, in 2015 and 2016, A-Rod will likely be earning sizable bonuses for passing Mays, Griffey, Ruth, Aaron and Bonds.

14. GIANTlhbASS Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:57 PM (#2644059)

I haven't seen the wording, but I'm wondering if by some dim chance MLB invalidates Bonds' record, A-Rod won't technically qualify for a bonus by passing him. Then again, he might cash in earlier by passing 755 rather than whatever Bonds ends up with.

15. aleskel Posted: December 13, 2007 at 01:58 PM (#2644062)

dig ARod's quotes:

"It seemed like the whole thing was a roller-coaster. It was very emotional," Rodriguez said on a conference call. "All along, I knew I wanted to be a Yankee."

Rodriguez said opting out was "a mistake that was handled extremely poorly."

"It was a huge debacle," he said, calling the timing "distasteful and very inappropriate."

A-Rod said Boras gave him the impression the Yankees weren't interested in bringing him back, which surprised him.

"Our goals were not aligned," Rodriguez said. "It felt funny to me."

He said he and Boras agreed the slugger would opt out of his deal, but Rodriguez thought the move would be revealed after the World Series.

"I made mistakes. I've got to look in the mirror. If I had to do it again, I would've called Hank from Day 1 and negotiated myself," Rodriguez said.

I have no idea where the spin ends and reality begins.

16. A Surfeit of Peaches Graham (SdeB) Posted: December 13, 2007 at 02:04 PM (#2644076)

Why wouldn't they? The money is worth more upfront than at the end of the deal. Backloaded deals are a benefit to the teams, not the players.

I've never quite understood this. Yes, I know that present money is more valuable than future money, but it's not like the Yankees would take the money saved in the first year and invest it in bonds. They're more likely to invest it in Bonds, i.e., another player, which is a depreciating asset. So really the issue is size of contract vs. total revenue, modulo inflation.

17. Randy Jones Posted: December 13, 2007 at 02:39 PM (#2644174)

I've never quite understood this. Yes, I know that present money is more valuable than future money, but it's not like the Yankees would take the money saved in the first year and invest it in bonds. They're more likely to invest it in Bonds, i.e., another player, which is a depreciating asset. So really the issue is size of contract vs. total revenue, modulo inflation.

Team revenues and the luxury tax threshold are not constant, they also, generally, increase each year. Backloading a contract means that when the team has to pay the larger amounts in salary, they are also taking in larger amounts of revenue.

18. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken Posted: December 13, 2007 at 02:39 PM (#2644176)

I'm surprised ARod and Boras actually agreed to that.

According to A-Rod, Boras is basically his agent in name only now.

19. akrasian Posted: December 13, 2007 at 03:05 PM (#2644273)

According to A-Rod, Boras is basically his agent in name only now.

He still gets his commission though.

And there's no way that Boras wasn't advising ARod behind the scenes during the negotiations.

20. nick swisher hygiene Posted: December 13, 2007 at 04:44 PM (#2644577)

And there's no way that Boras wasn't advising ARod behind the scenes during the negotiations.

is that even legal?

21. Adam Jones is birdlives' constant Posted: December 13, 2007 at 05:44 PM (#2644695)

I have no idea where the spin ends and reality begins.

Yeah, what's up with this tidbit, "He said he and Boras agreed the slugger would opt out of his deal, but Rodriguez thought the move would be revealed after the World Series." Like anyone is going to believe this.

22. Adam Jones is birdlives' constant Posted: December 13, 2007 at 05:58 PM (#2644734)

And there's no way that Boras wasn't advising ARod behind the scenes during the negotiations.

Lawywers from Goldman-Sachs were handling the negotiations! Has anyone interviewed these lawyers btw?

23. Exploring Leftist Conservatism since 2008 (ark..) Posted: December 14, 2007 at 12:17 AM (#2645280)

So at age 41, Arod has an OPS likely topping out at around .700 (if he's still even playing), and $20 million for that season is a good deal?

You're all nuts!!!

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A-Rod finalizes deal with Yankees

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