Are A-Rod and Scott Boras parting ways? And if this happens, is Alex redeemed?
Probably Maybe?
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Are A-Rod and Scott Boras parting ways? And if this happens, is Alex redeemed?
Next post: Horn Tooting
Previous post: Probably Not
i cant see it happening but yes, there is some redemption there if he does.
Even if he splits with Boras, he’s still the biggest d-bag in the game.
I would welcome him with open arms on the Red Sox, but he’s still a d-bag.
Jesus, what a turn of events. I agree with Lockland; he’s a huge douchebag for opting out and then having to crawl back.
Many people will blame Boras, but ARod still had the final say in all of it. If Boras had supreme control over his clients then Daisuke would have turned down the Sox offer this spring, and taken a year off from baseball.
so there’s no redemption narrative here. Man, you guys are tough.
its only OK if he signs with their team but if he comes back to the yankees then he sucks. I love it!
I thought the Yanks’ 2007 season was redemptive enough?
I think this is a boras planned play because the value aint what he thought it would be, having A Rod do this could push the value on the market up.
Seriously though, I’ve spent all off-season saying nice things about A-Rod in case he signed with the Sox, and then he goes and might sign with the Yankees? Screw him!
Ha, there is something of a Prodigal Son aspect to this, isn’t there? Spurns the Yankees, sets out on his own, realizes Boras isn’t really his friend, tells him to bugger off and returns to the welcoming arms of Hank Steinbrenner.
That’s the story Jesus told, isn’t it? I’m sure I remember Hank Steinbrenner in there somewhere…
“I’m sure I remember Hank Steinbrenner in there somewhere…”
great line, Paul.
that was me
From a neutral perspective, ARod was a douchebag for opting out of his contract after saying “I can’t imagine myself playing anywhere else.” And especially announcing so during the World Series.
From a Sox standpoint, I’m very smug. ARod left the Yankees and now has to crawl back. I love it.
…and the plot thickens.
Dion…you need to email me, buddy. Something is screwy with your mailing address.
I’m just waiting for Steinbrenner to nip this story in the bud. What do Bill Madden and Feinsand care? They get their moments of glory, and no one will really remember it past the winter meetings. Lots of unnamed sources here.
The only way it’s some kind of ‘trick’ by Boras is if the market isn’t even near 10 years, 27.5 million per, which is highly likely. So Boras sees this, tells A-Rod to create this scenario of ‘redemption’, and instead of Alex taking a relatively embarassing 6-year, $170 million contract, he gets $100 and 4 years better. Boras wins again.
I wonder if there’s anyone out there (aside from players and agents) who actually likes/respects Boras.
I respect him as an agent because he’s the best, and will always get his clients a huge amount of money. But as a human being I despise him.
FTA: “He’s upset over the way this whole thing has played out and the way he’s being portrayed now, because of Boras.”
Sigh, the media is already using the whole “It’s Boras’ fault, not ARod’s” angle. Makes me sick. No one takes responsibility for their actions these days.
Despising Boras as a human being is going a ‘bit far. We’ve been over this before: His job as an agent is to get the most he can for his clients, and that’s all. We don’t know him on a personal level, and we don’t know what kind of character the man has outside of his baseball negotiations. It’s very rarely that his clients are not the match to the flame. I’m sure that if A-Rod wanted to be on the Yankees, he would be, and that’s not Boras’ fault in any way, shape, or form.
He has a job, and he does it very well. He’s proven that he’s a savy, if not patholigical murderer in the negotiations process. He knows where the leverage is, and he uses it to the fullest of his abilities.
All that has very little to do with his everyday character and personality as a person.
I’d hire him. Players have a very limited time with which they are able to make this rediculous kind of money, and he ensures that they get it. Not one person here would not hire Boras if we were in A-Rod’s shoes.
He may just be a very, very nice guy, albeit one that you don’t want to do business with. Ever.
I’d hire him too Brad, but announcing that ARod is opting out of his contract during the World Series says EVERYTHING about his personal character.
That being said, I think this is probably one of those “Boras tactics” to get NY back into the mix, if even for another team to use in negotiations, and it’s probably going to work. Again.
In the end, there has been too much bad blood for the past month between the two parties, fan base, and others. No way he comes back to NY, but that’s not what Boras needs. All he needs is for the Steinbrenners to announce that they’re meeting with A-Rod to “talk”, and his plan worked perfectly.
i second that Brad plus who cares what type of person he is. Its not like we are having dinner with the guy or letting him hang out with our kids. He’s a successful businessman often to become so in this world you need to be cut throat thats what he is.
That said i hate the bastard but I respect him.
His job is to his client. He used that platform because of the audience it was attracting at the time. He’s not stupid. Maybe bad timing, but it did the job, which again is all he’s about.
I second Brad’s read on Boras not on the A-Rod conversation. I could see a him coming back given the right conditions. The fan base would forgive him in a minute if he made the right concessions.
Incidentally, Sam, I couldn’t find that Feinsand column on his Cy vote. Do you remember when it ran?
it was on his blog…
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees/2007/11/my_vote_and_cy_young_goes_to_s.html
I dunno, Sam. He’s clearly seen how he was treated on this one. There was no huge outcry from the fanbase saying “give him what he wants” or anything of the sort. In fact, they all immediately turned on him, much like when he slumped or failed to hit a six run homerun in the ALDS in every at bat (sorry to generalize)
I can’t see it. I can see him parting ways, but I think there is more to be said for sure. They need NY in the mix, and they’re going to do whatever that takes. Even lie.
Treated? I dont really think he is so dumb to not understand why people would be upset for him opting out as he did. He can make ammends by fulfilling certain requirements for a new contract. There was no outcry from the fan base to give him what he wants because there was never a chance for us to do so.
There is also his never ending desire to be loved. He could actually want to rewin the hearts of NYers after winning them back this season and subsequently losing them by an ill-advised move. T
eh, you could be write. I understand your sentiment, but I just don’t see it happening. I think the bridges are burned.
jesus… I mean, you could right, not write. ha.
I guess at this point, who knows? I don’t know how reliable these sources are, and even if the story is true…well, if the story is true, I guess it’s a good development for the Yanks. It’s pretty much a no-lose situation if all goes according to this story. The worst is that he and the Yanks don’t come to an agreement and the Yanks move on.
I like the bit about the “below market value” part, especially since they build that “market value” to be something insane like 35 mil..
To be fair to ARod though, the opting out is obviously his choice, but probably the “during the World Series” part sounds like it’s Boras. I would imagine he isn’t _that_ stupid..
Funny how weeks ago everyone, especially Yankee fans called me an idiot for saying the ship hasn’t sailed on A-Rod.
I guess some people (Pete) don’t know as much as they think they do.
there can be only one conclusion:
lp is A-Rod.
> called me an idiot for saying the ship hasn’t sailed on A-Rod
I’m an idiot as well then.
I suppose ARod might split with Boras if he gets desperate enough, but all of this strikes me as a transparent “good cop-bad cop” strategy to get the Yankees back into the mix, and drive his price up.
one more thing on this. I dont buy that this could be simply a ploy to drive up the price on A-Rod for a variety of reasons. First, its not possible for A-Rod to talk to two teams, one alone and one with Boras representing him. This would be common knowledge in the press and just wouldnt work for many reasons. Second, I dont see the yankees letting themsleves be used like this to simply drive up the price even if this benefits them a bit. They arent gonna be made to look like they renegged on their promise not to talk to to him just so he could get more money. They would deny talks are occuring instantly if this were the case as it would hurt their ability to negotiate in the future. I think some talks could actually be occuring based on Boss, Jr’s non-denial. This story is also in all of the major NY papers now so there are some legs to it.
All that said, Im not holding my breath until something more concrete emerges.
Bill Madden was on Mike and Mad Dog show saying the two sides were close to working out a deal for 10 years/$275 million.
Take it for what it is worth…
Also: The World Series episode should, imho, have demonstrated that Boras is not the all-powerful, infallible super-genius that the media makes him out to be.
Boras has indeed been almost singlehandedly responsible for starting and sustaining the trend of MLB salaries going through the roof in recent years for top and even middling talent.
However, it also now seems clear that he doesn’t understand that there is more to managing a player’s career than the bottom line. A-Rod is already rich; he also desperately wants to be admired and loved as the greatest player ever. But Boras forgot his client’s non-monetary needs, as he pressed ahead with his usual heavyhanded approach.
Boras has the power to get players big money; he also has the power to make them less popular and less well-regarded. In retirement, will ARod spend more time thanking Boras for getting him an extra $50 milllion over his career, or curse him for making him into the second-most-hated player of his generation (after Bonds)?
I mean, how many big screen TVs and condos on St. Bart’s can one man have?
The situation kind of reminds me of Karl Rove and the 2006 elections. When you win big, you look like a genius; when you screw up, not so much.
Mark Feinsand also says that he thinks the Yanks and A-Rod will get the deal done.
I mean, how many big screen TVs and condos on St. Bart’s can one man have?
Hudson, you’ve obviously never seen Bill Gates’ toilet constructed of 17 plasma televisions.
Mark Feinsand also says that he thinks the Yanks and A-Rod will get the deal done.
Yeah, he also left Beckett off his CY ballot, for which I discount everything he’ll ever say re: baseball or the operations of.
analysis and getting a scoop are not the same thing, Brad!
Brad have you read his rational for leaving beckett off his ballot? He makes a solid arguement weather you agree with it or not.
I did, and I don’t. He completely uses his 4 times against NY, when he viewed Beckett pitch, as a partial foundation for his argument but fails to mention the four times that anyone else pitched against that offense. Oh wait, there was nobody else.
Whatever, he’s a hometown homer, as he should be. No worries, I’ve expressed my disdain for him in an email to him, so no need to rehash his stupidity here.
// you’ve obviously never seen Bill Gates’ toilet constructed of 17 plasma televisions. //
Heh.
But hey, ARod could pick up 17 of these 65″ plasmas at Best Buy for $152,999.66, plus New York sales tax.
I think he might just be able to swing it, even without Boras’s help!
The problem with the plasma-tv-toilet is that it’s monstrous. Fortunately Bill Gates can afford to install a crane in the bathroom to lift his body over the rim of the bowl.
If A-Rod does fire Boras and resign with the Yankees, will he finally achieve the exalted status of “True Yankee”?
Mike and the Mad Dog just read a press release from A-Rod that confirmed that he is in talks with the yankees.
Somewhere, Boras holds an offer from an unnamed team, and tomorrow he’ll be in that GM’s office saying “well, here’s what the Yankees have put on the table”. If you can match it, or beat it, we’ll be breaking HR’s record in this park and not NY.
Mission accomplished.
Very simple: the Yankees’ best solution for third base on every level is Rodriguez. Why WOULDN’T they talk to him? And Rodriguez’ best chance for a long, money-filled contract is with the Yankees. Why wouldn’t he talk to them?
All the bluster from Hank Steinbrenner was clumsy ego-driven drivel, and all the stuff from Boras and A-Rod was bad PR and good strategy – he had a three year $81M contract before, he’s 100% GUARANTEED to make that number much bigger having opted out. If Alex ends up with a 10/250 contract, how can anyone think that A-Rod didn’t do well by opting out? And who would argue that the Yankees are worse off WITH A-Rod?
This isn’t that interesting to me, frankly. Both sides need each other to a certain extent. This is all a lot of noise.
If A-Rod returns for over $200M and Mo comes back near the reported 45M, that would be nearly a third of a billion dollars committed to three players by the Yankees in the course of a week.
Wow.
Actually, I want to clarify something: I am VERY interested in how Rodriguez and Boras are negotiating. I’d love to know more about how this has all transpired, whether this was just a PR fiasco, calculated, etc.
As for whether the Yankees and A-Rod get reunited, that’s what I don’t find that to be an interesting or confusing a topic: it makes sense for both parties. It would be good for both sides.
How does all this work in terms of teams only being able to sign 3 Type A free agents? If you re-sign your own players, does that count against that limit? Or not?
sounds like you are wrong brad. sterling says this is a done deal acc to a source close to A-Rod.
Press release from ARod’s website:
http://tinyurl.com/3ajor6
Here’s a full statement from http://www.AROD.com
http://arod.mlb.com/players/rodriguez_alex/article.jsp?story=111407
Damnit you Yankeemonkey for being slightly quicker than me!
Helps to have 4 hands to type with :-)
I’m so conflicted right now…ARod was dead to me after the way he went out. But now, if all this stuff that’s going down is true, I kinda want him back. Just so damn tired of all the soap opera.
I also don’t think this is a cave-in job necessarily on the Yanks’ part, as some people have been saying. The FO said they wouldn’t bid on him and they haven’t. He reached out to them first. If he’s negotiating on their terms, I don’t see how it diminishes Yankees’ credibility.
I can’t wait for The Dugout to make a comic about all of this.
I also don’t think this is a cave-in job necessarily on the Yanks’ part, as some people have been saying. The FO said they wouldn’t bid on him and they haven’t. He reached out to them first. If he’s negotiating on their terms, I don’t see how it diminishes Yankees’ credibility.
Oh, come on! They publicly said that if he opted out, they would not be interested in signing him without the Texas money, and that it did not make sense for them to do so. They’re caving so hard it’s rediculous!
Not if their offer is less the $21 mil that they “lost.”
It’s all about the spin, baby!
And yes, Sam: It appears as if I was indeed wrong. Good for NY.
Wow, I didn’t know there was an arod.mlb.com..