Sherman: A-Rod biggest winner in wake of Clemens' deal

by anaconda on May 9, 2007 10:19 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

May 8, 2007 -- THE big winner when Roger Clemens signed with the Yankees was not Clemens or the Yankees.

It was Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez and, just as vitally, his agent, Scott Boras, now know how the Yanks will react when they are desperate. They will throw away their value system and throw oodles of money to make the desperation stop.

The Yankees, via GM Brian Cashman, have said they have no intention of extending Rodriguez's contract after this season, when he can opt out of the final three years. They also once said they would never tolerate special rules for a player, such as allowing Clemens to come and go as he pleases.

In the offseason, when Rodriguez almost certainly will tell the Yanks he is leaving without an extension, desperation will set in. Now that Rodriguez seems finally to have mastered playing in New York (heck, he is nearly as boring in his postgame quotes these days as Derek Jeter), are the Yanks really going to let him leave? And find an adequate replacement where?

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My guess: A-Rod stays

He will be a Yankee next year, for many years, either by keeping his current contract or the Yankees give him an extension.

That's my guess. If I were in his shoes, I would not want to leave, Yankee fan or not, this is the big show...how can you downgrade yourself??

"We play today. We win today. Das it." Mariano Duncan, 1996

by matt21oc on May 9, 2007 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

heard this...

on FoxSports Radio driving into work.

by cliparttattoo on May 9, 2007 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

They need to extend him ASAP

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 12:03 PM EDT reply actions

A-Rod is more important going forward

He is a lot younger so the need to lock him up now and avoid a very costly extension this winter is more pressing

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Excellent plan

I'm sure it would work in Fantasyland.

He and Boras are not listening, and Cashman's not offering. Talking about it is a waste of time.

by matthaggs on May 9, 2007 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Is that like Clemens hadn't decided on his return?

Because that was the report just a few days ago too.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Uh, no

it's not like that at all.

by matthaggs on May 9, 2007 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Really?

Boy, that "we aren't negotiating with Roger at this time" sure rang true, huh?

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Fine point

It is kind of pointless to even bother with haggs. He shows glimpses of potential and logic from time to time, but regresses to Special Olympics status very quickly.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Indeed

As frustrating as he is, I have a great deal of respect for him. You can tell at least at a base level he understands the game and you have to admire his tenacity. Zukatesta on the other hand.....now I know what it is like when crystal meth and our national pastime collide!

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

That'll do it folks

Now everytime he posts, I am going to picture a Manny-like creature sitting at his computer with horrible dreds and a water bottle in his back pocket.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Nope

selling grills on ebay

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Are you guys posting

from opposite ends of the bathtub?

Look I hope they give ARod whatever they wants tomorrow, but it ain't gonna happen. It would be one thing if one side wasn't budging, but BOTH sides aren't budging.

by matthaggs on May 9, 2007 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Ouch!

Bad milk, again? Bunions?

by Ronster22 on May 9, 2007 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

zzzzzzz

What's new?

Still all speculation and guesswork.

Good for paper sales and blog controversy

Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical(Yogi)

by Cbeck3 on May 9, 2007 1:31 PM EDT reply actions

Dammit!

We hadn't talked about A-Rod or his contract for a few weeks. Thanks, Joel. Asshole.

River Ave. Blues
Yanks and prospects

by PinstripePowerhouse on May 9, 2007 2:45 PM EDT reply actions

Who needs A-Rod

when you can pick up Abreu's option instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously, it's beneficial to both parties to wait to the end of the season. Boras gets to read the climate at the end of the year (where Angels, Dodgers, Cubs stand) or if the Yanks happen to win the WS some of the leverage shifts to Cashman.

Since Cashman is pretty much screwed, he might as well wait it out and hope for the best (A-Rod decides to stay).

by onehitwonder @ Pinstripe Alley on May 9, 2007 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

I would

I personally don't think losing him would destroy the team (the pitching is doing that) so I'd chance it.

by onehitwonder @ Pinstripe Alley on May 9, 2007 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Name 1 3rd baseman?

Miguel Cabrera.

'Course, that's a bit of a pipe dream too.

by Willton on May 9, 2007 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

The big "if"

"We can keep A-Rod if we can get him to sign an extension." Ah, that's a considerable condition. Personally, I don't think that's true because I think A-Rod will not opt out, but if you want to sign A-Rod to an extension then A-Rod has to be willing to deal. And my guess is if he's going to accept an extension, even though he has the highest annual salary of any player in all of MLB, he's going to want more money per year. I don't see that happening, especially because the only reason he's affordable for the Yanks is because Texas is picking up half the tab.

by Willton on May 9, 2007 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not

hell bent on offering him an extension now. But if the Yanks do, Texas will still be on the books if the new contract starts after this one finished. The only way Texas isn't is if the next 3 years are changed for the extension.

Great Success!

by ReLaunch on May 9, 2007 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Good Point

That is something that a lot of people forget about the A-Rod deal was how Cashman structured it with Texas. He did a better job than the Joel Shermans of the world would give him credit for.

by HarlemUSA on May 9, 2007 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't tell Pfisty that.

by Willton on May 9, 2007 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Cashman has his moments

He is not all bad; it is just that his blunders far, far outweigh his shining moments.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 9, 2007 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Pay now or pay later

As with Bernie a few years back, the Yankees seem perfectly willing to allow their stars to visit other options before paying way too much for them to return. I don't understand this practice (perhaps because I have some business/common sense, but then again, my 12 year old daughter asked me why they hadn't yet extended Mo's contract).

I suppose if it doesn't bother George to pay many millions more than what he should for a player we shouldn't car either. It's just very curious to me.

With Arod it's particularly troubling because Boras is his agent. If I'm Cashman, I'm rushing to sign Arod because I don't want to get into a bidding situation with Boras because ultimately I'll lose. But again, this is a common sense thing. In this area, at least, Cashman and the Yankees have shown little aptitude.

I think the season will pass and Arod will amass monolithic numbers. He'll visit a few teams and ultimately the Yankees will pay him a bazillion dollars to stay... Why should we think anything differently. It's the Yankee way.

by Ronster22 on May 9, 2007 3:16 PM EDT reply actions