Good Riddance
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 07:29AM 
Yes, I am very surprised that A-Rod opted out of his contract. I'm even more surprised by the tacky way he did it.
Reportedly, the Yankees were offering huge bucks for a 5-year extension, but A-Rod opted out before even beginning negotiations with the Yanks. He refused to return calls to the Steinbrenners and to GM Brian Cashman. Since the Yanks have made it clear that they will not negotiate with A-Rod should he go down this road, he's gone. Too bad, but certainly not the end of the world (to quote my least favorite player, Manny Ramirez).
Translation--A-Rod's agent (Scott Boras) must have a deal in place with someone else, and it will cost them upwards of the 230 million that would have been owed A-Rod if he played the next ten years for the Yankees.
Good luck to whoever signs this guy. He's a great player, but he's driven by money, his agent is a snake, and he hasn't shown that he makes his team any better. To make such an announcement during the final game of the World Series, stealing Boston's thunder, is about as tacky as it gets. Don't forget that the Mariners won 116 games the first season after A-Rod left.
So, while I am surprised, I am not saddened. The Yankees have not won a World Series with A-Rod. They'll have oodles of money to spend on pitching. And as we have seen with this year's Red Sox, last year's White Sox, and so on, it is pitching, pitching and more pitching which makes a team successful.
A-Rod is walking away from a chance to enter the Hall of Fame as a Yankee and have a plaque one day in his honor in Monument Park in the New Yankees Stadium. Now he'll just be seen as a greedy hired gun, without a team, without a World Series ring, and without any shame. As Pete Abraham puts it (Click here: The LoHud Yankees Blog), "he's now the homeless Hall of Famer." He is, as Buster Olney puts it, trying to place himself above the game (Click here: ESPN - Olney: A-Rod upstages the World Series - MLB). Baseball fans tend to frown on that.
So, A-Rod, good riddance! To you Angels, Dodgers and Red Sox fans who may end up with this guy, be careful what you wish for -- caveat emptor!
Reader Comments (23)
Those who have replied have stated, parallels can be drawn between A-Rod and Kobe, and no one is defending the earlier comments about A-Rod not making his team better etc.
And yes, I have followed this closely enough to stand behind what I posted.
Yankee media and fans determined they were going to ride A-Rod hard but mostly give Jeter a break.
the numbers shout loudly for A-Rod having been the most productive AL player in the last 5 years!
As long as we are keeping parallels the theme: it was truly amazing to see how you guys were piling on as the NY Media has done to A-Rod when they have yet to hold that pitching staff, Jeter and others to the same criteria.
As for his leaving?
Folks, this is about Agents keeping their players in the news. Borris is the man you should be after regarding his timing of departure.
Finally, what we should be talking about in Sports anyway is Red Sox sweeping a team that had won 21 of 22!! How do you pull that off?
And secondly New England vs. Indy Colts story is huge as these two have been in a league by themselves this season... latest in the season 2 undefeated teams have ever met.
Face it; we love them when they are on our team and hate it when they go sign w/ someone else. Happens every year in the NFL.
ESPN reports that the Yankees and A-Rod are close to a 10 year deal.