Which free agent would you spend alot of money on this offseason?

[NJOriolesFan]

Some people say that PA won't allow a contract that big-especially since the Albert Belle signing--well I just have to say the ARod is not a Belle-Arod is ARod. ARod means alot more than being a powerhitter like Belle-Arod is more- ARod is more marketable and will bring in revenue and potentially bring in more revenue than contract over time-(THE revenue I was talking about covers MASN also)

Are you saying Belle was JUST a power hitter and ARod is not? Belle had a career .295 average to ARod's .306 average, which will certainly go down by the time he retires. From a power perspective, the two have nearly identically Isolated Power numbers and their walks rates are fairly close. The difference in their career OPS, is almost only the difference in the batting average. In the end, Belle will have a better average, on base percentage and slugging average than ARod had for his career. I think people forget just how great Belle was, because of how his career ended with us and how disliked he was.

[Chollie Eckman]

Since the Yankees have decided to go ahead and start negotiating with ARod now, all of this talk of bringing him to Baltimore should come to an end shortly.

I bet he leaves. They need him more he needs them. They all treated him like dirt since he's been there. Now when he's going to bail they embrace him? I bet he rolls and gives NY the finger on the way out.

[geschinger]

I bet he leaves. They need him more he needs them. They all treated him like dirt since he's been there. Now when he's going to bail they embrace him? I bet he rolls and gives NY the finger on the way out.

Boras and ARod know that their best chance to maximize his payout is to keep the Texas subsidy in place. Boras will push his client towards the most lucrative locale and w/the subsidy *and* it being the Yankees if Cashman and Steinbrenner want him to stay, he will remain a Yankee.

[NJOriolesFan]

Boras and ARod know that there best chance to maximize his payout is to keep the Texas subsidy in place. Boras will push his client towards the most lucrative locale and w/the subsidy *and* it being the Yankees if Cashman and Steinbrenner want him to stay, he will remain a Yankee.

Why is that? If the Yankees offer him a 5 year extension worth $150 million to add on to the end of the current deal, ARod would have 8 years and $233 million remaining with the Rangers paying $30 million of it.

What is the Angels come in and offer 8 years and $240 million? Wouldn't ARod/Boras prefer that deal?

[nadecir]

Boras and ARod know that there best chance to maximize his payout is to keep the Texas subsidy in place. Boras will push his client towards the most lucrative locale and w/the subsidy *and* it being the Yankees if Cashman and Steinbrenner want him to stay, he will remain a Yankee.

Agreed. An extension with the Yankees seems highly likely now, as the Yankees seem willing according to ESPN. It's definitely in ARod's best interest to get the Texas subsidy.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2933023

[Sports Guy]

AROD is going to get paid 30-35 million a year for 8 years...Doesn't really matter who does it and it doesn't matter if Texas is included or not.

Either way, he is going to get that salary and if he wants out of NY, that is what he will do.

[geschinger]

Why is that? If the Yankees offer him a 5 year extension worth $150 million to add on to the end of the current deal, ARod would have 8 years and $233 million remaining with the Rangers paying $30 million of it.

What is the Angels come in and offer 8 years and $240 million? Wouldn't ARod/Boras prefer that deal?

Maybe I'm totally misreading what the market will be like but presumably if the Yankees don't work something out w/ARod they won't be bidders on the open market. Which teams do you think are going to be willing to pay ARod $30m a year until he's 40 espcially when one considers it will likely shoot that team into luxury tax range and cost them significantly more than $30m a year? If you don't have several teams engaged in a bidding war it won't get to $30m.

AROD is going to get paid 30-35 million a year for 8 years...Doesn't really matter who does it and it doesn't matter if Texas is included or not.

Either way, he is going to get that salary and if he wants out of NY, that is what he will do.

Same question - list of teams that will bid against each other to the point where he gets 30-35m until he is 40?

[sammyjoe1]

I serious think that Arod deal would not net him more than 30million-maybe with bouneses he could end up with more than 30mill per year-I think if he would test the open market- I think he would only get a 5 year deal.

I question the reseason why the Yanks are trying to extend Arod-I know he is a special player-but Cashman and George is trying to win they need to spend the money on a rotation and a bulpen. Not Arod

The O's is a team with a questionable bulpen-but compare the starting rotation to the Yanks.

One Trade and one Signing could make the O's a contender not only for the WildCard-but to win the division.

As many people have said-"This is highly unrealistic"-no-its not. If Arod does not get extended and the Yanks do not make the playoffs-ARod may use his option. ARod hates losing-just like us the fans hate seeing the team lose-but Arod has a better chance being with the O's or the Angels-because of the Starting Rotation.

Arod may not be the guy they should go after-I would like to see them go after him-but there are options like Fukudome, Dye, and others-I much as I like to see Eric Byrnes out there playing LF for us-I would not offer the kind of money he will be demanding.

Remember-The team is two position players away from winning the division.

[sammyjoe1]

Are you saying Belle was JUST a power hitter and ARod is not? Belle had a career .295 average to ARod's .306 average, which will certainly go down by the time he retires. From a power perspective, the two have nearly identically Isolated Power numbers and their walks rates are fairly close. The difference in their career OPS, is almost only the difference in the batting average. In the end, Belle will have a better average, on base percentage and slugging average than ARod had for his career. I think people forget just how great Belle was, because of how his career ended with us and how disliked he was.

Arod is more marketable than Belle.

[Sports Guy]

Same question - list of teams that will bid against each other to the point where he gets 30-35m until he is 40?

Chicago, LAA, LAD, Boston, NYY, SF

Listening to different people talk about this, assumign he ends the year very strong, a 8/240(AT LEAST) deal seems inevitable.

[Oriole Baseball]

A-Rod is a special player, and the 30 mil is the starting price for him according to Boras. I have a feeling he will make more than 30 a year when he signs because there will be more teams tryign to sign him than last time he was a FA. Also, if Ichiro signs, it will leave the Free Agent pool very thin. Jones and Hunter are getting tired and alot of tread on their bodies, after those two it doesn't seem like much else.

It leaves this team with virtually no shot, unless Angelos is willing to pony up the money.Do think about this though:

Attendance bump(due to an A-Rod signing) + MASN profits (viewership would probably rise with A-Rod on the team) = enough money to pay for him. I do think this team could afford him.

[Oriole Baseball]

Chicago, LAA, LAD, Boston, NYY, SF

Listening to different people talk about this, assumign he ends the year very strong, a 8/240(AT LEAST) deal seems inevitable.

Both Chicago teams are interested in A-Rod. Even the Mets may be interested, moving Wright to second.Plus Texas and Seattle are being rumored to be interested.

[davearm]

Boras and ARod know that their best chance to maximize his payout is to keep the Texas subsidy in place. Boras will push his client towards the most lucrative locale and w/the subsidy *and* it being the Yankees if Cashman and Steinbrenner want him to stay, he will remain a Yankee.

I think you're spot on with the bolded part. Everybody wins if that subsidy remains in place (except Texas of course).

However I don't agree that the subsidy keeps him tied to the Yankees.

ARod could waltz into Cashman's office and tell him, "Brian, trade me here, here, or here, and include a 72 hour window to negotiate an extension, or else I'm opting out and you'll be left with nothing."

Pretty soon ARod's got a new team and an extension, the original contract is still in place (including the subsidy), and the NYY at least have a parting gift -- whatever players they can wrestle back in the trade.

IMO if ARod truly wants out, then that's the chain of events that he and Boras would set in motion.

[davearm]

Both Chicago teams are interested in A-Rod. Even the Mets may be interested, moving Wright to second.Plus Texas and Seattle are being rumored to be interested.

I'm sure the Cubs would be interested, but I can't see any way their current ownership situation allows them to be involved in the pursuit.

[Oriole Baseball]

I heard somewhere that the subsidy only continues if A-Rod is on the Yankees. Being traded would cancel the subsidy as well as declaring free agency.

i see A-Rod opting out to create a market for himself. If he hits free agency I see him getting more than 30 mil a year