A-Rod talking contract with Yanks

[PVFD233 68]

From PoughkeepsieJournal..com

The New York Yankees have been discussing a deal with their former All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez -- but the team says a deal can only move forward if his agent, Scott Boras, is not part of the talks, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

According to the report, a high-ranking Yankees source said the team is willing to bring back A-Rod on a below-market contract that would make up for the $21 million subsidy from the Texas Rangers that the Yankees lost when A-Rod opted out of the final three years of his contract -- despite team comments indicating he had burned his bridges by opting out.

But any such deal can't take place with Boras at the table, a Yankee source said, according to the report.

"We will not negotiate with Scott Boras," the source told the Daily News. "He cannot be in the room."

Boras, regarded in some circles as the most powerful man in baseball, has been A-Rod's agent since he was a teenager.

The Daily News also reported that Rodriguez recently approached the Yankees about a return through a third party, and that the team wanted person-to-person talks between A-Rod and Hal and Hank Steinbrenner.

The New York Post said Hal Steinbrenner was non-committal when asked Tuesday if A-Rod's return was possible.

"Whether something did happen or not, I am not going to comment on that situation," he said, according to the Post.

Rodriguez opted out of the final three years and $81 million of his contract on Oct. 28. The Yankees, had earlier pledged they would not deal with him as a free agent if he opted out and made good on their word, with Hal Steinbrenner saying "I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."

Later, it was reported Boras had set a minimum salary floor of $350 million for the team to start talking with its former All-Star third baseman.

Looks like he really wants to stay. Hope he does but not at a ridiculous price.

[Guest]

im so sick of this overpaid/over-glorified loser

[Fex404 0]

When did this site become a sports forum? Lets not waste our time on A-rod. Rather talk about the Milwaukee Beavers.

[PVFD233 68]

When did this site become a sports forum? Lets not waste our time on A-rod. Rather talk about the Milwaukee Beavers.

Since the "Lounge" forum was placed on the site.

[ny10570 745]

Its not about how much A-Rod wants to be a Yankee, its more about how few teams are willing to pay for him. During the GM's meeting the only teams that even appeared interested were the Dodgers, Angels, Giants, and one other that I can't remember. Of them only the Giants could afford him and had a need for him, but they aren't anywhere near contending next year. I say let him come back at no more than the average for the top few at his position. There are other players capable of replacing him.

[emt301 4]

The names say it all...Choke-Rod, Stray-Rod, K-Rod, Pay-Rod...all sorts of hype and money - only to self-destruct every playoff season...see ya later A-rod, don't let the door hit you in the a%$. Let some other team waste their money on him.

Edited November 15, 2007 by emt301

[Fex404 0]

Since the "Lounge" forum was placed on the site.

Hah - Im jus messin with you because you are a Giants fan --- Lets go Cowboys!!!

[PVFD233 68]

Hah - Im jus messin with you because you are a Giants fan --- Lets go Cowboys!!!

Yea Yea Yea, Cowboys have a losing streak coming up.

[gss131 212]

I thought the whole "we will not negotiate if he opts out" thing was supposed to be based in principle.I quess not if the price is right,they should have made him squirm all winter if they knew they couldn't resist giving in to him.The real Steinbrenner would not have taken him back! Now the Yankee fans know what they are in for as far as management goes.

[PVFD233 68]

I thought the whole "we will not negotiate if he opts out" thing was supposed to be based in principle.I quess not if the price is right,they should have made him squirm all winter if they knew they couldn't resist giving in to him.The real Steinbrenner would not have taken him back! Now the Yankee fans know what they are in for as far as management goes.

I was thinking the same. They appeared to have finnaly put their foot down. Money controls everything though, A-Rod wants money, A-Rod draws money, A-Rod is going to get money.

[Future Fireman 4]

YAHOO!!!! Ship 'em back to NY, Red Sox Nation has spoken, and they don't want A-Rod. In fact, I can hear the chants out in Boston "We want Lowell back!" and "We want Schilling back!" The second chant won't work though, it's time for him to either retire or become a pitching coach for the BoSox.

Mike

[PVFD233 68]

from ESPN.com

Report: A-Rod, Yankees agree on outline of $275 million, 10-year contract

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees have agreed to the outline of a record $275 million, 10-year contract, a deal that potentially would allow him to earn millions more if he sets the career home run record.

The amount of the guaranteed money was revealed by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn't been finalized. A-Rod and his wife met Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., with brothers Hal and Hank Steinbrenner, but the parameters of the agreement were set in place last weekend.

"The meeting was a final get-together," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. "He wanted to make sure myself and my brother knew that he was sincere and serious."

The Yankees still must draft the agreement with Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras. Asked whether the only remaining details were putting the deal on paper, Steinbrenner responded: "pretty much so."

Boras wasn't a part of the negotiations, in which Goldman Sachs managing directors John Mallory and Gerald Cardinale conducted shuttle diplomacy.

"They were the go-betweens, initially," Steinbrenner said. "That's how he reached out to us."

The Yankees were notified by Boras on Oct. 28 that Rodriguez was opting out of the final three seasons of his $252 million, 10-year contract -- the previous record -- and becoming a free agent. New York maintained then that it no longer would negotiate with A-Rod because the decision eliminated a $21.3 million subsidy from Texas that was negotiated in the 2004 trade.

About a week later, A-Rod contacted Mallory, a friend who works in private wealth management in Goldman's Los Angeles office. Rodriguez knew the Yankees have a close relationship with the investment bank, which was instrumental in the launch of the team's YES Network.

Mallory called Cardinale, who works in the merchant banking section in New York and helped finance the network. Cardinale in turn got in touch with Yankees president Randy Levine.

A-Rod and the Yankees exchanged proposals via the bankers, and the deal gradually was framed in about a dozen telephone calls.

The sides still are working on putting together a provision that would allow Rodriguez to share revenue created by his pursuit of the career home record held by Barry Bonds, who was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction charges. A-Rod has 518 homers, 244 shy of the mark.

"The Yankees have never had a player since Babe Ruth that really had a 100 percent chance" of setting the record, Steinbrenner said. "[Mickey] Mantle should have, but he had too many injuries. It's a historical achievement bonus more than it is an incentive bonus. There is no yearly incentive bonus."

That provision must be drafted carefully because of Major League Rule 3 ( (5), which states no contract shall be approved "if it contains a bonus for playing, pitching or batting skill or if it provides for the payment of a bonus contingent on the standing of the signing club at the end of the championship season."

Even with that, the commissioner's office allowed the Boston Red Sox in 2003 to give Curt Schilling a provision for a $2 million raise in a season following a World Series championship. Boston won the title the following year.

The Yankees already have been in touch with Major League Baseball, and A-Rod's side contacted the players' association.

"Because he's generating such enormous revenue potential, both to the player and the club, there should be some way for the player and the club to capitalize on that achievement in some fashion," said Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer. "The devil will be in the details. The minds of men and women in the sport should be able to figure this out."

Steinbrenner said Rodriguez was given bad advice by Boras during the time before the decision to opt out.

"Boras did a lot of good things for Alex through the years, and Alex knows that. I mean, obviously, he's going to look to Scott's advice on everything," Steinbrenner said. "That's not unusual today. It's not like he's the only one. And if an agent gets out of line or makes bad decisions, then that's going to hurt the player. And obviously, that's one of the things that happened here."

Rodriguez still winds up with baseball's largest contract, a fact that got the attention of Schilling.

"None of us are worth that much relative to 'real world' salaries," the pitcher wrote on his Web site. "But if someone in the game was getting a contract that big, I am not sure you could argue it being Alex. On the field this guy is the MVP-in-waiting every year, it seems."

Steinbrenner said he thinks that had Rodriguez tested the free-agent market, he would have gotten a more lucrative contract and cited the interest of the Los Angeles Dodgers, led by new manager Joe Torre, and perhaps other teams.

"There are a few cynics who say, 'Well, he really couldn't get this there,' " Steinbrenner said. "Trust me, he would have gotten probably more. He is making a sacrifice to be a Yankee, there's no question. ... He showed what was really in his heart and what he really wanted."

[LT410 5]

Much more important than the conditions of the Mount Vernon Fire Headquarters

[Fex404 0]

Much more important than the conditions of the Mount Vernon Fire Headquarters

If you dont want to read about it or participate in it then dont.......

Reports: Yankees like Lowell for first base

ESPN.com news services

Updated: November 15, 2007, 7:51 PM ET

Even as the Yankees press ahead in their talks to bring third baseman Alex Rodriguez back into the fold, free agent Mike Lowell remains a point of interest.

Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Mike Lowell was drafted by the Yankees and broke into the majors with New York. Now the club is interested in bringing him full-circle.

If anything, the Yankees are now coming at Lowell from another angle ... or corner.

According to reports in the New York Post and Star Ledger of Newark, the Yankees are talking with Lowell, Boston's third baseman the last two seasons, about moving from third to first.

"All I can say at this time is that the Yankees have engaged us," one of Lowell's agents, Seth Levinson, told the Post.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein put a new contract for the World Series MVP on the table last week, a three-year offer reportedly worth in the $35 million to $45 million range.

Where the Red Sox were the only team that could negotiate with Lowell through midnight on Monday, others now can make offers. It's not known if the Yankees and Lowell's agents have advanced beyond the discussion phase.

Lowell followed a superlative regular season -- career highs in batting average (.324) and RBIs (120) to go with 21 home runs in 154 games -- with an outstanding October. In Boston's four-game sweep of Colorado, Lowell hit .400 (6-for-15) with four RBIs, three walks and a team-high six runs in winning

He homered, doubled and scored twice in the Game 4 clincher at Denver's Coors Field.

Lowell, who made $9 million last year, was selected by the Yankees in the 20th round of the 1995 amateur draft. He played eight games for New York in the 1998 season before being dealt to the Florida Marlins in February 1999. He was acquired by Boston from Florida in November 2005 in the Josh Beckett trade.

It is likely that Jason Giambi will play out the final season of his Yankees contract as the team's designated hitter. First baseman Andy Phillips is returning in 2008, but Lowell, who turns 34 in February, is known for excellent defense.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

**** Now wouldnt that hurt the BoSox nation*** And also create the AL All start infield

[Oswegowind 17]

Best decision ever made! Fire your dumb-DONKEY agent and sign with the team that you can really make a name with! No one makes history in Anaheim, ehem Los Angeles, whatever! But as a Yankee, your fame is endless, especially if you break the home run record! I can see it now, when we are in our 70's and go to Yankee games the the "new" stadium..."Welcome Fans to the House the A-Rod built!"