Yanks, A-Rod close to multi-year deal
New contract would pay slugger as much as $290 million
The New York Yankees are getting close to re-signing third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a multi-year contract that would pay him as much as $290 million, multiple baseball sources told MLB.com as the owners gathered here Wednesday for the final quarterly meetings of the year. Though one source cautioned that the Yankees "don't have a deal yet," the possibility of it happening was a hot topic among executives on Wednesday as they prepared for Thursday morning's joint session of the 30 owners and/or their representatives. The news came only hours after Rodriguez confirmed making direct contact with the Yankees with the hope of reviving his future in New York. In a statement posted on AROD.com, Rodriguez's official Web site, he said that he had spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family and is taking part in continuing dialogue with the club. "After spending time with [wife] Cynthia and my family over these last few weeks, it became clear to me that I needed to make an attempt to engage the Yankees regarding my future with the organization," Rodriguez said. "Prior to entering into serious negotiations with other clubs, I wanted the opportunity to share my thoughts directly with Yankees ownership. We know there are other opportunities for us, but Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness." Randy Levine, the team's president who is in town for the meetings, declined to comment on the Rodriguez situation, saying only that he didn't want to "negotiate in the press." But senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner confirmed the Yankees' continuing discussions with Rodriguez in multiple interviews granted late Wednesday. "Things are moving along, and we'll see how it goes," Steinbrenner told The New York Times. "Everyone seems to be pleased about it. I'm certainly pleased. Despite some cynical attitudes there may be over the next few weeks, Alex genuinely does not want to leave the team, and you really can't blame him, because we've got the talent to win. "I think he won the fans over during the season last year. I just think he was apologetic for things that happened earlier, when he wasn't necessarily calling the shots. He wants to stay a Yankee." A baseball source at the meetings with knowledge of the negotiations said that the Yankees now have an open dialogue with Rodriguez. The source also denied a report published on Wednesday that the Yankees specifically told A-Rod that they would not negotiate with Scott Boras, his agent. The source added that Rodriguez "reached out" to the Yankees, but that the team has "no right to tell anyone who should represent" any player. A team, of course, can talk directly with a player as long as it doesn't try to circumvent his representation. The Padres went the direct route last week with right-hander Greg Maddux, another Boras client, when the San Diego club and pitcher came to a verbal agreement on a one-year extension to his contract worth $10 million. The paperwork on the deal, said Padres general manager Kevin Towers at the time, was being handled by Boras. "That's completely up to the player," Steinbrenner told the Times. "He's a free citizen and he can do what he wants. I, at no time, told Boras he can't be there. The bottom line is, I'm going to go as far as I want to go, regardless of who's in the room. It's no different than bidding on a racehorse at an auction." Citing his comfort in New York, Rodriguez confirmed that he approached the Yankees through a third-party intermediary. "I reached out to the Yankees through mutual friends and conveyed that message," Rodriguez said. "I also understand that I had to respond to certain Yankees concerns, and I was receptive and understanding of that situation. "Cynthia and I have since spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family. During these healthy discussions, both sides were able to share honest feelings and hopes with one another, and we expect to continue this dialogue with the Yankees over the next few days." The Yankees are apparently unconcerned that Rodriguez's overture could be a ploy to generate interest in the 11-time All-Star and probable 2007 American League MVP. While most clubs would love to add a player of Rodriguez's magnitude, teams with the financial wherewithal to realistically do it this offseason have proven scarce. Even the Players Association released a statement last week saying it was concerned that teams were colluding against Rodriguez by sharing monetary information about his status, a strict abrogation of the Basic Agreement. The Yankees originally backed away from Rodriguez after Game 4 of the World Series when Boras delivered word that Rodriguez had opted out of his contract and forfeited the remaining three years and $81 million on his deal. At the time, Steinbrenner dismissed talk of pursuing A-Rod, saying, "It's goodbye." Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reiterated numerous times that the Yankees could not fiscally pursue Rodriguez if he opted out, citing the loss of a $30 million subsidy the Rangers agreed to pay when the Yankees acquired him prior to the 2004 season in exchange for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. In fact, the makeup of the new deal, if it is signed, will probably have Rodriguez forgoing that money at the front end while the Yankees pay more per annum at the back end of the deal, a practice the club favors in its long-term contracts. Rodriguez led the Major Leagues in home runs (54), RBIs (156) and runs scored (143) in 2007, batting .314 with 24 stolen bases while helping the Yankees dig out of an early hole and attain the AL Wild Card before falling to the Indians in the AL Division Series. He also clubbed his 500th home run on Aug. 4 against the Royals, becoming the youngest player in history to reach that mark.
The New York Yankees are getting close to re-signing third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a multi-year contract that would pay him as much as $290 million, multiple baseball sources told MLB.com as the owners gathered here Wednesday for the final quarterly meetings of the year. Though one source cautioned that the Yankees "don't have a deal yet," the possibility of it happening was a hot topic among executives on Wednesday as they prepared for Thursday morning's joint session of the 30 owners and/or their representatives. The news came only hours after Rodriguez confirmed making direct contact with the Yankees with the hope of reviving his future in New York. In a statement posted on AROD.com, Rodriguez's official Web site, he said that he had spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family and is taking part in continuing dialogue with the club. "After spending time with [wife] Cynthia and my family over these last few weeks, it became clear to me that I needed to make an attempt to engage the Yankees regarding my future with the organization," Rodriguez said. "Prior to entering into serious negotiations with other clubs, I wanted the opportunity to share my thoughts directly with Yankees ownership. We know there are other opportunities for us, but Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness." Randy Levine, the team's president who is in town for the meetings, declined to comment on the Rodriguez situation, saying only that he didn't want to "negotiate in the press." But senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner confirmed the Yankees' continuing discussions with Rodriguez in multiple interviews granted late Wednesday. "Things are moving along, and we'll see how it goes," Steinbrenner told The New York Times. "Everyone seems to be pleased about it. I'm certainly pleased. Despite some cynical attitudes there may be over the next few weeks, Alex genuinely does not want to leave the team, and you really can't blame him, because we've got the talent to win. "I think he won the fans over during the season last year. I just think he was apologetic for things that happened earlier, when he wasn't necessarily calling the shots. He wants to stay a Yankee." A baseball source at the meetings with knowledge of the negotiations said that the Yankees now have an open dialogue with Rodriguez. The source also denied a report published on Wednesday that the Yankees specifically told A-Rod that they would not negotiate with Scott Boras, his agent. The source added that Rodriguez "reached out" to the Yankees, but that the team has "no right to tell anyone who should represent" any player. A team, of course, can talk directly with a player as long as it doesn't try to circumvent his representation. The Padres went the direct route last week with right-hander Greg Maddux, another Boras client, when the San Diego club and pitcher came to a verbal agreement on a one-year extension to his contract worth $10 million. The paperwork on the deal, said Padres general manager Kevin Towers at the time, was being handled by Boras. "That's completely up to the player," Steinbrenner told the Times. "He's a free citizen and he can do what he wants. I, at no time, told Boras he can't be there. The bottom line is, I'm going to go as far as I want to go, regardless of who's in the room. It's no different than bidding on a racehorse at an auction." Citing his comfort in New York, Rodriguez confirmed that he approached the Yankees through a third-party intermediary. "I reached out to the Yankees through mutual friends and conveyed that message," Rodriguez said. "I also understand that I had to respond to certain Yankees concerns, and I was receptive and understanding of that situation. "Cynthia and I have since spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family. During these healthy discussions, both sides were able to share honest feelings and hopes with one another, and we expect to continue this dialogue with the Yankees over the next few days." The Yankees are apparently unconcerned that Rodriguez's overture could be a ploy to generate interest in the 11-time All-Star and probable 2007 American League MVP. While most clubs would love to add a player of Rodriguez's magnitude, teams with the financial wherewithal to realistically do it this offseason have proven scarce. Even the Players Association released a statement last week saying it was concerned that teams were colluding against Rodriguez by sharing monetary information about his status, a strict abrogation of the Basic Agreement. The Yankees originally backed away from Rodriguez after Game 4 of the World Series when Boras delivered word that Rodriguez had opted out of his contract and forfeited the remaining three years and $81 million on his deal. At the time, Steinbrenner dismissed talk of pursuing A-Rod, saying, "It's goodbye." Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reiterated numerous times that the Yankees could not fiscally pursue Rodriguez if he opted out, citing the loss of a $30 million subsidy the Rangers agreed to pay when the Yankees acquired him prior to the 2004 season in exchange for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. In fact, the makeup of the new deal, if it is signed, will probably have Rodriguez forgoing that money at the front end while the Yankees pay more per annum at the back end of the deal, a practice the club favors in its long-term contracts. Rodriguez led the Major Leagues in home runs (54), RBIs (156) and runs scored (143) in 2007, batting .314 with 24 stolen bases while helping the Yankees dig out of an early hole and attain the AL Wild Card before falling to the Indians in the AL Division Series. He also clubbed his 500th home run on Aug. 4 against the Royals, becoming the youngest player in history to reach that mark.
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