Rodriguez's tack throughout the most emasculative juncture of his career has been admirable and stunning. This is more embarrassing than when Joe Torre dropped him to eighth in the lineup, worse for his career than the steroid revelations. The Yankees are dumping A-Rod, and he would be the last person anyone would expect to take the news with such grace.

 

[Y! Sports Fan Shop: Buy New York Yankees playoffs merchandise]

 

"I always have to look in the mirror and do what I can do to do the best I can," he said, and his turn of phrase was rather amusing. A-Rod past has consisted of looking in mirrors, of centaur self-portraits, of Madonna and Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz, of shady steroid-peddling cousins, of yelling "Ha!" and slapping gloves, of so many assorted foibles that it's easy to lose track. In a way, A-Rod was the archetypal Yankee in that his absolute excellence made him a great villain. But he was the antithesis of the boring, buttoned-up pinstripers in that everything he did came with a caveat.

 

This may yet as well. October is a funny month. If a team with one of the game's best bullpens can blow a 6-0 lead in clinching games, a Hall of Famer with 647 home runs can rediscover something. The weirdest part of A-Rod, bench jockey, is what others say about him. Derek Jeter was asked how Rodriguez was handling it, and his answer was: "He's out there pulling for everyone, like everyone on our team does." And when the best thing he could say about A-Rod was the quality of his cheerleading skills, well, there was something very backward about that, something that seems even too odd for October.

 

Jeter not grinding through an injury was too odd. Curtis Granderson looking like an A-ball player for the first four games was too odd. Ichiro Suzuki not hitting was too odd. CC Sabathia not throwing a complete game would've been too odd. Yet all is well in the Yankee universe save for No. 13. And even he looked past his Freaky Friday to a place where the sun shines and he's got full-time employment.

 

"Don't assume that you've heard the last from us," A-Rod said. "Or me."

 

It could be for either of the Los Angeles teams, for the Marlins or White Sox – hell, for any team, really -- if the Yankees believe this is it and eat $80 million-plus of the $114 million they owe him for the next five years and Rodriguez approves a deal. While it's hard to believe, it's likelier that they try to work through the betrayal – and that's exactly what this has been to a man who has spent his entire adulthood on a pedestal – and repair the seemingly irreparable.

 

One of Rodriguez's teammates smirked at the idea of reconciliation, noting how many times the Yankees and A-Rod seemed on the outs. Jeter may be the lifeblood of this team, and Sabathia may be its most important piece, but the one who best personifies what the Yankees are, as opposed to what they want to be, is still wearing their uniform, still itching to forget about this miserable week and become what so soon ago they relished.

 

A-Rod.

 

Always A-Rod.

 

www.yahoo.com/mlb (Jeff Passan)

 

 

Crazy thought of the day... Is Arod now available with his playoff flop? We know Kenny pushed for him at least twice. (as a FA, and then as a potential trade candidate a few years back) A deal for a Quintana or Santiago gives the Yankees a young, cheap pitcher for their rotation. Sox get back Arod, and cash to cover 1/2 to 2/3 of the deal.

 

I would hope not, and the Yankees would certainly demand something back if they are paying for him to play elsewhere. The White Sox don't have much to give, nor should they, for a declining player.

1/2 or 2/3 of that deal doesn't even come close. It would have to be at least 80% and probably more, and I still don't want him because he's a rapidly declining player now. If we're in the market for that type of player, I'd much rather have Kevin Youkalis on a 1 year deal without giving up anybody.

Edited October 13, 201213 yr by spiderman

Yeah, an old roider with a s***load of cash due to him who doesn't have the stones and whose teammates can't seem to care about. And who should probably become a DH pretty soon.

 

This is definitely a typical KW move.

 

......

 

NOT!

 

Hahaha.

Nope! Attendance boosts don't work if everyone hates the player.

I wouldn't be horribly opposed to adding him if the Yankees were to eat up at least 65-70% of the remaining contract. ARod at $8-9 million a year, sure.

Edited October 13, 201213 yr by bschmaranz

Hamilton would sell more tickets, but they're not going to fork out that cash.

 

For some reason, I can see both Ichiro and A-Rod coming over and the Sox believing that will be a magical panacea for their marketing/attendance woes (note, I didn't say revenues generated woes).

 

 

Just no. Please no.

Bringing in A-Rod would be like the whole Albert Belle thing, without the one caveat that made that move tolerable...you had a player close to being in the prime of his career. This clearly wouldn't be the case, here.

 

90% of the time, the All-Stars we see on the White Sox roster have long left their best playing days behind them.

 

If you went back to the year JR bought the team, I would be willing to bet $100 we've had the most former All-Stars (developed by other teams) playing on the White Sox after age 33, compared to any other team in baseball during that time span.

 

At least KW added in the extra bonus of "most former first rounders" as well, which has occasionally succeeded in injecting needed talent we missed out on with our own misguided drafting philosophies.

Did KW mention wanting to trade for A-Fraud 8 to 10 years ago?

Because that would mean it's time for him to actually acquire him now.

Did KW mention wanting to trade for A-Fraud 8 to 10 years ago?

Because that would mean it's time for him to actually acquire him now.

Kenny's rep for this kind if stuff is more like, trade for the guy in the last year of his deal, get him somewhat on the cheap, and hope he's motivated & sparks the team. That's usally how it works. With Manny it was that, but more an issue of making a major mistake (IMO maybe the most crucial mistake in KW's career) by passing on Jim Thome as a DH for $1M and having to try to spot-patch a major lineup hole at the last instant. If we get Arod it won't be until several years have gone by since you're paying him for a long time if you make the deal now.

 

Contreras was a multi-year commitment, same with Peavy and Alex, but all 3 of those were extremely talented players still seen as in their prime. ARod may already be past his (it's hard to tell when your prime ends when you're shoving things up your ass to raise your power numbers). I think Beckett would have been more of the idea KW target had he not gone to the Dodgers.

If they can't get Youk back at a discount and KW can pull of a Youk type trade where they eat a ton of salary it wouldn't be the worst idea.

 

Arod >>>> Morel

A Rod is owed $114 million plus $6 million each for homer 660, 714, 755, 762 and 763.

Would the Yankees really be willing to pay that kind of money for ARod to play somewhere else? I know deals where one team pays some or most of the contract of a player theyre dealing happens all the time, but has it ever happened with this much cash owed?

If they can't get Youk back at a discount and KW can pull of a Youk type trade where they eat a ton of salary it wouldn't be the worst idea.

 

Arod >>>> Morel

Anybody>>>>Morel. I wouldn't mind looking into an A-Rod deal... but it has to be at the right price. The dude has taken steroids and we have tried that before with Manny Ramirez and that failed. I would much rather KW sign Youk or another veteran 3B on the market to an affordable 2 year deal.

Ohhh please no

Oh god...no.

 

Maybe if the Yankees pick up $20 million every year.

The subsidy they'll have to send is rising by the minute.

 

It's actually quite similar to the Youk situation, in the sense where it's getting untenable for him to return to the Yankees in 2013 if his performance against the Tigers continues to echo the lack of performance in the ALDS vs. the Orioles.

I'd be okay with paying him about $8M a year

If the Sox acquire him, can they make sure he gets back on the juice? If not, no thanks.

Trade for a 37 year old 3B with injury issues, declining production, and 5 years left on his contract?

 

 

 

 

The Yankees are eating all or damn almost all of his salary and we are giving them Quintana and nothing else. Anything else and just say no.

Haha no way. We give them like, Santos Rodriguez. We're not giving anything of value. We're talking about one of the five worst contracts in baseball here.

 

This isn't happening btw, its totally illogical.

A Rod is owed $114 million plus $6 million each for homer 660, 714, 755, 762 and 763.

 

Scott Boras is a f***ing genius. As much as us fans hate him, if I were a player I would want him as my agent.