Should the Red Sox pursue Alex Rodriguez?

[Zen653]

According to several sources, Alex Rodriguez may opt out of his contract with the Yankees after 2007:

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez sidestepped whether he plans to opt out of his record contract with the New York Yankees and become a free agent following this season. J.D. Drew, like A-Rod a client of agent Scott Boras, used an opt-out clause to leave the Los Angeles Dodgers for a $70 million, five-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. During a promotional appearance Tuesday, Rodriguez was asked what he thought about Drew's decision. "I didn't follow the J.D. Drew situation," Rodriguez said. "My situation and my only goal is to win a world championship, and I'm going to take it day to day. And that's about it." Rodriguez is owed a $23 million salary this year, including $1 million deferred without interest until June 30, 2011, and then is due $24 million in each of the final three seasons of his record $252 million, 10-year contract. Texas, which traded A-Rod to the Yankees after the 2003 season, is partially funding the deal, paying the Yankees $7.1 million this year, $8.1 million in 2008, $7.1 million in 2009 and $6.1 million in 2010. "I think when you put things like that in the contract seven years ago, the intent was that it would give the player a choice, knowing full well the player may not use the provision, and also understanding, too, it gives him an option to consider," Boras said in a telephone interview..."Obviously when Alex's contract was done, the revenues of the game were around $3 billion. Now they are around $6 billion. The elite position player has not been really graded in this new revenue stream we've seen."

ABC12.com: Will he opt out of deal? A-Rod sidesteps questions

I would support signing Alex Rodriguez for 2008 and beyond. Mike Lowell ($9 million AAV), Matt Clement ($9 million AAV), and Eric Hinske ($3 million AAV) all come off the books after this year. That's a total of $21 million for three players that won't be back next season. In addition to that $21 million, we've got several moveable contracts in Coco Crisp ($5 million AAV), Wily Mo Pena (~$2 million AAV), Julian Tavarez ($3.5 million AAV), Tim Wakefield ($4 million AAV), Mike Timlin ($3.5 million AAV), and Joel Piniero ($4 million AAV.) This means that it should be quite easy to clear $25 million a year for A-Rod, without trading anyone from the 3-4-5 of Ortiz-Ramirez-Drew.

Given our ability to sign Rodriguez, our need for a new third baseman in 2008, our prior interest in A-Rod, and the fact that we'd be taking him away from our chief rival, I think it's a no-brainer to go after him. His wife is from the Greater Boston area, he wants to play for historical teams, and he'd turn us into arguably the best offense of all-time. Just imagine the following lineup:

SS Lugo
1B Youkilis
DH Ortiz
LF Ramirez
3B Rodriguez
RF Drew
C Varitek
CF Crisp
2B Pedroia

Now let's look at this from A-Rod's perspective. He's not being treated well in New York. Yankees fans despise him. He's represented by Scott Boras who has a fairly good relationship with the Red Sox, and who frequently uses opt-out clauses to find his clients even more money. We're looking at a market that pays Carlos Lee about $16 million a year, and Alfonso Soriano almost $18million a year. There's not a doubt in my mind that A-Rod would fetch $25 million (a slight raise over his current annual salary.)

Now consider the potential demand for his services. The Red Sox, Angels and Cubs would definitely all be interested. The Yankees would want to protect their reputation and attempt to bring him back. (It's just not like the Yankees to lose a marquee free agent in his prime.) Clubs like the Dodgers, White Sox, Astros (with the Clemens/Pettite money), Giants (Barry Bonds replacement), and Phillies would all be interested. That's about 8-9 teams that could reasonably pursue him if he opts out of his contract. Boras has to be looking at that, along with the upward shift in the market, and A-Rod's perceived struggles in the Bronx, and recognize that opting out of the deal would be in his client's best interests.

[ingagi]

No. That ship has sailed. Most say he's Angels bound if he chooses to bail on NY.

[steeplechase3k]

A-Rod would struggle even more in Boston thatn in NY. If he opts out of his contract in NY it is because of the pressure, why would he go to the only place with more pressure...

[Cuttyhunk]

with Lugo on board it's redundant and then there's the raft of things--salary,3rd base fielding,24&1 stuff etc.- NO-

But straight up for Manny in '04 is a fun what if

[AutomatedTeller]

I'm of two minds about ARod.

1) He is truly still a great player, and should probably get moved back to SS. He would give the Sox the best 3-6 in baseball and the Sox might well set records for runs scored. Taking him the yankees and having him beat the hell out of them would be great.

2) He doesn't help the Sox bullpen very much. Media would be brutal. I'm not sure what it would take to sign him - it's hard for me to believe he would get *more* than $25M. I don't see the Yankees re-signing him if he does opt out, because if he does, the Yankees would have to pay full price for him - much more likely that if he does stay with the Yankees, it's some form of contract extension. Yankees could just give him $4M/yr more and still pay less than anyone else would.

That said - I'm not sure he gets $25M a yr.

[Rooster]

No.

[Zen653]

If A-Rod continues at even 60% of his current pace, I think he will opt out of his contract and test the free agent market. He plays a prime defensive position and he's the best offensive player in the game. Scott Boras likes to use opt-out clauses to leverage more lucrative contracts. We've seen that work in our favor with J.D Drew, who left what seemed like a sweetheart deal in Los Angeles for something even better in Boston. Who is to say that Boras won't try the same thing with Rodriguez who looks poised for a third MVP Award? He's already a third of the way to 100 RBI, and we're not even out of April!

With the contracts of Lowell, Clement and Hinske all expiring after this season (a combined $21 million), and some moveable contracts in Crisp and Pena, I think the Red Sox are in a position where they could enter into the A-Rod free agency sweepstakes. Remember that 2008 will also be Manny's last year here and probably Schilling's as well. That should make it relatively easy to accommodate A-Rod on a long-term basis. Another $33 million would be coming off the books.

The way I see it, we should make almost every effort possible to sign Rodriguez as a free agent. Give him 6 years/$168 million (which works out to $28 million a year.) Include some empty NFL-style team option years at the end of the deal to make it look even more lucrative. Not only do we add a top bat to pair up with Oritz (and Ramirez in 2008), but we force our main rivals to lose one. We know that the Red Sox wanted A-Rod in the past and that his wife is from the area. I think we'd definitely be in the hunt, if for no other reason than to force New York or Anaheim to make him a $30 million man.

It's okay to overpay for players whom you know will continue to be elite stars. I know I'd rather have A-Rod than Lowell, Clement, Hinske and Crisp (which would be his financial equivalent.) What ends up killing a team is when you overpay for mediocrity.

[AutomatedTeller]

NY - you mean the Yankees? I am guessing the Mets won't make a play for him - they aren't going to move Reyes or Wright out of position, I don't think.

And I sure don't think the yankees will pursue him if they can't get an extension signed. If they wont' pony up money for an extension, they aren't going to pay *more* for him to play for them the next 3 years, too.

I'm of two minds about the Sox getting ARod.

A) He's a great player
B) He's never helped a team in the postseason.

A) It would be nice to take a star from the Yankees
B) Who wants their castoffs?

[Drury77]

Flat out no. I'm not gonna split hairs.

[Zen653]

Drury, why do you not want to see A-Rod play for Boston? It's not as though he ever spoke badly of the city or the team. He actually wanted to come here and was willing to take a paycut to do so. MLB scuttled the deal.

I think landing A-Rod would be a coup of epic proportions. We always seem to lose our top players to New York while none of the elite Yankees players end up here while still close to their prime. I don't think it's fair to blame Rodriguez for the lack of playoff success his teams have had over the years. It takes pitching to win a championship and A-Rod has never played for a team with top flight pitching. Seattle only had one ace (Randy Johnson), Texas had no one, and New York's pitching staff is a disaster this year.

[Drury77]

While I agree it would be a coup to get him, here's is my point of view.

Take this as what it is.

The Yanks have no pitching and even if they add Clemens to the mix, what do they really have?? Ok A-Rod is looking like he is going to have a banner year, but what if the Yanks (god forbid) don't make the playoffs and we do,blah, blah, doesn't that just continue to to feed the monster of A-Rod, just can't be productive on a winning team. I don't know if it's pressure or what, but the every place the guy has been, has been progressively better after having left.

Maybe just coincidence, but it's a huge one.

Look he's an outstanding player, but I can't get past the A-FRAUD player that he has been up until right now and yes I know he changed positions and it's not easy to do, going to a corner.

Maybe I'm looking through "red" tinted glasses, but that's my take.

[bedir than average]

ATM, Alex has had some great offseasons, without him the Mariners wouldn't have made it to the ALCS in 2000. Without Arthur Rhodes the Mariners would have won that CS.

Alex Rodriguez Stats and Graphs - New York Yankees | FanGraphs

280/375/485 for his career /// in the playoffs

and his last three postseasons (with the Yanks) have a POSITIVE WPA.

[AutomatedTeller]

He was good with seattle.

the big problem he has had is that since game #3 of the 2004 ALCS, he's disappeared in the postseason. Even before then, he went 3-5 with a HR in the 19-8 romp, which doesn't add a lot of value.

He kicked ass against Minnesota that year, though.

So maybe I overstated that he hasn't helped anyone in the postseason. he certainly hasn't been as good as you would hope, given that he's making $25M a year...

[MrBill82x]

Thanks, but no thanks.

[Zen653]

As a counterpunch to re-acquiring Clemens, I want to sign A-Rod now more than ever. I know I shouldn't think that way, but as a fan, I can't help it. The chest-thumping and sore winner mentality on the Yankees forums are driving me crazy. I want to give them a taste of their own medicine for once. (And more importantly, add the best positional player in the game while he's still in his prime.) I really hope A-Rod opts out of his deal.