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A-Rod
Jul 14, 2007 22:07:42 GMT -5
Post by philinla on Jul 14, 2007 22:07:42 GMT -5
Who is "the Yankees" that told Boras that? If they did, they're really stupid. Why say something like that? If they don't get into the "bidding process" they're idiots. Why do you remotely believe any such thing happened?
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A-Rod
Jul 15, 2007 21:15:54 GMT -5
Post by pemoco on Jul 15, 2007 21:15:54 GMT -5
No regrets over A-Rod deal BY KAT O'BRIEN Newsday
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The person who may have the most vested interest in whether or not Alex Rodriguez opts out of his contract this offseason has zero control over the outcome.
That person is Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, who signed Rodriguez to the 10-year, $252-million contract that dropped jaws around the country in December 2000. The contract was by far the largest in sports history. The Rangers failed to win with Rodriguez, though not for any lack of performance on his part, and traded him to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and minor-leaguer Joaquin Arias in February 2004, with Hicks agreeing to pay $67 million of the remaining amount on the contract.
In New York, fans who have watched the Yankees' offense become less reliable and explosive than in past years wonder what would happen without the gargantuan numbers from Rodriguez. Yankees players and others associated with the team wonder if the club will offer Rodriguez a big enough contract to keep him in pinstripes. And as always, there is speculation that one of a laundry list of things -- intense media focus, his relationship with Derek Jeter and/or Joe Torre, his desire to play shortstop, etc. --will lead Rodriguez to leave.
No one really knows, except perhaps Rodriguez himself, and he's not talking.
If Rodriguez exercises an opt-out clause in the contract in November, a choice he will not talk about, the contract would become history and Hicks would save about $22 million.
Hicks said baseball rules prevent him from talking about the opt-out clause. In a phone interview the Rangers owner said he has no regrets about giving Rodriguez the landmark contract.
"No, never," Hicks said.
Hicks paid a huge sum of money for three years of Rodriguez's services, and the owner has just one regret: "I regret that we didn't win," he said.
Rodriguez's regret is the same: "I wish we would have won a championship." Otherwise, Rodriguez said: "I think it's worked out great. Oh, yeah. Great. I'm super happy."
Obviously, the money was tremendous. But Rodriguez also thought he was going to a team on the verge of winning. The Rangers did not have the championship history that many other teams had, but they won the American League West title in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
When news hit of the size and length of Rodriguez's contract, the reaction surprised Hicks. A businessman who made his money in venture capital, telecommunication investments, and as the owner of Dr. Pepper and 7-Up, he was relatively new as the owner of a baseball team. He bought the Rangers in 1998, 2 ½ years after buying the Dallas Stars of the NHL.
"The thing that got notoriety wasn't that Alex Rodriguez got $25 million a year," Hicks said. "It was that he got a 10-year contract. We thought we'd be getting him locked up for the best years of his contract."
Rodriguez produced the numbers the Rangers expected, finishing sixth, second and first in the American League MVP balloting. But the big pitching acquisitions of Chan Ho Park, Todd Van Poppel and Jay Powell were busts, and Juan Gonzalez and Jeff Zimmerman got hurt. The Rangers went through three managers -- Johnny Oates, Jerry Narron and Buck Showalter -- and never won more than 73 games.
"I think Alex did everything we hoped he would do," Hicks said. "Just look at his stats the years he was there. He was an outstanding player. We didn't put the people around him. We didn't get the pitching. I hired a new GM (John Hart). I spent a lot of money to try to beef up the team. In hindsight, we made some poor baseball decisions."
Distributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service
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A-Rod
Jul 26, 2007 9:29:15 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Jul 26, 2007 9:29:15 GMT -5
Best player according to Brett? Posted: Thursday July 26, 2007 06:58AM ET When Alex Rodriguez learned from a reporter that George Brett had been talking about him Tuesday, he stopped fiddling with his cellphone and looked up with a curious expression. What, Rodriguez wanted to know, did Brett say? "He's the best player I've ever seen," Brett had said. "He really is." Rodriguez's eyes widened, and he said it was the greatest compliment he had received.--New York Times
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A-Rod
Jul 27, 2007 9:42:46 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Jul 27, 2007 9:42:46 GMT -5
A-Rod could hit 500th HR...twice Posted: Friday July 27, 2007 06:44AM ET Alex Rodriguez could become the first major league player ever to hit his 500th home run twice. The situation stems from a June 28 game that was suspended because of rain with the Yankees leading the Orioles, 8-6, with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. The game is set to resume tonight in Baltimore from that point forward as if the rain had never come, as Major League Baseball rules stipulate. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the league's official statistician, all individual numbers from the June 28 game have already counted; Rodriguez was 0 for 3 with one run batted in. But because of baseball Rule 10.23, all performance records from the part of the game tonight will be officially coded as having occurred on June 28 as well.--New York Times
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A-Rod
Jul 28, 2007 11:13:00 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Jul 28, 2007 11:13:00 GMT -5
Bonds: A-Rod's not as good as me Posted: Saturday July 28, 2007 07:01AM ET For most of the last month, Barry Bonds has been tossing verbal bouquets toward Alex Rodriguez, but the praise stops at a point. "Is he as good as me? Hell, no," Bonds told The Post when asked if Rodriguez was the best player of this generation. "He's better than me now because he's younger than me. But, hell no."--New York Post
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A-Rod
Jul 29, 2007 13:48:32 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Jul 29, 2007 13:48:32 GMT -5
Canseco says he has 'stuff' on A-Rod Posted: Sunday July 29, 2007 07:20AM ET Jose Canseco, who wrote "Juiced," his 2005 book detailing his use of steroids with Mark McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro, Pudge Rodriguez and others, says he has another book in the works, due this fall. He told Boston's WEEI Radio on Friday that he had "other stuff" on A-Rod that will be coming out. When asked directly if Alex Rodriguez had used steroids, Canseco replied: "Wait and see." Rodriguez cut off a question about Canseco's comments yesterday after being asked in Baltimore if he had heard the former slugger's words, saying, "Nope, I haven't. And I have no comment."--New York Daily News
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A-Rod
Aug 12, 2007 10:37:05 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Aug 12, 2007 10:37:05 GMT -5
Boras: A-Rod may stay with Yanks Posted: Sunday August 12, 2007 08:46AM ET It is generally accepted that Alex Rodriguez will opt out of his contract with the Yankees after the season to become a free agent. But his agent, Scott Boras, isn't sure that is necessarily the case. Boras said that he and Rodriguez have an agreement not to discuss his status until after the season. The plan is for Rodriguez to spend a few days in California with Boras to talk it over.--Journal News
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A-Rod
Aug 17, 2007 8:41:06 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Aug 17, 2007 8:41:06 GMT -5
Yanks won't chase free-agent A-Rod Posted: Friday August 17, 2007 07:31AM ET That the Yankees won't go after Alex Rodriguez on the free-agent market is nothing new. But yesterday was the first time general manager Brian Cashman confirmed that, first in a radio interview on WFAN and then to reporters at Yankee Stadium.--Newark Star-Ledger
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A-Rod
Aug 21, 2007 8:26:38 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Aug 21, 2007 8:26:38 GMT -5
Yankees, Angels to fight over A-Rod? Posted: Tuesday August 21, 2007 08:31AM ET It's possible Alex Rodriguez hasn't made up his mind where he will play next year. However, when the Yankees opened a very important three-game series against the AL West-leading Angels last night at Angel Stadium, you didn't need to go into Photoshop to produce an image of Rodriguez wearing the Angels' red and white instead of pinstripes in 2008. the Yankees say they aren't going to be bidders because they don't want to lose the $21.2 million discount they have coming from the Rangers in 2008-10. That, however, could change come November.--New York Post
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A-Rod
Aug 21, 2007 10:35:08 GMT -5
Post by oscargamble on Aug 21, 2007 10:35:08 GMT -5
painful fucking loss last night and I'm paying the price in sleepiness this morning
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A-Rod
Aug 21, 2007 17:52:01 GMT -5
Post by torrey on Aug 21, 2007 17:52:01 GMT -5
Every game now, it seems that a ball gets past him that he should have gotten. The foul pop off Matthew's bat was ridiculous. Joe has been resting his infielders, maybe he should make ARod a DH for a game.
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A-Rod
Aug 23, 2007 10:36:23 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Aug 23, 2007 10:36:23 GMT -5
Why Angels may pass on A-Rod Posted: Thursday August 23, 2007 09:09AM ET Right now, Alex Rodriguez is somebody else's prom date. This winter, that could change. He could opt out of his unwieldy contract and sell himself for even more money. The Dodgers could be interested. But hotter talk is that Angels owner Arte Moreno might shed his shyness and join the bidding. The Angels just might be able to get him -- probably for a yearly sum of $30 million, almost twice what any other player on the team commands. What would that bring? A lot of hope. But no guarantees. The Angels need another big bat. But do they need Rodriguez's big bat? They'd be better off making a shrewd trade for a guy who wouldn't blow up the salary structure.--Los Angeles Times
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A-Rod
Aug 26, 2007 11:43:16 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Aug 26, 2007 11:43:16 GMT -5
Rangers hope A-Rod leaves Yanks Posted: Sunday August 26, 2007 10:05AM ET One big reason the Yankees might not want Alex Rodriguez next year: The Rangers wouldn't be contributing to the contract anymore. Currently, the Yanks pay A-Rod about $16 million a year. By opting out and getting a new deal, he could get $30 mil annually, and ill-advised Rangers owner Tom Hicks would be off the hook.--San Francisco Chronicle
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A-Rod
Sept 6, 2007 10:21:23 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Sept 6, 2007 10:21:23 GMT -5
Pregame disruption irks A-Rod Posted: Thursday September 06, 2007 07:22AM ET Alex Rodriguez hates disruptions in his routine. He arrives early at the ballpark just so he can comfortably go through his pre-batting practice regimen that includes on-field conditioning exercises and indoor hitting drills. He has labeled these various elements - everything from his work with a medicine ball to hitting soft toss - his "vitamins" because he takes them daily and they are good for him. That is why he was so annoyed yesterday when, against his wishes, the Yankees ordered him to Columbia-Presbyterian for precautionary X-rays on his injured right ankle. That disrupted his vitamin intake.--New York Post
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A-Rod
Sept 30, 2007 11:10:16 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Sept 30, 2007 11:10:16 GMT -5
Why A-Rod won't choke in playoffs Posted: Sunday September 30, 2007 07:44AM ET Alex Rodriguez understands those who don't trust that his MVP season will translate into October success. A-Rod says the ability to laugh at his failures, something he has never been able to do, has played a role in relaxing him. So, too, has a better relationship with Joe Torre, and A-Rod evolving into a team leader.--New York Post
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A-Rod
Oct 4, 2007 10:01:41 GMT -5
Post by jumbo on Oct 4, 2007 10:01:41 GMT -5
The secret to A-Rod's hitting success Posted: Thursday October 04, 2007 07:34AM ET Alex Rodriguez's incredible success this season has been witnessed by millions. Only one person, though, has been there every day behind the scenes with A-Rod, going back to November when the seeds of this super season were planted - hitting coach Kevin Long. From the first day we started together, we clicked," Rodriguez tells me in a quiet corner of the clubhouse. "He's got a true gift of articulating a message in a small amount of words and in very plain language." Long and Rodriguez are both quick to point out that bench coach Don Mattingly has been essential to A-Rod's success. Mattingly thinks so much of Long that he has had him work with his own son.--New York Post
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A-Rod
Oct 29, 2007 23:19:21 GMT -5
Post by David Goodman on Oct 29, 2007 23:19:21 GMT -5
Fuck him.
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A-Rod
Nov 16, 2007 16:42:42 GMT -5
Post by David Goodman on Nov 16, 2007 16:42:42 GMT -5
Well, that was obviously too harsh. Glad to have you back A-Rod.
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A-Rod
Nov 18, 2007 10:25:10 GMT -5
Post by pauliesgirl on Nov 18, 2007 10:25:10 GMT -5
Well, that was obviously too harsh. Glad to have you back A-Rod. Dave, that made me laugh! LOL I didn't think A-Rod would really leave. I'm glad that we still have him.
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