Quite possibly the best player in baseball’s history is hitting the open market. Yes, Alex Rodriguez opted out of his mega-deal with the Yankees and in class-less fashion as well. While the Yankees’ bitter rivals the Red Sox were about to take home their 2nd title in four years, A-Rod felt fit to announce his impending free agency to the world; during the eighth inning. Sure it was a bit of a dick move but what a great way to hit the biggest amount of audience you possibly could though.
So where will much-maligned third-baseman go? How much will he rake in now? Well, it’s safe to say that he won’t be back in New York, with the Yankees or the Mets after the way that the media treated him in the big apple. The list of possible bidders off the top of my head would be the Dodgers and Angels in Los Angele and the Chicago Cubs. Boston may also take part but it seems kind of unlikely given the philosophy and the core of their current squad. It’s not inconceivable that a smaller market team could go big for A-Rod like the Rangers did the last time he was on the market.
As for money, with Scott Boras negotiating his deal, it will have to at least be a few million dollars per year raise on the $25 million he was previously making. Somewhere between 27 and 31 per season should be around right.
My prediction? A-Rod goes to the Angels where he gets an average of $29-million a year for the next six years. He gets booed mercilessly when he plays at both Yankee Stadium and Fenway.
In other baseball news, the Yankees have hired former manager of the year/announcer Joe Girardi to take over behind the bench with the ousting of Joe Torre. One of their coaches and managerial candidate Don Mattingly won’t be back either. You can’t help but think he was left feeling slighted after being with the organization for as long as he has.
Well, the baseball offseason is just beginning and this winter should be an interesting one to say the least.