Arod opts out!

[worldchamps]

OR......is arod frantically trying to get a deal done before the Mitchell report comes out.....get the max $$$ he can, and get away from the NY media before they can blast him for being a cheater

he was too embarrassed to get award from Hank Aaron????


maybe????

[murderers_row]

If he was worried about the Mitchell Report ruining his value, he would have resigned with the Yankees for a guaranteed $30M/year for the next 8 years!

The ink on that contract would be long dry by the time the roport is made public.

He's not worried a bit.

[BULBUS]

"Why would you stay in NY when no matter what you do you will never be good enough? He could have hit .800 in the playoffs and led his team to a championship and Jeter would have got the credit."

THIS MAKES SENSE????? IF ONLY AROD DID THAT!

AROD HAD SEATTLE, TEXAS, AND BOSTON BOOING HIM WHEREVER HE WENT. NOW HE HAS YANKEE FANS BOOING. HE MAY BE THE BEST REGULAR SEASON PLAYER, BUT NOW HE IS THE MOST HATED TOO.

[Nathan]

As an Arod fan you should know and realize already that his own personal stats are all that Arod cares about

Yes, the basic logic that "RBIs and home runs help your team" apply to everyone who has ever played baseball except Alex Rodriguez. I've been fighting with the Elias Sports Bureau and Stats, Inc. for years to get his statline changed from "home runs" to "team-damaging home runs" and "selfish, greedy RBIs", but apparently they're too busy switching Jeter's stuff over to "calm-eyed GIDP in playoffs" and "gritty clutchy strikeouts" and "team-helping amazing poor defensive ability".

[OaklandAsFan]

Yes, the basic logic that "RBIs and home runs help your team" apply to everyone who has ever played baseball except Alex Rodriguez. I've been fighting with the Elias Sports Bureau and Stats, Inc. for years to get his statline changed from "home runs" to "team-damaging home runs" and "selfish, greedy RBIs", but apparently they're too busy switching Jeter's stuff over to "calm-eyed GIDP in playoffs" and "gritty clutchy strikeouts" and "team-helping amazing poor defensive ability".

Say what you want but history proves that all the numbers he puts up don't help the teams he are on one bit nor does he perform when it counts in the post season. He could care less if he has a ring or not all he cares about is being the 300million dollar man

[Nathan]

Say what you want but history proves that all the numbers he puts up don't help the teams he are on one bit nor does he perform when it counts in the post season. He could care less if he has a ring or not all he cares about is being the 300million dollar man

That's absolutely absurd. Where would New York be without him this year? Maybe they get 85 wins (but probably not) and they most definitely finish out of the playoff hunt.

His playoff performances haven't been stellar, but then I can scrounge up a three-series sample of probably 40 HOFers for the sake of comparison.

And somehow I doubt when he was growing up and playing baseball with the other kids on his block, he was imagining "Alex Rodriguez, it's not the bottom of the 9th in the World Series. It's the top of the fifth inning on June 10 against Tampa Bay, because another hit kicks in a $500,000 bonus for the kid." Do you forget that he agreed to be traded to New York and then vacated his normal position in order to win?

[OaklandAsFan]

And I am saying that it didn't matter to him where the Yanks finished the year he cared about his personal stats and thats it. He knew he was walking at the end of the year from the start and he showed off just how selfish he is by announcing it in the middle of game 4 of a blowout world series because he knew it would garner more attention than who actually won the series. He is a media savvy person and knew exactly what he was doing, "oopps I shouldnt have announced it when I did my bad" whats done is done he is selfish and like Bonds any team that has him on it will have such chemistry problems that they won't ever win.

oh yeah he took that move to 3rd because it put him in a larger market to sell himself and make himself more money in endorsements. he also wanted to get out of Texas where there were a bunch of children who didn't care about their stats as much as he did about his own. I could do a little research and find the article in the web when he left Texas about just how miserable he made the younger players on the team when he was there with his obsessiveness on his own personal stats if you like.

[Nathan]

And I am saying that it didn't matter to him where the Yanks finished the year he cared about his personal stats and thats it. He knew he was walking at the end of the year from the start and he showed off just how selfish he is by announcing it in the middle of game 4 of a blowout world series because he knew it would garner more attention than who actually won the series. He is a media savvy person and knew exactly what he was doing, "oopps I shouldnt have announced it when I did my bad" whats done is done he is selfish and like Bonds any team that has him on it will have such chemistry problems that they won't ever win.

oh yeah he took that move to 3rd because it put him in a larger market to sell himself and make himself more money in endorsements. he also wanted to get out of Texas where there were a bunch of children who didn't care about their stats as much as he did about his own. I could do a little research and find the article in the web when he left Texas about just how miserable he made the younger players on the team when he was there with his obsessiveness on his own personal stats if you like.

Since it was Scott Boras who made the announcement, the entire first part of your post is invalid.

And since I can find just as many articles about "I feel bad for the guy since he's carrying the team and we all suck" coming out of Texas.

And third, STATISTICS MEASURE PRODUCTION. I really don't care what the motives are, if a guy hits a double then he's in scoring position (and may have brought a runner or two in to score). If he hits a home run, he has put runs on the board. If he turns a double play, he's taken out two baserunners. If a player decides that for every run he produces, he's going to start wiping his genitals with mink fur, I really don't care. If a pitcher decides that for every strikeout he gets, he's going to start chanting to the goddess Kali, I don't care. The game is won and lost on the field of play, and it takes a hell of a stretch to act like a game that is lost on the field is won in the clubhouse (or vice versa).

There's 300 million people in this country and I'm sure most have a good attitude. It doesn't change the fact that they're terrible baseball players. I've met Jim Caravello and Mike Specht and trust their knowledge about bats and think both are good guys, but I wouldn't want them swinging a bat in a real game no matter what their positive attitude may be (actually, Jim seems like he would slap a single over short and Mike could probably clock a double to right field....).

If having a good team-first attitude was vitally important, then how come none of the great motivational speakers won any championships? Heck, Matt Foley lived in a van down by the river!

[OaklandAsFan]

At ths point I will just agree to disagree you obviously feel different about Arod than I do
I will however point out that your a crazy if you think that Boras didn't act with at least Arods knowledge if not a direct order by Arod to announce it then.

[suave1477]

I read all these comments about the AROD situation and I agree to disagree with almost all of you and I found Nathans comments interesting. Especially how your defending a person by trying to throw a positive view angle on negatives and I commend you for that. But we all have to look at things realistically.

1) Is AROD one of if not thee greatest player YES
2) Does AROD play for himself YES
3) Did AROD really become such an unselfish player by moving to third NO - he has a brain and knew that was he only chance of getting on the team, where most likely he was gonna be given an easy ride to a ring and in a high market where he can get more endorsements. Plus one of limited amount of tems to pick up his salary from the Rangers.
4) Want to talk about stats how many errors did he make in 2006 at 3rd??? MY ALL TIME FAVORITE - how about he was #6 in the whole league to ground out balls into double plays (#6 in MLB) which means not only did he take himself out, he also took out his teamate from a chance to score.
5) 2007 so he stepped up his game, was it for the team NO - again he is smart and wanted to get his personal stock up, he knew his playing days as a Yankee was coming to an end and he knew he had to make himself more marketable then ever.
6) As far as teams he can go to there are many - Mets, Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, Giants, Angels and Tigers
6) AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST YOUR ALL COMMENTING ABOUT HIM OPTING OUT, LETS NOT FORGET HE CAN ALWAYS NEGOTIATE TO COMEBACK.

My realistic prediction is he wants a ring, but he wants to line his pockets, he wants in a team where he can shine and get his own stats up and he want's the limelight of the media but not as pressuring as being on the Yankees.
After that being said think about what teams can offer all that and you will get the team he is signing with.