Yankee Star A-Rod Opts Out of Contract

It was reported live last night on the FOX HD World Series
broadcast that Yankee Star third baseman, Alex Rodriguez,
who is an overwhelming favorite to win his third MVP award
this season, will opt out of the remaining three years of his
contract, forfeiting $72 million of guaranteed salary, and become
a free agent. The Yankees will lose $21.3 million of
payments from the Rangers which were agreed upon
in the 2004 trade which brought A-Rod to the Yankees.
The Yankees are on record that they will not try to
resign A-Rod, if he opted out of his contract.

The failure to rehire Joe Torre may have more
consequences to the Yankees than was imagined.
If A-Rod, Posada, Rivera and Pettite do not come back,
the Yankees streak of 12 straight post season appearances
may be in jeopardy. It will be an interesting hot stove
season, as it always is in baseball.

So who would sign A-Rod for the kind of money he is
going to be looking for? Speculation has the usual
suspects: Angels, Cubs, Red Sox and Mets. The Cubbies,
who made the playoffs this year, and have not won
a World Series since 1908 might continue their spending
spree of last winter which included an eight year $136
million deal for Alfonso Soriano. Will the Red Sox choose
not to sign World Series MVP Mike Lowell and go after
A-Rod? Maybe? Will the Mets go after A-Rod and shuffle
either A-Rod, David Wright or Jose Reyes to second base?
Maybe? The Dodgers are a possibility, but would they
spend the money? The Phillies are on record that they
have to improve third base. How about that infield,
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and A-Rod.
Would the Phillies spend the money? They have to sign
Howard to a long term contract, resign Aaron Rowand
and J.C. Romero. The Phillies have $17.8 million of
salary freed up with the expiration of Jon Lieber and
Freddy Garcia's contracts. Pat Burrell, Jamie Moyer
and Tom Gordon are in the final year of $14, $6.5,
and $7 million contracts. 2008 is the last year that the
Phillies have to pay the White Sox about $5.5 million
of Jim Thome's contract. So for 2009 and beyond,
the Phillies could budget a long term deal for A-Rod.
But would the Phillies spend that kind of money?
Probably not. The hot stove will keep burning.