King Kaufman's Sports Daily
A-Rod wins MVP, about to get a big raise. Amid the sturm und drang, it all makes sense. Plus: Houston scores second, wins MLS Cup.
Read more: Sports, Baseball, Soccer, Major League Baseball, King Kaufman, Sports Daily, MLB
Nov. 20, 2007 | There sure has been a lot of ink spilled over the Alex Rodriguez contract situation when you consider that everything that's happened has made a lot of sense.
Rodriguez, reportedly close to re-upping with the New York Yankees for 10 years and about $275 million plus some incentives, was announced Monday as the winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award, which also made a lot of sense.
As you know, Rodriguez opted out of the last three years of his 10-year, $252 million deal, which was being subsidized by the Texas Rangers to the tune of about $7 million a year as part of the trade that brought him to New York in 2004. So the Rangers are off the hook there, the one clear winner in this whole thing.
Agent Scott Boras had made noises about a new 10-year, $350 million contract, the Yankees had said they wouldn't negotiate with A-Rod if he opted out, and now that it all appears to be settling down, the Yankees are negotiating and Rodriguez is reportedly close to signing.
And the Rangers probably owe Boras a favor.
All pretty logical. A-Rod and Boras thought they could get him a raise because, as crazy as that initial contract was seven years ago, the market is crazier now, so Rodriguez, the best hitter in baseball at the moment, was something of a bargain at that rate of pay. The Yankees might be negotiating against themselves as we speak, but so what? They can afford it, and they'd be nuts to let Rodriguez walk.
All the talk about signing Mike Lowell was nonsense. Lowell had a fabulous year for Boston in 2007, a comeback from two down years. But at his best he's no Alex Rodriguez, and while he's only a year and a half older than A-Rod, he's not nearly the athlete and doesn't figure to age as well. The Red Sox just re-signed Lowell for a reported three years, $37.5 million. I bet he won't live up to that, but the Red Sox can afford it too.
Now I know nobody heard anything I just said because the A-Rod haters leaped out of their chairs roaring as soon as they heard "at his best he's no Alex Rodriguez." I see you standing on your chair, Lupica.