Well, well, well.
At least the tabloids can have some fun with the nicknames again.
The old standard, A-Rod.
In-season dalliances: Stray-Rod.
Bad game? K-Rod.
Before the offseason was four hours old: Pay-Rod.
And now finally, Stay-Rod.
In one of the more dramatic reversals in sports negotiating history, Alex Rodriguez decided last week that maybe the Bronx wasn’t so bad after all, and after a few days of discussions with Yankee executives Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, he had ironed out a new 10-year, $275 million contract by the end of the week. This came, of course, just two weeks after he decided to opt out of his previous 10-year, $252 million contract, after he had been criticized across the country for he and agent Scott Boras’ outrageous $350 million contract demand. As it happened, Rodriguez contacted the Yankees about returning, left Boras away from the negotiating table and chose to bring his wife, Cynthia, along instead.
That Rodriguez is back in New York really isn’t that surprising when you think about it – there are precious few teams in baseball (Boston, the Mets, the Dodgers and Angels) who could have paid him the type of money he was looking for. A-Rod is also driven by ego, and the stage doesn’t get any brighter than playing for the Yankees. And although the fans have been slow to embrace him, Rodriguez is clearly comfortable living in the city and being the backbone of a playoff-caliber team.
And there’s no denying that getting A-Rod back into the fold makes New York a much stronger team, despite his recent lack of postseason success and the propensity of New York fans to boo him. Without him, the Yankees were left with a gaping hole at third base and in the middle of their lineup. In case you forgot, he’s coming off a season in which he slugged 54 homers, notched 156 RBIs, scored 143 runs and even stole 24 bases. He’s 32 years old and is the odds-on favorite to eventually own the all-time home run record and possibly hits record as well. He is a singular force on the baseball field, and as ego-driven as he may be (although I now question how much his offseason posturing had to do with Boras), he is without doubt the best player in baseball.
And now he’s also signing the richest contract in professional sports history. So things are good, right? Not so fast.
The entire episode has raised a number of questions about the value of sports agents in negotiating, particularly with the involvement of “superagent” Boras. Lost amid the Rodriguez hype last week was veteran Detroit Tigers free agent pitcher Kenny Rogers cutting ties with Boras and electing to represent himself. Maybe two players do not a negotiating trend make, but the implication here is clear – sometimes, agents make it more difficult for their clients to get signed, rather than easier. For players like Rogers and Rodriguez, who are in demand and due to make millions this coming season, that might not be a big deal. But to many of the free agents who don’t have a direct line to Hank Steinbrenner, the decision by Rogers and A-Rod to bypass Boras certainly raises questions about how necessary an agent (and their accompanying fee) is to the negotiating process. And although Boras must certainly have been stung by the dismissals, you wonder how much more his luster he might lose before the offseason is over.
Boras also represents Andruw Jones, who one of the top center fielders on the market this winter, and negotiated pitcher Barry Zito’s record-setting $126 million contract last year. For years, he’s been something of a thorn in the sides of baseball owners and general managers, who view him as a necessary evil in procuring top talent. But his fade from the limelight, were it to happen, would be a welcome departure from the usual outrageous demands and publicity stunts (A-Rod’s decision to leave the Yankees during Game 4 of the World Series being a perfect example) that he’s become associated with.
And even as chaotic as this offseason has looked, the Yankees are still a very good team. Maybe Boston has become the class of American League (OK, so with two World Series titles in four years, they’re definitely the class of the A.L.), but New York is still a dangerous squad. With Rodriguez back in the fold and the right winter adjustments, the Yankees could be right back in the World Series discussion in the spring. Of course, the Yankees have some decisions to make, and my suggestions include:
• Keep Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen (C’mon, the kid has enough energy to light Yankee Stadium and has a perfect closer’s mentality);
• Find a first baseman (and stop relying on Jason Giambi);
• Don’t overpay for a marquee free agent (I’m looking at Jones and any pitcher over age 35 here);
• And get some decent bench players (a little depth in case injuries strike again).
But welcome back, A-Rod. We’re (mostly) happy to have you. You looked better in pinstripes, anyway.