SI: A-Rod to become a free agent

Gammons is as self-serving as ARod. He was pissed off because this announcement overwhelmed his team winning the Series.

 

8 years 240 is basicaly what the Yanks were offering if he didn't opt out. If Cashman and Baby Stein stick with the plan of not signing ARod, the price should fall.
He'll be a Cub.

 

The sleeper?

Detroit. The Tigers need a shortstop with Guillen moving to first. Boras and Dombrowski have a history of making deals. Illitch has proven he'll spend money when the time is right. He brought in several big names when the Red Wings were making runs and were the hot ticket in Detroit. That's where the Tigers are right now. Illitch is nearing the end and wants to see Detroit win a World Series...(I know, I know. Make appropriate disparaging A-Fraud comment here.)

CF-Granderson
2B-Polanco
DH-Sheffield
RF-Ordonez
SS-ARod
1B-Guillen
C-Pudge
3B-Inge
LF-Raburn

Right-handed heavy, but still an incredibly potent lineup.

 

I wonder if Boras will market him to Japan?

 

Detroit or St. Louis both make sense because the media spotlight is nothing like it would be in Boston, Chicago, LA or New York.

St. Louis is probably the easiest place to play in professional baseball in terms of dealing with the media.

Something else that hasn't been mentioned is this - is ARod still a shortstop or is he a third baseman now? If teams don't think he can play short anymore that cuts the list too. St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit don't appear to need third basemen.

 

A-Rod the attention whore isn't going anywhere but New York, Chicago or Boston. The notion that the Cardinals or Tigers would get in the same area code as his demands is laughable. Neither of those teams has spent more than $100 million on a contract (and that went to Pujols in his prime). They're not spending $250 million.

 

Ummm...if I'm not mistaken, Magglio is in the midst of a $130 million contract. The Tigers also offered Juan Gonzalez $143 million when they acquired him from Texas. Thank christ he didn't accept.

 

You are mistaken. Ordonez is at $75 million. Maybe they offered Gonzalez that much, I don't recall. But that's still over $100 million short of what it will take to get Rodriguez. The Tigers have raised payroll $50 million the past three seasons. Are they going to spend close to $30 million more on one player?

He's going to New York, Chicago or Boston. That's how baseball works.

 

I think Tampa Bay might even be more likely.

 

My mistake on Ordonez. However, with incentives, the deal could top out at $105 million.

I'm also not saying it's likely he'll sign with Detroit. Just calling it a sleeper destination. Where's the fun in being the 35 millionth person saying he's going to Chicago?

 

Very true. I heard he'll sign with the Pirates.

 

I find it amusing that the Red Sox fans are crying foul over the release of A-Rod’s free agency news.

Nobody cared about that World Series. It was game 4 of a sweep which was incredibly boring and predictable.