A-Rod Loves New York

 

Alex Rodriguez is all but back in pinstripes, after not lasting a full month out on the open market and then confessing his love for the team that collectively told him to “get lost” when he opted out of his record setting contract.  In a matter of days, which is all it took for the Yankees and A-Rod to reconcile their dysfunctional differences, A-Rod will receive a 10 year, $275-280 million dollar contract, ending any speculation as to where he’ll be during the next World Series (hopefully).

What happened here?  How did this whole thing come about?  Frankly put, what the hell is going on?  A few weeks ago, we had all buried A-Rod, citing his insurmountable greed and uncontrollable ego as explanations for his decision-making processes (opt outs, timing, etc.).  We were also wondering who was really pulling the strings, Boras or A-Rod, and had come to the conclusion that it didn’t really matter, because A-Rod was gone and he was going to get paid by some other team in the westcoast.  Rampant speculation about the Dodgers, Angels and Giants acquiring A-Rod filtered through the rumor cycle, as these teams did have legitimate interest in his services.  Even some eastcoast teams jumped into the fray, with the Red Sox and the Mets seeking out Boras and wondering if what could have been, could finally come to fruition this time around.  A-Rod was all but gone, as we waited and watched to see who’d eventually win the Boras Lottery.

Then, suddenly, the reports came in about A-Rod, the Yankees, and an olive branch.  Was A-Rod really telling the truth in his statement about loving New York (not the reality star, but the team).  Was he seriously taking a pay-cut to makeup for the lost Texas subsidy?  Was he really negotiating directly with the Yankees and without Scott Boras?  Eh, yes and yes, and now it seems like our team’s core will be back together for at least another few years.  But, again, how did this happen? 

Well, first, you can actually blame it on Boras, because he seriously overestimated the market for A-Rod, while simultaneously making A-Rod a hated figure in all of sports.  Of course, the market is there and will always be there for an MVP caliber 3B, however, expectations of a deal in the $300-350 million dollar range was far too high, as this asking price effectively removed the Yankees from the negotiating table.  Let’s face it, the Yankees could have–if they had really wanted to–provided A-Rod and Boras with that amount, yet you have to understand that this is the richest team in baseball.  Who else is going to present you with a similar package?  Boras found out the hard way that his numbers were simply unrealistic figures by mostly all of the teams he conferred with.

“What happened here was that his bravado got the better of him,” said Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist, an occasional consultant to the players’ union.

“Instead of pushing the envelope, he jumped zip codes. That was out of all sense of proportion, out of the grasp of the reality of the underlying economics.”

So, within a few weeks, Boras’ $300 million dollar claims had become a baseball fantasy and a form of science fiction.  Hell, you can even slot this one right in there with the Curse of the Bambino and the Cubs’ Billy Goat Myth.  Either way, A-Rod’s market value had fluctuated from “all the way up there,” to “only up there” and Boras was feeling it.  Throw in the added competition created by the Marlins and Miguel Cabrera that literally left teams salivating and there you have it–a thin market for A-Rod.

What was even worse (for Rodriguez) than Boras’ overestimation was the manner in which he implemented his hundred million dollar plan.  During the World Series, the announcement or more specifically the timing of A-Rod’s decision to opt out, essentially left everyone fuming (did you see Peter Gammons on ESPN?  Yikes.)  A-Rod, the best player in baseball, had looked like a greedy and selfish fool, instantly becoming public enemy number one, as fans created petitions, blogs and chants, disavowing A-Rod’s status in hopes that he would not sign with their team.  “What’s going on,” wondered A-Rod, although it was clear that his agent’s decisions were now beginning to hamper his overall value and tarnish the image that he had worked so hard on building.  The imagery of young Yankees fans all across the globe, waiting in line to burn their t-shirts, jerseys and baseball cards, especially bothered A-Rod.  He maybe the best ball player around, but he’s also the most insecure, and this was not a favorable situation for his “legacy”.

So, in the end, overestimations by a villainous agent, the concept of timing, the talents of a young Marlin, and the always troublesome baseball image, all came into play with the current negotiations between A-Rod and the Yankees.  Money and image were the two central themes that sparked this deflated relationship, and the fear of losing both brought Alex Rodriguez back on his knees (Red Sox fans love such imagery).  These things crafted the sitting table almost as much as the negotiations themselves.  Whereas Boras had once removed the Yankees from the negotiating table ($350 or bust), the Yankees have now returned the favor, engaging A-Rod, and only A-Rod in the ongoing discussions (although Boras is still consulting A-Rod externally).

And let’s not forget the job that the Steinbrenner sons have done thus far (and Cashman), issuing a new era of Yankees history by bringing in Joe Girardi and dumping Joe Torre, while playing hardball with the best of them (A-Rod and Scott Boras).  At least for now, they’ve truly left their mark on the future of the organization, and it hasn’t been all that bad (Hank’s endless comments are beginning to grow on me).  Mike Lupica’s article efficiently sums it up, stating that the Steinbrenner sons have “risen to the occasion,” and are filling the unfillable void left by their father–George–in classic Steinbrenner fashion.

Its all about the Yankees now, as they have dissected the egocentric agent from the picture and are working on their terms and their terms alone.  A-Rod is getting a raise, however he’s also front-loading his contract so that the team could make up for the Texas subsidy that was lost during during his World Series antics (so far, its been the only time he’s had any).  A-Rod and the Yankees know that this is an inherently good fit and are working on finalizing A-Rod’s stay.

In the grand scheme of things, they simply need each other.  Whether its A-Rod needing the Yankees in order to maximize his endorsement deals, iconic image, etc., or if its the Yankees needing A-Rod in order to maximize their sales figures, iconic image (can you say, homerun king?), etc.  It’s a win-win for both sides, as the move also enhances their chances of winning, which is–in the end–the ultimate goal had by both parties.

So here we are, waiting to see the final result of an A-Rod-Yankee negotiation (hey, this reminds me of something).  Despite this major event, which will put A-Rod in the HOF with a Yankees cap on his head, I have a feeling that the Yankees have much more to do during the winter months.  The fun really never ends when you’re a Yankees fan.  Regular, post, off, whatever the season, we’ve really got it all.