35 replies to this topic

[Corsi]

Exclusive: Yanks, Marlins Talk A-Rod Trade

The New York Yankees have held discussions with the Miami Marlins about a trade involving their third baseman in crisis, Alex Rodriguez.

Sources close to both organizations confirm the Yankees would pay all – or virtually all – of the $114,000,000 Rodriguez is owed in a contract that runs through the rest of this season and the next five. One alternative scenario has also been discussed in which the Yankees would pay less of Rodriguez’s salary, but would obtain the troubled Marlins’ reliever Heath Bell and pay what remains of the three-year, $27,000,000 deal Bell signed last winter.

None of the sources could give an indication as to how serious the discussions have already gotten, but one of them close to the Marlins’ ownership said he believed the trade made sense for both sides, and would eventually be made in some form.

http://keitholberman...lk-a-rod-trade/

[glennhoffmania]

Who would be responsible for all of his HR bonuses?

I'd love to see ARod veto the trade if it actually did happen.

[wutang112878]

And I thought the Crawford, Gonzo, Beckett deal was crazy. It would be amazing and awesome to see the Yankees pay north of $100M to just make A-Rod go away.

[LeoCarrillo]

I was thinking Tampa made sense. He'd be able to DH. It's still close to his home in Florida (if that matters much). They could use the sideshow to sell tickets. And competitively, it makes sense for a low-cash team that's perenially short a bat to give A-Rod a try at maybe $4M per. (I mean, they took fliers on Damon and Manny.)

Plus it'd be a nice bonus slappy across A-Rod's face to give him away to a division rival.

[brs3]

Surprised that the Marlins are in play. For a guy who started almost a third of his 2012 at DH, and hasn't played more than 89 games in the field in 2 years, going to the NL seems like a huge mistake.

So, I guess it does sort of make sense that the Marlins are in play.

[Trlicek's Whip]

I don't see how ARod lasts on the field for the run of the contract without the DH safety net.

Very short-sighted GFIN move for the Marlins. After a slight bounce of season ticket sales the FO anticipates after landing A-Rod, they'd likely end up with 4+ years of steady-to-rapid decline.

[mt8thsw9th]

I was thinking Tampa made sense. He'd be able to DH. It's still close to his home in Florida (if that matters much). They could use the sideshow to sell tickets. And competitively, it makes sense for a low-cash team that's perenially short a bat to give A-Rod a try at maybe $4M per. (I mean, they took fliers on Damon and Manny.)

Plus it'd be a nice bonus slappy across A-Rod's face to give him away to a division rival.

ARod wouldn't sell tickets for Tampa. He's a washed-up player who isn't particularly loved by the Yankee fans in the Tampa area, and he's a Yankee who likely isn't loved by the fans of the Rays. They would be better off spending even $4 million elsewhere, like putting the money into a piggy bank to help build a stadium located in an accessible area.

[Ramon AC]

Kind of brutal that this is being leaked while the Yankees are still alive. I can't imagine this helps the atmosphere surrounding The Rod's current team just now...

[collings94]

A-Rod's production is way down and he can't stay on the field, so what exactly is keeping him in the MLB? Cash?

If the Yanks ate all that money they would be paying more money to make A-rod go away then 21 teams opening day payrolls. This is why I thought the Pujols contract was weird. Even if a player is great, giving them a 10 year contract after their 30 and they can end up like this.

[Mike Greenwall]

^{If the Yankees are going to pick up the majority of the salary, I'm sure there will be more teams interested in a free 112 OPS+ player, who plays a passable 3B. Is Luis Cruz the future in LA?}

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Can we consider the source here for a second...when was the last time Keith Olbermann broke any sports story? Did he even break stories when he was at ESPN, or did he just read stories from the teleprompter that other people (field reporters, producers, etc) broke?

Maybe this conversation between the Yankees and Marlins took place around the deadline in July, and went nowhere, and Olbermann caught wind of it third-hand or something. I have a really really hard time buying that anyone with any pull at all in the Yankee front office is having these kinds of discussions now, while the team is still technically alive in the post-season. Frankly, I'm not buying it at all.

[Joe D Reid]

The Tampa thing would be hilarious if the Yankees paid full freight, because the $114M left on his contract over the next five years is more than Tampa's combined payroll obligations to every single other player on its roster over those five years (which, per Cot's, is a little over $104M).

EDIT: Oh, Jesus, it's even funnier--I was looking at the wrong column and included Tampa's current year payroll. The five-yeaer future obligations total just under $44M.

Edited by Joe D Reid, 17 October 2012 - 02:28 PM.

[TheoShmeo]

Kind of brutal that this is being leaked while the Yankees are still alive. I can't imagine this helps the atmosphere surrounding The Rod's current team just now...

You say that like it's a negative thing.

Edited by TheoShmeo, 17 October 2012 - 03:05 PM.

[bankshot1]

^{If the Yankees are going to pick up the majority of the salary, I'm sure there will be more teams interested in a free 112 OPS+ player, who plays a passable 3B. Is Luis Cruz the future in LA?}

While this trade seems far-fetched, perhaps, as a 10-5 guy, Miami is one of the few teams that ARod might approve a trade to.

[Rasputin]

Surprised that the Marlins are in play. For a guy who started almost a third of his 2012 at DH, and hasn't played more than 89 games in the field in 2 years, going to the NL seems like a huge mistake.

So, I guess it does sort of make sense that the Marlins are in play.

Depends on how cheap he is.

I rather suspect that if this deal does happen, the bulk of the money Miami is slated to pay will come in later years.

[StuckOnYouk]

Would this still cost the Yanks regarding the 189 luxury tax number they're trying to get under in 2014? I assume if they're paying say 18 mil of his 25 mil a year that the 18 mil would still count as part of the 189 number, no?

[bankshot1]

from Francesa: Cashman-"story is false"

[SoxScout]

Joelsherman1: Cashman told me story that #Yankees talked to #Marlins about A-Rod is "false." when pressed and asked even 1 conversation, GM said "None."

[someoneanywhere]

Kind of brutal that this is being leaked while the Yankees are still alive. I can't imagine this helps the atmosphere surrounding The Rod's current team just now...

Because, you know, news about A-Rod never breaks in the postseason. Gotta be Boras-karma.

[MentalDisabldLst]

He may not be worth his 2007 deal, but had he played out all of its 10 years, he might somehow have been worth his original 2001-2010, $25/year deal with Texas. Still pretty incredible.

Watching him squirm is fun, but thinking about how much money the Yankees are paying for him to sit on the bench and do his lipstick is even more fun.

[Trotsky]

Would this still cost the Yanks regarding the 189 luxury tax number they're trying to get under in 2014? I assume if they're paying say 18 mil of his 25 mil a year that the 18 mil would still count as part of the 189 number, no?

It would.

[Freddy Linn]

Cashman wasn't part of the conversation, it was between Levine and Loria.

According to the source, Loria said in his conversation about A-Rod with Levine, "Alex is Mr. Miami, it would be great if he played here for us."

To which Levine is said to have replied, "You can have him."

A second source with knowledge of Rodriguez' thinking said the likely only place Rodriguez eventually would accept a trade to is Miami. Rodriguez has five years and $114 million remaining on his contract, not including milestone home run bonuses.

Levine, however, refused to comment on the conversation with Loria, and when asked if he would look to shop Rodriguez in the offseason, said, "That's something we would need to discuss."

[jon abbey]

That conversation was in April, according to the Rosenthal article just posted.

I don't believe that NY would agree to pick up most of the money in a move like this, but I'm sure they'd love to move him if the other team would pick up half the money.

[Marbleheader]

Now that Arod has become Giambi Part II, can't you see them dumping Arod then signing Hamilton to a ridiculous deal to continue the trend?

[Rasputin]

Now that Arod has become Giambi Part II, can't you see them dumping Arod then signing Hamilton to a ridiculous deal to continue the trend?

Yes, yes I can.

[E5 Yaz]

Now that Arod has become Giambi Part II, can't you see them dumping Arod then signing Hamilton to a ridiculous deal to continue the trend?

Send that to Olbermann in an e-mail, so he can break the story.

I don't think there's any surprise in the Yankees investigating whether ARod will approve a deal out of town. It all comes down to the numbers. Likely, as was said, the home run incentives ... which any team would want the Yankees to be responsible for, even though they seem less likely these days

[mabrowndog]

[Lose Remerswaal]

Cashman denied the story?

Wow.

I expected him to confirm it.

[TheoShmeo]

And indeed, that denial is confirmation. Thanks, Brian.

[E5 Yaz]

One more thing doesn't add up: If this was really chatter in April, it couldn't have included talk of Heath Bell (he hadn't worn out his welcome yet).

[gtg807y]

It'll be pretty memorable when he breaks the all-time HR record and that stupid Miami home run sculpture is going off in the background. Oddly fitting, too.

[doc]

If they are going to eat most of the cash owed just waive him, it's a sunk cost anyway.

[jon abbey]

One more thing doesn't add up: If this was really chatter in April, it couldn't have included talk of Heath Bell (he hadn't worn out his welcome yet).

That is combining two versions of the story, here is Heyman's take:

http://www.cbssports...-not-yet-anyway

[hbk72777]

from Francesa: Cashman-"story is false"

Cashman always trolls Francesa. He really would screw with Russo's head when he was still there.

[DanoooME]

Miami has holes at 3B (with Hanley gone) and 1B (unless they move Logan Morrison there), so it's not like they don't have options for places to put him. 1B would probably be the best option for them especially if they make the deal early in the offseason, so he has a few months to practice there.

Hey, the Sox basically have an opening at 1B. If the Yanks picked up all the freight....

<ducks>

[jon abbey]

This USA Today piece cites someone close to A-Rod and says he won't ask for a trade, but he won't stand in the way of one to another big-market club.

http://www.usatoday....engale/1639977/