The Rodriguez situation

The news has been littered with talk of Alex Rodriguez's possible impending free agency. For a team teetering at .500 in the middle of July, this is the last thing this team needs. Whatever the Yankees decide to do with Rodriguez in November will work itself out then.

If the Yankees are serious about making a run at the Wild Card, I don't want to hear reports from the Yankees' camp that they are willing to negotiate during the season with Rodriguez and Scott Boras. Boras has since said that they are not interested in talking during the season.

In an interesting twist, Peter Abraham has reported that the idea that the Yankees would negotiate in-season was overblown.

I was told there is no chance the Yankees would negotiate with Rodriguez and not Posada and Rivera. It sounds like the Yankees just wanted it known they were interested in an extension. From both a team and personal standpoint, Alex is doing the right thing by waiting (source).

To increase the distractions, The Daily News reported today that the Yankees have told Rodriguez that if he opts out, he will not be able to re-sign with them.

A source told the Daily News that the Bombers have made it clear to A-Rod and his agent, Scott Boras, that they have no intention in taking part in a free-agent bidding war for the two-time American League MVP, and that if he chooses to opt out of his current contract and open the bidding to the rest of baseball, his days in pinstripes will be over.

Rodriguez has until 10 days after the World Series - Nov.10 at the latest - to opt out of the contract.

With the Texas Rangers, A-Rod's former team, set to contribute more than $30million to the $81 million that Rodriguez will make on the final three years of his current deal, the Yankees would be on the hook for that money if they were to sign him to a brand-new pact, as Texas would no longer be responsible for it should the contract be dissolved.

Rodriguez reiterated yesterday that he has no plans to negotiate a new deal during the season, setting up a potential showdown this fall between the Bombers and the third baseman (source).

I don't really know how true this could be, especially considering Abraham's report last night. This whole "story" is ridiculous and I just want the Yankees to concentrate on trying to win and catch the Cleveland Indians.

The last thing this struggling team needs is to be bogged-down in an ugly battle between the front office and Rodriguez in the middle of the season. Also, even though the preliminary report that the Yankees would consider negotiating in-season was "way overblown," it could still send a strong message to free agents-to-be Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. Both were told that their contracts would not be negotiated during Spring Training.

Overall, I find this whole news blitz to be a non-story.