Post by zpustka on Oct 31, 2007 17:27:42 GMT -5
What a great start to the offseason if you're a Texas Rangers fan. With Arod opting out of his contract with the yankees, the Rangers cashed in!!
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers will save $21.3 million over the next three years now that Alex Rodriguez has opted out of the remainder of his 10-year, $252 million contract with the New York Yankees.
That's how much the Rangers owed the Yankees under the terms of the trade that sent Rodriguez to New York back in February of 2004 in exchange for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and shortstop Joaquin Arias.
The Rangers' obligation has been erased after agent Scott Boras informed both the Yankees and the Players Association that Rodriguez is exercising his option to void the last three years of the contract. Boras spoke to Rangers owner Tom Hicks on Monday.
"The obvious point is it eliminates a significant debt," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday. "As far as how it impacts our offseason, I don't think it has a direct impact. We have a plan and we're going to execute our plan. It's not going to change anything we do.
"Tom has always been supportive of what we've wanted to do, whether it's investing in infrastructure or going after free agents. While we have a significant expense coming off the books, it wasn't keeping us from doing anything. We're still looking at quite a bit of improvement coming internally."
The Rangers still want to improve their outfield and could get involved with free agent center fielders Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand, among others. But the Rangers are still reluctant to plunge deeply into a free agent market that appears to be weak.
"There are some good players in there, but I don't know if it's the caliber of the last few years or in future years," Daniels said.
The 2008-09 class could be much more inviting. Among the players who could be available a year from now are pitchers Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, Joe Nathan, Ben Sheets and Jon Garland. Mark Teixeira could be among the top position players along with Adam Dunn, Jim Thome and Jason Varitek. A number of players are also sitting on options including Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, Carl Crawford and Chipper Jones.
The Rangers, who signed Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252 million contract in December 2000, before trading him to the Yankees three years later, are not planning to pursue him as a free agent this time around.
"In hindsight, it may have been better for Alex to have signed a seven year, $171 million contract, and had the pressure and media attention of the 10-year contract removed," Hicks said. "I have great respect, admiration and affection for Alex and wish him well in the next chapter of his career. I thought, when he was 24, and believe strongly today, that if he stays healthy, he will break every record for home runs and RBIs."
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers will save $21.3 million over the next three years now that Alex Rodriguez has opted out of the remainder of his 10-year, $252 million contract with the New York Yankees.
That's how much the Rangers owed the Yankees under the terms of the trade that sent Rodriguez to New York back in February of 2004 in exchange for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and shortstop Joaquin Arias.
The Rangers' obligation has been erased after agent Scott Boras informed both the Yankees and the Players Association that Rodriguez is exercising his option to void the last three years of the contract. Boras spoke to Rangers owner Tom Hicks on Monday.
"The obvious point is it eliminates a significant debt," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday. "As far as how it impacts our offseason, I don't think it has a direct impact. We have a plan and we're going to execute our plan. It's not going to change anything we do.
"Tom has always been supportive of what we've wanted to do, whether it's investing in infrastructure or going after free agents. While we have a significant expense coming off the books, it wasn't keeping us from doing anything. We're still looking at quite a bit of improvement coming internally."
The Rangers still want to improve their outfield and could get involved with free agent center fielders Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand, among others. But the Rangers are still reluctant to plunge deeply into a free agent market that appears to be weak.
"There are some good players in there, but I don't know if it's the caliber of the last few years or in future years," Daniels said.
The 2008-09 class could be much more inviting. Among the players who could be available a year from now are pitchers Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, Joe Nathan, Ben Sheets and Jon Garland. Mark Teixeira could be among the top position players along with Adam Dunn, Jim Thome and Jason Varitek. A number of players are also sitting on options including Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, Carl Crawford and Chipper Jones.
The Rangers, who signed Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252 million contract in December 2000, before trading him to the Yankees three years later, are not planning to pursue him as a free agent this time around.
"In hindsight, it may have been better for Alex to have signed a seven year, $171 million contract, and had the pressure and media attention of the 10-year contract removed," Hicks said. "I have great respect, admiration and affection for Alex and wish him well in the next chapter of his career. I thought, when he was 24, and believe strongly today, that if he stays healthy, he will break every record for home runs and RBIs."
