Wednesday, April 23, 2014

30 for 30 Review: The Deal

So I am watching the latest 30 for 30 after the Red Sox won Pine Tar Game 2 over the Yankees and it just so happens to be about THE DEAL, as in the deal that SHOULD have sent Alex Rodriguez to the Red Sox after the 2003 season.

At the end of 2003, the Red Sox were the "also-ran" team in the AL having lost the ALCS to the Yankees off of an Aaron Boone walk-off home run in Game 7.  The Yankees had just lost a heartbreaking World Series to Josh Beckett and the 2-time World Series Champs Florida Marlins in Game 6 (still can't believe I watched that in person).

In 2000, Alex Rodriguez signed a free agent contract worth 252 million over 10 years, exactly double the largest professional sports contract in the history of sports contracts.  A-Rod was still owed $179 million over 7 years and would only agree to be traded to Boston or New York.

The Yankees got first shot at Alex but passed as they were still the top of the AL, had a $180 million payroll, and oh yeah had this superstar shortstop named Derek Jeter.  John Hart of the Rangers let Cash man know that he would be going to the Sox next and Brian told him he understood.

At this point Theo Epstein worked out a way to get A-Rod by basically trading Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jon Lester for A-Rod, Magglio Ordonez, and Brandon McCarthy using the White Sox as a third party in the deal.  All that had to be done was for A-Rod to renegotiate his mega-deal and to have the union approve it.

On December 17, 2003, that deal between the Rangers and Red Sox was turned down by the MLBPA.  I remember that day vividly as just a few days prior we were all but certain he was heading to the Sox.  This was just another shot to Boston who had let Ruth go 80 plus years prior and hadn't seen any success since.

Alex Rodriguez wanted to be the second coming of Ted Williams and bring World Series rings to Boston.  Boston was ready for it to happen (just ask Kevin Millar).  But alas...it wasn't to be.  Poor Larry Luchino!

Enter KHARMA.

Aaron Freaking Boone decides to injure himself playing basketball and all of a sudden the Yankees need a third baseman.

Enter THE BOSS.

Brian Cashman didn't want A-Rod...let's be clear on that.  January 25th...Cash has dinner at an event next to Alex and the rest is history as The Boss coveted players of A-Rod's abilities and hype.

The deal the Yankees make is to send Alfonso Soriano and "another player" to Texas (that player was Arias instead of Cano...whoops) for A-Rod and cash to satisfy the MLBPA and MLB.  This effectively reduced the Yanks part of A-Rod's contract by $67 million.  The deal was done and the Yankees won...or did they?

By the end of the 2004 season it appeared that the Red Sox had gotten the last laugh having secured the employment of Curt Schilling and his bloody sock...the Yankees went up 3-0 on the Sox in the 2004 ALCS only to see A-Rod's bat go cold and the Yanks become the first team ever to lose a 7 game series being up 3-0 and then watch their bitter "rivals" erase the curse and win the World Series.

Was this the reverse curse of the A-Rod?

Another huge contract, disappointing playoff series vs the Tigers, a comeback to win the 2009 series, and all of the steroid drama and 2014 suspension later, I guess that depends on which team you are rooting for.  Isn't this rivalry great?


4 comments:

  1. F$#!ing Boone! Say what you want about The Boss, but if Boone didn't blow his knee out, we wouldn't have needed to make that deal. Having the MLBPA reject the Sox deal was the best thing that happens to them. YOU'RE WELCOME BOSTON!

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  2. It's all A Rod's fault. The game of basketball he played was probably against Alex and he sabotaged him.

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  3. ROBERT PESA......great first impression, with your first post here, at Greedy Pinstripes.
    I'm sure Aaron Boone may want to address you, in the same way you dumb way, you addressed him.

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    1. It is all Boone's fault though. It was written into his contract not to play basketball and knew it and he did it anyway. Sounds like Pineda with pine tar.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)