With everything else going on during this young
season so far, one would think the Yankees front office might want to turn
their attention elsewhere, but alas, the A-Rod fracas does not let up.
During the offseason, word was circulating that the
Yankees were going to refuse to honor some of their contractual obligations to
Alex Rodriguez. At the time, I thought nothing of the reports. However, since
then the reports have gained more traction considering A-Rod is performing much
better than anyone expected.
A-Rod is only five home runs shy of tying Willie
Mays and six shy of passing him on the all-time home run list. When A-Rod
passes him, the Yankees will owe their troubled third baseman a six million
dollar bonus. The Yankees have no interest in paying him the “bonus money” as
they perceive the milestones tainted and not marketable anymore since he used
(and just served the biggest PED-related suspension) in MLB history.
While the Yankees are right in the milestones are
forever tainted, they still have no choice, but to pay him the money and honor
the terms of his contract. The team has no legal grounds to not pay him the
“bonus money” unless they specifically included a clause in his contract.
Regardless, of how many home runs A-Rod hits in the rest of his beleaguered
career, baseball purists still believe Hank Aaron is the all-time home run
king. (A-Rod told Barry Bonds when they were training this past off-season that
he wants to break his home-run record). The Yankees should just grudgingly pay
A-Rod and avoid creating another witch-hunt. It does not the help their case
that A-Rod is leading their struggling offense in the early stages of the
season! But more about that later…
C’mon Yankees brass, let it go and turn your
attention to the many other issues facing your not very effective team right
now.
A Rod gets the money for tying, not passing, Willie Mays just like he gets it for tying Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. He only gets money for passing Bonds.
ReplyDeleteAlso it's a separate marketing contract that these were written into, not his player contract. The Yankees had some wording in there that I am drawing a blank on that basically left it up to their discretion whether it's a milestone or not. Obviously contract language will be fought either way but to say the Yankees have no grounds is incorrect unfortunately.
I agree, pay the man and be done. He isn't going to tie Ruth let alone Bonds so what's another $6 million down the drain when you're a $3.2 billion industry.
Well, he is another HR closer, so it won't be long for this thing to play itself out. I don't think it makes any sense for the Yankees to object to paying him the money. They wrote the contract I never heard anything saying A-Rod asked for it.
DeleteIt's a separate contract though which was specifically for marketing. A Rod is no longer marketable. That's the Yankees stance and they are right.
DeleteFrom what I have heard fans are still buying his stuff. The fans are coming out to see who? Who has the name other than A-Rod and Tank? As long as A-Rod is helping the team win the fans will forgive him...hell, we had a pitcher the was suspended 4 times for using Hard Drugs and Strawberry, along with Doc Gooding were just as bad.
DeleteI just don't see the Players Union letting this thing go, not because of A-Rod but there are many other players with the same type of contracts, what about them? If A-Rod gets shut-out, what will stop other teams from doing the same thing?
The Union won't let it go, they have said as much. Problem is I don't think a huge amount of fans are coming out solely to see A Rod. I'm sure his jersey sales and merchandise has tanked, if you don't believe that then I think you're stretching.
DeleteA Rod's marketing contract might not have been the first of it's kind, and it may have I really don't know, but I don't think it's going to set any sort of precedence.
I didn't realize A-Rod had a separate marketing contract, in addition to his player contract. Thanks for correcting me.
DeleteWell, I don't say it is a huge market, I'm just saying other than he and Tank we don't have a well-named player, and many fans have long ago passed on the hate A-Rod thing.
DeleteUnless the Yankees have it worded to not pay for any reason other than...just because they don't think they are making money off his stuff...they are sh-t out of luck. No matter the reason they give, I still say they will lose even if they win.
As much as I disapprove of A-Rod as a person, it takes guts to come back after what he put himself through. Knowing the management wants him to just go away, and all the anonymosity from the media and some players. He has more money than he will ever need as it is, this is just an "I'll show you" for doubting me and my talent (Ego)!
And anyone that thinks he needed those drugs, is a little short on knowledge. (My opinion) Just being stupid and letting your Ego control your actions is the biggest mistake he ever made. What a wast!
I personally think A Rod ranks about with Stephen Drew right now, I could be overreacting though. You're going to have people who buy his stuff just to be overly supportive, myself included, but for the most part not many people like A Rod enough to wear his jersey.
DeleteThe Yankees are showing the baseball world just how petty and cheap they are going down this road.
ReplyDeleteThe guy comes in, after all his troubles and is doing what they pay him for, but they are too cheap and childish to see when to hold'um and when to fold'um...it's time to fold'um Hal!
We all admit A-Rod did the deed but, he did the time for his misdeed...you are going where you really don't want to go...even if you win, you will lose in the long run. Players like working for a team that has their back, not a team that will turn on them like a three-headed snake.
The Yankees were once the class of baseball, now we see the next generation little rich kids, playing out of their league. They remind me of some kids I know all too well, they have it all and don't know how to relate to those that work for them. Although, they learned real fast, their dad was a real hard ass, so they said.