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Is A-Rod really worth $350mil?

So apparently A-Rod's asking price starts at $350M.

There is no question that A-Rod is the best player in the game right now, and perhaps he deserves the best pay in MLB. But I think that's just too much dough to commit to a player (probably $35M per year?). Heck he'd surpass a couple of teams' payroll (Marlins-$30M, Devil Rays-$24) by himself! And remember Lew Wolff & Co only paid $175M to buy the A's franchise.

Certainly there'll be a big-market team that could (and will) splurge on A-Rod. But is he really worth every penny of the gazillions he is asking?

Poll
A-Rod worth his asking price?
I don't care
64 votes
Every dime and penny like Tiger Woods
31 votes
Waste ala Zito (MLB) or Foyle, Briant Grant, Juwan Howard (NBA)
69 votes

164 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 38 comments

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Let me qualify my vote.

I voted for "I don't care."  It should be "I don't care, as long as he doesn't sign with the Angels."  I'd really love to see him sign with the Giants because it would guarantee that the Giants remain in Bonds-like turmoil: unable to win big or consistently, but selling out their stadium.  Maybe I'm underestimating the Giants' casual fans (the ones whom the club depends upon to fill up the park, the ones who go to "be seen," not the knowledgeable ones) but I think they'd be okay with that.  Not that they'd admit it.

by guapobob on Nov 2, 2007 4:04 PM PDT   0 recs

A-Rod to the D-Rays!

Twenty reasons why.

  1. Yes, you can play shortstop. The rest of the infield is willing to be called "the Rodettes."
  1. If you want, you can rename the rings of the catwalk. You could call the big one "Alex." You could call the small one "Derek." Just for old time's sake.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Nov 2, 2007 5:58 PM PDT   0 recs

Like his present contract:

It'll be ridiculous when he signs it, but by the end it'll be a steal.

And his contract will float all the others.

We should play Jack Cust at shortstop for a week, just so we can feel good about Crosby again.

by Ozzz on Nov 3, 2007 12:52 AM PDT   0 recs

Contract will be fine for first 3 years or so

But the man's 32 years old. He won't be worth $35 million when he's a 40 year old DH.

by MrIncognito on Nov 3, 2007 3:04 AM PDT   0 recs

hey may be

As an all time home run champ and gate draw, he might be worth that even as a 40 year old DH.

Rickey Henderson: 35, 24, hall of fame!

by Athletics fan and runner on Nov 3, 2007 7:29 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

exactly what I'd been thinking

"box office draw" or not, paying that much out even to a great player may cripple a team's ability to address other needs -- in his declining years it may end up being the mother of all albatross contracts.

by OaklandSi on Nov 3, 2007 8:40 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Buster Olney,

Yankees shill.

On Sunday, Minaya ticked off a list of candidates to join the rotation, and for once this season, none of them was Jose Lima.

by rfloh on Nov 3, 2007 9:33 AM PDT   0 recs

If someone's willing to pay it, then the

obvious answer is yes.

That said, whoever does pay it is foolish. Nobody is worth that kind of money.

by OldhamA on Nov 3, 2007 10:08 AM PDT   0 recs

How so? If someone is willing to pay the

guy the money then he's obviously worth the money - it's a free market.

However, anyone willing to pay him that much money is foolish.

by OldhamA on Nov 4, 2007 3:11 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Re-read what you wrote...
  1. "If someone's willing to pay it, then the obvious answer is yes."
  1. "Nobody is worth that kind of money."

Your words, not mine.

Even in your follow-up, you say "...then he's obviously worth the money...", then call anyone who pays that much "foolish".

If he's worth it, the person paying isn't foolish.  If the person was foolish, then he wasn't worth it.

Which is it?

by UncleLeo on Nov 6, 2007 7:44 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I have a different "obvious answer"

If you can afford it like I can afford to go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner (which I can), then he's worth it. If you can afford it like I can afford to buy a Beverly Hills home and a new Mercedes (it would put me into crippling debt), then he's not worth it.

Bill Gates spends $350million about like I spend $350.00. So whether it's a good investment to spend a certain amount of money depends a lot on what spending that kind of money means to you.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 3, 2007 11:33 AM PDT   0 recs

Short answer...

...no.  My humble opinion, of course.

Personally, I hope he ends up being forced to sign for less per year than he was getting already.  It would amuse me to no end to see Boras eat crow like that.

If the highest offer is less (and that's why players hire Boras... to get the most money), what's he gonna do?  Sit out a season?  Phfft!  I don't think so.

by UncleLeo on Nov 3, 2007 1:16 PM PDT   0 recs

Not going to happen.

Boras didn't make this move without already knowing what he can get for A-rod.  As much as I agree with your sentiment, Boras is much too good at what he does to screw up the contract of the best player in baseball. You can bet the farm that A-Rod will end up with an unbelievably sweet contract before ST.  

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Nov 3, 2007 1:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Of course, it wouldn't be collusion

if 30 teams simply all agreed, "You're not worth more than you were already getting paid. No player is." One can dream.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 3, 2007 3:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I won't hold my breath...

...that he'll be forced to sign for less, but I sure hope so.  As with almost everything, at some point there's a breaking point.  Even in baseball contracts, I believe.  Will be interesting to see if this is it.

I believe that what may be the factor that proves his undoing is the length of the contract being demanded extending so far into advanced age.  Easy enough to justify a contact ending at 35-ish, but 40+/-?  More and more players are performing better at those ages, but it's still not a certainty.

by UncleLeo on Nov 3, 2007 10:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Interestinly enough,

In A-Rod's case, him being 40ish will probably be used as as selling point for a long term deal.  He will be approaching the record and can be counted on to fill the stands.  Assuming he doesn't take up residence in the Ken Griffey ward, he could conceivably be approaching the record at about the same time Bonds is being inducted into the HOF.  How's that for poetic justice?

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Nov 4, 2007 4:07 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

"Worth"

How do you determine that? In our society, it's free market, period. If someone will pay him, yes, apparently he's "worth" it.

As to whether any of us believe he's worth it, that's kind of a silly question because none of us are in the position to validate that worth or not in the realm he plays. Worth ulitmately has to do with freedom and choice. Anyone who has the the money and is in the position to do so is free to make the choice to pay A-Rod (or anyone else) whatever he or she thinks he's worth.

Now, if the question is, "do you think "X" is too much money to pay A-Rod?" you've the nature of the question because we're no longer talking about A-Rod's worth, we're talking about how we feel about what he's making. Further, the question of the worth of the game at all, to each of us, is raised. Valid questions.

A-Rod's individual worth, however, is not ours to determine in this situation because no one here is in position to make that financial judgment. If you dislike like what he's being paid enough,  you could always say, it's not worth it for me to watch this sport and pull the plug on your viewership of it. The question is, is your anger over his salary and all the impact it has on the game, worth it for you to do something other than just complain about it?

Because as long as we're watching, salaries ain't goin' nowhere but up. The rest of this "worth" question is so much hot air.

by princemilo on Nov 3, 2007 9:37 PM PDT   0 recs

Perhaps all this uncertainty about

his worth is why A-Rod needs so much time in the therapist's office. :-(

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 3, 2007 10:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

the following are FRANCHISES valued under 350MM

according to Forbes:

Toronto Blue Jays
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Cincinnati Reds
Oakland Athletics
Minnesota Twins
Milwaukee Brewers
Kansas City Royals
Pittsburgh Pirates
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Florida Marlins

just food for thought...

"Just looking at Lackey's face, you just want to beat him" -Ray Fosse

by marco magic on Nov 3, 2007 10:24 PM PDT   0 recs

I don't think he'll get $350m ....

I'd expect him to get more in the neighborhood of 6-8 x $30m.

And, yes, I absolutely think he's worth it. I very much believe that the A's should be a very serious player in the bidding. Between the talent he'd bring to the club and the dramatic market shift he'd bring, he'd be worth it.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 4, 2007 1:15 AM PDT   0 recs

Worth the money, but not the years.

I think that in terms of annual salary, there isn't really a ceiling to A-Rod's worth.  However, I've heard 12 years being floated by Boras as the number of the years for the deal.  That's insane.  He'll be 44 by the time that deal is over.

If the deal really does end up being like devo describes above this post, then I agree he's worth that much, and I agree that he'd be worth pursuing by the A's by that price, even though it's never going to happen.

So it goes.

by jeepers on Nov 4, 2007 7:50 AM PDT   0 recs

If it were November, 2010,

it would make more sense for the A's to covet A-Rod, who would be more guaranteed to pay for himself through the A's becoming a strong WS contender enshrining a new ballpark. But the timing is not right for the A's.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 4, 2007 9:28 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Maybe so.

I guess they can't count on the new ballpark at this point.

So it goes.

by jeepers on Nov 4, 2007 10:44 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I disagree ...

I think the timing is perfect. Assuming the new park is actually coming, the A's have a huge opportunity right now to beat the Giants  while they're down and assume first team status in the region. The opportunity may never come again.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 4, 2007 12:05 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

A-Rod and Boras hold the game hostage.....again

  This offseason, we will see a replay of Pay-Rod's last free-agent honeymoon, which defined the financial stratosphere at that time at ONE QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS for 10 years. Now Scott the Snake is ready to do it again...of course he can get A-Rod overpaid by $150m---he got Zito overpaid by $75m, didn't he?
  If the Yankees had any backbone at all, which they don't, they would boycott Scott Boras, refusing to deal with any of his clients. Those clients, sensing themselves cut off from the most prodigious money pipeline of all time, would then jump ship and leave poor Scotty out of work. In a perfect world...

by kitoko on Nov 5, 2007 6:56 PM PST   0 recs

A-Rod is...

Without a doubt the best player of our era, perhaps all time.  He is a legit Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, MVP, and 40/40 canidate.  I have to say, I really don't think that there should be a player in all of Major Leage Baseball that should be paid that much, but if it is going to happen there isn't a better choice then A-Rod.  Let's just hope he stays out of the AL west.

"SLAMALAMMA DING-DONG!" -Joe Buck

by smartkidfromcarmel on Nov 6, 2007 9:25 AM PST   0 recs

He was a legit ...

Gold Glove and 40/40 candidate.

He is not anymore.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 6, 2007 10:17 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Gold Glove 40/40

I think that both are realistic goals for A-rod.  I don't think he will win a Gold Glove at 3rd, but he is still a good SS.  As for the 40/40, he is capable, but nobody who is paying him 30 million a year is going to want him risking himself by stealing bases.  He has the speed and the ability, just not the opportunity.

"SLAMALAMMA DING-DONG!" -Joe Buck

by smartkidfromcarmel on Nov 7, 2007 9:27 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

You're dreaming ...

if you think A-Rod is still a gold glover at short. He's slowed down a lot over the last few years. Third base is an easier position than short. I'll accept an initial fall-off, due to learning the new position, but at this point, it's clear he just isn't that good defensively anymore.

If he wanted to steal 40 bags, he probably could. But he'd get caught 30 times in the process. Even if he did it, I wouldn't accept that as legit.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 7, 2007 3:38 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

You'd want an asterisk?

"Yeah, sure, he stole 40 bases but it took him 70 tries. Cheater!!!"

I feel that way about Rogers Hornsby hitting .424. Sure, it was an all-time record but he still got out more than half the time!!!

OK, I might be channeling a little too much Cindi tonight.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 7, 2007 9:06 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I wouldn't want an asterisk ...

but I wouldn't speak glowingly of it to my children and the achievement would go down (rightfully) as a strike against A-Rod, who would be playing for his stats against the good of the team.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 8, 2007 9:50 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

"Best player of...perhaps all time"?

Until A-Rod learns how to pitch, I'm going with Babe Ruth!

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 6, 2007 7:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Until Babe Ruth learns to play ...

some of the best center field ever, I'm going with Terrence Long ... wow ... I mean, Willie Mays.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 6, 2007 9:52 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

We're agreed: Gary Pettis.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 6, 2007 10:05 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Oh, what could have been ...

he hit 4 home runs in his first 90 ABs ...

And then over the next 3,539 he hit another 17 more.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Nov 6, 2007 10:41 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I know - after the long wait

between #4 and #5 I gave up and stopped bringing signs to the games. Anyone need some signs numbered 5-756 for anything?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 7, 2007 8:05 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

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