Alex Rodriguez is many things – talented, controversial, gifted, polarizing, etc. – but he never was a Boston Red Sox, although that nearly happened, too, after the 2003 season.
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As we look back on A-Rod’s career after the announcement that he will play his final game with the New York Yankees on Friday, we are reminded of the time the Sox nearly landed the then-shortstop in a trade. “I love this game and I love this team”, he said, often choking up. We all want to play forever. “But it doesn’t work that way”, Rodriguez said, openly weeping.
Rodriguez started his big league career with Seattle in 1994 and signed a $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas before the 2001 season. Rodriguez, who is still due approximately $27 million over the remainder of his contract, will be unconditionally released after the August 12 game, but he’ll still stick around the organization as an instructor and special advisor through December 31, 2017 while receiving his full payment.
Rodriguez said the agreement arose out of conversations over the past few days with Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. The news surprised him.
Major League Baseball suspended him on August 5, 2013, for the remainder of that season and all of 2014 for violations of baseball’s drug and labor contract caused by use and possession of numerous prohibited performance-enhancing substances and attempting to cover up his violations.
The broadcast home for A-Rod’s final game has not been announced. He emerged as a bona fide star in 1996, batting.358/.414/.631 with 36 home runs on his way to finishing second in the vote for American League MVP to Juan Gonzalez of Texas. Upset about A-Rod missing the 2014 season, the Yankees balked at paying the bonus, and the team and Rodriguez eventually agreed to a deal that allowed the money to be donated to charity. In 2009, the last time the Yankees won the World Series, Rodriguez hit.365 with 6 HRs and 18 RBIs in the postseason. “I’m obviously disappointed but I’m also at peace with their decision”.
The average resale ticket price for the New York Yankees game on Friday skyrocketed more than 500% after Alex Rodriguez said Sunday that it’ll be his last, according to TiqIQ, which tracks the price of online ticket listings.
Rodriguez has hit just.204 this season in 62 games. Cashman said no club has called the Yankees to discuss interest in a trade for Rodriguez, who never used the word “retire” during his press conference. Veteran first baseman Mark Teixeira announced Friday that he would retire at the end of the season. “If he wants to play in every game, I’ll find a way”.
“I have not thought past the pinstripes”, said Rodriguez.
“We’re going to look forward to him impacting our younger players”, general manager Brian Cashman said.
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“As far as milestones”, he said, “I would have had an unbelievable time trying to go after them…” The team struggled with A-Rod, and Texas traded him to the Boston Red Sox in 2003. That puts the Yankees’ total cost for A-Rod at $336 million.
