The Yankees apparently have decided to tear up traditions all around the place, starting with the giving the Rocket the family package and now saying they are willing to discuss a contract extension with A-Rod mid season. Which they never have done for anyone, not even Mariano Rivera. While I personally think that their attempts to extend Arod will be futile, as he would be stupid not to test the open market and see if he can get another criminal Ranger-esque deal, I understand their desire to at least give it a go.I do have one large question regarding their contract talks which I myself can not answer. The Yankees currently have a deal in place after the Rangers trade whereby the Rangers organization is responsible for paying 29 million dollars over those three years. I already wondered whether Hicks could pay off Arod to opt out, which is almost surely illegal. Now, I have another question. In order to extend Arod one would assume that he would request not just a simple extension but rather an extension plus an increase in pay over the remaining three years of the contract, and I wonder how, legally speaking, this plays into the money Tom Hicks owes. If you rework a contract is it considered an entirely new contract? If they were only able to give Arod a true extension then one would have to assume it would be highly backloaded meaning the Yanks would probably be paying him in the mid 30s in his final year, ouch.
I need a lawyers knowledge or the folks at I Want to Be a Sports Agent for the answer.
Comments
The whole A-Rod issue has Buster Olney drinking 10 red bulls a day, but as you say, it looks like A-Rod will not bite on the Yankees offer to discuss an extension before the year is over. In fact, A-Rod's agent, Scott Boras, has already told the media that he is not interested in talking with the Yankees until the end of the season.
That being said, you bring up the money that is owed to A-Rod by the Rangers. If A-Rod OPTS OUT of a contract, that means that he forfeits whatever money WOULD HAVE been given to him if he decided to fulfill the original terms of the contract.
Next year, A-Rod is due $16 million from the Yankees and $8 million from the Rangers IF he does not OPT OUT of his current contract with the Yankees. If he does opt out, he does not collect the $24 million that he is owed, and will instead probably sign a $30 million contract with some other major market team. Is the $6 million or so worth it to A-Rod? Maybe. Tom Hicks sure hopes so, because then he saves a great chunk of moolah.
But I think the key thing to remember is that this whole issue is about breaking a contract. A-Rod has the right to break his contract (opt out), which would make the whole thing null and void. If the clause about Hicks paying a portion of the contract is within that contract, then that gets struck as well. If the contract remains in tact and the Yankees just offer some additional money, then Hicks would still be responsible for his end of the deal.
I'm no lawyer, but I hope that helps.
Thanks for the link to I Want to be a Sports Agent! :)