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Originally Posted by djtestudo
He's also not going to get that money.
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I'll be very surprised if he even gets the $25 million he was making.
I know if Castellini or Dolan were to open their wallets and try to get A-Rod I would boycott the team. The Reds could use an A-Rod type hitter but they need the pitching far far more (a nice fit would be Wood perhaps)..... The Tribe is decent and although they most likely will lose Blake and need a 3rd baseman A-Rod would poison the clubhouse.
Teams totally out because of finances or other reasons (like intelligent GM's): Minnesota, KC, Texas (wouldn't do it if they only had to pay him a $1... the fans hate A-Rod too much, exaggerated but you get my point), Oakland, Pitt, Houston, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee, Cincy, Cleveland, Toronto, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, San Diego.
Teams that will be mentioned in rumors but won't truly be wanting him:
The Dodgers, I don't see it helping them, the key to the Dodgers has ALWAYS been pitching and will always hopefully be pitching, they live in one of the most pitcher friendly stadiums ever built. A-Rod would take away any chance of them building a truly strong pitching staff.... I see them saving the money next year for Johan. I really just don't see the Dodgers doing it, it doesn't make sense there.
The Angels have too much baggage and have been burnt badly by giving players contracts that the player isn't worth. Plus, they have a very respectable offense now. To add a non-team player into the mix doesn't make sense. Plus, the Angels biggest weakness is pitching not bats. To add A-Rod they would have to get rid of Guerrero, and move Cabrera or Figgins and I think that would be too much for a team that seems to have a very good chemistry and team environment. Plus, they have a great mix of young studs and veterans.... No A-Rod here.
Atlanta simply put can't afford him, AOL/Time Warner just won't put that much into the team, they can't afford to. IF the Braves do go after a high priced hitter my feeling is it will be Griffey.
Philly has too many studs getting ready to blossom and will be wanting money. Where are they going to put Helms or Rollins? I see them saving the money, if they want to spend they'll do it in house and sign Howard, Utley, Helms and Rollins. Philly desperately needs a catcher, Center Fielder and PITCHING if they plan to go anywhere. A-Rod just doesn't fit.
Baltimore.... it's just a mess there until they get a new owner they're stuck in the sewer. Angelos may spend the money, only because he wants to outdraw Washington but.... he will drive the death nail into that team for a generation and MLB would frown upon it because it could in turn kill the Washington franchise's base. (Good way for Angelos to kind of blackmail MLB though... threaten to do this.)
Boston... just don't see it. I think they maybe tempted but they already have a huge payroll and adding A-Rod to Papi and Manny while making it the best lineup possibly ever... would have WAY WAY too much invested in older players in decline, I think it would have too many ego and pampered star attitudes and totally destroy the team. This is another team that needs to focus on pitching and promoting it's up and comers like Youkilis, Ellsbury and Pedroia.
Da Cubs.... not a chance, they need PITCHING, they are in limbo because they are for sale and there isn't a prayer.
ChiSox... too many veterans making way too much now. I see them as sellers in the trading market trying to rebuild the next few years... all A-Rod would do is eat up resource money that they need to put into their farm system and scouting.
Detroit possibly, but doubtful. The money just isn't in the community (their gate) for them to justify the spending, plus this is another team that needs too many pieces and putting all that money into one piece won't win them anything.
Florida, the owner is the old Montreal Expo owner, and he will no not spend the money. If he does, he does so only to appeal to the Carribean, Cuban, Hispanic community hoping to increase interest in a town that really has none. If he signs A-Rod, he does so pretty much knowing he'll trade A-Rod after a season or 2 and it'll probably cost the franchise to fold or move... it would totally destroy baseball in Miami... MLB won't let that happen.
The Mets, while I am sure they would love to upstage the Yankees, again, they are in desperate need for pitching and need to fill positions like catcher, their outfield (except RF Beltran... although he's not what he was).... their ONLY strengths right now are 3B Wright and SS Reyes. They could move Reyes to 2B I guess..... but.....wow, that would ensure they go nowhere for awhile, as their pitching and age would be too much to overcome.
The Giants.... great fit, good way to replace Bonds, but this is another team that his contract would destroy and SF is in need of wins or losing the fan base. If anything, I see the love/hate with Barry continuing and no A-Rod here. Too expensive.
Seattle.... could use him at 3B but their pitching is in shambles and I don't see the fans as being eager to get him back. This is another team I could see going more for Griffey. I just don't see them even talking to Boras about A-Rod.
St. Louis wants pitching. Brendan Ryan is a damned great prospect at 3B. They have good young talent with a mix of great veterans, but lack PITCHING. They have a new GM that probably would love to make a bang and show explosiveness in this off season, but I see it needed more toward pitching and signing the young talent. IF he goes the A-Rod route (doubtful ownership would even spend the money) he upsets Pujols, he's betting that A-Rod could be as good in the NL and his job would be hanging on A-Rod's performance and getting them to the World Series. I don't see the new GM being that stupid or suicidal. He'll take his lumps but I have a feeling it'll be because he spends the next couple seasons rebuilding and using fresh new talented players.
That leaves us with one team..... and my prediction:
THE YANKEES...... I see the Yankees waiting and signing A-Rod for about the same $25 Million... with incentives and both sides saving face by saying how much they love each other and that A-Rod had better offers but realized his heart truly belonged in a NY Yankee jersey. The Yankees look like they get a steal, A-Rod wins the fans over, Boras doesn't look like such a greedy bastard, the fans are happy to know he "truly" loves NY, and the teams that "bid" on him can tell their fans they believed in the team soooo much that they wanted that missing piece A-Rod could give them and they tried hard and dammit, they just showed the fans how much they believe in their team so buy more tickets. MLB wins because the "biggest" name stays in their biggest market and with his salary not going up much, there will be a period of maybe more reasonable spending.