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Lettuce Entertain You
2007-11-24 21:54
by Cliff Corcoran

The Yankees and Scott Boras are still grinding out Alex Rodriguez's contract. Yesterday some details emerged about the milestone bonuses that will be included. Seems the contract will get around the fact that player contracts are not allowed to include bonuses connected to performance by terming each milestone along the way to the career home run record an "event," and then compensating Rodriguez handsomely for personal appearances and memorabilia connected to each event (specifically career home runs 660, 714, 755, and the eventual career record).

It's all just a lot of money none of us reading this will ever see, but it's evidence that progress is indeed being made on Rodriguez's contract.

Meanwhile, the Times has some fun with the Toledo Mud Hens contract offer to Rodriguez by trying to figure out how his production would translate to the minors, and los amigos Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have popped up in a reggaeton video (see Cano dance at :49, see Melky lip-synch at 1:06, and see Melky credited at "Melkys Cabrera" at 1:09; Jose Reyes pops up later on as well). Expect to hear "Pa La Tumba" during their at-bats in early 2008.

Comments
2007-11-25 04:46:15
1.   nemecizer
Man I am up early...
2007-11-25 05:55:23
2.   The Mick 536
The video took my mind off the contract. Too much humping and grinding for pre breakfast viewing. Can't say that Robie or Melkys stole the show from the jugglers. Just tell me what the hell was going on and, without dating myself or showing myself to be a cultural ignoramus, who else was I supposed to recognize in the performance?
2007-11-25 07:12:52
3.   OldYanksFan
While these 'HR' bonuses might seem greedy, the good news is that it will hopefully keep ARod 'goal oriented' and have him (continue) to take care of himself and prepare for a long and healthy career.

It's probably not possible, but I would love to see an OPS bonus in years 8,9 and 10. After all, by 2015, $27m will not be a huge salary for an impact player. I'd happily throw him and extra $50,000 for every OPS point over .900 he puts up. So he would get a $5m bonus for putting up an OPS of 1.000

The bad new is I hope he doesn't turn into the preverbial 'veteran slugger'... the guy who posts an OBP of .280 but hits 30-35 HRs. His HRs are not as important as his OPS. I'd rather have .900/20 HRs then .800/30 HRs.

I'm a little surprised/concerned the Yankees may not have anything to prevent this from happening.

2007-11-25 07:13:56
4.   ny2ca2dc
One of the other blogs, maybe it was river ave blues, had linked that video a couple weeks (month?) ago. Pretty funny, not a terrible song. Hot chicks, what's not to like.
2007-11-25 08:43:44
5.   greenzo
3 When A-Rod has a specific goal in mind, he almost always focuses excusively on achieving it (see homer no. 500) and it seems to distract him from relaxing at the plate.

It seems to me that baseball is different from most major sports in that having more on the line doesn't necessarily motivate individuals--they need to relax to be successful.

The Yankees likely felt this was all moot, because A-Rod is going to be a mountain of butterflies as he nails Barry Bonds' home-run record anyway.

A-Rod's combination of power and patience ages better than virtually any hitting profile, so I think you're safe there.

2007-11-25 08:45:39
6.   JL25and3
3 Not possible. You can have incentive bonuses for things like games played or plate appearances, but not for things like OPS or HR.
2007-11-25 09:44:28
7.   ms october
3 5 Good points - I'm hoping this will only rear it's ugly head when he gets near Mays, Ruth, Aaron, and Bonds; and Arod does not turn himself into only a hr hitter - which is where he gets in trouble - and I think some of his postseason abs where he does not have a productive ab are him trying to hit hrs. He admitted this with the 500th hr, so hopefully he learned his lesson.
6 I wonder if some of this will change with the next cba - it seems more contracts are including whatever incentives they can - such as Schillings?
2007-11-25 09:51:21
8.   JL25and3
7 Is that what you really want? Seems to me that would basically demand that players put their individual stats ahead of the team's needs. Granted, over the course of a season those two goals are largely the same, but from one at-bat to the next they might not be.
2007-11-25 10:49:37
9.   Mattpat11
Its sort of weird to see an article on MLB.com about this. Essentially, they're subverting the rules of baseball (Not that I really have a problem with it)and MLB.com is writing about it like its any old deal.
2007-11-25 11:58:16
10.   ms october
8 oh hell no - as you say it puts individual stats at an even higher premium. it just seems that this is the direction mlb contracts are going, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some loosening of what is an "incentive" in the next cba. as 9 said they are "subverting the rules", as this contract is calling an "incentive" an "event" so at some point it is likely that it will just get to be easier to have incentives as part of contracts.
2007-11-25 12:51:16
11.   JL25and3
10 As far as I can tell, that's not actually in the CBA. I believe it's in the so-called Major League Rules, which (for reasons I can't fathom) aren't released publicly.
2007-11-25 12:59:44
12.   ms october
11 hmmm. i assumed it was in the cba - that's interesting.
2007-11-25 18:00:27
13.   unpopster
Peter Gammons is reporting that the Twins will want Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson in a package for Johan Santana.

Um, Cash? Make the deal...do not pass go, do not collect $200, JUST MAKE THE FRIGGIN' DEAL!!!

2007-11-25 18:08:00
14.   OldYanksFan
13 AJax is one of our best (and only) position players. Phil is our potential #1. Melky is our current CF (with AJax being his backup).

I say NO!
Santana will be an FA next year.
He will NOT get the salary he wants if a team ALSO has to give up THREE talented players.
We can buy him next year. If not, Bedard, Kazmir and CC will be available. Possibly one of Oakland's studs (in Trade)>

Just say NO! Don't sell the farm.
You think Santana is THAT MUCH better then Phil, to warrent $20m+ a year plus to OFers?

2007-11-25 18:08:22
15.   OldYanksFan
oops... TWO OF'ers
2007-11-25 18:50:47
16.   Eirias
14 Given that the two alleged other teams in competition with the Yankees are the Sox and the Dodgers, at least according to sports page gossip, there is no way that a team that trades for Santana will not lock him up before finalizing the trade.
2007-11-25 20:02:46
17.   OldYanksFan
Santana has a full no-trade clause. It's his decision. I don't think he will allow himself to be traded.
2007-11-25 20:16:06
18.   OldYanksFan
"One source said the Yankees plan to make a "good, strong offer" and that they believe they have more to offer the Twins in a trade than anybody else does."

Maybe I'm wrong. I still think it's too much to give up.

2007-11-25 20:57:17
19.   JL25and3
17 Why not? If he gets a fat juicy new contract along with it, he might like that just fine.
2007-11-25 21:17:36
20.   OldYanksFan
19 Well, if he was an FA and it ONLY cost money, Santana might get 6/$150.
But if you have to ALSO give away Phil, Melky and AJax, its a different story. How much would it cost to replace Phil and Melky? $10m anyway. And there AJax's worth.
I just think he gets a lot more money as an FA, plus there are more teams to choose from.
2007-11-26 04:49:37
21.   wsporter
20 OYF just to really bring it home the Post via the usual suspects had this today " ... But will a package of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera, who could replace Torii Hunter in center, be enough to top other clubs?" Now that would realy be a different story; both Phill and IPK would go in their version of things AND that might not be enough. Would the Yankees have to send one of the baby Stiens as well, you know, just to make it fair? I say give em Hank.
2007-11-26 05:31:56
22.   ny2ca2dc
I think Alan Horne, Melky, and I duno, maybe Kennedy or Humberto and Betances or something would be the highest I would go. Right now, Hughes is our #2 starter, and Kennedy is our #4/5, so i don't trade BOTH of them...

I think people have to start thinking about what Santana will be going forward into his thirties, not what he has been. Probably one or two or MAYBE three ace-level years, and then a slowdown. The non-Santana top tier, Bedard, Haren, Kazmir, etc, would be a better trade for this team if it would enable us to retain some of our top prospects.

Think about the Beckett trade, it took 2 blue chippers, but the sox got a much younger pitcher, and one who was still cost controlled to some degree. Santana is not that.

2007-11-26 05:35:03
23.   OldYanksFan
Man, is it slow here or what?
Not to compare, but PeteAbe has gotten over 600 comments in the last 3 days.
I know there's not a lot to take about but geez.... I MISS BASEBALL!!!!
(you guyz is making me read Lohud comments forcryingoutloud!)
2007-11-26 05:42:49
24.   Rob Middletown CT
Hughes + Melky + Jackson...

I'm sure that can be written up to make sense, but I don't like it.

2007-11-26 05:48:07
25.   DadinIowa
It doesn't make sense to trade the kids for someone who will be 29 at the start of the season. I thought we were trying to get younger? Also, you're already going to pay $20-25 million a year for the guy.

To lose one of your projected (young) starting pitchers, plus your starting (young) outfielder and more for an additional couple of wins the first year or two... seems nonsensical.

2007-11-26 07:21:55
26.   Raf
23 I've been busy with the winter leagues on ESPN Deportes.

There's baseball to be found, if you know where to look :)

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