November 14, 2007

A-Rod forecast: Bronx redux 101-percent likely

On a scale of 1 to 100, the likelihood of Alex Rodriguez's return to the Yankees is "101," according to CBS radio announcer John Sterling, who has been the voice of the team for 20 years.

The New York Daily News this morning reported that A-Rod had reached out to the Yankees, expressing regret at having opted out of his contract with the team, and seeking to open contract talks. Shortly after 4 o'clock this afternoon, Sterling called in to WFAN's Mike and The Mad Dog to tell them the new deal was a fait accompli.

This turn of events shouldn't really come as all that much of a shock. The Yankees can afford to pay him more than anyone and A-Rod had finally appeared to shut out all the distractions of the Big Apple, focusing all of his energy between the lines. A reconciliation just made sense.

The most amazing part of this saga is A-Rod divorcing himself from "super agent" Scott Boras, who had guided Rodriguez's career since the future Hall-of-Famer was just 16. The Yankees' first condition for meeting with A-Rod was that Boras couldn't be in the room. Boras is almost universally loathed by owners and fans and it appears that he has failed the greatest player of this generation both personally and financially. Boras clearly misread both the market for Rodriguez as well as his client's desires. Add to that how bad he made Rodriguez look by announcing his leaving the Yankees during Game 4 of the World Series and you've got one wildly embarrassed and unhappy superstar.

Even if you're among the Yankee fans who find A-Rod irredeemably terrible, this has to come as good news. It spares the team the temptation to plug the hole at third base by overpaying for Mike Lowell or sacrificing some of their young talent to land porcine Marlin slugger Miguel Cabrera. This leaves the team free to put their resources towards landing the ace starter they desperately need: Johan Santana.

In response to a call from WFAN, Yankees COO Lonn Trost acknowledged that the two sides are talking and the parties are "very hopeful," but that there is "nothing definitive to report at this moment." Asked if Boras was involved in the negotiations, Montross said "no comment."

-- By NewYorkology contributor Scott Ross

Earlier: A-Rod walks, Girardi on deck for Yankees '08

November 14, 2007 10:07 PM in Sports

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