The 200 Millon Dollar Man......Again?

Let's take a trip back to the 2000 MLB offseason. Most headlines would read like this:

Rodriguez, Rangers agree on 10 year, $252 Million Deal.

Fast forward to this upcoming offseason...could we see it again?

That's the question on a lot of people's lips recently as Rodriguez and his agent have their stare down with the Yankee front office. First the Yankees didn't want to negotiate during the season, as is their standard, then A-Rod goes on to have a monster first half of the season and I think the opt-out clause in the contract became a little all too real to everyone involved.

The only problem is, A-Rod and his agent, Scott Boras, will wait until the offseason to talk contract. Rodriguez has 15 days after the end of the World Series to evoke the clause, leaving time to negotiate very slim.

This is where the story takes a turn toward the ugly. The Yankees say, that if A-Rod opts out of the deal, he's done as a Yankee and they will not get into a bidding war for his services. Now if A-Rod does indeed opt out of his contract there are a few teams that would have the cash to pay him, which Boras says would be 30 million a season. The main contenders would be the Red Sox, Angels and Cubs and you might be able to throw in the White Sox. The only real question is if you're one of those teams, is he worth 30 million a year? I say yes, only if he's in the right situation.

It's clear that as a Yankee in the postseason, and all the pressure that comes with it, A-Rod has struggled. In 20 games, Rodriguez batted .241, with 3 home runs and 8 rbi. Boston is just as bad, if not worse as New York when it comes to pressure on their players, and when it comes to the Cubs, when you have gone almost a century without even going to a World Series...well let's just say the living won't be easy. That leaves the Angels, they have a laid back approach to the game, but still have a winning mentality. The Angels seem like the perfect fit for Rodriguez and if he opts out they'll definitely be a player in the sweepstakes.

Now with that being said, do I think we'll see A-Rod in an Angels uniform next year? It always boils down to money, especially with Scott Boras, and who has the most money? The Red Sox. If Alex opts out of his deal, which is still no lock, the Red Sox will make a definite play for him. The Sox management always seems to forget that Roger Clemens has scorned them in the past, so why not Alex Rodriguez? The New York Daily News is reporting from inside sources that the Sox are a lock to make a move should he opt out, saying...

"One baseball source told the Daily News that Red Sox team president Larry Lucchino has wanted Rodriguez in a Boston uniform ever since the original deal collapsed, even after he was traded to the team's hated rival.

'Lucchino has never stopped wanting him,' the source said."

Either way, Alex Rodriguez is headed for a huge payday and will more than likely become the $200 millon man once again.