Pudge proves it's all about the money

[ISiddiqui]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/01/28/tigers.rodriguez.ap/index.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ivan Rodriguez and the Detroit Tigers were on the verge of agreeing to a $40 million, four-year contract, The Associated Press learned Wednesday night.

The 10-time All-Star catcher was to be examined in Texas on Thursday by Dr. Andrew Dossett, two baseball sources told the AP on the condition of anonymity. Dossett is the spine consultant to the Rangers and has treated Rodriguez for many years.

If all goes well in the exam, the agreement between the free agent and Detroit could be announced Friday, one of the sources said.

The deal would move Rodriguez from the World Series champion Florida Marlins to a team coming off one of the worst seasons in major league history.

The agreement contains a team option for 2008 that could make the contract worth $50 million over five years, one of the sources said.

Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

"We've been working diligently with the Tigers on this matter," said Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras. "We're having further meetings on Thursday."

Rodriguez, 32, spent his first 12 seasons with the Rangers, then became a free agent and signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Marlins.

Rodriguez hit .313 last season with 16 homers and 85 RBIs, and he was MVP of the NL championship series win over the Chicago Cubs.

After helping lead the Marlins past the New York Yankees in the World Series last season, he was never offered more than two guaranteed years by Florida. Baltimore and Seattle also were said to be interested in Rodriguez.

With the Tigers, he would join one of the greatest turnaround efforts in baseball history. Detroit went 43-119 last season, setting the American League record for losses.

The Tigers won five of their last six games to avoid tying the post-1900 major league record of 120 losses, set by the 1962 New York Mets.

Detroit, which moved into Comerica Park in 2000, has finished with a losing record in 10 straight seasons and drew 1.37 million fans at home last season, 27th among the 30 major league teams.

Trying to invigorate the team, the Tigers have reached agreements with second baseman Fernando Vina, outfielder Rondell White and right-hander Jason Johnson.

Since winning their second Series title in seven seasons, the Marlins have either traded away or lost as free agents several of their key players, including Derrek Lee, Mark Redman, Juan Encarnacion, Ugueth Urbina and Braden Looper.

Florida has signed closer Armando Benitez and on Wednesday added left-hander Darren Oliver, agreeing to a $750,000, one-year contract.

Like Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Comerica Park is a tough place for hitters.

Rodriguez is a 10-time Gold Glove winner behind the plate and won the 1999 AL MVP award.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

*sigh* Take a bit less money and play for Seattle, Florida or the Cubs! NOT the Tigers! What are you thinking, Pudge?!

[WSUCougar]

Uh, I think your message was garbled. Here's the actual text, with corrections in bold font:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ivan Rodriguez and the Detroit Tigers were on the verge of agreeing to a $40 million, four-year contract, The Associated Press learned Wednesday night.

The 10-time All-Star catcher was to have his head examined in Texas on Thursday by Dr. Andrew Dossett, two baseball sources told the AP on the condition of anonymity. Dossett is the lunacy consultant to the Rangers (brough on board after the Chan Ho Park signing) and has treated Rodriguez for many years.

If all goes well in the exam, the agreement between the free agent and Detroit could be announced Friday, one of the sources said.

[Qwikshot]

Bora$ strikes again.

[StormcloudCreations]

Ugh, why?? The Tigers? You mean a team that had one of the worst records in history last year? The one with a terrible ballpark for hitting? With one of the worst minor league systems in baseball, with little chance of doing anything but trying to stay out of the cellar the next few years?

A pretty clear example of where Ivan's priorities are.

[Franklinnoble]

Yeah, the Tigers haven't been any good since Kevin Coster quit pitching for them.

[JeeberD]

YEAH! The Cubs didn't get him! :)

[Ksyrup]

For the Tigers' sake, I hope he's willing to transition to 1B/DH in a couple of years. Thank God for the DH.

I can't fault anyone for trying to make as much money as they can. However, it continues to amaze me that guys like Boras can convince their clients to go for the money, when they've likely got more money already then they'll ever be able to spend.

[Radii]

YEAH! The Cubs didn't get him! :)

SO MEAN :(

[ISiddiqui]

I can't fault anyone for trying to make as much money as they can.

Well true... if the team offering more is someone like Baltimore, with a chance. But the Tigers?! I mean, it wasn't like the Cubs and others were offering chump change. There is something to be said for your place in baseball history as well.

[Ksyrup]

He's got a ring AND the "legend" of being the principle catalyst of an over-achieving, World Series-winning team. It's the American Dream - be in the right place at the right time, cash in, and live off the residuals.

And as a bonus, he only has to spend parts of 5 months in Detroit!

[kserra]

Disclaimer...I'm a Tiger fan...

I'm not disputing that Pudge went for the money...no kidding...

However, I cannot believe that people think Baltimore is a team more likely to win than Detroit...they MAY put a team together with more talent, but Detroit has a FAR greater chance within the next five years of getting into the playoffs than the O's...

Simple reason is the Red Sox, Yankees, and Blue Jays...

The Tigers will now have the highest payroll in the Central...and while not a great club for sure...they are competing against much lesser talent...

The Twins are a great story...but they don't have the money to keep all those young stars around...

The White Sox seem to think they play in Idaho when it comes to their payroll...until their management realizes how much money is to be made in Chicago, they'll continue to be stuck in neutral...

The Royals...great story last year, some really good pickups this year...fans are really good...but did ANYONE think they'd be good last year? I mean, freakin' LIMA time???? Even with their added talent, they may step back this year...and what's going to happen to Beltran???

The Indians are a sleeping giant if their youth pull it together...but they need to put some solid veterans around these kids to help them out...

OK...I'm NOT saying the Tigers will win the Central this year...but they have a BETTER chance than the O's of winning their Division....

Inge for Pudge...a "slight upgrade" and if he catches 100-120 games and DH's the rest...he'll hopefully be fresher...and the weather isn't quite as hot as Texas or Florida...

Vina/Guillenfor Santiago/Morris...yeah...pretty close here...Santiago couldn't even lift up a regular wood bat...you guys missed the games he was using a whiffle ball bat to increase his bat speed...

Rondell White...solid player for the 100 games he's healthy...

Pitching staff...well, well...we do have some good youngsters...but, kinda weak...still, Bonderman is a stud in waiting, Henkel will surprise this year by May...signee Johnson will be decent...Maroth isn't bad...just terrible luck, the poor guy lost a no hitter in the 8th and lost the GAME...and, secret surprise, Kenny Baugh is two years off shoulder surgery, it has been documented it takes two years to recover...look at his numbers that first year in A/AA...could be a nice addition mid-year... (takes off thick, foggy Tigerfan glasses)


OK...sorry, but as a Tiger fan I've had to listen to the abuse for quite a while, and rightfully so...this offseason has been a wonderful reminder of how much fun baseball can actually be...just to hear Detroit's name mentioned in the pursuit of some key free agents was refreshing...

Now awaiting jokes about drive by shootings, blighted areas, etc... :)

Hey, the suburbs are great!

Kevin

[Draft Dodger]

and if I'm IRod, I do the exact same thing.

you've got your ring, now take the money, for crying out loud.

yes, Detroit sucks.
but even that plays into your favor - if Detroit still sucks 2 years from now, they'll trade your $10-million ass to a contender (much easier than trying to pick now which team will have a shot in the future).

frankly, this move doesn't make much sense for the Tigers, so criticize them if you want. but I don't get why Pudge would get dissed for this

[sterlingice]

Bora$ strikes again.
My thoughts exactly. Then again, these players know by now that he's all about money so if they choose him as their agent it's because they want the most money. It's not as if he's unknown- he's the most hated man out there.

SI

[Barkeep49]

You'd have thought the ARod ordeal might have taught Boras something about how to advise certain clients... Obviously it hasn't...

[sterlingice]

You'd have thought the ARod ordeal might have taught Boras something about how to advise certain clients... Obviously it hasn't...
Why the hell would it teach Boras anything? He got what he wanted- it was the Rangers and Arod who were pissed to the tune of him lining his pocket with another couple of mil. He made out like a bandit and clearly doesn't care where his clients go provided they give him max cash.

SI

[Draft Dodger]

You'd have thought the ARod ordeal might have taught Boras something about how to advise certain clients... Obviously it hasn't...

ordeal?
Alex Rodriguez made $958 during the 2 minutes it's taken me to read your post, and type this post. if Bora$ is making 5%, he just made $50.

I'll take that ordreal any day...even if you drag on trade talks about me all winter long.

[kingfc22]

Glad to see he plays for the love of the game. PLEASE.

[Draft Dodger]

Glad to see he plays for the love of the game. PLEASE.

I don't work for the love of work, that's for sure.

[kingfc22]

I don't work for the love of work, that's for sure.

But it's different when you are talking about that kind of money.I'm sure he could have got $25-35M to play for a team that has a chance to win.

I'm sure anybody who has ever played any sport knows that when you start losing, it sucks and you want to leave. Just ask A-Rod.

[sterlingice]

I don't work for the love of work, that's for sure.
Yeah, but do you go to work every day and talk about how much you love going to work and how doing the best at your work is what you live for?

SI

[The Afoci]

So no one thinks that maybe Pudge thinks that maybe he could help turn a team around. It isn't like anyone thought when he went to Florida that he was going to a winner...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Yeah, but do you go to work every day and talk about how much you love going to work and how doing the best at your work is what you live for?
Maybe I'm just missing something, but isn't that completely separate from winning?

He can do "the best at his work" whether the team is 62-100 or 100-62.
And if I were getting $40m/4 yrs, I'd probably be at reasonably happy about going to work myself. "Love going to work" might be a little strong, but I'd say "like it pretty well" might not be out of reach.

[sterlingice]

Maybe I'm just missing something, but isn't that completely separate from winning?

He can do "the best at his work" whether the team is 62-100 or 100-62.
And if I were getting $40m/4 yrs, I'd probably be at reasonably happy about going to work myself. "Love going to work" might be a little strong, but I'd say "like it pretty well" might not be out of reach. I'm not opposed to an athlete getting all he's worth. But if he spends his days saying how much he loves where he is and how money isn't the bottom line, then I think I'm not out of line calling him out for it when his actions show otherwise.

SI

[Draft Dodger]

and really, to be honest, I'd much rather see a guy go for the highest contract than go for the team that is most likely to win. this new trend of changing teams late in a career for that "last chance" is more annoying to me than money grabs.

[sterlingice]

and really, to be honest, I'd much rather see a guy go for the highest contract than go for the team that is most likely to win. this new trend of changing teams late in a career for that "last chance" is more annoying to me than money grabs.
Notice I haven't faulted him for going for the money. I mean, if he wants to go to a rebuilding team and help turn it around, great! But don't be bitching in 2 years when your team sucks and you go to the media about wanting to be traded to a contender.

SI

[ISiddiqui]

So no one thinks that maybe Pudge thinks that maybe he could help turn a team around. It isn't like anyone thought when he went to Florida that he was going to a winner...

Florida is one thing... Detroit is another; it's a much bigger definition of 'suck'.

[Draft Dodger]

Notice I haven't faulted him for going for the money. I mean, if he wants to go to a rebuilding team and help turn it around, great! But don't be bitching in 2 years when your team sucks and you go to the media about wanting to be traded to a contender.

SI

that's fair - let's slam him if it happens. I'll be the first in line.

but let's not judge him harshly for something he hasn't even done.

[sterlingice]

that's fair - let's slam him if it happens. I'll be the first in line.

but let's not judge him harshly for something he hasn't even done.
True enough. That was unfair. It's just that the track record for players signing long term deals with bad teams and then complaining is almost 100%

I still reserve my right to complain at him for turning his nose up at a fairly competitive deal from Florida ($1M less per year and one less year) because, he had publicly said that he would love to stay there and loves playing there.

SI

[Honolulu_Blue]

Fuck-off you anti-Detroitites.

Fucking elitists.

[Ksyrup]

I still reserve my right to complain at him for turning his nose up at a fairly competitive deal from Florida ($1M less per year and one less year) because, he had publicly said that he would love to stay there and loves playing there.

SI
The last offer I heard from Florida was 2 years, $18M, with an option year. That's only $18M guaranteed, this is more than twice that (with the proviso that there's apparently a provision that allows Detroit to void the deal after 2 years if Pudge has back problems).

[HornedFrog Purple]

Good for Pudge. He had been screwed by Texas for 10 years trying to be the nice guy.

[The Afoci]

Florida is one thing... Detroit is another; it's a much bigger definition of 'suck'.

If I remember correctly the Marlins were dumping salary when Pudge went there. I do believe they weren't picked to be a good team anytime soon. I would say Detriot has a chance if they can add a few players in the very weak AL Central.

[sterlingice]

The last offer I heard from Florida was 2 years, $18M, with an option year. That's only $18M guaranteed, this is more than twice that (with the proviso that there's apparently a provision that allows Detroit to void the deal after 2 years if Pudge has back problems).
Oh, never mind then. I thought Florida had a 3yr $27M guaranteed contract on the table. I must have been getting my information mixed up.

If I remember correctly the Marlins were dumping salary when Pudge went there. I do believe they weren't picked to be a good team anytime soon. I would say Detriot has a chance if they can add a few players in the very weak AL Central.
That's for sure. It's the weak sister of the baseball divisions. Then again, it's nice to have a division where it's not about an arms race reaching into the $100M range so that smaller market teams can compete.

SI