Which Team Will Alex Rodriguez Play For at The Start of the 2008 MLB Season?
Written by: Brainiac
San Jose, Costa Rica, Oct. 30, 2007 - The best player in baseball is on the open market, and WagerWeb.com gives you the chance to bet on where he will land.
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez opted out of the final three years on his 10-year, $252 million contract and is now a free agent, one the Yankees say they won't try to bring back.
"If you don't want to be a Yankee and paid what you're being paid, we don't want you, that's the bottom line,"Hank Steinbrenner said. "You'd be hard-pressed to argue that point. If you don't understand the magnitude of being a Yankee and understand what that means, and being the highest-paid player in baseball, I think it's pretty obvious.
The team had been adamant that it wouldn't negotiate with A-Rod if he opted out of his deal before hearing their extension offer.
"I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee,"Steinbrenner said.
"We're not going to back down. It's goodbye."
Rodriguez had the best season of his career and one of the best in baseball history this past season, hitting .314 with 54 home runs and 156 RBIs. He will win a third career MVP award, but A-Rod struggled again in the playoffs, going 4-for-15 (.267) with one RBI against in the Yankees' first-round playoff loss to Cleveland. He is hitting 8-for-59 (.136) in the postseason dating to 2004.
So who will be the suitors for the youngest player in baseball history to hit 500 career home runs, but one who will command likely $30 million a year?
Chicago Cubs (2-1 WagerWeb.com odds to land A-Rod): Rodriguez loved playing for Cubs manager Lou Piniella when the two were in Seattle, and Cubs fans are demanding a World Series in the wake of former fellow cursed franchise Boston winning its second in four years. However, the Cubs' unknown ownership situation might make it tough to offer A-Rod the big bucks without knowing who will sign the checks.
Boston Red Sox (3-1): Boston's own third baseman, Mike Lowell, is a free agent, and the Red Sox had a deal to get A-Rod from Texas before that was scuttled by the MLB Players' Association. Adding A-Rod to a lineup with David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez would give Boston arguably the best power trio in history. However, Boston already has a high payroll, and the Red Sox aren't likely to upset great chemistry with a perceived me-first superstar.
San Francisco Giants (4-1): The Giants need a replacement for Barry Bonds to fill the seats, and wouldn't it be ironic for Rodriguez's chase of Bonds' career home run mark to take place in San Francisco?
Los Angeles Angels (5-1): Owner Arte Moreno has long wanted to make a big splash but has previously said he wouldn't commit 25-30 percent of his payroll to one player.
However, the Angels' dire need for a big bat was exposed in their playoff sweep by Boston.
Los Angeles Dodgers (5-1): The Dodgers need a big bat worse than the Angels, and the team lacks a true drawing card. Former Yankees manager Joe Torre is taking over in L.A., but reportedly he and A-Rod didn't always see eye-to-eye in New York.
New York Mets (8-1): You know the Mets would love to stick it to the crosstown Yankees, and they can afford it heading into a new ballpark in 2009. But they already have young stars at third base and shortstop.
Chicago White Sox (8-1): The White Sox reportedly were in the hunt last time A-Rod was on the market, and this team is always desperate to make a splash in a Cubs-driven town.
Detroit Tigers (10-1): Owner Mike Ilitch isn't afraid to spend some money, and the Tigers are the rare team to have a good relationship with Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras.
Elsewhere (4-1): Could A-Rod go back to Seattle or Texas? Even the Yankees? Could Washington sign him to help fill its new ballpark? Would the Marlins bring him home to Miami? Remember, the Rangers weren't an expected player for A-Rod the last time he was a free agent, so anything could happen.
What team will A-Rod be with at the start of the 2008 MLB season?
| Chicago Cubs | 2:1 | +$200 | *Risk $100 to win $200 |
| Boston Red Sox | 3:1 | +$300 | *Risk $100 to win $300 |
| San Francisco Giants | 4:1 | +$400 | *Risk $100 to win $400 |
| L.A. Dodgers | 5:1 | +$500 | *Risk $100 to win $500 |
| L.A. Angels | 5:1 | +$500 | *Risk $100 to win $500 |
| N.Y. Mets | 8:1 | +$800 | *Risk $100 to win $800 |
| Chicago White Sox | 8:1 | +$800 | *Risk $100 to win $800 |
| Detroit Tigers | 10:1 | +$1000 | *Risk $100 to win $1000 |
| Elsewhere | 4:1 | +$400 | *Risk $100 to win $400 |
About WagerWeb
WagerWeb.com, founded in 1997, is a privately held, offshore online gaming company, fully licensed and located in San Jose, Costa Rica. With almost 10 years of experience, innovation and gaming technology, Wagerweb.com features a sportsbook, a racebook and casino and has accepted more than 50,000,000 wagers since the company's launch.
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