The New York Yankees bucked tradition by publicly announcing they will try to sign superstar Alex Rodriguez to a contract extension during the season rather than waiting for the off season to pursue the star third baseman. As if on cue, Rodriguez’ agent Mr. Nine-Game World Series Scott Boras told the Yankees to go kick rocks until the end of the season. 

Now I could be wrong on this one, but wasn’t it the Boras/A-Rod camp that wanted to negotiate the extension before the season started and it was The Boss and GM Mr. Moneyman that told A-Rod to wait? How the worm has turned.

The Yankees have taken the soap opera one step further by issuing an “ultimatum,” to the slugger to re-sign now or hit the bricks in the off season. THE New York franchise said they would not engage in a bidding war for Rodriguez’ services. Since when have the Yanks turned away from dropping boatloads of money to sign veteran players?  

Despite playing right into Boras’ hand, a move to sign A-Rod now is a good one for the Yankees. All-Star catcher Jorge Posada and supreme closer Mariano Rivera are also in contract years and the Yankee brass could be tied up in negations to land those two stars, allowing A-Rod to slip through to another team. Posada has said that he is eager to test the free-agent market.  

“I want to see it. I’ve never experienced free agency…I want to see what it’s like” Posada said. 

Inadvertently, Posada and Rivera are helping put the ball in Boras’ hands on his own court.

The New York fans have always had slight disdain for A-Rod, mostly for his anemic playoff output and his giant ape of a contract. Remember that he inked a 10-year $252 million contract to wear pinstripes. Rodriguez still has three years left on this deal which is why the term “opt-out clause” has become the sports term du jour.  

At the start of the season, A-Rod was booed mercilessly in the stadium and has since been NY tabloid fodder prompting Mrs. A-Rod to drop an F-bomb on a t-shirt she wore to a Yankees home game – and we’re not talking about Abercormbie and Fitch-off.  A-Rod has gone from jeers to cheers while on an offensive tear this season. He has rebounded from a disappointing 2006 campaign to hit .317, and lead the majors in homers (31) and in RBI (87). No wonder Boras wants to wait until after the World Series. If A-Rod continues this pace he is a shoe-in for MVP and the Yanks could catch the AL East-leading Red Sox. Speakin’ of the Sox, The Yanks have said that they do not wish to engage in the dreaded bidding war for A-Rod, but can you imagine how fast checkbooks open up if the Red Sox get thrown into the mix?  

Despite all the drama and posturing the Yankees need the Rod more than he needs the Yanks, but A-Rod staying in the Big Apple will better suit all parties. The Yankees have a new $1 billion stadium to be built and they need the A-Rod and Jeter combo together as the crown jewel of the Yankee’s empire.  

The Yankees will also have to give up the least amount of money in order to re-sign the slugger, who is due $24 million each of the three remaining years on his contract. A substantial portion of that money is being paid by the Texas Rangers as part of guaranteed money A-Rod was due under his previous deal. Rodriguez is also due an additional $3 million annually from the Rangers as part of deferred money in his contract that was converted to an assignment bonus. A-Rod ain’t hurting for money. 

That is the reason it’s worth it for A-Rod to stay in New York. The fans have finally accepted him and he has proved he can deal with the bright lights and ruthless New York media. A move to another team confirms what every NY fan always suspected, that he is in it for the money and not for the love of the game or for the love of wearing pinstripes or for playing in the most hallowed baseball shrine there is. By re-signing with the Yankees, Rodriguez will finally shake off those accusations of being the biggest mercenary in all of sports.  

You have enough cash A-Rod, so grab that shiny apple, take a bite, enjoy the taste and stick it to the Red Sox every chance you get and try to bring a few more rings back to the Bronx.

Show a little loyalty Stray-Rod, the Bambino would have wanted it that way.