FOR more than two seasons, the Mets talked about the possibility of one day landing Alex Rodriguez. Then, three days into the free-agent period, GM Steve Phillips announced the team was out of the sweepstakes for arguably the best player in the world.
Phillips said yesterday it’s about the perks that Rodriguez, through rep Scott Boras, wants – perks Phillips is concerned will disrupt team harmony. Phillips cites Boras’ request for an office at Shea Stadium in which A-Rod can conduct business.
Asking for privileges beyond financial demands that will exceed $200 million makes Rodriguez/Boras an easy target for knee-jerk, talk-radio bashing. But we are no longer in the age of Willie, Mickey and the Duke. Many people receive perks from their employers, and how many are the best at what they do in the world? Phillips is worried that perks would make it Alex Rodriguez and the New York Mets.
Except Phillips negotiated the deal of Mike Piazza, the only Met who has contractual use of a luxury box at Shea. Piazza, Al Leiter and Robin Ventura all have it in their contracts that they get hotel suites on the road. All negotiated with Phillips.
“I don’t think the other 24 players care that Mike Piazza has a suite at Shea Stadium,” Boras said. “I don’t think they look down at Mike Piazza for that. So how could it be the policy of the Mets to say that offering amenities means you will not be a proper teammate? Mike Piazza requested and was granted an amenity, and I think he is a very good teammate.”
When players say it is about something other than money, we always point out it is about the money. So I suspect that when Phillips says it is about the perks, it really is about the money. If not, why don’t the Mets simply make a cash offer to Rodriguez that includes none of the perks, rather than leave the process after 72 hours?
The Mets probably are unwilling to accede to Rodriguez’ financial demands, especially if it means not having enough left for superior pitching. That is the right play. The Mets must make pitching their priority. But it still seems strange that they are out of the A-Rod Derby before it has even begun.
It came on the same day the Indians announced they were pulling their seven-year, $119 million offer for Manny Ramirez. It comes with the Yanks being particularly low key about free agents and the Cubs not budging much in renegotiations with Sammy Sosa. A suspicious person might scream collusion.
Phillips pledged there was no collusion in his decision, saying, “I think somebody else will live with the structure Scott wants for Alex,” which suggests no 30-team-wide conspiracy.
The Dodgers, with whom A-Rod is scheduled to meet Friday, become a favorite along with the White Sox, Braves and staying in Seattle.
Boras said that at 4 p.m. Eastern yesterday he explained to Phillips that “amenities would not be an issue in the contract” and said Phillips never told him the Mets were out of the Rodriguez running. However, less than 90 minutes later, Phillips did a conference call on which he cited Rodriguez’s request for office space as a deal breaker, and said later in the night, “I do not think that is the right way to build a team, and the owners both totally agreed. There is nothing I can anticipate happening to change my view.”
Phillips said that even if Boras took amenity requirements out that Rodriguez has come to expect such luxuries and that would make a deal untenable. It should be noted that Piazza often uses Bobby Valentine’s office to conduct business. And it also should be noted that if Rodriguez did business at the ballpark, it would assure he was at the park, it could foster goodwill with teammates by turning some business their way, and that Rodriguez has always had the reputation as a team player who would not disrupt chemistry or rules to do his thing.
A-Rod has told friends New York was his first choice. But Rodriguez now risks more than losing the Big Apple. He could lose the dollars and perks Boras has promised, especially because neither New York team will be bidding up the ante. And – more important – Rodriguez’s very good name could be besmirched. Within the industry, word is leaking on what Boras has asked for, trying to portray a level of greed to smear the agent and player.
Boras apparently expected Rodriguez to be not only the No. 1 Met over Piazza, but the No. 1 New York baseball player over Derek Jeter. As an example, he wanted guarantees that when it came to billboards A-Rod would have more city-wide than either Piazza or Jeter. Boras denied this, saying he simply asked about overall marketing plans for Rodriguez.
Boras asked for a 12-year contract that would have escape clauses every three years if escalator provisions were not met. For example, if the escalator were not met after the third year of the contract, A-Rod would be able to opt out of the contract after the third or fourth year. Regardless of whether escalators were met, A-Rod would be able to opt out and become a free agent again after seven years. Boras would not discuss length or dollars, except to say he has not asked any team for either yet.
Boras denied he demanded in a contract that A-Rod be allowed to use the team’s logo in marketing, that a tent must be set up in spring training to sell Rodriguez paraphernalia, that A-Rod have use of a private jet 365 days a year and that A-Rod get incentives based on increases in attendance and TV/radio revenue – all of which sources say he is asking for.
“Structure of the contract and dollars aside, it is the other stuff,” Phillips said. “I have serious reservations of a structure in which you have a 24-plus-one-man roster. I don’t think it can work.”
And so the Mets are strangely and quickly out after a few years suggesting they would be in.