Free Agency Chain Reaction: Alex Rodriguez
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Published by Denny Hatton on October 31, 2007 10:24 am
The most interesting part of the Hot Stove League is contemplating the many permutations of free agent activity. There are literally hundreds of different chains which can follow, many sparked from an initial signing, and subsequent quests to fill holes/one-up the competition, etc….
In hopes of stimulating discussion, I am starting a mock free agency chain reaction series of articles, with a separate free agent signing sparking the chain. For my first chain, I will choose Alex Rodriguez, formerly of the New York Yankees.
Background: Alex Rodriguez is arguably the greatest baseball player alive. Let’s take a look at his impressive career statistics:
| SEASON |
TEAM
|
G
|
AB
|
R
|
H
|
2B
|
3B
|
HR
|
RBI
|
BB
|
SO
|
SB
|
CS
|
AVG
|
OBP
|
SLG
|
OPS
| | 1994 | Sea |
17
|
54
|
4
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
20
|
3
|
0
|
.204
|
.241
|
.204
|
.445
|
| 1995 | Sea |
48
|
142
|
15
|
33
|
6
|
2
|
5
|
19
|
6
|
42
|
4
|
2
|
.232
|
.264
|
.408
|
.672
|
| 1996 | Sea |
146
|
601
|
141
|
215
|
54
|
1
|
36
|
123
|
59
|
104
|
15
|
4
|
.358
|
.414
|
.631
|
1.045
|
| 1997 | Sea |
141
|
587
|
100
|
176
|
40
|
3
|
23
|
84
|
41
|
99
|
29
|
6
|
.300
|
.350
|
.496
|
.846
|
| 1998 | Sea |
161
|
686
|
123
|
213
|
35
|
5
|
42
|
124
|
45
|
121
|
46
|
13
|
.310
|
.360
|
.560
|
.920
|
| 1999 | Sea |
129
|
502
|
110
|
143
|
25
|
0
|
42
|
111
|
56
|
109
|
21
|
7
|
.285
|
.357
|
.586
|
.943
|
| 2000 | Sea |
148
|
554
|
134
|
175
|
34
|
2
|
41
|
132
|
100
|
121
|
15
|
4
|
.316
|
.420
|
.606
|
1.026
|
| 2001 | Tex |
162
|
632
|
133
|
201
|
34
|
1
|
52
|
135
|
75
|
131
|
18
|
3
|
.318
|
.399
|
.622
|
1.021
|
| 2002 | Tex |
162
|
624
|
125
|
187
|
27
|
2
|
57
|
142
|
87
|
122
|
9
|
4
|
.300
|
.392
|
.623
|
1.015
|
| 2003 | Tex |
161
|
607
|
124
|
181
|
30
|
6
|
47
|
118
|
87
|
126
|
17
|
3
|
.298
|
.396
|
.600
|
.996
|
| 2004 | NYY |
155
|
601
|
112
|
172
|
24
|
2
|
36
|
106
|
80
|
131
|
28
|
4
|
.286
|
.375
|
.512
|
.887
|
| 2005 | NYY |
162
|
605
|
124
|
194
|
29
|
1
|
48
|
130
|
91
|
139
|
21
|
6
|
.321
|
.421
|
.610
|
1.031
|
| 2006 | NYY |
154
|
572
|
113
|
166
|
26
|
1
|
35
|
121
|
90
|
139
|
15
|
4
|
.290
|
.392
|
.523
|
.915
|
| 2007 | NYY |
158
|
583
|
143
|
183
|
31
|
0
|
54
|
156
|
95
|
120
|
24
|
4
|
.314
|
.422
|
.645
|
1.067
|
| Total | – |
1904
|
7350
|
1501
|
2250
|
395
|
26
|
518
|
1503
|
915
|
1524
|
265
|
64
|
.306
|
.389
|
.578
|
.967
|
Here is the seasonal average for his career:
| YEARS | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | | 11.75 | 162 | 625 | 128 | 191 | 34 | 2 | 44 | 128 | 78 | 130 | 23 | 5 | .306 | .389 | .578 | .967 |
At 32 years of age, Rodriguez has the potential to eclipse the all-time home run record, currently held by Barry Bonds, and cement his status as one of if not the greatest player of all-time. As such, not only is he a huge offensive force, but a market presence, with the potential to increase team revenue through ticket sales, merchandising, and television contracts.
It won’t be cheap though. Rodriguez opted out of a $27 million contract, and hints from his agent indicate he is looking for a long-term deal in the ball-park of $30 million annually. While the market might have a say in the final numbers, it is reasonable to suggest that Rodriguez will cost any gaining franchise a tremendous amount.
Now comes the chain reaction. The way this works is I will choose one team as the winner of the A-Rod sweepstakes, and then attempt to gauge the impact that has on other teams, and subsequent moves made by the organization directly or indirectly as a result of A-Rod’s signing. In order for this concept to work, I am looking for readers to provide their own alternative chains.
Chain #1: Alex Rodriguez to Boston
- Reaction #1: Yankees trade Johnny Damon to CHW for Joe Crede
- Reaction #2: Mike Lowell signs with Philadelphia.
- Reaction #3: Philadelphia trades Aaron Rowand to MIN for Matt Garza.
- Reaction #4: Torii Hunter bolts from Minnesota, signs with WAS for 4 yrs/60 million
- Reaction #5: CHW sign Pedro Feliz or Corey Koskie, bring Fields up slower to work on 3b.
- Reaction #6: WAS trades Nick Johnson to New York Yankees for Ty Clippard or Alan Horne and Kevin Whelan
- Reaction #7: Minnesota signs Geoff Jenkins to one year deal.
- Reaction #8: Milwaukee signs Andruw Jones, shifts Bill Hall to LF
- Reaction #9: Atlanta signs Mike Cameron
- Reaction #10: Boston trades CF Coco Crisp to TEX for C Gerald Laird
- Reaction #11: San Diego sign Kosuke Fukodome
- Reaction #12: CHC signs Hiroki Kuroda
- Reaction #13: After receiving no viable offers, SF offers Bonds a one-year deal at $10 million. Bonds retires.
Now it’s time for you to provide alternative chains for Alex Rodriguez (ie, A-Rod to SF; A-Rod to LAA; A-Rod to CHC) and the subsequent reactions from other teams. Have fun
