What about.........trading for ARod?

I don't know how MLB trades work, but if he is traded again, do the Rangers still owe him the money they agreed to pay?  If so, 16 million may be a bargain for A-Rod.  Thats at least 2 million a year cheaper than what we'd pay for Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Lee, or Alfonzo Soriano.  If the Yankees are willing to throw in 3-4 million on top of it, it realllllly makes him a bargain.

The Yankees are desperate to starting pitching, and I don't know how much value an unproven (and/or inconsistent) Noah Lowry and Jonathan Sanchez will have to the Yankees.  Although I would believe that Morris + Lowry may hold more weight than Morris + Sanchez.  

We'll have a better chance just trading them players (i.e. Morris + Lowry/Sanchez) and just getting A-Rod and no cash.  But I would only do this if Texas is still on the hook for the portion of salary they agreed to pay for the Yankees.

Similar to Sayhey, I have no problem with acquiring A-Rod either.  But Cain and Lincecum (even though I think some rule prevents Lincecum from being traded) are off limits.  

Lowry + EME. I'd do it.

That would be manageable, but we aren't talking about historic-level Bonds here.  A-Rod had a .914 OPS this year, following his 1.031 in 2005 and .888 in 2004.  Go into more advanced metrics if you want, but by no measure is that worth what he makes.  His key was that he played SS, and at a GG level.  But now he doesn't, and even his 3B defense isn't very good any more.  There is talk of his becoming a 1Bman or even OFer in the not-so-distant future.

He is very good, but by no means head and shoulders above the league at 3B.  He's no Cabrera, and is in the vicinity of Atkins and Wright, probably below Chipper Jones.  At 1B or RF, he becomes even less special.  He is still one of the top 25 offensive players in the league, but certainly not worth that contract.  Because of his contract, he is far more expendable than one would think.

Remember when Manny Ramirez was put on waivers and no one claimed him?  That's just about where we are with A-Rod right now.  The Yankees aren't going to get anything like Cain or Lincecum for him.  They actually will not be likely to get anything at all for him unless they send Texas's money and more money of their own along with his contract.

Plus, A-Rod's image is at an all-time low in NY with his perceived non-clutch image, his "failure" to bring another WS championship to the Yankees, and his supposed problems with his teammates.  Those things will be factors if other teams are considering dealing for him.

Think about this:  would you rather have A-Rod for $18m/yr or Aramis Ramirez at $13-14m/yr plus $4-5m/yr for, say, relievers?  Unless you are the Yankees, and you can say "A-Rod plus whatever we feel like spending for relievers" then I would assume the former.  And yet, even the Yankees have limits.

Granted, this was an off-year for A-Rod.  But according to Baseball Prospectus, he was worth 5.4 WARP (Wins Above Replacement Player - replacement player being freely available talent from the scrap heap).  [His WARP in 2005 was 10.5, for 2004, 8.0].  Pedro Feliz had a 3.5 WARP, Rich Aurilia 4.2, Aramis Ramirez 5.9.  None of these potential FAs are as good as typical A-Rod.  But they make so much less than him that the money can be spent elsewhere to improve a team and make up those wins.

After this year especially, the Yankees are desperate for pitching.  I don't think they would want Matt Morris, but they would likely jump out of their chairs if you offered Lowry and Sanchez for A-Rod.  They would probably send along not only the Texas money, but probably a few million more of their own.

-- Had fairly miserable ratios at the big club, even when he was had the great ERA, even when he was in the pen;

-- Was moderately successful at Fresno, with a very strong K rate, but also a higher walk rate;

-- Was dominant at double-A, but in just 30 innings;

-- Doesn't have anything exceptional besides an apparently deceptive delivery that makes his fastball seem faster than it is. I would expect that to be the sort of thing that would lose effectiveness a few times through the league or through a lineup.

I'm happy about him, but I can't see him as a guy who projects to be anywhere near untouchable. But I'm probably wrong. Anybody  feel strongly the other way?

A-Rod has the best-looking baseball card in the universe, and comes with the same reputation that Bonds always had -- a supposed choker when it's all on the line.

What garbage. A-Rod is a supremely gifted player, and a genuinely good guy in a funky situation in New York.

A-Rod is still young, still great and is currently at his lowest perceived value because Jeter has trashed him for three years and Steinbrenner and Torre have trashed him during these playoffs.

If A-Rod were a Giant, he would be a cornerstone for the next four years and come at less money than Bonds made during the last four. He's worth more, of course, but his salary is subsidized by that goof owner in Texas.

I would give them Cain and Lowry so fast it would be yesterday when that trade was made.

Hard to believe that the management would hire Pinella just to please a player, but I think they know what they've got in Rodriguez for four more years and don't want to let him go.  Let's hope they make the wrong move..

Its an interesting situation that should be monitered very closely.  If AROD has any shot of landing in SF, that is the ideal circumstance.  Couple that with the fact that AROD surely makes the Angels playoff competitors.  Im not to sure the Yankees want to take him to an AL team.  It makes lot of sense to trade him over to the NL, which also significantly upgrades our chances of a potential trade.

Torre is staying + Pinella is speaking to Sabes + Arod loves Pinella = Giants get Arod and Pinella