Posts tagged as:

alex rodriguez

A-Rod Traded to Yanks

February 14, 2004

T.R. Sullivan reports:

The Rangers have agreed to trade 2003 AL MVP Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for All-Star second baseman Alfanso Soriano and a minor-league player to be named later.

What a suprise. Tom Hicks and John Hart have been lying to us all along — naming A-Rod Rangers team captain while continuing to work the trade talks.

Soriano is a fine addition for the Rangers, but don’t expect any new pitching in Arlington. Unlike Drayton McLane, Hicks doesn’t believe in adding good pitching talent.

Too bad, Hicks couldn’t get Stienbrenner to take Chan Ho as part of the deal.

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Hicks Spins A-Rod deal

December 23, 2003

Tom Hicks sent an email to Texas Rangers season ticket holders today trying to convince everyone that A-Rod will remain with the team.

Very shortly, it will be announced that the proposed trade of Alex Rodriguez to the Boston Red Sox will not occur. Given the importance of this issue, I wanted to “speak” to you, our valued season ticket holders, directly and prior to the announcement.

The Texas Rangers Baseball Club is committed to creating a championship-caliber team on the field. As such, we are constantly exploring ways to achieve those ends. When contemplating the potential to trade Alex, the one constant was that we would only finalize an agreement if it would make our team better faster. At the end of the negotiation process, we felt what was offered in return did not satisfy that threshold.

When Alex signed to play for the Texas Rangers, we felt privileged to have the best player in baseball as a part of our team. We believed we could build a championship-caliber team around Alex. That sentiment has not changed, nor has the commitment.

We are well on our way to accomplishing that goal. Mark Teixeira, Hank Blalock, and Michael Young, along with Alex, form arguably the best infield in baseball today. Their future together has the potential for even greater success. We continue to see accomplishments at all levels of our minor league system confirming the vision of future success that John Hart and Grady Fuson created. In addition, we plan to augment this young core with appropriate free agent activity, which should begin taking place over the next several days, and/or trades. Buck Showalter is the embodiment of a Major League manager, and the Rangers are confident in his ability to lead our young, talented group to future playoff games.

Your support as a season ticket holder is instrumental in allowing us to build these future successes. I want to personally thank you for your loyalty and assure you of our commitment to reward your investment. The Rangers look forward to seeing you often at the beautiful Ballpark in Arlington in 2004. Please join me in welcoming Alex back to The Ballpark.

Anybody believe this?

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I received this email from my mom tonight:

Please Help !!

Since September 11, 2001, Americans have come together as never before in our generation. We have banded together to overcome tremendous adversity. We have weathered direct attacks on our own soil, wars overseas, corporate scandal, layoffs, unemployment, stock price plunges, droughts, fires, and a myriad of economic and physical disasters both great and small.

But now, we must come together once again to overcome our greatest challenge yet.

Hundreds of Major League Baseball players in our very own nation are living at, just below, or in most cases far above the seven-figure salary level. And as if that weren’t bad enough they could be deprived of their life giving pay for several months, possibly longer, as a result of the upcoming strike situation. But you can help!

For only $20,835 a month, about $694.50 a day (that’s less than the cost of a large screen projection TV) you can help a MLB player remain economically viable during his time of need. This contribution by no means solves the problem as it barely covers the annual minimum salary, but it’s a start, and every little bit will help!

Although $700 may not seem like a lot of money to you, to a baseball player it could mean the difference between spending the strike golfing in Florida or on a Mediterranean cruise. For you, seven hundred dollars is nothing more than a month’s rent, half a mortgage payment, two unemployment checks, or a month of medical insurance with COBRA, but to a baseball player, $700 will partially replace his daily salary.

Your commitment of less than $700 a day will enable a player to buy that home entertainment center, trade in the year-old Lexus for a new Ferrari, or enjoy a weekend in Rio.

HOW WILL I KNOW I’M HELPING?

Each month, you will receive a complete financial report on the player you sponsor. Detailed information about his stocks, bonds, 401(k), real estate, and other investment holdings will be mailed to your home. Plus, upon signing up for this program, you will receive an unsigned photo of the player lounging during the strike on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean (for a signed photo, please include an additional $150). Put the photo on your refrigerator to remind you of other peoples’ suffering.

HOW WILL HE KNOW I’M HELPING?

Your MLB player will be told that he has a SPECIAL FRIEND who just wants to help in a time of need. Although the player won’t know your name, he will be able to make collect calls to your home via a special operator in case additional funds are needed for unforeseen expenses.

YES, I WANT TO HELP!

I would like to sponsor a striking MLB player. My preference is checked below:

  • [ ] Infielder
  • [ ] Outfielder
  • [ ] Starting Pitcher
  • [ ] Ace Pitcher
  • [ ] Entire team (Please call our 900 number to ask for the cost of a specific team $10 per minute)
  • [ ] Alex Rodriguez (Higher cost: $60,000 per day)

Please charge the account listed below $694.50 per day for the player for the duration of the strike. Please send me a picture of the player have sponsored, along with an Alex Rodriguez 2001 Income Statement and my very own Donald Fehr MLB Players Union pin to wear proudly on my hat (include $80 for hat).

Your Name: _______________________
Telephone Number: ____________________
Account Number: _____________________
Exp.Date:_______
[ ] MasterCard
[ ] Visa
[ ] American Express
[ ] Discover

Signature: _______________________
Alternate card (when the primary card exceeds its credit limit):
Account Number: _____________________
Exp.Date:_______
[ ] MasterCard
[ ] Visa
[ ] American Express
[ ] Discover

Signature: _______________________

Mail completed form to MLB Players Union or call 1-900-s****-THE-FANS now to enroll by phone ($10 per minute).

Disclaimer: Sponsors are not permitted to contact the player they have sponsored, either in person or by other means including, but not limited to, telephone calls, letters, e-mail, or third parties. Contributions are not tax-deductible.

I think it is humorous, but it is just one more example of how bad this whole baseball situation is. Regardless of how much players are overpaid, the owners are totally to blame for the current situation. They cannot and will not come together. Until they are unified and work for the common good of the game, the fans lose.

On a side note, A Rod is well worth the $25 million a season. You can pencil him in now as the best all-around shortstop that baseball has ever seen.

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