Red Sox make an Alex Rodriguez escape

The Red Sox tried and failed to get Alex Rodriguez in 2003. A moment of thanks for the wheels of fate preventing the deal.

Boston Red Sox fans and management should be eternally grateful for a great escape that would certainly be representative of anything Houdini could accomplish. The escape was not intended, but given as a gift that Red Sox Nation should forever be grateful for. If candles need to be lit I will certainly place a few quid into the bucket of appreciation.

Alex Rodriguez just announced his retirement from the New York Yankees and it could have been from the Boston Red Sox if the MLB Player’s Union had cooperated with a contract being rewritten that would have deposited Rodriguez into Fenway Park.

Flash back to the turbulent first few years of the new ownership and their desire for the ultimate marquee player who conveniently became available. Boston had just suffered another humiliating defeat to the New York Yankees in the 2003 ALCS and needed to take another step forward and that was the sudden availability of Rodriquez. A-Rod, who had become a free agent in 2001 at a mere 25-years-old, proceeded to do what he has historically done – seek what is best for A-Rod when his free agency arrived.

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The Texas Rangers quickly pounced and the deal was consummated for ten years and $252 Million. Rodriguez continued to amass a statistic ledger that was historic, including a 2003 season with Texas – his last as a Ranger – that had A-Rod leading the American League in home runs and also being awarded a Gold Glove for his defensive contribution as a shortstop, but he was finished in Texas.

Texas wished to move his contract and found a willing partner in Boston who was to send Manny Ramirez to Texas along with minor league pitcher Jon Lester. Boston would also rid themselves of Nomar Garciaparra with a second deal that would be with the Chicago White Sox for Magglio Ordonez with Boston also tossing in prospect Brandon McCarthy. Then it fell apart.

The Red Sox in 2003 simply had not reached the cash flow stratosphere we have become accustomed to seeing. How to solve the dollar dilemma was potentially solved by Rodriguez, who shockingly was willing to accept a reworked contract. That had to be approved by the Major League Baseball Players Association who viewed it as a reduction and that was a deal that died.

The rest is well-known history as the New York Yankees soon stepped in and on to Broadway went Rodriguez and what could have been didn’t happen – thankfully.

In 2003 I was disappointed that the deals did not succeed since I considered Rodriguez to be the greatest player in history not named Babe Ruth. I also realized that Garciaparra was on a very thin leash in Boston and would probably best be served if he went elsewhere. The Red Sox were also getting Curt Schilling so after the embarrassment of the 2003, playoffs it appeared Boston was ready to exercise all demons.

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The negativity that surrounded A-Rod was well known, but I had a dismissive attitude towards it having been a great fan of a notorious petulant star – Ted Williams. My other justification was that Rodriguez was willing to take a pay cut – a sacrifice for the chance to win. That was just a sorry attempt at my own ethical justification of accepting a player whose solitary interests – now that I reflect back – were his own self-indulgent behaviors.

A-Rod is not leaving as Gil Meche did and simply refusing to take money when in good conscience his performance was not there. No settlement for Meche, who could have ridden the disabled list and collected. In the case of Rodriguez his ability is gone, no matter how many additives he may ingest. Did he negotiate a settlement with some give back to New York? I doubt it.

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What happens now is that Boston has diminishing returns in the theatrics that are Boston versus New York. No black hat or capped villain to be the personification of evil in our rivalry. That will be missed.

Sources: Grantland/ESPN 30-30/my own fading memory