Alex Rodriguez to the Cubs for a share of the franchise?

Posted Oct 30th 2007 3:34PM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Business of Sports

Corporate governance experts will tell you that executives generally perform best when their interests are aligned with those of their shareholders -- a CEO who owns a big chunk of stock tends to be more concerned about the interests of investors. After all, he is one! But does the same idea apply to baseball players?

Alex Rodriguez's super agent Scott Boras is said to be looking for a 10-year, $300 million deal for the star, and The Wall Street Journal has an idea (subscription required) for a novel way for a team to come up with the cash:

That is an awful lot for any team without the Yankees' payroll to commit to. But what if, as with a Wall Street firm, a chunk of it came in the form of equity? Such risk-sharing might be attractive for some team owners, though the compensation might need to be deferred to comply with league rules...

It sounds like an interesting idea. It might encourage Rodriguez, who has developed a reputation for being enigmatic at time, to engage in PR activities and really add value to the team, on and off the field.

It's probably a long shot, but definitely interesting to think about.

Tags: Alex Rodriguez, AlexRodriguez, Baseball, inthenews, New York Yankees, NewYorkYankees, NYY, salaries, Yankees

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-30-2007 @ 3:41PM

Sheldon L said...

I'll take two $15m players instead and fill two holes if I'm Chicago or most other teams.

10-30-2007 @ 5:38PM

GUS said...

A luxury tax, is a luxury tax. You compensate a player with shares of stock, you still
fall under the same guidelines as a true money exchange.

I backed Alex every step of the way when he was getting booed and getting the cold
shoulder from his shortstop. Since Boras's announcement, I'm officially done with the pair.

A direct quote from Mr. Rodriguez's web site dated Oct. 11, 2006:

"After we were eliminated on Saturday, the media asked me a lot of questions regarding
my future in New York -- whether I want to leave, or if I will be traded, etc. I will tell you
what I told them: I am 100 percent committed to being a Yankee now and in the future.
I don't want to play anywhere else. I never have (and never will) run away from the responsibility
I have to this team. I believe I am part of the solution to winning a championship here. I want to
finish my career in New York".

A man's word is all he truly owns. Opting out to get an extra 2 yrs, ( remaining 3 on current
contract, with the 5 yrs the Yankees were willing to extend, as apposed to Boras looking for
a 10 yr deal), is the worse thing Alex could do for his legacy.

If he had stayed a Yankee, like he is quoted as wanting, he would have likely retired as not only the
best Yankee to ever suit up, but also the best player to ever play the game period. That is unless he
pulled a Griffey and has disastrous injuries over the next 5 yrs.

Now, with Boras's greed and Alex's lack of social skills, he'll have the numbers but lack the magic of a Ruth,
Dimaggio or Mantle.

I almost cry thinking about how Griffey gave up literally tens of millions to come home and play for his home
team, only to get wrecked by injuries. He was the person everyone picked to break Aaron's record.

Instead, we have a roid user holding the record and the guy who will eventually break it is led too easily by an
agent who would sell his mother if the price is right.

Where are the men of strong character and love of the game?

10-30-2007 @ 6:06PM

Brando said...

Alex is a pure money hungry jerk!!! The money he will be seeking will let the yankees go and buy someone he can do more such as rumored Pujols (alot more clutch coming from him) and Johan Santana (even without Alex, Santana, Wang, and Hughes+the yankees bats will still tear up the AL).