Yankees Will Negotiate In-Season With A-Rod

Many commenters here at MLBTradeRumors have proclaimed that there is no way the Yankees let Alex Rodriguez leave after this season.  They are still a powerhouse team, and they can afford any player.

Those commenters have been validated by Buster Olney’s recent story at ESPN.com.  Buster says the Yankees will bend their rules to talk extension with A-Rod before the season ends.  The Yanks would want to add on to Rodriguez’s current contract, so he’d have to agree not to opt out.  That way Texas will continue footing a portion of the bill. 

Would an additional four years (2011-2014) for $120MM do the trick?  That would take him through his age 38 season, at which point he would still be probably a season or two short of Bonds’ home run record.  But locking him in through 2016 would be akin to a nine-year extension.

Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire believes the Yankees will only stop Rodriguez from exercising his out clause if they offer him something massive, like ten years and $300MM.