Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez, claiming that his former agents at WMG deceived him, may file a grievance or lawsuit against them, his attorney told Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
In the final year of his deal with the Mets, the hurler believed that he had a limited no-trade clause in which he could block deals to ten teams, including Milwaukee. However, a no-trade provision was never filed on his behalf and the closer fired Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem in favor of Scott Boras. A few days later, Rodriguez was traded to the Brewers.
"They did something atrocious,'' the attorney said. "Their utter arrogance makes this so evil. It's like rear-ending somebody, but instead of stopping your car and trading insurance information, these guys blew up the car, took off, and ran away. They committed negligence, and turned it into a fraud case."
Boras later negotiated a $500K payout to eliminate a $17.5MM vesting option in hopes that Rodriguez would still be used as a part-time closer, which never materialized. The Brewers' subsequent use of Rodriguez as a set-up man likely diminished his value on the free agent market entering this season, Nightengale writes.
Johnson said that Rodriguez is upset at the circumstances that led to his trade to Milwaukee, but not with the organization itself. The attorney also says that If Rodriguez had been aware a no-trade provision was never filed during his career, he would have been much more open to signing an extension with the Mets. Johnson says that the Wasserman Group promised to pay Rodriguez at least $1MM prior to a mediation session last week but reneged.
Love the comparison to rear ending someone.
wat
*Facepalm*
“these guys blew up the car, took off, and ran away.”
What the heck is this? A comic book?
K Rod shouldn’t have hired Boras nor the lawyer handling his case. What he should have done was hire the “A Team”
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… The A-Team.
B. A. Baracus probable could handle the matter himself.
PS I thought he just re-signed with the Brew Crew?
Drama queen.
Really… evil? Child killers are evil. This is a mild business inconvenience.
I’d respect KRod’s lawyer less if I had any respect at all for lawyers.
Lionel Hutz: “Can you imagine a world without lawyers?”
*commences day dream of hippy peace and love*
*shudders*
He’s the Scott Boras of the law world with that kind of hyperbole…
Yes, attorneys. Duping a multi-millionaire major league baseball player into thinking he has a no-trade clause is TOTALLY the same as blowing up someone’s car with them in it.
This is just fantastic.
I feel tempted to joke, but this is just too tragic
Only one way to solve this: cage match.
Money In The Bank
i believe k-rod is the first player in sports history to be pissed off about being traded to a playoff contender
Ego and Greed. Glad the Mets are done with him.
Ego and Greed. arent those nicknames for Jeff and Fred?
I believe k-rod is not the first player in sports history to be pissed off about losing leverage and money.
K-Rod should “occupy” Miller Field! (oh wait, he’s one of the 1%…oops!)
No. He’s not.
beg to differ… 99% of MLB players are part of the 1%
I dunno maybe like 40-60 percent of them. The stars for sure, but their earning power is only at its peak for a few years.
Even those making the league minimum are making ten times more than the average person…
my point exactly Jeff!
In that they work and don’t choose to wave meaningless signs and live with rats maybe?
No. He’s not.
Miller field? its miller park lol
Good riddance.
i feel like if k-rod was even remotely likeable, i might have some pity for him. oh well.
i feel like if k-rod was even remotely likeable, i might have some pity for him. oh well.
K-Rod is a nut case. You got paid in arbitration this year- keep your mouth shut and forget about the past. Be politically correct so you can get paid like Pujols did even though he only cares about the money and puts on this front as being charitable.
No I think he has a case and its not crazy. His agents didn’t look out for his best interests like they were obligated to.
It’s just the whole “evil” thing that I find riddiculous and frankly a creepy.
I agree, purple. I also think that it sounds like he has a case for poor representation and every right to pursue it. That said, one thing that I might be concerned about if Krod was on my team was that such a case might affect his on-field performance due to a lack of focus.
K-ROD. Just do the American thing and sue them
Sigh. And I’m a lawyer…..
Sounds like the former group for Rodriguez is the real “K-Rod”
His analogy made me laugh though.
He might be careful, Im sure his old agents know his real name and age.
He might be careful, Im sure his old agents know his real name and age.
“The attorney also says that If Rodriguez had been aware a no-trade provision was never filed during his career, he would have been much more open to signing an extension with the Mets.”
Anyone else confused by this? The Mets traded him in order to relieve salary and avoid that vesting option…why would they sign him to an extension?…and what would not having a no trade provision filed have to do with the Mets willingness to sign him again?
Mike, I think that the point of the comment is that if Krod had known that he was more vulnerable to being traded than he’d presumed, he would have been more willing to soften his demands to the Mets. I think that Krod was thinking that with the limited no trade clause, he had a stronger bargaining position than he really did. So if he’d been aware that his bargaining position was weaker than he realized, he might have been more willing to find a compromise with the Mets.
Of course, that doesn’t guarantee that the Mets still wouldn’t have traded him. But I can understand what Krod’s saying.
he should have never reworked his option.
Agreed. Boras didn’t really do him any favors either.
Why would they blow up the car and run away when it would be faster to just.. drive away…?
Hope the cars had insurance…. Id be pissed to if I got moved to a place that has nothing but miller lite.
I wonder if this whole thing wasn’t a game of bluff and double bluff,
with everyone ending up unhappy. Boras probably thought he’d hit the jackpot with
a brand new multi-year deal, so why take $17MM when you can get $50MM? The Brewers offered arbitration (under the old CBA) figuring Boras would go for the big bucks and they would get heavy draft-pick compensation. But Boras, having found there wasn’t that much of a market out there (Madson comes to mind) elects arbitration. The player loses-he’s still going to be a set-up man, which does nothing for his market value, and the Brewers pay a lot more than he’s worth.
KRod has made $55 mil (plus $8 mil this year).
He should quit threatening and focus on pitching…and enjoy his life.
not that its chump change…but u can divide that number in half…then take out another chunk of change for lawyers and stuff…and thats how much he has made..
IF ballplayers are smart, they will live within their means throughout their early years
I know 40% of athletes end up broke…but I have a hard time of feeling sorry for them
$63 mil, plus another $20 – $30 for his career
even if he only ends up with $30 mil after it is all over (and that is conservative)…effin enjoy it and shut up. Very few human beings on earth make that much cash.
the brewers just lost fielder and braun for a chunk of 2012…i wouldnt call them contenders
And gained Aramis Ramirez, a SS who can actually play defense, a hot hitting prospect at 1B, a better backup outfielder, a pitching staff that’s healthy, and K-Rod for a setup guy. Yeah, definitely much worse than last year.
it helps if you actually know what you are talking about
Ramirez plays 3B…does play a decent 3B…
Gonzalez plays SS…is not exactly a great glove at SS
a better BACKUP OF? lol ur kidding right
That hot hitting 1B prospect is going on 27 and did 0 with his cup of coffee last year…he is 1 year younger than the guy that just left who was an absolute STUD on the MLB roster…
face it…the only thing keepingthe brew crew in contentionis the fact that the division kinda sux