Rich teams getting richer makes Bud Selig grimace. Nevertheless, after watching the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez agree on the largest contract in baseball history that could swell past the $300 million mark, the commissioner is bracing for another team with deep pockets prying Johan Santana away from the Twins.
“MLB doesn’t like it, but the reality of the situation is that only a handful of teams, the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Angels and maybe the Dodgers, can pay what (Santana) is looking for,” a team official said. “But that’s the way it is because he is looking for $120 million for six years and he is the best pitcher in the game.”
People in Selig’s office worked with the Yankees, Rodriguez and the Players Association to hammer out a three-tier plan that will turn the 10-year, $275 million deal into a $305 million pact if Rodriguez breaks Barry Bonds’ all-time home run record.
Under the agreement, believed to the first of its kind in baseball and will not be finalized until Rodriguez passes a physical – think tomorrow – Rodriguez could receive $6 million each for tying Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762). There is an additional $6 million for breaking Bonds’ major league record. Rodriguez, 32, has 518 homers.
As for Santana, the left-hander will dominate the Winter Meetings that open Sunday in Nashville. After center fielders Andruw Jones and Aaron Rowand, the free agent market is thin. So, Santana, who will turn 29 in March, will be in the stale air of the Opryland Hotel.
The Yankees will be involved heavily in talks with the Twins for the career 93-44 pitcher who can be a free agent after the 2008 season. Any team willing to give up the bevy of young talent the Twins are looking for will make sure to negotiate a deal with Santana, who has a no-trade clause, before making the deal. He is slated to make $13.5 million next year.
Though the Yankees certainly have the money – they have spent $388 million this offseason to bring back Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Bobby Abreu and Rodriguez – they may not have the talent to land Santana. It generally is assumed throughout baseball that the Yankees won’t include Joba Chamberlain in a deal. But will a package of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera, who could replace Torii Hunter in center, be enough to top other clubs?