[bigboydan]

SI is reporting that A-Rod opted out of his contract tonight, and will become a free agent.

[tacomax]

And confirmed by Fox, via Boras.

[bigboydan]

This is completely crazy what A-Rod and Boris are trying to get or should I say rob MLB teams for his services.

Heres the story on this one in case anyone might want to read it:

DENVER (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez opted out of his $252 million, 10-year contract with the Yankees on Sunday in what appears to be the end of his career with New York.

Rodriguez's decision, announced by agent Scott Boras during Game 4 of the World Series, makes him eligible to become a free agent.

Rodriguez loses the final $72 million in guaranteed salary in the contract, of which $21.3 million was to be covered by payments from the Texas Rangers to the Yankees, and becomes eligible for free agency. New York had said it would not attempt to re-sign A-Rod if he opted out.

Boras said during a telephone interview that Rodriguez made his choice because he was uncertain whether Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte would return to the Yankees.

"Alex's decision was one based on not knowing what his closer, his catcher and one of his statured pitchers was going to do," Boras said. "He really didn't want to make any decisions until he knew what they were doing."

Boras said he attempted to notify Yankees general manager Brian Cashman of the decision Sunday but couldn't reach him, so he left a voice mail.

"He was traveling and I was traveling," Boras said.

A-Rod, likely to win his third AL MVP award next month, made his decision before the Yankees announced a replacement for departed manager Joe Torre. Broadcaster Joe Girardi and bench coach Don Mattingly were the top contenders, and the team also interviewed first-base coach Tony Pena.

Texas turns out to be the biggest winner, saving the remaining money it would have had to pay New York as part of the 2004 trade. Boras said the Rangers remain responsible for $3 million in annual deferred money A-Rod is owed in the next three years under the contract.

"We're going to wait until we hear officially, but obviously it would be welcome news on our end," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Rodriguez hit .314 this year and led the major leagues in home runs and RBIs. He was announced as a winner of a Hank Aaron award for offensive achievement before Game 4 but was not on hand to receive it. Boras said Rodriguez had a family commitment.

AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Dallas contributed to this report.

[tacomax]

This is completely crazy what A-Rod and Boris are trying to get or should I say rob MLB teams for his services

Any team will pay A-Rod what they think he is worth. There's no robbery going on here.

[Willie Bee]

The happiest person right now is not Alex Rodriguez or Scott Boras. The happiest person about this is, in fact, an owner...Tom Hicks, the moron who signed A-Rod to the original deal and basically inflated ALL salaries by a good 15%-25%. I've got no love for Rodriguez or his blood-sucking agent, hope both of them lose a limb in a horrific crash of some sort in the very near future. But blaming either of them for how much money Rodriguez made in the past or will be making in the future is wrong.

[Rollins08]

When are teams going to learn that you have to spend that money on pitching.