The Yankees Won't Be Interested If A-Rod Opts-Out

Alex Rodriguez has publicly admitted that he's thought about opting out of his contract (and leaving three years and $81 million on the table) to test the market after this season. That's his prerogative, but if he does so, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in no uncertain terms that he'll be permanently turning in his pinstripes to do so. From Jon Heyman in SI.com:

But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman made clear in an interview on Tuesday that Rodriguez's current team will not chase A-Rod and will not be part of any bidding war.

"He has a significant contract as it is," Cashman told SI.com. "So I don't anticipate any dialogue regarding an extension."

I understand Cashman's stance completely, and it has nothing to do with loyalty. In fact, I'd venture to say that if Rodriguez opts out and for some reason doesn't find a better deal (which won't happen, but bear with me), Cashman wouldn't even be interested in giving A-Rod back his old deal.

Why? Because what's left unsaid by both Cashman and Heyman is that the Yankees aren't actually paying all of A-Rod's salary. If you remember, the Rangers have been subsidizing A-Rod's salary ever since the trade that brought him over from Texas: they're paying $8 million of A-Rod's $25 million salary this year, and they're on the hook for a combined $17 million in 2008 and 2009.

The moment Rodriguez opts out, the Rangers are off the hook, which means if Cashman were to give him the same contract A-Rod walked away from (let alone giving him any kind of raise), it would cost the Yankees at least $17 million more than what they currently owe him. Cashman did indicate that he'd be willing to give Rodriguez an extension down the road, but he won't let the fact that Rodriguez can opt-out now strong-arm him into giving him that extension three years before his current deal is set to expire.