I got a free subscription to ESPN the Mag. About the only thing they have worth reading is an article each issue from an anonymous player or coach who spills the beans about what really goes on. This month was an MLB "Player X" and he had this to say about A-Rod (I'd link the article but you have to be an ESPN Insider...if you are and want the link let me know):
When we were reporting to camp, all anyone was talking about was Albert Pujols' contract negotiation. The stalemate made no sense. Every guy I know in MLB would rather have Pujols hitting on his side than Alex Rodriguez, so I think Camp Albert has every right to want more money than Rodriguez makes. A-Rod is overpaid. Sure, he plays third, a more premium position on defense than first, but even if they played the same spot, I'd take Pujols. Everything he does at the plate he does well. His career numbers trump Hank Aaron's at this stage and his supporting cast is nowhere near A-Rod's. Rodriguez's numbers, on the other hand, are inflated. He's mostly played in smaller ballparks or been surrounded by hitters so good he can just pound away. Pujols is no Mr. Congeniality, but he's flat-out better than the rest of us. If I were a GM, I'd think it was a steal to get him at eight years and $180 million. He and his agent ended up asking for more, but frankly, the Cardinals should have paid it, whatever it was. Everytime I watched SportsCenter and saw they hadn't locked him up, I shook my head. I wasn't the only one.
Then this nugget on Scott Boras:
In spring training, clubhouse chatter about contracts is common. What's not common is when a player drops his agent in the middle of his contract, like Mark Teixeira just did with Scott Boras. Remember that A-Rod also dropped Boras after becoming a Yankee. I think that's a sign that these guys want to be known for their teams and performances -- not for their agent. Some players think of Boras as just a contract rep. If you're an All Star, he'll get you your big deal. But this league is made up of more role players than All Stars, and guys have told me that Boras doesn't even bother with you once you fall off that top tier. I bet big-name guys who are struggling, like Barry Zito and Oliver Perez, don't like being Boras' clients, because his priorities seem to be elsewhere. For their sake, I hope Boras makes his guys see sports psychologists and personal trainers when their performances slump. Because that's what I want: an agent committed to my career, not just a commission.
Being a Braves fan, I wouldn't spit on Boras. The Braves FO refuses to deal with him anymore after he pulled a ridiculous bait-and-switch with Rafael Furcal a few years ago (with Furcal openly and privately admitting that he had no idea Boras was stringing the Braves along to sweeten the deal with the Dodgers). Any Brave who has Boras as an agent, we can pretty much expect them to be gone when their contract is up.
