Selling Services to the Higest Bidder?: A-Rod and Jones Take Different Paths

Everyone knows Scott Boras as the super-agent of Major League Baseball.

He is known as the agent that sells his clients’ services to the highest bidder.

However, 2007 proved Boras isn’t all he is cracked up to be.

Alex Rodriguez made it known he wanted to stay with the New York Yankees. However, he wanted to get paid a little more.

So, what does Boras do? For starters, during Game Four of the World Series, he announces that A-Rod will be opting out of his contract with the Yankees. Then, he tells the Yankees the only way they will negotiate with the team is if they put a 10-year, $350 million dollar offer on the table. And that was “just to talk.”

After much scrutiny, Rodriguez did the smart thing. He contacted the Yankees himself and had an outside agency negotiate a contract with the Yankees.

In the end, Rodriguez got a 10-year, $275 million contract, which was still a raise.

Obviously, Boras wasn’t happy with that deal. Soon after, it was reported that Rodriguez fired Boras, which is probably the best career move he’s ever made.

What can we learn from this whole situation?

Is it possible that in a sport where big-money contracts are commonplace, there are still some athletes who have a sense of pride and loyalty to their ballclub? Is it possible that athletes who are making millions and millions of dollars are willing to play for a couple million less just so they can play in a city they love?

Current L.A. Dodgers centerfielder Andruw Jones still has a lot to learn as a Boras client. Jones didn’t get the mega-deal he and his agent were expecting after this season. After the kind of offensive season he had, can you really blame any team for not giving him a long-term contract?

Still, Boras thought he could get the maximum for Jones. However, a two-year $36.2 million deal isn’t what Jones expected. The money per year isn't the issue, but the length of the contract is something he is obviously disappointed about.

I guess Jones’ happiness is now in the possession of the highest bidder—unlike Rodriguez, who is happy in New York.

Rodriguez did a noble thing, and thought about the happiness of both he and his family. He knew there is truly no difference between getting paid $27.5 million and $35 million per year. He already knew he was set for the rest of his life. He also knew his family would be taken care of for generations to come with the kind of money he’s making.

Rodriguez made a bold move. But it was a move of happiness. He realized his happiness wasn’t going to be sacrificed so his services could be sold to the highest bidder.