Don Wilson Sports News: Will Rodriguez Stay with Yanks

Alex Rodriguez says he wants to wait until the end of the season before he does any talk with the Yankees about contract extentions. The Yankees do not want to wait...

"Like I've said all year, I think it's something we'll do at the end of the year," Rodriguez said Thursday before the Yankees opened a four-game series at Tampa Bay with a 7-3 win over the Devil Rays.

Citing an anonymous source, the New York Daily News reported Friday that the Yankees have "made it clear" to Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras, that if the player opts out, his days as a Yankee will be over. The newspaper said the Yankees have no intention of being part of a bidding war if Rodriguez hits the open market.

Rodriguez has 3½ seasons left on his record $252 million, 10-year deal, but can opt of the contract this fall and become a free agent -- a decision the slugger would have to make within 10 days of the conclusion of the World Series. That would be Nov. 10 at the latest.

Rodriguez is owed $24 million in each of the next three seasons by the Yankees, with Texas offsetting much of the money by paying New York $8,116,000 next year, $7,101,500 in 2009 and $6,087,000 in 2010. He is guaranteed an additional $3 million annually by the Rangers, the original deferred money in his contract that was converted to an assignment bonus at the time of his trade to the Yankees.

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Source: ESPN

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