DALLAS (AP) – A-Rod is baseball’s newest lightning rod, a quarter-billion dollar example of the star system dominating professional sports.
Even before the All-Star shortstop finalized his $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Monday, baseball’s doom-and-gloom faction was saying the money has become too much.
“This amount of money spread out over 10 years could probably buy three franchises or so at the bottom end of market value,” said Sandy Alderson, an executive vice president in baseball’s commissioner’s office.
Rangers owner Tom Hicks predicted Rodriguez will lead his team to national prominence, to “fulfill its dream of continuing on its path to becoming a World Series champion.”
Hicks paid $250 million to buy the entire franchise three years ago from a group headed by George W. Bush (news – web sites) and Rusty Rose.
“The Rangers are serious about winning,” Texas general manager Doug Melvin said. “I know expectations will be high. We’re ready for that challenge.”
But, while A-Rod now has I-Rod – catcher Ivan Rodriguez – as a teammate, they don’t pitch. Texas hasn’t added much to staff that had a major league-worst 5.52 ERA last season.
And the Rangers must contend with teams who claimed Rodriguez and agent Scott Boras bamboozled them into overpaying by tens of millions of dollars.
“I’m the whipping boy for `baseball games will destruct,”’ Boras said.
The contract calls for a $10 million signing bonus paid over five years and salaries of $21 million in each of the first four years – well above the $15.8 million Minnesota paid its entire team this season.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez gets $25 million a year in 2005 and 2006, and $27 million in each of the final four seasons. A total of $36 million is deferred at 3 percent interest, the money to be paid from 2011-2020.
The contract is double the previous record for a sports contract: a $126 million, six-year agreement in October 1997 between forward Kevin Garnett and the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
And it was finalized just two days after Mike Hampton’s $121 million, eight-year deal with Colorado, which had been baseball’s highest package. New York Yankees president Randy Levine criticized Texas as among the teams “whining about out-of-control payrolls” and said it would be “the height of hypocrisy” for them to “ever complain about anything again.”
“At first they were talking about 200 million – 250 (million) came out of nowhere,” said Rodriguez’s new teammate, Rafael Palmeiro. “It’s just incredible.”
Rodriguez, who can opt out of the agreement after seven years and become a free agent again at age 32, came away with an average salary of $25.2 million – 48 percent higher than the previous top, the $17 million Toronto first baseman Carlos Delgado agreed to in October as part of a four-year contract.
But A-Rod fell short of the highest average salary in sports. Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal will average $29.5 million in an $88.5 million, three-year extension that starts with the 2003-04 season.
Michael Jordan made about $33 million in 1997-98, his final season in the NBA.
“People are talking about the money, but you have to recognize the type of player he is and what he can accomplish,” Oakland general manager Billy Beane said. “And he’s only 25 years old.”
The lanky infielder from Miami – he’s 6-foot-3 – was highly prized because he became a free agent at such a young age. In seven seasons with the Seattle Mariners, he has a .309 career average with 189 homers and 595 RBIs.
This year, he made $4.25 million in the final season of a $10.6 million, four-year contract he signed against Boras’ advice in 1996.
“Yes, he’s special because he can hit a baseball. Yes, he’s special because he can hit it a long way,” Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. “We’re talking about more than hitting a baseball. We’re talking about marketing an area.”
Seattle and Atlanta were the other known finalists. The Braves did not make an offer, one senior baseball official said of the condition of anonymity, saying that they pushed Boras to name a price. The amount of the Mariners’ offer was unclear, but Boras said it was for five years.
“There would have had to have been a major hometown discount to get us into the ballpark,” Mariners general manager Pat Gillick said.
Added Boras, “The ownership was not here. It was in Hawaii. It was very clear to us.”
In February, Seattle traded Griffey to Cincinnati rather than risk him becoming a free agent after the 2000 season. The Mariners decided they would keep Rodriguez and try to re-sign him.
Seattle won the AL wild card and swept Central Division champion Chicago in the first round. But the Yankees beat the Mariners 4-2 in the AL championship series.
Asked what was next for Seattle, manager Lou Piniella said: “We’ll go upstairs and take a close look.”
In Texas, Rodriguez joins a team that has never gotten beyond the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers already had signed three free agents in the first three days of the winter meetings: first baseman Andres Galarraga ($6.25 million), third baseman Ken Caminiti ($3.25 million) and right-hander Mark Petkovsek ($4.9 million).
The Rangers already have a powerful lineup, but their starting pitching is weak, with Rick Helling going 16-13 last year and Kenny Rogers 13-13.
“We will build our pitching,” Hicks promised.
After winning the AL West in 1999, its third division title in four years, Texas dropped to 71-91 and finished with a 5.52 ERA, the worst among the 30 major league teams.
“This will mark the beginning of a national prominence for a franchise,” Boras said.

DALLAS (Ticker) — Third baseman Ken Caminiti, who missed the last month of the season while being evaluated for a chemical dependency, has agreed to a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers, according to an ESPN.com report.
Caminiti, who was productive when healthy last season, hit .303 with 15 homers and 45 RBI in 59 games. His season was shortened by a right wrist injury and came to an end when he voluntarily entered a substance-abuse dependency program for an undisclosed problem in September.
Caminiti, 37, admitted to a problem with alcohol in 1994 and went through rehabilitation.
The 1996 National League Most Valuable Player as a member of the San Diego Padres, Caminiti became a free agent when the Houston Astros opted not to exercise a $5.5 million option for 2001 and instead bought him out for $500,000.
A three-time Gold Glove winner, Caminiti spent his first eight seasons with the Astros before joining the Padres in 1995. After a solid season in 1995, Caminiti put it all together in 1996, batting .326 with 40 homers and 130 RBI.
In his 14-year career, Caminiti has a .275 batting average, 224 homers and 942 RBI. But after playing at least 130 games in nine of 10 seasons, Caminiti has been limited to 137 over the last two campaigns combined.
The Rangers, who failed to win the West Division for the first time in three years, have been active this offseason. Texas was in the market for frontline pitchers Mike Hampton and Mike Mussina and Friday signed veteran first baseman Andres Galarraga. The Rangers also are reportedly still in the hunt for Alex Rodriguez and have a meeting with the superstar shortstop today.
UPDATE: Turns out the deal is for one year, with two years of options.

DALLAS (TICKER) — Moments after Anaheim Angels manager Mike Scioscia spoke of how important middle reliever Mark Petkovsek was to his team’s bullpen success, the free agent righthander agreed to a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but the Rangers also hold options for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
Petkovsek, 35, appeared in a career high-tying 64 games for the Angels last season, posting a 4-2 record with a 4.22 ERA. He registered two saves and ranked second on the Anaheim staff in appearances and relief innings (81).
Scioscia was addressing the media at baseball’s winter meetings and boasted about Petkovsek’s contribution to his staff. Unbeknownst to the Anaheim skipper was that the Rangers and Petkovsek had agreed to the pact.
Because he was offered arbitration by the Angels on Friday, Petkovsek will cost the Rangers two draft picks, including a 2001 selection, as compensation.
After a stint on the disabled list from May 17-June 12 due to viral syndrome, Petkovsek became a stalwart in the Anaheim pen, posting a 3.29 ERA in 34 games after the All-Star break. Over two seasons with the Angels, he went 16-6 in 128 appearances.
The Beaumont, Texas native and resident boasts a 45-36 career mark with a 4.49 ERA and five saves. He began his career with the Rangers in 1991 before making stops in Pittsburgh (1993) and St. Louis (1995-98).
Petkovsek also pitched for the University of Texas from 1984-87, going 29-3. He led the nation with 15 victories as a senior.

Click here for Galarraga’s lifetime stats
DALLAS (Ticker) — One season after proving to himself and the Atlanta Braves that he could come back from cancer, Andres Galarraga will bring his big bat and tremendous clubhouse presence to the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers tonight agreed to terms with the free agent first baseman on a one-year deal and will use him and Rafael Palmeiro in a platoon and first base and designated hitter next season.
Galarraga, 39, sat out all of 1999 with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma but made an immediate impact upon his return in 2000, belting a homer in the season opener. He eventually helped the Braves to their ninth straight division title, finishing with 28 homers and 100 RBI in 141 games.
“Last year, he was the comeback player of the year,” Texas general manager Doug Melvin said. “His character and presence played a large role in us bringing him here.”
The 15-year veteran batted .302 and was elected to the All-Star team. Although Galarraga’s performance was inspiring, he clearly slowed down after July, hitting just eight homers and driving in only 38 runs. The decline may have been the reason the Braves did not offer the Venezuelan slugger arbitration, paving the way for the Rangers, who will not have to compensate Atlanta for the signing.
“I had a fractured thumb in my left hand,” Galarraga said. “I lost about 10 days and it’s difficult to play like that. Right now, I have more time to get ready and will be in great condition.”
This will mark Galarraga’s first stint in the American League after reaching the All-Star Game four times in the senior circuit. He has a .291 career average with 360 homers — 10th on the active list — and 1,272 RBI. He spent his first seven seasons in Montreal before playing in St. Louis in 1992.
“I’m happy and excited to go to the American League,” Galarraga said. “I played (at the Ballpark in Arlington during interleague play) and I did pretty good there.”
Galarraga flourished with the Colorado Rockies from 1993-97, winning a batting title in his first season and adding significant power to his always consistent bat. The 6-3, 235-pounder led the National League with 47 homers and 150 RBI in 1996, and in 1997, he again led the league in RBI.
He proved skeptics of his prodigious power wrong in his first season with Atlanta, batting .302 with 44 homers and 121 RBI.
Nicknamed the “Big Cat,” Galarraga captured Gold Glove Awards in 1989 and 1990. He has driven in at least 100 runs in each of the last five seasons he has played. A congenial personality both on the bench and in the clubhouse, Galarraga also is one of the most respected players in the game.
Still in the running for Alex Rodgriguez or Manny Ramirez, the Rangers added a potent bat to their lineup, which was deprived of 1999 Most Valuable Player Ivan Rodriguez for most of last season, and likely left room to continue pursuing a second-tier starter for their rotation.
Melvin disclosed that the Rangers were still courting Alex Rodriguez and are interested in third baseman Ken Caminiti.
Palmeiro, 36, is a lethal lefthanded-hitting complement to Galarraga and doubtlessly will benefit from the occasional extra rest provided by the still-capable first baseman.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Galarraga said of spelling Palmeiro. “He is a great first baseman. I think that (we are a) great combination. I don’t mind (being the designated hitter). I will probably miss (playing) first base every day. But one day, he’ll DH and I’ll play first base.”
The Rangers failed to win the American League West for the first time in three seasons last year, their first without slugging right fielder Juan Gonzalez, who also is a free agent.
“We filled one of our needs by adding a big bat,” Melvin said. “His potential for home runs and RBI was something we sorely missed last year.”
DALLAS (AP) — The Texas Rangers bolstered their lineup Friday, signing free agent first baseman Andres Galarraga to a $6.25 million, one-year contract.
“We’re happy to add a player of his caliber and character to the organization,” general manager Doug Melvin said. “It fills one of our needs. We were looking to add a bat with RBI and home run potential. We certainly missed that last year.”
The Rangers also have a $7 million club option for 2002, with a buyout of either $250,000 or $500,000, depending on his plate appearances.
The Big Cat, who was not offered salary arbitration by Atlanta, hit .302 with 28 homers and 100 RBIs last season for the Braves after missing all of 1999 because of a cancerous tumor in his back.
“I’m happy and excited,” he said. “I think it is a great organization and I look forward to playing with the Rangers. I’m excited about going to the American League.”
Galarraga, 39, saw his power numbers drop as the season progressed, hitting only eight home runs and driving in 38 runs after the All-Star break.
“He’s a professional hitter and in our ballpark he’s got a good chance to get back to his 40-homer years,” Melvin said.
He will likely be the designated hitter with the Rangers, who already have Rafael Palmeiro at first base.
“I think it is going to be a great combination with Rafael and me,” Galarraga said. “I’m just looking to help my team. I don’t mind at all being the designated hitter.”
In fact, the Rangers hope that limiting his time in the field will help Galarraga stay fresh down the stretch of the season.
“We think that will be good at this stage of his career,” Melvin said. “He doesn’t have to stand out there in that Texas heat. That may help him at this stage of his career to do a lot of DHing.”
The Rangers were looking for a short-term solution while they wait for top prospect Carlos Pena to be ready for the major leagues. Pena is expected to start the 2001 season at Triple-A.
“We know we have Pena coming along and Andres can be a good influence on Carlos,” Melvin said.
Galarraga just completed a $24.5 million, three-year deal with Atlanta.
In his 15-year career, Galarraga is a .291 hitter with 360 homers and 1,272 RBIs. He topped the 2,000-hit mark last season and has 2,070 for his career.
The Rangers, who are also talking to the agents for Alex Rodriguez and Ken Caminiti, have made bolstering their offense their top offseason priority.
Texas was ninth in the AL in runs scored last season, after trading away Juan Gonzalez and losing Todd Zeile to free agency.
“He will hit somewhere in the middle of our lineup and get us back to the run production we missed last year,” Melvin said.
Galarraga had expressed some interest in reuniting with former manager Don Baylor and playing for the Cubs. But it was not clear whether Chicago, which lost free agent Mark Grace to Arizona, had any interest.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — John Wetteland, the Texas Rangers’ career saves leader, was not offered arbitration Thursday and is considering retiring because of a back problem.
Texas also declined to offer arbitration to second baseman Luis Alicea and outfielder Mike Simms, which means they cannot sign with the Rangers until May 1. If they sign elsewhere, Texas will not receive compensation.
The team did offer arbitration to left-handed reliever Mike Munoz and outfielder Ruben Sierra, a former All-Star who returned to the majors late last season.
The 34-year-old Wetteland has a degenerative disk in his back. He’s working out four times a week, but has yet to throw a baseball.
“I’m doing everything I can,” he said. “If that’s enough, great. If it’s not, then it’s great to move on to another phase.”
Wetteland, the MVP of the 1996 World Series while pitching for the New York Yankees, signed with the Rangers in ’97 and had 150 saves over four years with at least 30 each season. He saved 34 last season and had a 4.20 ERA.
Munoz and Sierra have until Dec. 19 to decide whether to go to arbitration. If rejected, the Rangers can continue negotiations with the players until Jan. 8.
Alicea led Texas with a .294 average. He had six homers and 63 RBIs in 139 games.
Simms missed the entire season with degenerative arthritis in his left hip.
Munoz was 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in seven appearances, then went out for the year with a torn tendon in his left elbow.
Sierra hit .326 with 18 homers and 82 RBIs in 112 games at Triple-A Oklahoma and .233 with one homer and seven RBIs in 20 games with Texas.