The Yankees could be ridding themselves of Alex Rodriguez sooner rather than later.
According to an MLB.com report, the Yankees and Marlins have been
discussing an offseason deal that would send Rodriguez to Miami
in exchange for embattled closer Heath Bell.
Should the Yankees move Rodriguez and eat the majority of the $114 million remaining on his contract, it would be ideal.
For one, Rodriguez's body is breaking down. He's been sidelined by hand, knee and thumb injuries over the past two seasons. Above all, the Yankees' third baseman has been ineffective this postseason, forcing manager Joe Girardi to bench him on three occasions.
Through five playoff games entering Wednesday, Rodriguez is 3-for-23 with no home runs or RBIs. That's simply not the type of production that warrants the $29 million the Yankees are paying him this year.
While the Yankees would continue to pay that salary, they wouldn't have to deal with Rodriguez' baggage. Considering he was reportedly flirting with fans in the stadium during a playoff game, Rodriguez is alienating himself from the organization.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, would benefit from the change of scenery. Aside from his contributions during the 2009 World Series season, he's been constantly hammered for floundering in the clutch under the bright lights of New York.
A Miami native, Rodriguez would have the opportunity to cap his successful career back home. Over the offseason, the third baseman continues to live around South Beach, making matters much easier.
The possible deal would also make sense for the Marlins. The franchise is yearning for attention — having rebranded last season with a new logo and new stadium — and luring Rodriguez would accomplish that objective.
If Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen stays at the helm, his pairing with Rodriguez would be must-see TV.
The Marlins would also improve the clubhouse chemistry by unloading
Bell, who criticized Guillen for his managing style in September. Teammates forced the reliever to listen to their manager answer questions about the controversy on the radio because of their frustration.
After signing a three-year, $27 million contract with the Marlins last December, Bell flopped on the field, blowing eight saves. As a result, Guillen relegated Bell to middle-relief duty and replaced him at closer with Steve Cishek.
For all sides, it'd be a breath of fresh air to start over.
