I don't think this is what they had in mind

Alex Rodriguez had a book signing in New York City yesterday for his new children's book:

He took questions from reporters. They didn't ask about the book.

A-Rod vague on opt-out clause
Slugger could choose to become free agent after '07 season

Alex Rodriguez's book tour may have moved on to Florida, but his brief visit to the Big Apple left a trail of questions concerning his contract.

Rodriguez's landmark deal contains an opt-out clause that could make him a free agent after the 2007 season. In town to promote his children's book, "Out of the Ballpark," Rodriguez's responses concerning the clause were consistently vague.

Asked about his future in New York before meeting reporters at his book signing Tuesday, Rodriguez told MLB.com, "My thought process right now is winning a world championship. I'm really excited about that. I'm taking it one day at a time."

What's the big deal about this seemingly non-controversial answer?

Earlier this offseason, outfielder J.D. Drew utilized an opt-out clause to leave his contract with the Dodgers, signing a $70 million, five-year deal with the Red Sox. Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez triggered an opt-out clause in November to score a raise, re-signing for a five-year, $75 million deal.

Drew and Rodriguez are represented by the same agent, Scott Boras.

Fred Claire of MLB.com was first out of the gate:

A-Rod's answer is a disservice

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees has a contract that guarantees him $95 million over the next four seasons and yet he says he is going to take things "day to day."

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has a contract that expires after the upcoming season and yet he says "that will take care of itself."

Longtime Yankees star Bernie Williams doesn't even have a contract but, according to his teammate Posada, "wants to be a Yankee forever."

It's no wonder that Rodriguez seems to have such a hard time blending into the weave of the Yankees pinstripes and the fans of the team.

Claire gets to this quote from Boras:

Boras didn't help matters any when he answered a question from the New York Times with this summary: "Obviously, when Alex's contract was done the revenues of the game were around $3 billion. Now they are around $6 billion. The elite position player has not been really graded in this new revenue stream we've seem."

What does that really mean? There's an implication that the $252 million deal that Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers prior to 200 could now be worth considerably more in today's market.

For the New York State of Mind, I'm heading to the Post:

Story:

A-ROD TROUBLES ARE OPEN BOOK

What A-Mess. Call it Alex in Blunderland.

Alex Rodriguez's appearance at a signing for his children's book was mishandled by his publicist and bookstore staff members, turning the ballyhooed event into a media circus that included a paparazzi member tossing A-Rod a ball to sign. At one point, a New York policeman grabbed a reporter for the crime of trying to interview the beleaguered superstar.

When Rodriguez spoke with the media, it was what he didn't say that resonated.

Column:

P.R. CAMPAIGN DROPS THE BALL

THIS was classic Alex Rodriguez. He wrote a children's book and invited the media to a midtown bookstore yesterday for a little promotion, the kind of cocktail that usually fosters happy talk and book sales.

But this being Alex Rodriguez, a version of Altamont broke out. The athlete who cares the most about his public perception surrounded himself with media-relations buffoons, who through incompetence and rudeness decided the best way to sell the product was to keep the very press they had invited to talk with Rodriguez away from A-Rod.

From the moment they finally let about a dozen print reporters chat with Rodriguez, they were shouting over the interview trying to stop it.

Two New York City cops mysteriously emerged; one sporting sunglasses indoors decided it was a good idea to manhandle a writer who is about as threatening as SpongeBob. The store's security, empowered by the p.r. dolts, turned the sale of a book designed to uplift children into a nasty confrontation better suited for Jerry Springer.

Can Spring Training start NOW? Not that it will stop the soap opera in the Bronx this season.