zig,
concur 100%.
But sadly will someone pay them? BorAss is pushing bigtime the % of revenue card in large market team owned tv stations, and he's actually right. But i can't see good old corporate USA sharing that much.
Would Boston pursue him? I don't think so but if Lowell signs with the Yankees 
Amoung the other deep pocket pursuers are both LA teams. Sad to say, money aside he is just what the Angels need bat wise.
But zig do you agree, how much better for teams to take that would-be 30 mil a year and sink it into top notch pitching. Ie Johan, altho he has one more year with MN.
Big surprise, the steroid *testing* is verified bogus.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/31/sports/baseball/31testing.html?ref=sports
I think a number of teams are out of the running because they are too small for ARods tastes, and I think they all recognize that Texas' decision 7 years ago was a horrible mistake, and they are not interested in going there. That leaves the big market teams.
Yankees have said they will not negotiate with him if he opts out. That alone totally changes the economic environment for A Rod. I think their plan is to save their $ for Johan and/or Peavy
Mets 2 best players play ARods position, and they already have a very high payroll. They need more pitching, not A Rod. See Johan and Peavy.
Angels have said they are not interested in a player taking up that much of their payroll. That is consistent with their history, of going after mid-level FA like Gary Matthews Jr. They have options in the FA market to fill their need.
Dodgers could make a play, but they have not been willing to spend huge $'s in the past few years. I think they are the front runner, but there has to be another team willing to push the bidding for A Rod to get $30 million. The Dodgers would not take a PR hit if they passed on A Rod, but let the public know they offered $20-22 million. People will see the Dodgers as making a legit offer and A Rod being a greedy whore, which of course is what he is.
Cubs have already spent oodles and oodles, they already have Aramas Ramirez who is signed to a big deal (as well as Lee, Soriano, Lilly, Zambrano, DeRosa, blah blah blah), plus they are up for sale. No way they fork over $25+ a year for 8 years which is what A Rod wants.
White Sox are not even a possibility. Jerry Reinsdorf is a tight ass.
Florida, get real.
Houston has never been afraid to spend, but they dropped a $100 mill on Carlos Lee last year. They IMO are a legit suitor but I don't see them pushing over $22 mil
Giants have too much debt, and they just got taken by Barry Zito.
Mariners just signed Ichiro to a big deal, and that doesn't fit their MO.
Detroit just added a big contract in Renteria at SS, and signed Inge long term. They are going to save some of their money for Bonderman, Verlander, Miller, Granderson. They already have big contracts committed to Ordonez, and Sheffield.
Phillies I just don't see them dropping that kind of money. They might take a run at $22 mil, but no more. They saw what happened when they extended Abreu after he turned 30, and the mistake they made with Thome.
Cards have Rolen and that is not their MO.
Bo Sox will go after Lowell hard, and I think they can get him for $10 to $15 mill less than ARod. I think he will stay for a good contract.
There will be lots of interest at $18 to $20 million a year, and teams will drop off with each additional million. Once it gets to $22 IMO there are only a couple of teams that might still be there. At $25, besides the Yankees I don't see anyone, and the Yankees have made it clear they have no interest now.
