European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 15, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 44 stars and stripes july 2007 Arod quickly goes from neglected to needed talk about a turn All those new yorkers who volunteered to drive Alex Rodriguez Back to Laguardia Airport within weeks of his and almost every Day suddenly cant imagine life without remember the tank top rods wife wore to Yankee stadium nearly two weeks ago the one with the two word obscenity printed on the Back that the new York Post splashed on the front Page and the locals found so Offen Sive the Only thing that would offend most of them at the moment is finding out that Cynthia Rodriguez borrowed it from her husbands because now that the new York dailies again Are speculating whether Arod could be gone at seasons it might be easier to ship the statue of Liberty out of town the Yankees Are 10 games be Hind Al East leading but fans understand that without Rodriguezs Offeh charts contributions so calculating the game behind figure would have required the use of their toes As that explained Why unidentified team executives have been quoted As saying the club is willing to negotiate an Extension for Rodriguez whenever his Scott gets around to the first time the subject was broached in Boras said he was instructed to hold off on con tract talks during the and Jim Litke that remains his stance in we have Al ways been under the plan that its some thing we would talk about at the end of the sea and weve had no discus Sions with any Boras said then quickly dont expect wily As he Boras knows the current panic has More to do with slow news Days than a real shift in the Yankees negotiating but he also knows the longer it drags the easier his work Likely will be come novem not to mention much More la the funny thing is that Arod never had it quite this Good in new for All the things Hes tried to win Over fans and team mates moving from shortstop to trash talking even Baring his soul about visits to a shrink nothing has made him look better than being sur rounded by similarly but woefully under performing and because details of his salary have been published Over and Over the past few even the most committed Arod haters have to concede Hes a bar Rodriguez gets a million salary this but thanks to the shrewd Deal general manager Brian Cashman Cut to bring him to new Texas rangers owner Tom Hicks still has to kick in about million of the As one of the tabloids that Means the Yankees Are getting rods services for about 60 cents on the for purposes of Andy who 56 with a will Cost the Yankees about the and Jason Giam who parked on the 15day disabled driven in on Quarter As Many runs and appeared in roughly half As Many will take Home new How do you like Arod now and How do you like your chances of keeping him de spite the headlines of recent the answer is actually very Good thanks to that Long ago Booboo by because of a clause Boras tucked in there Long Arod can opt out of his Deal within 10 Days after the last pitch of the world series but that would let Hicks opt few baseball people doubt that arid could command the million or More a year that Boras indicated will be his starting Posi Tion with any clubs thought to be potential bidders san fran Chicago and even but theres also no question that the with Hicks still on the Hook to contrib Ute for another three can afford to be More generous than any of and Given Yan without the contributions of Alex Rodriguez 31 87 the Yankees would Trail the Boston red sox by far More than 10 Kees track record of paying stars see Roger its hard to imagine them letting Arod of that assumes Rodriguez will continue motoring along at his map Pace Al most As delivering big hits in the late Hes Al ready hit seven Home runs in the ninth inning two of them i think it would be selfish on my part to talk about my contract status when our team desperately needs he said before the Yankees opened a fou game series against the Devil my goal is to win As any games As we focus on my teammates and really play at a real High level in the second loved As Rodriguez is at the All it will take is a big drop in production or an other subpar playoff perform and hell be loathed and that tank top his wife wore to Yankee stadium could become a hot Selling item in the with the tacked on the Jim Litke is a National sports columnist for the associated write to him at Lebron watches As Durant scores 32 for sonics the associated press Las vegas Kevin Durant struggled again with his shot Friday this time with superstar Lebron James sitting court Durant missed his first six shots and finished 9for23 in the Seattle supersonics 8574 loss to the Golden state he was 13for16 from the free throw to finish with a summer league personal est 32 j Many fans in the Thomas Mack Center crowd were there to get a glimpse of do the second Overall pick in last months but the attention quickly turned to the seats when James and five friends arrived 10 minutes into the sitting across from Golden states James was playful with the Aba hopefuls and even shouted instructions to a team of Grade school players during a half time James hosted the Espy awards on wednesday in los Angeles and Durant missed game to attend the he said there was no added pressure with one of the leagues top players that my he told me that he was Durant he was just another person in the Durant is 18for59 in three but gained some momentum with a pair of steals that led to easy he also was Able to create off the finding Suc Cess when driving to the anything to get you Durant every game i i try to get better and that is what i did jazz sign Point guard Hart Salt Lake City the Utah jazz signed Point guard Jason Hart on Aba briefs Hart signed a Multi year but terms were not said Kevin jazz vice president of Basket Ball the 6foot3 Hart played for Sacramento and the los Angeles clippers in a combined total of 36 and averaged rebounds and steals in the jazz had an opening in their Back court after agreeing to release Derek fish or from his contract so could concen trate on finding the Best care for his 11monthold who has cancer in her left Hart has averaged assists and rebounds in 240 games in six sea he has also played for san Antonio and wizards agree to new Deal Washington unrestricted free agent Deshawn Stevenson and the Washington wizards have agreed on a contract to keep the guard with the the team disclose the terms of the but its reportedly Worth Mil lion Over four the wizards Are expected to formally announce the signing next Stevenson averaged assists and rebounds last his first with the he was the Only member of the team who appeared in All 82 Foyle undergoes appendectomy Golden state re serve Center Adonal Foyle underwent an emergency laparoscopy appendectomy on Friday at nearby Saint Louise regional Foyle was in the area talking part in one of five basketball Camps he is hosting in the Bay area this the 6foot10 Foyle is expected to re main in the Hospital overnight and should be ready for the beginning of training Camp in Early Foyle averaged Points and re Bounds in limited play last he appeared briefly in two playoff Moore leaves nets for Kings Mikki Moore agreed to a contract with the Sacramento Kings on Friday leaving the new Jer sey nets to join his eighth Aba the 7foot Moore had a breakthrough Campaign with the nets last averaging career highs of Points and re Bounds while making nearly 61 percent of his leading the he started 55 games for new Jersey while filling in for injured Nenad providing Energy and Veteran experience As the nets reached the second round of the Sacramento didst disclose the terms of the thought to be for the Kings mid level salary Cap who will begin his 10th Aba sea son in the will compete for playing time with forwards Shareef Abdurrahim and Kenny and fellow 7footers Brad Miller and Rookie Spencer rockets close to signing Scola Houston Argentine Star Luis Scola has reached an agreement in principal with the Houston his agent said Scola will sign a contract agent George Bass wrote in an email to the associated the rockets obtained the rights to Scola and Center Jackie Butler by trading a 2009 second round draft Cash and guard Vassilis Spanoulis to san Scola averaged about 16 Points and rebounds per game last season for the Spanish team Tau grizzlies sign free agent Milicic the Memphis grizzlies on Friday signed Forward enter Darko the 2 Overall pick in the 2003 draft who is joining his third Milicic put up disappointing numbers in Ivi seasons with the Orlando magic after being drafted by but he averaged Points in the playoffs for the magic against the Milicic averaged Points and re Bounds in 110 games for the but the team allowed him to leave to Clear room to sign Rashard nets Ink Carter to multiyear Deal East the new Jersey nets signed a Deal with guard Vince Carter on Friday that will keep the nighttime Allstar in new Jersey at least through the 201011 Carter will receive million Guaran teed which includes four years plus a partial guarantee for a fifth year and could make As much As Accord ing to a person involved in the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity be cause the nets Haven announced the Carter recently became a free agent when he opted out of the final year of a con tract with the nets that would have paid him million next Carter was the Only net to play in All 82 games last season and averaged six rebounds and
