January 21, 2001
A-Rod: "Being a Dodger is a dream come true"
The cameras clicked. Flashes popped. And shortstop Albert Rodriguez, new Dodgers manager Jim Tracy and general manager Kevin Malone couldn't stop smiling.
In a made for media moment, the three got together yesterday at the Dodgers' complex — also joined on center stage by starting catcher Mike Piazza — to announce that, yes, a deal had been struck to bring the 25-year-old phenom to Los Angeles. Despite rumors to the contrary that floated last week, A-Rod is going to be a Dodger.
He will be a rich Dodger at that. Contract details released yesterday put his deal at six years for $15.1 million per year. That's a lot of Dodger dogs.
"Wow! What a reception. I feel overwhelmed and very, very happy to be here," Rodriguez said at a packed news conference, which also include the mayor of Los Angeles and several other current and former members of the club. "I still feel like someone's going to pinch me and wake me up.
"I've come to a point in my career when winning is the most important thing. And being a Dodger — it provides the opportunity, when you drive to the ballpark, every day you have a chance to win..."
The signing of Rodriguez puts the Dodgers' payroll as the highest in the National League. When asked if he planned to make moves specifically to bring that number down, Malone simply responded, "No."
Edgar Renteria, the Dodgers' starting shortstop in 2000, likely will be on his way to a new team. Several teams have already inquired about Renteria, Malone said.
"Edgar wants to be an everyday player, and I can understand that," Malone said. "He told us he'd like to be moved if we got A-Rod. It's a tough thing, but we just didn't feel that we could let the opportunity to get the game's best player pass us by."
Tracy, who replaces Davey Johnson as manager, inherits a solid lineup for his first year on the job. The Dodgers picked up Jeff Cirillo and Johnny Damon in free agency, and plan to continue using Piazza and Paul Lo Duca as a catcher-first base combo package. Starting pitchers Ramon Martinez and Darren Driefort return, as do young upstarters Josh Hamilton (LF) and Ted Lilly (SP) and Andrew Zarzour (SP).
"I'm pretty excited. This is a big, big one," Tracy said.