Lawyer of the Day: Scott Boras

We don’t know anything about sports. Who just played in the World Series?
Thankfully, some of you are more informed. From a reader:

Scott Boras should be featured on ATL today, perhaps as “lawyer of the day” or whatever. [T]his story is hot, and should start a comment clusterf**k for you.

Baseball players’ agent Scott Boras has balls. Boras sent an email to the Associated Press on Sunday night announcing that his client, Alex Rodriguez, has opted out of the final three years of his contract with the Yankees and will become a free agent.

Rodriguez’s decision, announced by agent Scott Boras during Game 4 of the World Series, makes him eligible to become a free agent.

According to the terms of his $252 Million contract with the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez has ten days to opt out of the final three years and would lose approximately $72 Million of his contract.

According to Sports Illustrated, which broke the story, Boras said he attempted to notify Yankees general manager Brian Cashman of the decision Sunday but couldn’t reach him, so he left a voice mail.

See also this commentary by Murray Chass, in today’s New York Times. Chass doesn’t seem to be a fan of Mr. Boras.
A little more commentary, plus lots of links, after the jump.


For the record, Scott Boras is sorry:

Boras said causing a distraction was unintended.

“I apologize to the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies and their players, Major League Baseball and its players, and baseball fans everywhere for that interference,” he said in a statement. “The teams and players involved deserved to be the focus of the evening and honored with the utmost respect. The unfortunate result was not my intent, but is solely my fault. I could have handled this situation better, and for that I am truly sorry.”

The Yankees maintained Monday that they will not attempt to re-sign A-Rod.

For more on Boras, check out this lengthy New Yorker profile (via WSJ Law Blog), entitled “The Extortionist.”
Shaky Reasons for Decision to Opt Out [New York Times]
Boras: Sorry For Timing [Courant.com]
A-Rod opting out of contract [MLB.com]
Rodriguez opts out of contract with New York Yankees [AP via SI.com]
The Extortionist [The New Yorker]
Law Blog World Series Special: Scott Boras, Esq. [WSJ Law Blog]

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