Boras Hints A-Rod Likely To Opt Out

Alex Rodriguez is ready to cash in. Again.

Agent Scott Boras hinted yesterday that A-Rod will opt out of the final three seasons of his contract with the Yankees and seek a new deal in the free-agent market that will lock him up through his pursuit of Barry Bonds' home-run record.

Boras negotiated Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year agreement with the Texas Rangers before the 2001 season, a contract the Yankees took over when they acquired A-Rod before the 2004 season. His next deal could last for more than a decade.

"Alex wants to be in one uniform for a long, long time, if not to the end of his career," Boras said of the 32-year-old, headed to his third AL MVP Award. "I think Alex could play very reasonably until he's 45. So you're talking about a situation where we want this guy to be identified with one franchise and one uniform for a very, very long time."

Rodriguez enters next year 17th on the career home-run list with 518 and is 242 behind Bonds, who also hopes to play next season. The expected chase will be factored into the negotiation.

"That team is going to be associated with having a player in its organization that has this history, this value," Boras said, "and they're going to be able to market that and go through the varying chases and levels of passing players in his home run pursuits."

In describing how Rodriguez would benefit from free agency, Boras cited the increase in baseball revenue from $3 billion in 2000 to nearly $6 billion this year.