"It was clear it crossed the line ... and by a huge margin" - When Gene Orza and the MLB union rejected Alex Rodriguez's contract changes
During the offseason in 2003, Texas Rangers star Alex Rodriguez was looking to make the move over to the Boston Red Sox. The supposed blockbuster trade would have sent Manny Ramirez and Jon Lester to Texas, but it never went through.
A-Rod and Boston were looking to restructure his mega contract as part of the deal, but that was not something the player's union agreed with. The labor contract would not allow for a reduction unless the player gets something in return.
Gene Orza, the union's No. 2 official at the time. met with the Red Sox, Rodriguez, and his agent, Scott Boras. Orza made his thoughts clear, via The Gadsden Times' Ronald Blum.
"It was clear it crossed the line ... and by a huge margin. We did suggest an offer the club could make to Alex that would not do that. As was its right, the club chose not to make it," - said Orza.
Orza and the player's union believed this would later affect other players in the league.
"The principle involved is a transcendent one, affecting all of Alex's fellow players. To his credit, Alex, from the outset, recognized this" - said Orza.
While both parties had a shot to reconnect on a new deal, It never went through. Later, A-Rod would then be traded to Boston's rivals, the New York Yankees.
Alex Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees and never looked back
Yankees third baseman, Aaron Boone would suffer a knee injury while playing hoops, sidelining him for the 2004 season. This created a huge big hole at the time, but Alex Rodriguez came in to fill that hole.
The Rangers agreed to trade their slugger to New York on Feb. 15, 2004. The Bronx Bombers sent Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias to Texas in exchange for the All-Star.
Texas agreed to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on his contract, allowing the trade to go through. A-Rod even agreed to switch positions to make the trade happen, with Derek Jeter being New York's clear shortstop.
He would become a two-time AL MVP in New York and helped them win the World Series in 2009, the only WS title in his career. However, we cannot help but wonder what he would have done in Boston if the player's union had not vetoed the 2003 trade.