NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez's decision to "retire," for lack of a better term, may seem like a sudden choice. But the seed for his announcement, made at a Yankee Stadium news conference Sunday before the New York Yankees' game against the Cleveland Indians, was actually planted five days earlier in front of his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field.
On that day, Rodriguez, finding himself not in the starting lineup for the ninth time in the previous 10 games, delivered what amounted to a farewell speech.
"No matter what happens, I’m at peace with myself," Rodriguez said that day. “I think still I can contribute. I think I can help out in the clubhouse. But if not, I have two beautiful daughters waiting for me in Miami."
Listening nearby was a Yankees public relations executive, who recognized the tone and tenor of A-Rod's words as that of a man seeking closure in a situation that was rapidly becoming untenable for everyone involved. Already, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was becoming frayed by the daily questions his use (or lack thereof) of Rodriguez in a lineup that contained few, if any, untouchables.
And the daily coverage -- about whether the Yankees should cut Rodriguez and eat the remainder of his contract, which called for some $27 million in salary through 2017 -- was weighing on owner Hal Steinbrenner, who had to make the final call.
So the next day, a meeting was set up in Steinbrenner's office, minus Rodriguez, to discuss a suitable exit strategy. At that Wednesday meeting, the idea of offering Rodriguez the post of special adviser, playing on his affinity for working with young players, was hatched. Later that day, Steinbrenner presented the plan to Rodriguez.
"Hal told Alex in no uncertain terms that the direction of the team was to get younger immediately," a source at the meeting told ESPN.com. "He made it clear that the young kids being called up were going to play, and there weren't going to be a lot of at-bats for him going forward."
At no point, the source said, were the words "We're going to release you" ever spoken, echoing what Rodriguez said Sunday at his news conference. But the meaning was clear: Alex Rodriguez's days of playing for the Yankees were over.
The source said Rodriguez listened to the offer, understood the implications and asked for some time to think it over. The next day -- Thursday -- Rodriguez spoke again with Steinbrenner and told him that he would accept the club's decision to not play him and its offer to retain him within the organization.
"'Nothing ever ends the way you want it to,'" the source said Rodriguez was told. "'But this is really the happiest way this could possibly end, for you and the team.'"
Under the terms of the agreement, Rodriguez will remain on the Yankees' roster until Friday and will play in one more Yankee Stadium game, that night against the Tampa Bay Rays. He will then be unconditionally released by the club, which will still be obligated to pay the remainder of his contract, after which Rodriguez is expected to sign a contract for his new responsibilities.
"I will be going home [to Miami] after Friday," Rodriguez said. "And I believe my duties will start next spring training."
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman made it clear, however, that once Rodriguez is released, he will be free to seek a spot as a player for any team that shows an interest in him.
"He has the right to change his mind if he gets home and says, 'You know what, I want to keep going,'" Girardi said. "I’m not sure what's going to happen. This is hard for any athlete."
The amazing thing is that although the deal was struck last week, the details remained a secret for three whole days -- and in fact were unknown even to Rodriguez's teammates and coaches until a press release was handed out just before the start of the news conference Sunday.
"We weren’t really privy to this information," Girardi said. "This is the best job the New York Yankees have ever done in keeping something in-house."
