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A day after the Red Sox proclaimed their trade for Alex Rodriguez was ``dead,'' the agent for the AL MVP said Boston still was talking with Texas.
Scott Boras said he would remain in New York until at least Saturday, trying to ascertain if the proposed swap of baseball's only $20 million-a-year players still had a chance.
``I don't really
have an indication,'' Boras said. ``I just know they're talking.''
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who said Thursday the proposed trade of Manny
Ramirez for A-Rod had collapsed, insisted his team had stopped its efforts to
acquire the shortstop.
``There really is nothing going on that I'm aware of. None of us have had any conversations with Texas,'' Lucchino said before leaving Boston for the holidays. ``I'm on my way to visit family and hope to put this behind me.''
On Thursday, Texas general manager John Hart said owner Tom Hicks probably would speak with the Red Sox about the deal, which came apart when the players' association rejected Boston's proposal to restructure Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract.
Asked Friday whether talks will continue with the Red Sox, owner John Henry gave an elliptical reply.
``Sorry ... nothing new to report,'' he said in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press.
Boras said he expected to hear an update from the Rangers later Friday night.
On Thursday, baseball commissioner Bud Selig ended the 72-hour window he gave the Red Sox and Rodriguez to restructure the contract, saying: ``I have terminated my permission for Boston and Alex Rodriguez to continue pursuing this transaction at this time.''
Boston asked that he slash his contract by $28 million to $30 million, which the union blocked, saying it would violate the sport's labor agreement by lowering the deal's value.
The union and Boras proposed that Rodriguez lower his contract by $12 million in exchange for the right to use the Red Sox logo and marks in marketing deals. In addition, the shortstop would gain the right to become a free agent after the 2005 season.
Boston balked, and Selig's window ran out.
Proposals to trade Boston's longtime shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra, were left on hold. The Red Sox had discussed sending him to the Chicago White Sox.
AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen in Boston and Stephen Hawkins in Dallas contributed to this report.