FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2012, file photo, New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez prepares to hit in the sixth inning during Game 4 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says it's possible that third baseman Alex Rodriguez could miss the entire season while coming off hip surgery. He made his remarks Friday on WFAN radio in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Thursday January 31, 2013

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez was speaking on a conference call.

"A huge debacle," he said. "Distasteful."

That was on Dec. 13, 2007, when he re-signed with the New York Yankees and was discussing his decision 11 2 months earlier to become a free agent.

Now those words describe how some in the team's front office feel about A-Rod's $275 million, 10-year contract.

Once considered a player who could shatter the career home run record, Rodriguez has transformed from All-Star to annoyance for some in the Yankees organization. He hasn't played a full season since he was voted to his third AL MVP award in 2007, he's out for at least the first half of this year following hip surgery on Jan. 16 and now he's been accused of again receiving performance-enhancing drugs -- an allegation he denies.

Even before the charges were published Tuesday by the alternative weekly Miami New Times along with accusations against Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Gio Gonzalez, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal, some Yankees executives were wishing Rodriguez would just go away. Speaking on condition of anonymity because the team isn't publicly commenting on A-Rod's latest troubles, they revealed their frustration with the slugger.

And they have a big incentive for A-Rod to disappear. If he doesn't play again due to a career-ending injury, about 85 percent of the $114 million he's owed by the team would be covered by insurance, according to

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one of the executives who spoke on condition of anonymity.

New York also might be able to free itself from having the $27.5 million average annual value of Rodriguez's contract count in its luxury tax payroll in each of the next five seasons, a key factor as the Yankees try to get under the $189 million threshold in 2014.

If Rodriguez is on the disabled list, his contract is included. But if he's on the voluntary retired list, it would not be part of the total.

And if the Yankees fall under that $189 million benchmark, their luxury tax rate would drop from its current 50 percent to 17.5 percent for 2015. That would give them far more flexibility to pursue pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander if they become free agents following the 2014 season.