PHOENIX – Jason Giambi was so close to signing a $90
million, six-year deal with the Oakland Athletics that agent Arn
Tellem flew to Arizona last week to finalize it.
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Five days later – with A's general manager Billy Beane on his
way to Oakland – Tellem is wondering what happened. Tellem and
Beane have not held any significant discussions since Saturday and
Giambi intends to cut off talks next week.
"Opening Day is it for me," Giambi said after going 0-for-3 in
the A's 10-9 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. "After that I
don't want to think about it."
Tellem, was at the game and his sons served as Oakland's bat-boys.
"I expect we'll touch base in the next couple of days," Tellem
said. "We've come so far and we're so close that I think we should
exhaust all opportunities. My sense is we will try as hard as we
can to resolve it. That's why we're willing to extend the
deadline."
The two sides have agreed to the financial package that would
include a signing bonus. Tellem said the contract is heavily
back-ended.
"I'd say two-thirds of the money would be paid our over the
last three years of the contract," Tellem said. "That was to
accommodate the A's, and that's why the no-trade is so important.
Jason wants a say in where he plays. His preference is to stay in
Oakland."
The only issue left to resolve is the no-trade clause over the
course of the contract that Giambi wants. The A's originally
offered a limited no-trade clause, but later pulled it from the
table.
"It's non-negotiable, that's that," Beane told the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday.
The A's had discussed giving Giambi a full no-trade clause for two seasons and a limited no-trade clause thereafter. But that offer is no longer on the table. Giambi's side suggested a seventh season – at $21 million – in order for Giambi to waive his no-trade request, but the A's would not agree to that because Giambi will be 37 at the end of the deal.
"Billy and I worked through every issue because we both want to
get this deal done," Tellem said. "For this issue to break it up
is unfortunate. That's why it's so disappointing. It's not an
economic issue."
Tellem also said he's willing to wait until the end of the
season to negotiate. Giambi would then be eligible for free agency.
"If we can't get it done reasonably soon, we'll wait," Tellem
said. "I thought when I came here, we'd get a deal done. We had
momentum. Now it's gone the other way."
Giambi, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the
season, has not ruled out re-signing with the A's should a deal not
get done before the season.
"We have no problem waiting to the end of the season," Tellem
said. "But then he'll be able to compare his options. If he's
presented with a seven-year no-trade deal, as opposed to the
six-year deal without a no-trade, he'll have to make the choice. I
know I can get a seven-year, no-trade deal after the season. That's
a layup for me. This is about where Jason wants to play, and he
wants to sign to be an Oakland A's." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | |
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