New York Yankees won’t pay A-Rod home run bonus

BOSTON, May 2 (UPI) — They say some things are better left unsaid, but Saturday the New York Yankees finally said what everyone was wondering.

The Yankees said, for the first time publicly, that the team will not pay {link:Alex Rodriguez: “http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/f4e3e6a3989e3670c56ec5d0721964df/?ilink=1″,nw, t: “Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees”} the $6 million marketing bonus he was due for tying Willie Mays with his 660th home run.

The MLBPA is “prepared to intervene on Alex’s behalf”, spokesman Greg Bouris {link:told USA Today: “http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/yankees/2015/05/02/alex-rodriguez-bonus-brian-cashman-660th-home-run-willie-mays/26774077/”,nw, t: “USA Today with Bouris”}.

Rodriguez has five milestone home run bonuses in his sights. If he ties Babe Ruth with his 714th, Hank Aaron’s 755th, and Barry Bonds’ 762nd. The Yankees could owe him a possible $30 for the bonuses.

“We have the right, but not the obligation to do something, and that’s it,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman {link:told USA Today: “http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/yankees/2015/05/02/alex-rodriguez-bonus-brian-cashman-660th-home-run-willie-mays/26774077/”,nw, t: “USA Today on A-Rod”}. “We’re going to honor our responsibilities of the contract.

“So there is no dispute, from our perspective.”

Rodriguez tied Mays Friday in the Yankees win against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The fan who {link:caught the home run: “http://nypost.com/2015/05/02/a-rods-not-only-one-who-wants-cash-for-his-homer/”,nw, t: “Fan caught home run”} ball still will not {link:give it back: “http://nypost.com/2015/05/02/a-rods-not-only-one-who-wants-cash-for-his-homer/”,nw, t: “A-Rod home run ball”} to the slugger.

The Yankees’ position remains that they are “under no obligation to pay off on a deal they feel is no longer valid due to Rodriguez’s 162-game suspension for drug violations last year,” according to {link:ESPN New York: “http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/12807079/brian-cashman-says-new-york-yankees-pay-alex-rodriguez-6-million-bonus-660th-home-run”,nw, t: “ESPN New York on A-Rod”}’s Wallace Matthews.

The Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-2 Saturday and play the Red Sox again at 8:05 p.m. Sunday in Boston.