Alex Rodriguez has made the decision, apparently, to terminate the remainder of that massive 10 year, $252 million deal he signed with the Texas Rangers. He is leaving the New York Yankees and $72 million on the table by choosing to opt-out.

According to Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, as reported by Jon Heyman on SI.com, "Once the Yankees acquired Alex's rights from Texas, they acquired and gave to Alex the right to terminate his contract seven years into it. So we were merely following the right of the contracts provided for and negotiated.''

Well, that makes it clear, doesn't it?

Boras also went on to say that they are open to negotiating a new deal with the Yankees, adding, "Certainly, Alex enjoyed his stay in New York, and he did well there. So it's a place that works well for Alex Rodriguez.''

Did I mention that this story broke during the World Series game Sunday night?

Good job, Scott Boras. Good job, A-Rod. Way to make yourselves the center of attention yet again.

The debate over Rodriguez's place as a Yankee, and what his Yankee legacy is, should end now. I find it hard to believe that Yankees fans (full disclosure: I count myself among that group) will take Rodriguez back now that he has opted out of the contract.

I mean, I know the cost of living in New York is expensive, but was $25 million a year not enough for you, Alex?

Oh, but the money wasn't the reason A-Rod opted out of his contract. No, according to Scott Boras, it was the uncertain Yankees future. Specifically, it's on Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite and Mariano Rivera.

"Alex's decision was one based on not knowing what his closer, his catcher and one of his statured pitchers was going to do," Boras said in an ESPN.com news service story. "He really didn't want to make any decisions until he knew what they were doing."

I'm sorry. I find it hard to believe that A-Rod was fretting over whether or not Andy Pettite, Mo Rivera and Jorge Posada were returning to the team. I doubt that A-Rod was really that close to those three that he absolutely had to have all three of them back. Maybe they play Spades together on road trips or something – I don't know.

Of course, it could just be that A-Rod is tired of it all:

* Tired of the real (or imagined) pressure he feels and/or has placed on himself because of the albatross of a contract that he is dragging around.

* Tired of playing games with the notoriously vicious New York tabloids, with the New York Post being the biggest offender.

* Tired of being booed by fans because he isn't Derek Jeter – even though the Captain isn't half the player (offensively or defensively) that A-Rod is.

Then again, A-Rod is a bit too aloof and guarded with the media to let himself discuss what exactly is eating at him.

I would love for A-Rod to hold a sit down interview with Jeremy Schaap or Rachel Nichols and open up his heart. I'm not saying he needs to cry, because he'll get ripped for that, too. (The Post will call him "Cry-Rod" or something similarly sophomoric and immature.) But he just needs to be honest and genuine for once in his life.

He needs to stop trying to be loved and respected. Because the constant search for respect and love (which he apparently equates to dollar signs) is only adding to the negativity.

The cat is already out of the bag, and I hope Alex finds what he's looking for. Maybe peace will come with this next contract and less pressure.

Somehow, though, I doubt it.