BASEBALL Rangers, Sox miss deadline

Texas still has hope it can trade Alex Rodriguez.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox insist their trade for Alex Rodriguez is "dead." The Texas Rangers and the shortstop aren't so sure.
Just hours after commissioner Bud Selig ended talks to restructure A-Rod's $252 million contract Thursday, the Red Sox said Manny Ramirez would not be sent to Texas for the AL MVP.
"The proposed trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers is dead," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino proclaimed.
Still working
The Rangers, though, believed they could rekindle the swap of the two highest-paid players in baseball, and Rodriguez's agent acted as if Selig's announcement was immaterial.
"There is a likelihood the deal is dead," Texas general manager John Hart said. "But at the same time, we haven't issued a statement that it's completely dead."
Rodriguez offered to reduce salaries in his contract by $12 million in exchange for increased marketing and logo use rights, agent Scott Boras said. He also would have had the right to become a free agent after the 2005 season, a baseball source said on the condition of anonymity.
The proposal from the Red Sox that the players' association rejected a day earlier would have cost Rodriguez $28 million, according to the team's evaluation, and $30 million, according to the union's analysis, Boras said.
"We're going to be in communication with the Rangers as to their discussions with the Red Sox," Boras said. "Every indication we had was that the parties would continue to talk."
Rangers owner Tom Hicks will probably speak to the Red Sox to try to work out an agreement after all, Hart said.
Selig had set a 5 p.m. deadline for an agreement. It passed without a deal, and the commissioner ended the talks between Rodriguez and Boston.
"The players' association's intransigence and the arbitrary nature of its action are responsible for the deal's demise today," Lucchino said.
Union's influence
After Rodriguez and Boston reached an agreement Wednesday, the union refused it, saying it reduced the value of the contract, the highest in professional sports history.
"It's unfortunate that the players' association felt it necessary to take a legal position which prevented the player and at least two teams from effectuating an agreement that they felt was beneficial," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.
While management's top labor lawyer had hinted that Selig might approve the rejected deal, Rodriguez made clear Thursday morning he would go to Boston only with an agreement that met the union's approval.
Because Rodriguez has a no-trade clause, a deal can't happen without his approval.
"In the spirit of cooperation, I advised the Red Sox I am willing to restructure my contract, but only within the guidelines prescribed by union officials," Rodriguez said in a statement he read to The Associated Press during a Thursday telephone call. "I recognize the principle involved, and fully support the need to protect the interests of my fellow players.
"If my transfer to the Red Sox is to occur, it must be done with consideration of the interests of all major league players, not just one."