Ive never been a fan of opt-out clauses in contracts. Walter Payton Jersey . The Dodgers two-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw who just signed a 7-year $215-million dollar pact, can get out after five years if he so chooses. Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka can escape from his seven-year $155 million dollar deal with the Yankees after four seasons. Zach Greinke and C.C Sabathia both have these kinds of deals as well. Its easy to see why the players and agents want them. If they truly grow to detest a city or an organization they can move on. If the player continues to perform at an optimum level, he can opt out early and get an even better deal, and from the agents perspective can set the market bar even higher for every other pitcher or player in the majors. However, there just seems to be something mercenary, and sort of having your cake and eating it too kind of feel about the whole thing. I can see player option years on contracts or club options or mutual options, but opt-outs just dont feel right. Talking about these kinds of clauses brings back memories of the deal the Blue Jays signed with Roger Clemens back in December of 1996. At the time, the four-year contract looked like an incredible coup for the Jays organization. They had lured one of baseballs all-time great pitchers -- albeit seemingly fading a bit at 34 -- away from the mighty Boston Red Sox. Not only that, but they outbid the Yankees for his services. Paul Beeston actually travelled down to Clemens home in Texas to personally deliver the sales pitch. Initially -- at least based on Clemens stats, over two years -- it was an incredible deal for the Jays. Clemens won over 20 games twice, captured the American League Triple Crown for pitchers both years and won back-to-back Cy Young Awards. Unfortunately, over the ‘97 and ‘98 seasons, the Jays finished a combined 24 games under .500 and attendance never really spiked the way you might have expected when Clemens pitched at home. Then there were stories that Clemens helped pushed for the ouster of Cito Gaston as manager late in the 1997 season, and when Cito was gone campaigned for Red Sox coach Tim Johnson to take over as skipper in 1998. All of that paled in comparison to the news that leaked out late in ‘98 about the exact details of Clemens contract. He had a five-point secret handshake agreement with Paul Beeston and the Blue Jays, as reported by Murray Chass in The New York Times. The key points included Clemens having the right to demand a trade two years into the four-year deal. He also had to approve which team he was traded to. He could also demand a trade to the Houston Astros at any point in the contract. The reason for that was there was a chance his agents Randy and lan Hendricks were going to buy the Astros and the “Rocket Man” really wanted to play for them. None of that transpired, but when news of this secret deal came out, the commissioners office was not impressed. The Jays were fined for entering into a secret deal that was against major league rules. Oddly enough by that time, Paul Beeston had left the Blue Jays and was working for MLB as the number two official below only the Commissioner himself Bud Selig. On Feb. 18, 1999, the Blue Jays ultimately did trade Clemens to the Yankees for Dave Wells, second baseman Homer Bush and lefty reliever Graeme Lloyd. Clemens went on to get his first World Series ring in ‘99 and got another in 2000, though Clemens embarrassed himself by throwing a piece of a broken bat across the path of the Mets Mike Piazza as he ran towards first base. The next time the Blue Jays offered an opt-clause to a pitcher it was legal, and all the “Is” were dotted and the “Ts” crossed. A.J Burnett signed a five-year deal with the Jays on Dec. 6, 2005 for five years and $55 million dollars. It was nine years after the Clemens signing, but Burnett was nowhere near the pitcher Clemens was and got more term and money. Unfortunately for the Jays, Burnett battled injuries in 2006 and 2007 and finished with identical 10-8 records. Finally in 2008 he pitched like an ace and wound up 18-10. But that was a contract year because in effect, since Burnett had the option to opt out of his deal after three years. He did just that and signed with the Yankees, helping them beat the Phillies in the 2009 World Series. I dont dislike the opt out just because of the Blue Jays experiences. No, its because it simply creates the impression the pitcher or player is just using that club as a springboard to a better deal with a perennial contender when the time is right. I hope this becomes a major battle ground when the next labour deal comes up in a couple of years. The Blue Jays opening home series is a three game set against the Yankees to cap the opening week of the season. Id wager we wont get to see Masahiro Tanaka though. The Yanks open the season in Houston and the best bet would be Tanaka would start the second game of the season after staff ace C.C Sabathia. That would mean Tanakas next turn would be at Yankee Stadium for the home opener against Baltimore. The lowest I could see him being in the rotation is number three. That would put him in line to start the finale in Houston and the second game at home against the Orioles. So well have to wait till later in the season to see Tanaka face the Jays. Walter Payton Youth Jersey .J. - Trying to learn and absorb the new West Coast offence being installed by new offensive co-ordinator Ben McAdoo, the New York Giants wrapped their final organized team activity Thursday before a three-day mini-camp next week. Riley Ridley Jersey .J. -- Kyle Palmieri thrilled his personal rooting section with an overtime winner that sent the Anaheim Ducks to their seventh straight win. https://www.bearssportsgoods.com/Womens-Roquan-Smith-Inverted-Jersey/ . The judge sternly instructed the prosecutor to restrain himself and he apologized -- then went right back to trying to pick holes in the testimony of the double-amputee runner. It was a harsh day of cross-examination for Pistorius, challenged relentlessly about his account of the moments just before he killed Reeva Steenkamp, as well as circumstances related to several firearms charges against him, including the firing of a gun in a crowded restaurant.Newcastle United sold James Milner to Aston Villa eight years ago because they thought they had Bastian Schweinsteiger lined up to replace him. Milner, who had already spent a season-long loan at Villa in 2005/06, moved to Villa Park on a permanent deal in August 2008.However, Terry McDermott, who was assistant to Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan at that time, has revealed the club only allowed Milner to leave because they believed Schweinsteiger, then at Bayern Munich, was on his way to the north east. We were actually at the club when we sold him, myself and Kevin Keegan, he told the 5times podcast.We sold him for £15m. The story goes - and this is a true story - we didnt want him to leave but we needed to get other players in because wed had a bid of £15m. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Kevin said If we sell him for £15m, how are we going to replace him?They said: Weve already got one - Schweinsteiger. Hes at Man United now, but seven or eight years ago he was a superstar and they said we could get him.The idea of accepting the bid of £15m for Milnerr, which was a lot of money then, and then were looking to get Schweinsteiger its a no brainer. Roquan Smith Womens Jersey. But after hes signed for Villa - the day after - were trying to sign Schweinsteiger and the answer was: Absolutely no chance, it will cost you £50m if you want to buy Schweinsteiger. Newcastle thought Bastian Schweinsteiger would replace Milner at St James Park So we had no one to replace him. But he was irreplaceable anyway because he could play anywhere.England international Milner went on to make 93 appearances for Villa, before moving to Manchester City in 2010, where he would win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup.Milner joined Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer of 2015 and is the clubs vice-captain.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Villa video Villa fixtures Villa stats Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '