As Alex Rodriguez moves one day closer to his opt-out date, the Yankees were working to set up a face-to-face meeting with the third baseman. Hank Steinbrenner said Friday in Tampa that he believes the meeting will take place "soon", though he added that A-Rod's situation had nothing to do with the team's timetable on its manager search. Rodriguez has three years and $81 million remaining on his current deal, the record 10-year, $252 million contract he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. The Rangers are on the hook for almost $30 million of that money, but if A-Rod opts out, the Yankees would lose that subsidy if they were to re-sign the third baseman as a free agent. "I don't think there's any secret that we want A-Rod to stay," Steinbrenner said. "But it's also not a secret that Brian Cashman made it clear a long time ago, and I've made it clear after him: If they opt out, goodbye."