While New York Yankees officials prepared to gather in Florida to determine the fate of manager Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez was in California to consult with agent Scott Boras on his negotiating strategy. Rodriguez and Boras began talks on Sunday, and the agent said the star third baseman will remain in California for several days. "We plan to spend a lot of time together in the next week," Boras said Monday. Rodriguez has until the 10th day following the World Series to decide whether to opt out of his record $252 million, 10-year contract and become a free agent. The Yankees plan to offer him an extension and say they would drop out of talks if A-Rod opts out.