By Anthony Mormile SportsTicker Baseball Editor

DALLAS (Ticker) -- Alex Rodriguez truly is a franchise player.

The 25-year-old superstar shortstop today signed a 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers for the unprecedented sum of $252 million dollars.

Widespread media reports peg the deal at $21 million for 2000, increasing in $1 million increments over the following three years. Rodriguez will receive $25 million in 2005 and 2006 and $27 million a season over the final four years.

The deal is the richest in sports history and the total dollars dwarf the eight-year, $123.8 million deal that the Colorado Rockies gave lefthander Mike Hampton only three days ago.

One of the most marketable players in sports, Rodriguez hit .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBI in 148 games for the Seattle Mariners in 2000. But his value goes well beyond the field, and the Rangers -- especially owner Tom Hicks -- have acquired the ultimate franchise player.

"This day will mark the beginning of a national prominence for a franchise," said Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras.

In a football-crazed state, the Rangers have had to play second fiddle to the Dallas Cowboys. More recently, they have seen the Dallas Stars -- Hicks' other franchise -- capture the city's imagination with a Stanley Cup in 1999. But Hicks, a media mogul, is trying to fight back with one of the baseball's poster boys.

Rodriguez has hit at least 40 homers in three straight seasons, joining Hall of Famer Ernie Banks as the only shortstops to do it more than once. He was the fourth-youngest player to reach 150 home runs, already holds the American League single-season record for homers by a shortstop and captured the batting title by the age of 21.

"He very well might break Hank Aaron's home run records and RBI records," Hicks said. "I hope he does it in a Texas Rangers uniform."

The former Mariner was expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents in history, but Hicks and the Rangers recruited Rodriguez hard and the move paid off in stunning fashion tonight.

Rodriguez joins a revamped Rangers' team that already features the best catcher in the game in Ivan Rodriguez, one of the most productive first basemen in Rafael Palmeiro and a solid trio of outfielders. To that mix, Texas has added second baseman Randy Velarde, third baseman Ken Caminiti and designated hitter Andres Galarraga this offseason.

While the Rangers face a host of questions on the mound, they need not worry about shortstop for a while.

"We know over the long haul we are going to have to add some quality pitching," Texas general manager Doug Melvin said. "Last year was not fun, agonizing, in fact. But we're happy to get the best positional player in the game."

Rodriguez is possibly the sport's most complete player. He is only the third player ever to record 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in the same season and this year committed just 10 errors in 691 chances.

A six-year veteran, Rodriguez has a .309 career batting average with 189 homers, 595 RBI and 133 stolen bases.

"Alex is a very, very special person," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said before pondering how to stack his prodigious lineup. "You do not ever make a commitment this serious unless you have a very special person."

"When Alex left here, he had a whole new vision of the Texas Rangers," said Boras. "We learned early on that there was going to be a very high expectation and that he was going to get a contract for 10 years."

A baseball superstar with undeniable crossover appeal, Rodriguez should be a hit in the Hispanic communities near Dallas. Hicks is counting on it as he'll be able to parlay Rodriguez's pursuit of hallowed offensive records into numerous multimedia opportunities.

But Rodriguez does not come without a burden as he assumes the bull's eye for escalating salaries, payroll disparity and the pricing out of the middle class. Rodriguez already took a hit during negotiations when news leaked out that he was seeking special concessions and perks.

The Mariners, who have lost Ken Griffey Jr. and Rodriguez in consecutive offseasons, will receive two picks in the 2001 draft as compensation.

"Needless to say, the Mariners are disappointed with the news that Alex Rodriguez has signed with Texas," the team said in a statement. "The Mariners have done everything possible to keep Alex in Seattle. Last year, at his suggestion, we helped put him in a position of leadership in our clubhouse and with our team.

"We are disappointed he could not remain a leader for us, but, of course, we wish Alex well. We thank him for his efforts with the Mariners and for the memories he has provided for sports fans in the Northwest."