Yankee Offseason

[Guest Edgy DC]

Not for nothing, but why should Rivera go year-to-year? Any team in baseball would sign him to a multi-year deal. Any. Team. In baseball.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Not for nothing, but why should Rivera go year-to-year? Any team in baseball would sign him to a multi-year deal. Any. Team. In baseball.

Cause Mike Francessa says he's awesome and doesn't want to leave a contract on the table if he's done early.

Here's a question. I read a report that Rivera gets more 'borderline' strikes than any other pitcher. If he were to go elsewhere, without the Yankees uniform, would that still be the case? Or would there be some separate from the "great rivera" of the Yankees and an older veteran on another team that onced played for the Yankees?

[Frayed Knot]

Initial reports have the Yanx offering Jeter a contract of 3 x $15 sometime in the next few days - a deal which represents a pay cut both from the average per/yr rate of the just-expired contract ($18.9) and especially the last years of that deal (~$21). It also takes him just through age 39 as compared to the deal for his fellow left-side infielder which runs until he's 42.

The fun part comes via rumors that are starting to come out - at least some of which have all the markings of intentional leaks from Levine or the Steinbrenner boys. One says the team wants to pay him "strictly as a ballplayer" (implication: NOT as an icon) while another suggests that this is a good deal "unless his ego gets in the way", something which sounds like a preemptive strike against higher/longer requests.
One report talked about the two sides being some $45-50 million apart - implying that maybe the (officially silent so far) Jeter camp is doing some leaking of its own about wanting something closer to 5 x $18.

[Benjamin Grimm]

One thing I read said that Jeter was looking for $20 million times six years. There's not a chance in the world that he'll be worth $20 million at age 43 (not to mention the five years preceding that). If that's really what he's asking, he's nuts.

[batmagadanleadoff]

If the Yankees are being sincere when they say that they want to pay Jeter strictly as a player, then 3 x $15M is an exceedingly generous offer. I think that the Yankees have most of the leverage here. The few other teams that can afford to top the Yankees 3x15M offer would be crazy to do so. What's Jeter gonna do?

[Guest OlerudOwned]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: If the Yankees are being sincere when they say that they want to pay Jeter strictly as a player, then 3 x $15M is an exceedingly generous offer. I think that the Yankees have most of the leverage here. The few other teams that can afford to top the Yankees 3x15M offer would be crazy to do so. What's Jeter gonna do?

I think the Red Sox should blow him away with an offer, just as an astronomically expensive practical joke.

[Ceetar]

OlerudOwned wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: If the Yankees are being sincere when they say that they want to pay Jeter strictly as a player, then 3 x $15M is an exceedingly generous offer. I think that the Yankees have most of the leverage here. The few other teams that can afford to top the Yankees 3x15M offer would be crazy to do so. What's Jeter gonna do? I think the Red Sox should blow him away with an offer, just as an astronomically expensive practical joke.

I think the Phillies should, and then have him play second and move Utley.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Or maybe the Mets will sign Jeter and move Jose to second base!

[ashie62]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: If the Yankees are being sincere when they say that they want to pay Jeter strictly as a player, then 3 x $15M is an exceedingly generous offer. I think that the Yankees have most of the leverage here. The few other teams that can afford to top the Yankees 3x15M offer would be crazy to do so. What's Jeter gonna do?

Retire.

Uh, no...I'm guessing when all is said and done 4 years for 80 Million.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: One thing I read said that Jeter was looking for $20 million times six years. There's not a chance in the world that he'll be worth $20 million at age 43 (not to mention the five years preceding that). If that's really what he's asking, he's nuts.

I'm going to disagree. Public realitons are on his side. While the whole world thinks he's a prince, he'll certainly use that to negotiate like a highwayman.

Their publicity machine made an icon of him, created this brand (Paladin of Intagnible Grace) and inextricably linked it to the Yankee brand --- which would be degraded without him. He's got them where he wants them, and I'd be unsuprised to see him get $20 million x 6 ou tof them. I'd also be unsurprised to hear insinuations that if George were alive, this would be done by now.

The card they have (and I don't discount it) is "Who else is going to play you what we're offering?" And that's true, because anybody thinking it through knows that whole 'makes the whole team better' thing is horseshit. Maybe he sits out if he doesn't get what he wants. It didn't work for Bernie Williams, but he's not Bernie.

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Or maybe the Mets will sign Jeter and move Jose to second base!

Heard that suggested on FAN just last night ... by a Met fan!!
And he appeared to be serious too - claimed it would send attendance soaring.

[Fman99]

Good. Keep the boondoggle contracts coming (on that side of the river, anyway). They'll be paying him, A-Rod, and other assorted shuffleboarders long past their usefulness.

[Fman99]

Oh, the hyperbole train keeps a rollin' thanks to our moronic friend Wally Matthews.

Now, Jeter is the modern-day Babe Ruth, at least according to his agent (quoting the Yankees vaguely).

Like the Babe, I have something stuck in my throat. Not a tumor, just a wad of Monday vomit.

The article draws an interesting parallel, documenting the slowly decreasing salaries that Ruth and Mantle faced, pre-reserve clause. It doesn't apply here, now, but still. The radio hacks like Kay make it sound like it'd be an affront to Jeter to offer him less than the $18.9 mil per year he's averaged for the last 10 years.

[Ceetar]

Fman99 wrote: Oh, the hyperbole train keeps a rollin' thanks to our moronic friend Wally Matthews. Now, Jeter is the modern-day Babe Ruth, at least according to his agent (quoting the Yankees vaguely). Like the Babe, I have something stuck in my throat. Not a tumor, just a wad of Monday vomit. The article draws an interesting parallel, documenting the slowly decreasing salaries that Ruth and Mantle faced, pre-reserve clause. It doesn't apply here, now, but still. The radio hacks like Kay make it sound like it'd be an affront to Jeter to offer him less than the $18.9 mil per year he's averaged for the last 10 years.

Ruth made so much more money in his day than anyone else, and prorated to modern day he'd be making less than Cervelli.

But let them draw all the parallels they want, Ruth ended his career in Boston.

[Frayed Knot]

Fman99 wrote: Now, Jeter is the modern-day Babe Ruth, at least according to his agent (quoting the Yankees vaguely).

The point Casey Close [the agent] is making is that the Yanx were all too happy to tout Jeter's worth as more than just his ball-playing skills and bill him as "their Ruth" for this generation ... but now that it's time to actually pay him they're making sure to tell anyone with a notepad that this is "strictly a baseball contract".

Mathews is saying that even though it's a different time and different rules, given the NYY track record, Close shouldn't be surprised that this is how the team plays hardball. What makes it even worse for the player/agent side is the days of a Steinbrenner bending over for an agent with a last-minute, above-market contract based on appeals to sentimentality or short-term back-page pub [George w/Bernie, Hank w/ARod] appears to be over as the bean-counters seem to be totally in charge in Yanqui-land these days.

I still think Jeter winds up in the Bronx and probably gets more than the 3x$15 that's being floated about (no formal offer made so far apparently) but it's going to be interesting to see how willing to dig their heels in each side is going to get.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Frayed Knot wrote: What makes it even worse for the player/agent side is the days of a Steinbrenner bending over for an agent with a last-minute, above-market contract based on appeals to sentimentality or short-term back-page pub [George w/Bernie, Hank w/ARod] appears to be over as the bean-counters seem to be totally in charge in Yanqui-land these days.

Appears to be so, but it's still an open question, I think.

I'm excited to see this play out. There's two ways that Yankees can lose!

[MFS62]

My Conspiracy Theory:
Jeter has already agreed on a contract with the Yankees, if not already signed it.
But it has not been announced yet, so the Yankee writers could have something to write about while the Mets have been searching for a manager.

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: I still think Jeter winds up in the Bronx and probably gets more than the 3x$15 that's being floated about (no formal offer made so far apparently) but it's going to be interesting to see how willing to dig their heels in each side is going to get.

I'd bet anything that Jeter signs for more than the 3x$15M currently on the table. But that's only because that's how negotiations typically are: the player initially demands more than he wants and the team's first offer is for less than it's willing to pay.

[metsmarathon]

i love the notion that the yankees somehow owe jeter for all that he's done for the team, as if averaging $19M for the prior ten years wasn't due compensation.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: What makes it even worse for the player/agent side is the days of a Steinbrenner bending over for an agent with a last-minute, above-market contract based on appeals to sentimentality or short-term back-page pub [George w/Bernie, Hank w/ARod] appears to be over as the bean-counters seem to be totally in charge in Yanqui-land these days. Appears to be so, but it's still an open question, I think. I'm excited to see this play out. There's two ways that Yankees can lose!

I'm not sure for which I'm rooting. The wailing and gnashing that would accompany his leaving might be fun for a little bit... but after the first few months, it'll be difficult to stomach. Too much candy, y'know?

[Ceetar]

If he stays without looking like the greedy scum he is, it'll suck.

However, if he leaves and fades away with the Royals or something, We're gonna get a couple of months worth of "Oh, great joy! Jeter has finally re turned to the stadium like he belongs! how wonderful life is isn't it?" some time down the road.

Although the drama of maybe AJ beaning him in a game, or him hitting a walk off homer against them with that short porch (wait..the biggest problem here might be a situation where I could actually want to root for Jeter. ick. i feel dirty already) might be fun.

[Guest Edgy DC]

"I've loved everything about beng a Yankee, but I have my self-respect and I can't accept anything less than five years, $100 million."

"Derek, our offer is on the table, it's final, and if you walk away from it, we're going give number two to the bushiest bush leaguer that stumbles out of the bush, and continually re-assign it to every scrub infielder we call up, in perpetuity. We're going to take this pile of money you're so insulted by and invest it in a real shortstop that will make fans regret every cheer they ever gave you."

"Now guys, let's not get... I'm just trying to say..."

"We'll release the internal documents that show how we've known all along how shit your range was, how we've carefully coordinated the spinning of your obvious limitations into graces, how Fat George's accounts had been paying off the Gold Glove voters for years."

"It's just that a pay cut is..."

"Have fun in Anaheim, jackass. We really hope they like that stupid jumpy-throwy thing."

[Fman99]

Edgy DC wrote: "I've loved everything about beng a Yankee, but I have my self-respect and I can't accept anything less than five years, $100 million." "Derek, our offer is on the table, it's final, and if you walk away from it, we're going give number two to the bushiest bush leaguer that stumbles out of the bush, and continually re-assign it to every scrub infielder we call up, in perpetuity. We're going to take this pile of money you're so insulted by and invest it in a real shortstop that will make fans regret every cheer they ever gave you." "Now guys, let's not get... I'm just trying to say..." "We'll release the internal documents that show how we've known all along how shit your range was, how we've carefully coordinated the spinning of your obvious limitations into graces, how Fat George's accounts had been paying off the Gold Glove voters for years." "It's just that a pay cut is..." "Have fun in Anaheim, jackass. We really hope they like that stupid jumpy-throwy thing."

This post is so good, it has to be fattening.

[ashie62]

And per Star Ledger Mariano has been offered one year not two.

GMS is starting to look like a softie.

[Frayed Knot]

Now he's a guy who could clearly get a better deal elsewhere - at least a longer one.
As long as there's a team who decides that ~$15/per for a closer is worthwhile said team would most likely be willing to take a shot at 2 years with him, even at age 41.

[dgwphotography]

Edgy DC wrote: we're going give number two to the bushiest bush leaguer that stumbles out of the bush, and continually re-assign it to every scrub infielder we call up, in perpetuity.

Sounds like what the Mets did to Keith

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Fman99 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: "I've loved everything about beng a Yankee, but I have my self-respect and I can't accept anything less than five years, $100 million." "Derek, our offer is on the table, it's final, and if you walk away from it, we're going give number two to the bushiest bush leaguer that stumbles out of the bush, and continually re-assign it to every scrub infielder we call up, in perpetuity. We're going to take this pile of money you're so insulted by and invest it in a real shortstop that will make fans regret every cheer they ever gave you." "Now guys, let's not get... I'm just trying to say..." "We'll release the internal documents that show how we've known all along how shit your range was, how we've carefully coordinated the spinning of your obvious limitations into graces, how Fat George's accounts had been paying off the Gold Glove voters for years." "It's just that a pay cut is..." "Have fun in Anaheim, jackass. We really hope they like that stupid jumpy-throwy thing." This post is so good, it has to be fattening.

Gained 5 pounds LOLing

[Guest attgig]

yahoo is reporting that the yanks offered 6 years 140 mil to Cliff Lee. Meanwhile, Lee's holding out for a 7th year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkSJmoSIxA2tHSY_VjkPYY8RvLYF?slug=ti-washburnhotstove112210

unfortunately, i don't see texas beating that.

[Ceetar]

attgig wrote: yahoo is reporting that the yanks offered 6 years 140 mil to Cliff Lee. Meanwhile, Lee's holding out for a 7th year. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkSJmoSIxA2tHSY_VjkPYY8RvLYF?slug=ti-washburnhotstove112210 unfortunately, i don't see texas beating that.

That seems like an appropriately iffy and dangerous contract. Let's see how high we can get this Yankee payroll.

[Guest Edgy DC]

dgwphotography wrote: Edgy DC wrote: we're going give number two to the bushiest bush leaguer that stumbles out of the bush, and continually re-assign it to every scrub infielder we call up, in perpetuity. Sounds like what the Mets did to Keith

Keith had less equity in the number and he and the Mets have a sense of perspective regarding such things that is absent in the Yankee numerology.