New York Yankees 2011 off-season discussion

[CommishJoe]

Ok, let's get this thing started. Here are the questions I think the Yankees need to address:

1. How much and how long for Cliff Lee?
2. How much and how long for Derek Jeter? Does he stay at SS?
3. Do we sign Carl Crawford? Werth?
4. Who is our starting catcher?

Here are my opinions:

1. 5 years, $20m a year sound about right
2. No more than 2 years guaranteed. The Yankees are going to have to move him to the OF sooner rather than later and with Gardner/Granderson already out there, I'm worried what that means. I don't want to see Gardner traded.
3. Nope to either. Move Jeter to RF (assuming his arm is strong enough) and leave the DH spot open to Posada. Sign JJ Hardy to take over at SS unless a kiddie is ready that I don't know about or there's a better option out there.
4. Definately not Jorge. Baserunners were stealing against him at will. I don't know if any of their kiddies are ready so who does that leave?

[yankeesrule]

Originally Posted by CommishJoe

Ok, let's get this thing started. Here are the questions I think the Yankees need to address:

1. How much and how long for Cliff Lee?
2. How much and how long for Derek Jeter? Does he stay at SS?
3. Do we sign Carl Crawford? Werth?
4. Who is our starting catcher?

1 - I could live with 5/20 or something around there. I see it coming in a bit under what they gave CC only bc i think the market has declined a bit since then.
2 - they're stuck between a rock and a hard place with Jeter. We cant haggle to much with him over money, it would look absolutely horible if they screwed around with him $$$ wise while having the highest payroll by far. Hopefully Jeter realizes his decline and doesn't try and hold the yankees hostage for something similar to what he was getting. 3/15 maybe? Still overpaying but not to crazily.
3 - I dont see us going after either unless they can come cheap. I like our OF of Swisher/Granderson/Gardner, hopefully they dont screw with that. With Jorge at DH it doesn't leave room for another OF'er
4 - I could see bringing in a vet. Not sure what the FA options are I wouldn't mind either signing or trading for a great defense average/slightly below avg offense catcher to bat 8th and call a good game. Sadly, I dont think Cervelli hits well enough to keep him as the every day catcher and I dont think Montero or Romine are ready yet to take over the every day job.

Other than this, figure out the back end of the rotation and maybe grab another reliever. I dont see anything happening with the lineup other than figuring out the C situation

[1998 Yankees]

I read someplace about Hal Steinbrenner saying the Yankees want Jeter back but... Time marches on. Not so long ago, a thought like this would have been blasphemous - how could they even think about Jeter not coming back? I realize some of this is jockeying for position in the negotiations, however.

I agree with you guys on Crawford and Werth. I don't agree with you guys on Lee. Maybe I'm nuts, but I'm tired of paying megadollars to guys in their middle thirties for past performances.

Posada is done at C, but look for him to continue to lobby for starts and the Yankees to indulge him. I think we're stuck with Cervelli, but just temporarily until one of those young guys step up. The trouble with them, though, is they're not too great defensively from what I hear. Don't know about youse guys but as fer me, I'd druther have a team captain than a slugger at that position.

[Mt Fire Fighter]

I was surprised when Cashman said the negotiations with Jeter could get messy. Keep him and Mariano, both should retire as Yankees.

Lee, good pitcher but has he done much in the last two World Series? Philly brought him in to win the series as did Texas...and how many titlees did he get them?

I dont care for Gardner at all; he always seems to make the last out, hardly ever gets on base, doesnt steal when he is there......

A new pitching coach will help, Eiland lead all of the pitchers to nowhere in the second half except CC. And Long? Helped Granderson but everyone else had sub years at the plate....

John

[ukhotstove]

Would Lee sign after what happened to his wife ? I know his agent as come out saying it wont make any difference to his decision and his wife doesn't hate New York, but she's hardly going to say she hates New York is she. If I was in his shoes no matter what the Yankees offered me they'd be the last team I'd sign with, I mean it's not like he's going to be on minimum wage no matter where he ends up at.

[Splitter24]

Originally Posted by Mt Fire Fighter

Lee, good pitcher but has he done much in the last two World Series? Philly brought him in to win the series as did Texas...and how many titlees did he get them?


John

You do know that in 2009 Lee started two games in the World Series vs. the Yankees and beat them twice, right (the only wins the Phils got)? So because he didn't start and win four World Series games that year means he "didn't do much?"

Yeah, this year on average he wasn't all that great. Lit up in one start. But pitched pretty well in the other, but would've had to thrown a shutout to win because his team managed only 1 run on 3 hits.

By your logic, you wouldn't have wanted Greg Maddux, either. Because after all he only went 2-3 in his WS career. And despite making the playoffs 10 times with Atlanta, he only brought them 1 WS win.

[hayesb26]

1. How much and how long for Cliff Lee?
2. How much and how long for Derek Jeter? Does he stay at SS?
3. Do we sign Carl Crawford? Werth?
4. Who is our starting catcher?

My thoughts:
1. None. I don't think we need him in NY, and would rather not overpay for a guy already in his thirties and likely to begin the decline soon.
2. I'd prefer a 2 year deal, but wouldn't be too upset if the Yanks give in and hand him a third. On the money, a perfect world would give him 10 per but I see him probably getting his 15 or so per. He will need to stay at SS for at least one more season as well, I believe.
3. Nope, no need for either. I like the OF the way we currently see it.
4. Jorge will demand starts, with Cervelli also handling a fair amount of games. Not going to be a pretty situation behind the plate, but Jorge's bat still demands to be in the lineup and hes going to want to catch.

[TribeFanInNC]

Interesting answers in the thread so far. I don't really have a dog in the fight. But I think you guys all have rose-colored glasses in the Jeter situation. He made over $22mil this year. Do you really think he'll magically ask for $10 or $15 million on a team that makes money hand over fist? IMO, there is zero chance it will be less than $20mil and might even be above last year's salary. The real fight will be over years; Jeets will want 4 or 5, team will want 2 or 3.

Surprised there is no interest in Crawford.

[Mt Fire Fighter]

Dont get me wrong, Lee is a good pitcher but not much of a record in the Series, maybe they hyped him up too much. Last year he did have two wins, this year two loses. Would love to have him on the Yankees!!!

John

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Mt Fire Fighter

I dont care for Gardner at all; he always seems to make the last out, hardly ever gets on base, doesnt steal when he is there......

You are talking about Brett Gardner, not Bart Gardner or Fred Gardner or somebody else? For one thing, Brett Gardner had 47 stolen bases this year.

Originally Posted by hayesb26

My thoughts:
1. None. I don't think we need him in NY, and would rather not overpay for a guy already in his thirties and likely to begin the decline soon.

My man! So, I'm not the only one here thinking that way.

Originally Posted by TribeFanInNC

The real fight will be over years; Jeets will want 4 or 5, team will want 2 or 3.

I have a feeling that Jeter will be his usual gentlemanly self in these negotiations. By that, I mean he will not push for anything unrealistic like a 4-5 year contract. Back-to-back 2-3 year contracts would accomplish the same thing, if he finishes the first one strong. I may be wrong, but I think Jeter's pride will not let him demand things that he himself may not deserve in the end.

Originally Posted by TribeFanInNC

Surprised there is no interest in Crawford.

The Daily News is reporting the Yankees have no interest in him or in Werth:
Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth out of Yankees offseason plans, Cliff Lee tops free agent wish list

[Cooleyvol]

Originally Posted by Mt Fire Fighter

I dont care for Gardner at all; he always seems to make the last out, hardly ever gets on base, doesnt steal when he is there......

You might try watching the Yanks a little closer, my man.

[TribeFanInNC]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

I have a feeling that Jeter will be his usual gentlemanly self in these negotiations. By that, I mean he will not push for anything unrealistic like a 4-5 year contract. Back-to-back 2-3 year contracts would accomplish the same thing, if he finishes the first one strong. I may be wrong, but I think Jeter's pride will not let him demand things that he himself may not deserve in the end.

Could be. At least Mike Lupica agrees with me.

[CommishJoe]

Originally Posted by TribeFanInNC

Could be. At least Mike Lupica agrees with me.

Great article. Thanks for posting!!!

[TribeFanInNC]

Originally Posted by CommishJoe

Great article. Thanks for posting!!!

Yeah, I thought so too; found it from a link from 98 Yanks link above.

[Cryomaniac]

As ever, the only question I have about the Yankees is where Pat Venditte will end up. I'm guessing he starts next season in Trenton, which would make a September call up a slight possibility.

[1998 Yankees]

Business is business, and it is big business. Yes, Cashman and Steinbrenner did say what they said. Jeter's agent is probably acting just like... an agent. And, of course, The Daily News is the Daily News, and they are not the only ones who played up this story.

Still, could there be a better way to negotiate than using the media to shame the man into signing? Putting aside the "over-rated" opinions and the anti-Yankee bias, does Jeter deserve this after all the years of his low-key, low-maintenance, no-trouble, high-loyalty to this goddamned dumbass family-run organization?

Hal Steinbrenner started it when he said, "Things could get messy."

Then Randy Levine said, "This isn't a licensing deal or a commercial rights deal. He's a baseball player."

Then Brian Cashman said, "If he doesn't like what we're offering him, if he can find a better opportunity with more money, that's fine. Whatever's important to him."

Daily News Headline: "Yanks to Jeter: Think you can find a better deal? WE DARE YOU!"

It will all be over in a few weeks and Jeter will finish out his career as a highly paid Yankee. Everybody will be smiling and will have forgotten everything (except maybe Jeter himself). Right now, though, I'm disgusted.

Rieber: Jeter contract spat all about the money

[thomamon]

Hey, didn't find this thread till now...

Interesting stuff here, shocked about the Gardner comments... He is always on base and in the middle of making things happen. He would be the outfielder I keep before any others...

Lee is OK, but I don't get him more then 3-4 years. He's falling apart now, I don't think he has much time left. He was living on cortisone shots this year in September and October.

Jeter will be back.

[yankeesrule]

If there is any truth to this report, then major shame on Jeter


But sources close to the Jeter/Close camp have said their starting point was six years, $150 million and that they aren't budging on $25 million per year - which would effectively get the captain about even in annual average salary to Alex Rodriguez, the real benchmark from their standpoint in this negotiation.

Thats just stupid money and him and his agent have some major balls if thats what they're asking for

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...it_is_far.html

[thomamon]

His agent has already denied they are not looking for that deal.

Originally Posted by yankeesrule

If there is any truth to this report, then major shame on Jeter


But sources close to the Jeter/Close camp have said their starting point was six years, $150 million and that they aren't budging on $25 million per year - which would effectively get the captain about even in annual average salary to Alex Rodriguez, the real benchmark from their standpoint in this negotiation.

Thats just stupid money and him and his agent have some major balls if thats what they're asking for

Yankees shouldn't have to budge off their reported three-year, $45 million offer to Derek Jeter

[1998 Yankees]

Cringe, CRINGE, my minions! CRINGE with a vision of what might come true this winter! Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Jeter imagined in all 30 major league uniforms - Yahoo! News

Having trouble imagining what Derek Jeter would look like in a different uniform?

Beckett Media, which prices baseball cards, is helping out, posting pictures of the shortstop in the jerseys all 30 major league teams, a blog page titled "TOTALLY FAKE BASEBALL CARDS."

With the Yankees captain and his team still apart in contract negotiations, Beckett playfully envisioned him with the Pirates, Royals and Cardinals, among others. First up is Jeter in a Red Sox uniform on a card that says: "Boston's Best" followed by "Jeter: You Ain't Seen Nawthin' Yet."

TOTALLY FAKE BASEBALL CARDS: 29 Derek Jeters you won’t see in 2011 … and one you just might The Beckett Blog