New York Yankees 2011 off-season discussion

[Tony M]

Hats off to the Sandman if the rumours I've seen are true (and maybe a timely lesson that Jeter could learn from).

If you think the card above looked odd, it could have been Mo in that uniform (apparently Boston offered 3yrs/$51m) but Mo said he would take less money and less years to stay in pinstripes. As nice as it would have been to have Mo on the team you do have to admire his loyalty

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by 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?

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

So, the Yankees go ahead and top their own offer, after talking this trash. Like I said, it's a business, and maybe Jeter is not that sensitive. I hope so.

Originally Posted by 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

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

Originally Posted by Tony M

Hats off to the Sandman if the rumours I've seen are true (and maybe a timely lesson that Jeter could learn from).

If you think the card above looked odd, it could have been Mo in that uniform (apparently Boston offered 3yrs/$51m) but Mo said he would take less money and less years to stay in pinstripes. As nice as it would have been to have Mo on the team you do have to admire his loyalty

Yes. Unless I desperately needed more money and could get a bit more elsewhere, that's what I would do. I should do some research, because I might just find the answer, but I've often wondered why Ruth would want to spend the last year of his career as a Boston Brave. That's no offense to either Boston or the Braves! And that's no glorification of the Yankees either. It's just that, having spent 15 years as a beloved superstar in one town, why would you want to drag it out one more subpar year in exile?

By the way, speaking of the bogus Jeter cards, I see one member of our community sporting the Oakland A's version as her avatar these days! Wishful thinking or quiet derision, I have not decided which I think it shows.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 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?


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

I can't believe that I'm about to defend Derek Jeter...but here is my take on the whole contract negotiation.

The problem with the sports salary scale, particularly in baseball is that players are always underpaid when they make their best contributions to the game, and then they feel they are owed back pay.

This is especially true in baseball. You... go 6 years where they tell you what you'll be making either by the team telling you or arbitration telling you. Since most people make the bigs at 24 that means the prime of you career 24-30 you are underpaid. You sign one big free agent contract and then you hit your late 30's. If your free agent deal didn't make up for your underpaid years then you feel like you have to get paid again.

Is Jeter poor? Naw. Did he get paid well for the last 6-10 years? Sure. But did the Yankees make way more money off Jeter than Jeter has been paid back in his contract? Probably.

That $25 million asking price (if that figure was even accurate) isn't for his current play. It is payment for the $900 box seats in the new stadium that they get to charge because he brought them all those titles and WS appearances.

I'm not saying it is right, but the system is partially to blame.

I could be wrong, but Jeter (as much as it kills me to admit it) has always been a class act. I find it very hard to believe that all of a sudden he has become a greedy jerk, although that is certainly the way the media is portraying him now.

[Terpripken]

According to Sweeny Murti's Twitter:

Jeter's 3 yr deal will be worth around $51 million. 4th year option is less but contains many elements that will affect final number.

Sweeny Murti (YankeesWFAN) on Twitter

Sounds reasonable to me.

[1998 Yankees]

It is done.

AP source: Yankees and Jeter agree to $51M deal - Yahoo! News

G&GH, it's time to change your avatar again.

[1998 Yankees]

In the last two seasons, Jeter first passed Gehrig for career hits as a Yankee and then Ruth for total hits in a career.

Now he is on the verge of a historic accomplishment for the third straight season, and if he can do it at home it will be the first time that either version of Yankee Stadium has been the host for a 3,000th hit for any player on any team. Perfect games? No problem. Landmark home runs? Absolutely. But a 3,000th hit has been a missing piece. Jeter could provide it, and the notion that he could instead reach the milestone while wearing the uniform of the San Francisco Giants and playing a night game in Arizona seems preposterous.

When he does get to 3,000, Jeter will become the 28th member of the fraternity. Right now, he stands in 36th place on the career list, but when the 2011 season begins, he can move past three Hall of Famers — Al Simmons (2,927), Rogers Hornsby (2,930) and Jake Beckley (2,930) — almost immediately, perhaps against Detroit in the Yankees’ opening series. Barry Bonds (2,935) and Frank Robinson (2,943) are next, with only Willie Keeler (2,955), Sam Crawford (2,964) and Sam Rice (2,987) then left before Roberto Clemente greets him right at hit No. 3,000.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/sp...dlines&emc=a27

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

It is done.

AP source: Yankees and Jeter agree to $51M deal - Yahoo! News

G&GH, it's time to change your avatar again.

Oh man, I just changed it. I think I'll still keep it awhile.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

Oh man, I just changed it. I think I'll still keep it awhile.

Heh, that's fine. As long as it remains a FANTASY!

[CommishJoe]

I just heard a rumor that the Nationals are offering Lee a 7 year deal. If that's the case, I wish Washington the best of luck with their new ace. If the Yanks sign him for 7, it could have consequences next year when CC can opt out. Plus, I'm still not sure the deal will be worth it even 3-4 years from now, not to mention 7. Sheesh.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by CommishJoe

I just heard a rumor that the Nationals are offering Lee a 7 year deal. If that's the case, I wish Washington the best of luck with their new ace. If the Yanks sign him for 7, it could have consequences next year when CC can opt out. Plus, I'm still not sure the deal will be worth it even 3-4 years from now, not to mention 7. Sheesh.

It really is a gamble, and a big one. Lee is 32 now and will be 33 before next season ends. So a seven-year deal brings him all the way to 40, assuming there is no team option to be exercised in the final year. How many pitchers are effective to that age, Jamie Moyer notwithstanding? I don't understand this Lee-mania, I really don't.

[1998 Yankees]

Gee, I guess I was not all that far off in what I said earlier in this thread about Jeter and the way he was insulted, clumsily and unnecessarily, by the morons who run the Yankees organization.

While Jeter tried to keep talks quiet as the sides negotiated, the Yankees went public with suggestions his increasing age and decreased numbers should result in a pay cut.

At one point, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the 36-year-old shortstop should explore other options if he was dissatisfied with New York's offer.

"I was pretty angry about it, and I let that be known," Jeter said Tuesday after finalizing a $51 million, three-year contract that cut his salary. "I was angry about it because I was the one that said I didn't want to do it. I said I was the one that wasn't going to do it."

. . .

Following a Nov. 8 meeting, talks came to a standstill as the sides expressed frustration with each other. Wanting negotiations to remain private, Jeter was dismayed when Cashman suggested he explore the market.

"To hear the organization telling me to go shopping and I just told you I wasn't going to, oh yeah, if I'm going to be honest with you, I was angry about it," Jeter said.

Derek Jeter admits he was angry with Yankees - Yahoo! News

I've got to be honest with you guys. Being a Yankees fan is, to me, being a fan of Yankees players and teams, past and present. I am no fan of the neanderthal Steinbrenner family and never have been.

Moreover, my respect for Cashman has gone down a notch - he looks like their mouthpiece in this affair. I liked him better when he was still being dissed by the dopes in Tampa.

As far as George making the Hall of Fame, well, let's just say I'm glad he didn't come even close in the committee vote. I read some of the reasons why, the recollections of bad old George and his cruel and boorish behavior. Curiously refreshing after years of sanitizing the old bastard after he became harmless in his dotage. I hope he never makes it.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by CommishJoe

I just heard a rumor that the Nationals are offering Lee a 7 year deal. If that's the case, I wish Washington the best of luck with their new ace. If the Yanks sign him for 7, it could have consequences next year when CC can opt out. Plus, I'm still not sure the deal will be worth it even 3-4 years from now, not to mention 7. Sheesh.

Who is this GM in DC and why is he running his franchise into the ground? The Werth deal I thought was bad, but at least he is a hitter, and somewhat of a late bloomer. But offering 7 years to a pitcher in his 30's?

I heard on MLB Network Radio tonight that there is a secret suitor that is not the Nats or Yanks who is offering 7 years at 20 million. Insanity.

[CommishJoe]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Gee, I guess I was not all that far off in what I said earlier in this thread about Jeter and the way he was insulted, clumsily and unnecessarily, by the morons who run the Yankees organization.


Derek Jeter admits he was angry with Yankees - Yahoo! News

I've got to be honest with you guys. Being a Yankees fan is, to me, being a fan of Yankees players and teams, past and present. I am no fan of the neanderthal Steinbrenner family and never have been.

Moreover, my respect for Cashman has gone down a notch - he looks like their mouthpiece in this affair. I liked him better when he was still being dissed by the dopes in Tampa.

As far as George making the Hall of Fame, well, let's just say I'm glad he didn't come even close in the committee vote. I read some of the reasons why, the recollections of bad old George and his cruel and boorish behavior. Curiously refreshing after years of sanitizing the old bastard after he became harmless in his dotage. I hope he never makes it.

I agree. The happiest time of my Yankee fan life was when they won the 96 World Series. 2nd happiest was when Steinbrenner was banned from baseball. If the 2nd thing didn't happen, the first thing never would have. Georgie wasn't responsible for the Yankees winning so much. Bob Watson and Gene Michael were. Cashman just tried to copy that formula. Whenever Georgie got involved (signing Sheffield instead of Vladi, trading for RJ, signing Brown), it crashed and burned.

[CommishJoe]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

Who is this GM in DC and why is he running his franchise into the ground? The Werth deal I thought was bad, but at least he is a hitter, and somewhat of a late bloomer. But offering 7 years to a pitcher in his 30's?

I heard on MLB Network Radio tonight that there is a secret suitor that is not the Nats or Yanks who is offering 7 years at 20 million. Insanity.

All I know is, they can have him for that length. I wouldn't go over 5 years for Lee and even that is a stretch. The Yanks can offer more per year, but I doubt they can beat the total value of a 7 year contract without going at least 6. I really hope they don't.

[CommishJoe]

*sigh* I guess this was bound to happen. Found this on CNNSI's "hot stove report":

The Yankees have increased their offer to superstar free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee, to seven years. It isn't known yet if the dollar amount is changing. It makes sense for the Yankees to offer seven years, given that the other top two players on the market, Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford, both got seven-year contracts.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by CommishJoe

*sigh* I guess this was bound to happen. Found this on CNNSI's "hot stove report":

Doesn't matter...Yanks can absorb any contract financially. If he craps out after four or five years, Yanks will be fine paying $25 million to a #5 starter.

[thomamon]

Here is a great article about the not acquiring Crawford. New York Yankees shouldn't worry about Carl Crawford -- it's all about Cliff Lee - ESPN New York

[thomamon]

I think the way the Yankees think of adding the 7th year to Lee is that if they win a Championship this year and say next year or the next, then it is worth giving him the extra year to make it 7.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by thomamon

I think the way the Yankees think of adding the 7th year to Lee is that if they win a Championship this year and say next year or the next, then it is worth giving him the extra year to make it 7.

Again, he's going to be pushing 40 going into that final year. But of course, that's what the Yankees have to do to outbid everybody else, I guess. No wonder other fans hate our guts (although the BoSox-Crawford deal is also in this neighborhood of nutty greed).

Take heed, you other fans. Not every Yankees fan agrees with buying middle aged pitchers for top dollar.

[CD1083]

7 years is too much for ANYBODY, let alone a pitcher. Apparently Cashman didn't notice Zito was missing from the Giants playoff roster.