I just don't understand why Vazquez would agree to turn down arbitration. Does he think he can get the same money by going into free agency? I'm pretty sure he won't. Though I guess you're saying he had zero intentions of coming back to Yankees regardless of money and offering him arbitration was done knowing that. I guess I can see that, but I still don't understand Javy turning down more money.
I can almost guarantee you he will get more total dollars than what he would have gotten through arb. You think some NL team won't be interested in signing him to a 3/$20-27M deal? That's practically a slam dunk. And I love Cashman: Link Damn straight, dude.
He has plenty of suitors in the NL, including the Braves who traded him away. He's after security, and accepting a 1year arb offer wouldn't provide him with the 3yr deal he is seeking, and will get in the NL. I imagine it is more like, "Thanks for the money, I didn't earn it, but I'll give you a pick or 2 for your troubles."
Fuck Jeter and I'm not saying this because he's doing anything wrong with trying to get more money. Also, I'm not saying it because I dislike or don't appreciate what he's done for the Yankees and forging some excellent childhood memories. I'm saying let the notion of the 1996 team die and let's move the fuck on. His GIDPs and declining range at SS is an inconvenience to the rest of the team. Jorge too. I really hope they give him only 2 with an option and then send him into retirement. flame away.
The main issue is you have both sides looking at the A-Rod deal as a comparison. The Yankees don't want to make the same mistake like they did with A-Rod which is going to wind up being a really bad deal by the end but Jeter's camp is going to say look what he got and I'm Derek Jeter. My guess is he winds up getting 4 years, ~70 million.
Ken Rosenthal wrote a very good article that sums up how I feel about the Jeter situation. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/new-york-yankees-treatment-of-derek-jeter-is-puzzling-112310 Jeter makes money for the team. A lot of it. Regardless of the fielding range or decline in offensive production bullshit, he's a cash cow for the Yankees. He was a key component of rebuilding the dynasty and making the Yankees a brand that could be sold in today's market. You're not paying Jeter for baseball production at this point. You're paying him because he's clean, he's a fan favorite who has always been a big seller in terms of merchandise, and he's going to set yet another significant offensive mark next season (which will lead to more lucrative merchandise sales.) Anyway, I don't think this whole thing is about money so much as it's about the length of the contract. If you were Derek Jeter would you accept a contract offer that kept Alex Rodriguez in pinstripes later in his lifetime than you? Pride factors in. So does loyalty. Yet people are so obsessed with their pretty fantasy number bullshit that they don't bother to remember that human beings play this kid's game. Human beings who have every right to feel slighted when told to go see if they can do better elsewhere when they've never said or done anything negative toward their team. In fact, quite the opposite.
I think the AROD shit is huge here. Who do you concider more of a "Yankee"? By the time the deals finish, AROD will have been in pinstripes just as long, if not longer, and paid a hell of a lot more. I'm thinking it's more pride for Jeter than anything.
Jeter's agents will try to make the ARod deal relevant in these negotiations, but as Cap has pointed out, it isn't. The two scenarios were largely different, and I really hope the Yanks stand firm at 3/45m for Jeter. For all he's done for the Yanks, is $15/per a slap in the face? I don't think so.
It's hilarious that $15M per year over 3 years for a well below average player is a slap in the face. The contract the Yankees offered him isn't just for his on-field contributions. If Jeter were an average free agent that had no connection to the Yankees, he'd be offered 2/$16M at the most.
Here some breaking news In case there was any doubt remaining, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News makes things clear: there is "absolutely no way" Derek Jeter becomes a Met, according to a source with direct knowledge of the team's thinking. hahahahhaha
It seems to be more about the length than the actual money. Jeter needs to be kept a Yankee for life, the franchise owes it to him. There is no reason why Jeter shouldn't retire a Yankee.
And how is this possibility of Jeter retiring a Yankee precluded by a three year contract? Why wouldn't it be possible for Jeter to: a) retire after this three year contract or b) sign another 1-2 year contract with the Yanks after this three year contract is up, a la Pettitte? I understand why Jeter might want a longer contract (who wouldn't?), but you'll have a hard time convincing me he's earned a longer contract.
That's why the Yankees have to be a little more respectful in the media. Moneywise their offer's fair enough, but I don't really get this smear campaign to portray Jeter as greedy and publicly dare him to find another offer. He and Rivera combined are by far the biggest reason the Steinbrenners, Cashman and Levine have five rings - if you want to make business decisions fine but don't act like ogres publicly on top of it.
Hank is a weenie. But I don't see a smear campaign at all, even including Hank's comments. I think they were all handled respectfully, and only came out after Jeter's agent said they were baffled by the offer. It wasn't a public "dare" so much as a response to that statement. And a valid response at that. If Jeter's agent really is baffled, he SHOULD go test the market to assess whether or not it was fair. Jeter's agent bluffed. Cashman rightfully called that bluff.
Cashman is doing the right thing, and daring Jeter to test the market makes sense since Jeter isn't likely to get anything near what the Yankees are offering, and he'll just end up being embarrassed. Also, Dan Pasqua is a faggot.
It will come down to the market. Obviously, if Jeter does get a better offer then he was worth more than 3/15M. Therefore, Cash will look stupid in pretending he knows Jeters market worth and thinking he is giving Jeter a better deal. I'm not saying Cash is wrong here, but he is kinda putting his reputation on the line by saying things like this. Also, to not offer to match any other offers by other teams? Thats kind of stupid, match the highest bidders offer at least if it comes to that.
I can see Boston making a bigger offer to Jeter just to spite the yanks and put them in a position that they will have to add more years to the deal to keep him.
