MLB Offseason 2010-11

[Skywalker]

Goddammit. I'm getting tired of the Red Sox lowballing players when they know they can afford more. In what world should the Detroit Tigers ever be able to outbid the Red Sox? Boston offered Martinez a 4 year, $42 million dollar deal, so obviously it wasn't the number of years they were worried about. I guess if they'd really wanted V-Mart back they wouldn't have offered him that awful two-year deal in the middle of the season.

 

[Scout101]

It's not a matter of what they can afford, they just didn't appear to want him back. The offer was more of a "see, we tried..." than a legit offer anyway, so whatever. Hard to judge their plans when you haven't seen any of them yet, really. You react to this because all you've seen is a loss from what you had, but until you see what they do instead with that money, hard saying. Just in a wait and see mode right now.

On the other hand, as a Sox fan, I'm IMMENSELY enjoying the negotiations between Jeter and the Yankees. He's making contract demands out of line with his performance, but he's also got the Face of the Franchise, Captain Intangibles, going for 3000th hit, and a ton of other stuff going for him. Instead of handling it quietly, the Yankees are suddenly all about fiscal responsibility ( ) and taking a hard line stance on him. Using words like "take it or leave it" and "Feel free to test the market if you think you can do better". Honestly, I'm kinda hoping he does. Just to piss off the Yankees, he should be on the next flight to Boston, and be seen next to Theo at a Celtics game or something. I'd give him the extra year (4/$60) just to tweak the Yankees, and give him an offer to bring back to Cashman. Worst case, the Yankees call his bluff and you sign him anyway. He's not what he once was, but still a darned good player, would get his 3000th hit NOT in a Yankees uniform, and it would piss off the Yankees to no end. Plus MASSIVE ill will from Yankees fans towards Cashman and the team, that's priceless! If he can't quite bring himself to use the Sox as the "fuck you" team, he could always try the Dodgers. They've been saying they need a steady veteran presense to settle down the young core they have, and he could say he was following Torre and Mattingly out west. Dodgers are still basically a NY team anyway... The Yankees want to talk tough, but if they call the bluff and he goes elsewhere, it's a massive PR hit, just don't think they can allow it...

 

[SmoothieX]

I think that would be funny to watch too. Jeter is highly overrated IMO. If he didn't play for the Yankees, he'd be Craig Biggio. He wouldn't get 3 for $45M on the open market anywhere else. 37 year old SS with declining range and hitting, come on.

I'd love to see that scenario too. Jeter and Epstein in Robert Kraft's box at Gillette next week on MNF against the Jets, wearing a Pats cap.

ESPN would create a whole new network just to cover that.

 

[Scout101]

and it forces Cashman to match/beat the new offer (4/$60 wouldn't hamstring the Sox if they offered it, while being a clear overpay), or call Jeter's bluff. Jeter would have a hard time taking the PR hit and going to the Sox, but you could probably see the mushroom cloud of rage all the way from Boston if Jeter followed through and signed the offer after the Yankees refused to match

 

[tomalak301]

Glad the Huff deal got done quickly. He was a great consistent Giant this year and look forward to what he has in store next year, Rally Thong and all.

 

[Scout101]

NY Post running a photo of what Jeter would look like in a Red Sox uniform

http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/thebuzz/2010/11/how_would_derek.html

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ If Jeter bolts, Yankee fans will tear him to shreds the first time he shows up in Yankee Stadium wearing another team's jersey.

It's different than, say, Johnny Damon, who's played for other teams before he ever put on pinstripes (so it wasn't a big deal when he left). Jeter, on the other hand, has always played for the Yankees. He is - MUST be - a Yankee for life. There's certain players that just shouldn't change teams - ever.

 

[Scout101]

yes, we've gotten that from your many boasts about the Bleacher Creatures. The Yankee Fans are big, bad, scary monsters. Not overly impressed. Then again, you asked how loud you should boo Johnny Damon when he came back to the Bronx, and the guy begged to stay, basically, and Cashman told him to get lost, so not entirely sure you understand the point.

Your whole post is nonsense, honestly.

He is - MUST be - a Yankee for life. There's certain players that just shouldn't change teams - ever.

If this is true, you wouldn't be treating him like you are in the papers. Cashman said, point blank, that this is his offer, take it or leave it. If you don't like it, feel free to shop around for a better one, and if we lose you, we lose you.

Basically a direct quote. Why is Jeter expected to show 100% loyalty when the team is telling him to piss off if he doesn't like the offer? If they can bluff and say they're prepared to move on if he doesn't accept, then he's free to legitimately take the offer elsewhere and see if he's more wanted there. He doesn't owe them any more loyalty than they are showing him. Jeter's not BOLTING, Jeter was told to shop around. If you don't have the best offer, why does he have to stay with you? Besides, didn't you just give A-Rod a 50 trillion dollar deal? But you won't pay the Captain, and face of the franchise?

If it's important (or a MUST, as you say) that he stay with you, you negotiate and take care of it rather than playing hardball. Honestly, by the way the Yankees are treating the negotiations, in Jeter's place I'd tell you to piss off, and I'd be photographed in LA or Boston the next day.

Jeter's legacy is all about NY, so he's better off staying, but the Yankees need Jeter just as much, and it would be devestating from a PR standpoint if he left. Worse if he left for a rival, and nuclear if he went to Boston. You're suddenly trying to talk tough, but when you throw money around to everyone else, not so believable.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ "You"? What's this "You"? I'm not the Yankees. I'm not responsible for their financial decisions. I'm just a fan. (And for the record, I wasn't just talking about the bleacher fans ripping Jeter a new one if he bolts. He'd get that kind of reaction from the entire CITY, let alone the stadium.)

 

[SVD]

I think I read an MLB pundit talking of a harebrained theoretical trade: Rowand for Ibáñez. From my novice perspective at this hot stove stuff, it looks good. link

 

[Scout101]

^ "You"? What's this "You"? I'm not the Yankees. I'm not responsible for their financial decisions. I'm just a fan. (And for the record, I wasn't just talking about the bleacher fans ripping Jeter a new one if he bolts. He'd get that kind of reaction from the entire CITY, let alone the stadium.)

way to ignore the whole post by nitpicking a trivial detail. In your 5 or 6 years of being a rabid baseball fan, you've never noticed a habit of referring to your favorite team (or teams, I guess) as "we", and when talking to another teams' fans, as "you"?

 

[Timby]

I can't believe this passed underneath my radar: ESPN is overhauling its Sunday Night Baseball team. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan have been told that their services are no longer required for television broadcasts, though Miller was offered the chance to work the radio booth (which he declined). Speculation is that Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser are in line to take over.

It sucks to lose Miller, as he's easily one of the best play-by-play voices working today (he's really been dragged down by having to deal with Morgan's bullshit).

But Joe Morgan is out of a job. Thank you, God.

 

[SmoothieX]

He is - MUST be - a Yankee for life. There's certain players that just shouldn't change teams - ever.

Any particular reason for this?

 

[Scout101]

and if it's the case, why not pay him whatever he asks for?

The reason is that there are limits to it, and we're seeing them. Why it's all on Jeter to meet the demands, rather than the team, seems kinda silly. And cry poverty, but when you immediately back a Brinks truck up to Cliff Lee's house, not sure Jeter is gonna believe you...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

He is - MUST be - a Yankee for life. There's certain players that just shouldn't change teams - ever.

Any particular reason for this?

Sometimes a player becomes inseparable from his team, is forever seen as a symbol of it, and plays their entire career for it. Maybe it's just a search for a counterpoint to the rampant team-switching that's going on these days. When a player plays their whole career for one team, that's too special to just dismiss. Yankees have Jeter; O's had Ripken; Sox had Williams. That's so rare these days, that *anyone* plays just for one team...so naturally that team's fans want it to continue when they find a player they like.

and if it's the case, why not pay him whatever he asks for?

Hey, I agree. The Steinbrenners *should* do whatever they can to keep Jeter. George would have, I'm not sure about Hal and Hank.

I do wish the columnists would stop stirring up trouble, acting like it's the end of the universe if Jeter rejects the first contract he's offered. Of course he's gonna do that. That's the nature of negotiations. They've got plenty of time. Just waiting and seeing, I guess.

On a completely unrelated matter, I'm also wondering why the Yanks picked Montero to be the starting catcher. Something amiss with Cervelli that we're not aware of?

Also, I'm getting more and more psyched about Terry Collins. Sure, he can be an angry asshat at times, but IMHO, we need more managers like that. Kind of the baseball equivalent of Bo Pellini.

 

[Scout101]

They're advertising Montero as the starting catcher because they want people to think he has trade value. They keep talking him up, but they also keep offering him in just about every trade, so i don't think the Yankees think he's gonna make it as a catcher...

 

[Timby]

The problem is that Jeter's performance nowadays doesn't match the money he's demanding. That's it, plain and simple. Hanley Ramirez is making, what, $11 million? And he's far better than Jeter is right now.

If Jeter were smart, he'd take that 3/$15 deal without a second thought and laugh all the way to the bank. It's asinine to negotiate from a position of, "Well, I used to be really good, so even though my statistics have been declining for a few years, you should pay me like you would have back in 2002."

I'd love to be a fly on the wall for the conversations between Cashman and Jeter's agent. Is Jeter thinking that he's going to match the Alex Rodriguez deal?

 

[Starbreaker]

I can't believe this passed underneath my radar: ESPN is overhauling its Sunday Night Baseball team. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan have been told that their services are no longer required for television broadcasts, though Miller was offered the chance to work the radio booth (which he declined). Speculation is that Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser are in line to take over.

It sucks to lose Miller, as he's easily one of the best play-by-play voices working today (he's really been dragged down by having to deal with Morgan's bullshit).

But Joe Morgan is out of a job. Thank you, God.

This is the best news I've heard all day. Happy Thanksgiving to me. I guess they finally took notice of the 4000 twitter posts a second of how much Joe Morgan sucks balls.

The Yankees this and The Red Sox that and talking about them for 3.5 hours during a Braves/Mets game.

Jon Miller is great on the radio. I'll miss his voice. He'll find a job somewhere.

 

[Scout101]

The problem is that Jeter's performance nowadays doesn't match the money he's demanding. That's it, plain and simple. Hanley Ramirez is making, what, $11 million? And he's far better than Jeter is right now.

Not really fair to compare against people working on a deal signed to buy out arbitration years. Adrian Gonzales is making 5 million next year, one of the better 1B sluggers in the game. Doesn't mean he'll be paid in the top 15 1B... Of course he's not worth the money, but he also has some non-performance reasons to be tied to the franchise. They play in The House that Jeter Built, right?

If you want to go straight stats, Jeter put up the same numbers as Marco Scutaro. Probably can't pay him the same $5 mil, though

If Jeter were smart, he'd take that 3/$15 deal without a second thought and laugh all the way to the bank.

Why? he can ASK for whatever he wants. Either he gets more, he wins. If not, he'll very likely not get much less, so no reason to jump at it.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall for the conversations between Cashman and Jeter's agent. Is Jeter thinking that he's going to match the Alex Rodriguez deal?

Of course not. He's looking more at LENGTH of contract rather than numbers, I'd imagine. They're signed up for ARod until he's 42, and ARod's a douche nozzle. Jeter just probably thinks he's done a bit more for the franchise, probably thinks more of his skills than the stats tell him (suppose he DID get a gold glove, as retarded as that is), so figures he can at least get a deal to get to 40...

 

[SmoothieX]

I'm sure the money and duration of the contract offer as compared to A-Rod's is a sticking point for Jeter's camp.

But he needs the Yanks a lot more than they need him. He's still better than the average shortstop, but his age is starting to show. The Yankees have the resources to go out and get a serviceable SS, and the star power at other positions to remain a contender. And you can't tell me attendance will suddenly plummet if he were to go elsewhere.

Plus, the Yankees don't need another aging player in the lineup. Between Jeter, A-Rod, and Posada, they are getting a little long in the tooth, and you can't DH all of them. And as he gets too old to play the middle infield, where would they stick him? 1B and 3B are locked up for years. And his power numbers are too low to be a full time DH, besides they plan to play Posada there mostly next year.

I'm on the side of management on this one. The argument on the other side is that, "Dude, it's Derek Jeter!" That and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.