Jim Baumbach, today, considers what’s going to happen when Derek Jeter’s contract expires after 2010. Here’s a snip:
But in this city, Jeter is not any other player. That’s why the Yankees will have so little negotiating power. They must re-sign him because of who he is and what he represents. But can the Yankees seriously ask Jeter to take a pay cut after they rewarded A-Rod with the richest contract ever in the wake of his infuriating opt-out?
Whether the negotiating process of Jeter’s extension will be the responsibility of the GM or the team president, the chief operating officer and the two Steinbrenner sons remains to be seen. But the bottom line is that the GM will be the one who will feel the pinch of working around this contract in addition to A-Rod’s.
And that’s not even taking into account what position management might want Jeter to be playing come 2011, which will be the first year of his extension. Second base? First base? Leftfield?
A year from now, Jeter will be about to enter the final year of his deal. It’s been team policy in recent years to let their own players play out their contracts, then negotiate when they become free agents. The Yankees did it with Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, and both turned huge walk years into more lucrative deals – in terms of money and years – than they would have received before those walk years.
Figuring out how to deal with this is not a top priority this offseason. But it’s something the Yankees and their GM will have to plan for, and soon.
Me? I’m thinking – if the Yankees are smart – you offer Jeter a lifetime contract. On the front end, it’s $125 million over the first five years as a player, with a $20 million signing bonus. And, then, starting in 2016, it’s one million a year for the next 25 years for “personal services” representing the team at an agreed upon number of functions, etc. That’s a fair offer – and one that would not insult Jeter.
Would that combination of having an older Jeter and an aging A-Rod making so much money, together, be an issue for the Yankees payroll during the seasons of…say…2012 through 2015?
Sure, it might. But, there’s no way that the Yankees can let Jeter play for another team after the 2010 season…unless he hits something like .190 over the next two years. So, the Yankees – mostly Hank, actually – should have thought about that before they gave the house to A-Rod.
5 Responses to “Will Jeter & A-Rod Be Hurting The Yanks In 4 Years?”
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:24 am
there’s no way that the Yankees can let Jeter play for another team after the 2010 season
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Jeter’s legacy won’t be any more tarnished than Babe Ruth’s if he ends up somewhere else after 2010. The Yanks shouldn’t do anything hurtful to their business just because Jeter grew up in Pinstripes. If Jeter wants to stay for a fair salary, fine. But if he expects the Yanks to overpay just because he was Mr. November nearly a decade ago, well, that’s just ridiculous.
September 30th, 2008 at 10:02 am
To answer the question from the title of the post, unquestionably, Jeter and A-Rod will hurt the team in four or five years. They’ll be getting superstar salaries without giving superstar performance.
A question for MJ:
Of course you are right that the Yankees shouldn’t hurt the business just because Jeter grew up in pinstripes. But do you honestly expect them to wave goodbye, if that is the smart decision, or are you just making sure you’ve staked out your position when Jeter’s next contract proves to be a mistake?
September 30th, 2008 at 10:06 am
But do you honestly expect them to wave goodbye, if that is the smart decision
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Ask Bernie.
But if the Yanks & Jeter part ways, I can see some other team picking him up to provide “veteran leadership.”
September 30th, 2008 at 11:16 am
But do you honestly expect them to wave goodbye, if that is the smart decision, or are you just making sure you’ve staked out your position when Jeter’s next contract proves to be a mistake?
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Do I honestly think they’ll wave goodbye? No, because Steinbrenner or the yes-man he hires as his GM will do the stupid, sentimental thing and keep him around.
But I hope the Yanks do the smart thing and tell Jeter that they love him, that he can count on having his #2 retired, and that he’s the Joe DiMaggio/Mickey Mantle icon of his era, all while showing him the door.
For the record, I’m not saying this to stake out any position so that I can post this link two years from now. I’m saying it because I believe it. A team should not mortgage its own future just because fans love a certain player.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
One prob with your deal… That would leave A-rod a yankee when jeter retires…do you think Jeter would like that?
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and that he’s the Joe DiMaggio/Mickey Mantle icon of his era, all while showing him the door.=
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I don’t know…maybe im the only one that feels this way but…while I appreciate Jeter as a player and what he brings to the field, and his clutchness, I just don’t feel he’s on THAT level…I’ve grown up with Jeter, and have seen his entire career…I just dunno, maybe I take the legends of the mick yogi or the yankee clipper too seriously and put them on an unbelievable and unrealistic level. While I don’t agree with you that he’s in major decline, I just don’t think hes declining from a peak as high as whats been said. Maybe it will take years after Jeter for me to realize he truly is at that level, but as for now I just don’t see it. (Yes I’d put him in the Hall of Fame, but for his clutchness and tangibles moreso than his overall skill or stats)