@ Corey – I believe at least two of our draft picks are protected (the Gerrit Cole and Scott Bittle picks).

——-

@ Raf- I suspect that they expect to make more than $140 million back on Sabathia over the life of his contract, especially in a few years when we all expect the economy to return to some semblance of economic growth. Whether they can make over $16 million back in the course of the 2009 season in a bad economy is a different question, one the Yankees brass can better assess than me…

It doesn’t make sense that they’re being cheap or saving money when they’ve got a $140m offer to Sabathia on the table…

Its obvious why they didn’t offer to Andy: They told him they want him to take a paycut, he said no. An arbitration offer would have been accepted because he’d be guaranteed not only the same salary but actually a bump, plus he’d get to play in the new stadium. Maybe they believe they will still offer the most for Andy’s services when push comes to shove, but the fact is this:

Pettitte just became a lot more attractive to the Dodgers and the Astros.

This is the way I see it:

They don’t want Abreu back. Makes sense.

They may or may not want Pettitte back.
Me? I want Pettitte back.

But, they’re afraid to offer arbitration because they fear the player might accept.

Me? So what if they accept? It’s $32 million dollars, thereabouts. Does that mean the Yankees are stuck? No, they can still trade the player or make his life heck by not playing him. But, rather than take that risk, and get the picks, the Yankees punted to save money. And, now, they get no picks.

Save less money than Cashman pissed away on Igawa. Save less money than Cashman pissed away on Pavano. Oh, but, they saved money.

Me? I would have played chicken. Maybe, just maybe, I could see not offering Abreu. But, Pettitte? No way. I’m offering there…why the Yankees didn’t well…other than being cheap, all of a sudden, I don’t get it.

Somebody else suggested we did not want to because we are probably going to get CC and Tex. I dont have an opinion on whether it would happen or not, but it would make sense if that were the case, considering we dont have a bona fide batter for ahead of Arod like Abreu.

I am so tired of Cashman’s stinginess. I can understand long-term deal stinginess, but no arbitration because of money is once again Cashman pinching Steinbrenner’s money. Rather than wanting to win, he’d rather save.

This is the one offseason we should have an advantage. With the economy down and our new ballpark in the time of revenue sharing and teams keeping their free agents because of our money given to them, we should get who we can, but this is life in Cashmania!!

Yankees saving money has to be some kind of oxymoron.

Because of the lack of quality drafts, we dont have enough top tier young talent.
So instead of trying to get more picks, we reject that notion and attempt to sign high priced free agents.

That makes sense.

Anyway, it looks like they would have forfeited the picks when/if they sign C.C. and another Type A free agent anyway.
———–

yea instead now we’ll lose our draft pick…i really hope andy doesn’t see this as a slap in the face and that they are in negotiations…

This economy is truly terrible. I don’t blame them for trying to save money right now and for hedging their bets. Anyway, it looks like they would have forfeited the picks when/if they sign C.C. and another Type A free agent anyway.