The Curse Of The 10-Year Contract?
Flashing back to February 9, 2001:
Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees agreed Friday to a $189 million, 10-year contract after more than 13 months of negotiations.
“I never intended to play elsewhere,” Jeter said, “and to be honest with you, never intended to look elsewhere.”
Jeter agreed to that contract 106 days after the Yankees won the World Series in 2000. And, the Yankees have never won another World Series since he inked that deal.
Now, obviously, Jeter wasn’t pitching in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Game 2 of the 2002 ALDS, Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, Game 2 of the 2005 ALDS, Game 2 of the 2006 ALDS, or Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS…so, yeah, you cannot pin all those blown shots at rings on him.
But, it is interesting that, since Jeter got that deal, and since he’s been named captain of the team, the Yankees have won zippo rings.
How many players have ever signed a 10-year contract? There was Wayne Garland in 1976, Richie Zisk in 1977, Dave Winfield in 1980…and, of course, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Anyone else? Manny Ramirez had an 8-year deal with the Red Sox with two option years on top of that – but, that’s not really a 10-year deal in the same sense as Jeter and the others.
So, is it safe to say that no team has ever won a World Series while they’ve had a player on the team under a 10-year contract? Hmm…
I can’t figure out if this is supposed to be exceedingly poor statistical analysis, or just inane drivel.
You do realize that no team Eleanor Roosevelt supported ever won a professional sports championship either, don’t you? You could look it up.
I agree with yankees76, but also feel that Jeter should get much more grief for his contract that A-Rod should for his. Sure, you can look at Jeter’s history, but that’s not what signing a contract is about; it’s about the future. As such, I think A-Rod will be far more productive (per dollar) than Jeter. Although neither should have been given a 10 year deal, especially since each could have certainly been had for fewer than 10 years.
yankees76: In the words of Sergeant Hulka: Lighten up, Francis.
Although neither should have been given a 10 year deal, especially since each could have certainly been had for fewer than 10 years.
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Says who, exactly? The first Jeter and A-Rod contracts were signed at a time when monster contracts were becoming common place. IRC, they contract values fell off a bit for a few years afterward before picking up again. And A-Rod was going to command a massive contract from someone this last offseason. If the Yankees hadn’t given it to him, I think someone else would have.
And, further, all these contracts have been good. I see little reason to complain about them.
But, it is interesting that, since Jeter got that deal, and since he’s been named captain of the team, the Yankees have won zippo rings.
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Cool! And I’m here thinking all they made were lighters…
Says who, exactly? The first Jeter and A-Rod contracts were signed at a time when monster contracts were becoming common place. IRC, they contract values fell off a bit for a few years afterward before picking up again. And A-Rod was going to command a massive contract from someone this last offseason. If the Yankees hadn’t given it to him, I think someone else would have.
And, further, all these contracts have been good. I see little reason to complain about them.
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Let me borrow from this very post: “I never intended to play elsewhere,” Jeter said, “and to be honest with you, never intended to look elsewhere.”
There’s proof that Jeter didn’t need a 10 year contract. I also think we can say that, all things equal, a 10 year contract is more adventageous to the player than the team, especially compared to a 5-6-7 year deal.
As for A-Rod, you really think he could have gone somewhere else? Wasn’t that the point to his opt out? Then he realized that the money and years would not come from anywhere but the Yankees, so he came crawling back sans Boras. Who besides the Yankees would have come close to 10 years at 280 million or whatever it was? The Red Sox? No. The Dodgers/Giants? Maybe, but unlikely. The Nats? I don’t think so.
I’m not saying we could have gotten A-Rod and Jeter for 4 years at $15 mil/year. However, with these two guys, the Yankees continued their trend of paying well over market value for them. Paying over market value is acceptable for a true FA like CC, AJ, or Teix. However, if its clear that the player is going to sign with the Yankees (definately for Jeter, and probable for A-Rod going into their FA) then the Yankees should not overspend, on either years or money.