Odds and Ends: Mariners, Jeter, Penny

"Geoff Baker asks whether Bill Bavasi will be vindicated at all if the Mariners contend in 2009."

Something tells me we won't have to worry about that.

chass seems to care an awful lot for a guy who says I dont care

I doubt that Teixeira's signing affected Jeter's future as a Yankee much.

I get the reasoning - when Jeter comes off the books at age 36 after 2010, he'll be even more of a defensive liability...and he could've played first, prior to Tex being signed.

The problem with that logic though is that Jeter's bat won't play at first in 3 years - at least not at a justifiable Yankee level of production. It never would've made sense to slot him there.

I think he'll be the Yankee shortstop for three more years. He needs 465 hits to get to 3,000. That's gonna take him three seasons, and he's only under contract for two.

Bombers' next three offseasons, headlined with one $100M+ contract apiece:

2010: Sign Holliday to play LF (Swisher RF, Austin Jackson CF).
2011: Sign Joe Mauer, push Posada to DH in the final year of his deal.
2012: Sign 28-year-old Jose Reyes (already New York-tested) to be Jeter's successor at SS. Cano comes off the books here too, so the team has the flexibility to bump Jeter to 2b at this point or re-sign Cano and finally let Jeter walk after 3,000 hits at age 37.

If the yanks sign Holliday, Mauer, and Reyes in the next 3 years I may never watch baseball again. Not anything to do with competitive balance or anything, I certainly dont mean to get the conversation started again, but I just couldnt watch.

Obviously those suggested signings are fantasy at best, but given what happened this offseason hard not to think there is at least a small chance things that crazy could happen.

Living in MN as a red sox fan is the twins let mauer walk or make some sort of lame santana-type trade it is going to be sickening. Im so sick of the twins awful front office moves and all my twins fan friends somehow defending them. I had an argument with my roommate last week over the concept that the twins over performed last year and his insistence that they should be expected to be just as good and contend next year with no chances. Pretty sure he tried to defend the punto contract too.

Jeter isn't going anywhere. He'll resign and play the outfield, probably left field. Jesus Montero will be up in the majors and sitting behind the plate by the time Mauer is a Free Agent. Posada will split time backing up Montero and Teixeira, but mainly being the DH. As for Reyes, I think the Mets will retain him at all costs, he is the face of that frachise, I don't care what they say, David Wright is replaceable while Reyes isn't. Holliday, I have to admit that all signs point to him in the Bronx.

C - Jesus Montero
1B - Mark Teixeira
2B - Robinson Cano
3B - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Carmen Angelini? I'd like to see a trade for Ian Kinsler, he was originally a shortstop. Either way, it's small potatoes with the rest of that lineup.
LF - Derek Jeter
CF - Austin Jackson
RF - Matt Holliday
DH - Jorge Posada

dbhammel, those three Yankee signings might seem like fantasy, but they are also a logical course of action for the Yankee front office.

The way the Yankees are constructed, they'll perpetually have 50+ million coming off the books each year. They'll always have room in the budget for at least one huge free agent splash each year.

I've projected the next five FA classes by doing some team-by-team research at Cot's. In terms of finding a good fit that provides great production and youth, Holliday/Mauer/Reyes are very logical targets for the Yankees over the next three offseasons.

We don't know that those guys will sign there...but we know that the Yankees have the resources to out-bid everyone else if they choose to. And we know that those three positions will be areas of need in those offseasons.

Twins will never let Mauer leave, he was picked #1, over Mark Prior, because of his hometown status. They'll enver let him leave.

As for Jeter, the solution is simple. Cano will be moved to a corner outfield spot, Jeter will move to 2B. Not that hard, yes Jeter has a big ego, he's earned it, but hes also a team guy.

"2010: Sign Holliday to play LF

2011: Sign Joe Mauer

2012: Sign 28-year-old Jose Reyes (already New York-tested) to be Jeter's successor at SS."

They will get a lot of competition for Holliday if they are dumb enough to go after him.

Mauer is not leaving Minnesota. Reyes will stay with the Mets, too.

Bombers' next three offseasons, headlined with one $100M+ contract apiece:

2010: Sign Holliday to play LF (Swisher RF, Austin Jackson CF).
2011: Sign Joe Mauer, push Posada to DH in the final year of his deal.
2012: Sign 28-year-old Jose Reyes (already New York-tested) to be Jeter's successor at SS. Cano comes off the books here too, so the team has the flexibility to bump Jeter to 2b at this point or re-sign Cano and finally let Jeter walk after 3,000 hits at age 37.
____________________________

I really think the Yanks should pass on Holliday. The Yanks need a little more felxibility with the payroll considering that we already have several contracts of 5 years + out (Arod, Tex, CC). Hopefully, Montero or ROmine will be ready to take over the C duties by 2011. Reyes would be interesting but I can't see the Mets allowing that to happen. They have as much money to offer him as the Yanks. As far as moving Jeter to 2b. Why move Cano at age 30 for Jeter at age 38?

1. before anyone gives Holliday money, he has to prove he can hit outside Colorado and in the AL. I'd rather sign Bay, Crawford, Ankiel, and depending on how Swisher/Nady perform we may be set at the corners.

2. I wasn't talking about waiting 5 years to move Jeter to 2B. I don't want Jeter at DH, and I'd rather have a 38yo at 2B then in the outfield

I find it humorous that Klapisch refers to Jeter as "the link to the early days of the dynasty." That statement implies that we are now in the late days of a Yankee dynasty. As the Yanks haven't won a world series since 2000, and haven't sniffed one since 2003, I'd argue that we are well past any Yankee dynasty.

"All of Jeff Passan's Hot Stove Daily pieces are good reads."

We can all get on Chass but the reel beef's with Pussan. I have a hard time believing someone who knows absolutely nothing about baseball could have anything resembling a good read rattling around in that empty head. I'd rather click a link with rick astley in the url.

mauer is from minny..i just dont see him moving and the Twins cant afford to lose him. Reyes I cant see going anywhere either and Holiday go right ahead...but if the Yankees do sign him...i wont be watching baseball anymore..my favourite sport will then be curling.

That Passan piece was outrageously stupid. Just a long rant, and not a good one.