If you're in the Northeast, here are some links to check out while you take a break from shoveling…
- ESPN's Jayson Stark ranked baseball's ten-year contracts, with Derek Jeter's soon to be completed ten-year, $189MM deal coming in as the best.
- The Marlins agreed to one-year contracts with 12 of their pre-arbitration eligible players according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, including Sean West, Chris Volstad, Emilio Bonifacio, and Dan Meyer.
- Brewers owner Mark Attanasio confirmed that he will be involved in long-term contract discussions with Prince Fielder, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter). Haudricourt also tweets that Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin met today to discuss the situation and there will be no deadlines imposed on the 25-year-old.
- Rich Aurilia, who stopped by the Giants' camp today, says that while he's still looking for a job, he will retire if he doesn't have one by the end of spring, tweets Jeff Fletcher of AOL Fanhouse. The 38-year-old has a broadcasting deal in place if he is unable to find a job on the field.
- Shin-Soo Choo says that he would like to stay in Cleveland long-term, writes MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. Choo, like Morales, cut ties with his former agent (Alan Nero) in favor of Scott Boras.
- Michael Weiner, the executive director of the players' union, confirmed that the union is participating in an investigation into alleged unauthorized withdrawals from Kendry Morales' bank account by a former employee of his former agents, Hendricks Sports Management (Bill Plunkett of the OC Register reporting). Morales recently dropped HSM and hired Scott Boras.
- Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides a few quotes from Albert Pujols about his contract situation. "Do I want to do this right now and take care of this so we don't need to worry about it? Of course," said Pujols. "If it happens, it happens. But there are some things I am able to control and there are other things that are out of my hands that I can't control. And that's the truth."
- The Mariners signed righty Tom Wilhelmsen to a minor league contract, according to Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. The 27-year-old had been out of baseball since 2005 because of substance abuse issues, though he resurfaced with an independent league team last season.
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along a report indicating the the Orix Buffaloes are moving towards a deal with Freddie Bynum. The White Sox released Bynum last week so he could pursue opportunities in Japan.
- Meanwhile, Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that Felipe Lopez will provide the Cardinals with a great amount of flexibility.
- Joel Sherman of The New York Post calls the contracts of Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia and other Yankee players "time-bomb contracts."
- John Tomase of The Boston Herald says the Red Sox have a deep bench with Mike Lowell, Bill Hall, Jeremy Hermida, and Jason Varitek.
Gotta love the Lopez deal from a fan’s standpoint.
I like it from everyone’s standpoint except Lopez’s…and maybe the rest of the NL Central teams’.
The guy had an OPS almost as good as Crawford’s and can’t find an Opening gig? Teams no longer care for aging or career year players.
The guy had an OPS almost as good as Crawford’s and can’t find an Opening gig? Teams no longer care for aging or career year players.
That’s interesting Larry, because I feel very strongly that the Red Sox bench will be good this year. Yeah yeah yeah, I’m a Red Sox fan. Looks like you may be a Yankee fan though, so all that bias is moot. I think Varitek could be very effective as a part-time player, which would allow his aging body more time in between games. I am optimistic about both his offense and defense improving because of that. Hall may not be great at the plate, but simply his versatility makes him invaluable to the team. Kotchman may have been a better player, but he couldn’t play nearly as many positions as Hall. I think Hall will simply be a “give em rest” kind of guy; not necessarily worried about his performance as much as simply having that warm body available for so many positions. And Lowell seems to me like a super-sub. The reason I was sure he’d be traded, even after the Texas trade fell through, was that he is definitely capable of still starting. If his knee is good he could even start at third for another team; barring that he’s still a strong DH. He’ll be the strong offensive production off the bench, and I think playing part-time will benefit him as it will for V-Tek.
On a different note, I love that NYP writeup about the Yankees. It states what I have thought all along, that in the coming years we may see the Yankees struggle under the weight of so many expensive, aging contracts. That 90 million mark for only four players scares the crap out of me. It really hammers home how much of a big market team NY is, and how much they have committed to only a couple of guys. The Phillies are going to struggle in the next couple of years to resign players, because of a budget that’s topping out at 140m. Not counting the Yankees, that sounds like a big number. Then when you consider that those four NY players would account for over 60% of the Phils budget, you realize how much the Yanks tower over everyone else.
Sure, they pay to win now, and it works. But I can see them in a year or two, buried under these huge contracts, struggling to compete. Maybe that’s just a Red Sox fan’s optimism, but I really think that New York has not planned for the future and will see that come back to bite them soon.
“that in the coming years we may see the Yankees struggle under the weight of so many expensive, aging contracts”
-People have been saying that for years now. Giambi, Mussina, Pavano, Matsui, etc. OMG what if CC isnt an ace in 2011?! Maybe if they traded Joba for 33year old Doc and gave him a 60m extension Sherman will feel better…
The article is no more than a filler for Sherman. It’s February 27th and they have nothing to write (except maybe another article about Joba’s bulldog mentality) so they just right panic pieces to try to stay relevant.
How come it’s always the Redsox fans complaining about the Yankees be such a “big market team” and that”they’re spending is ridiculous”. Stop pretending that the Red Sox arent a big market team with lots of money who are paying Lugo and Lowell and combined 21 million to not play. You people just baffle me.
yup, as a red sox fan, it’s ridiculous.
Though sam there isn’t complaining about the yankees spending money, he’s saying he thinks the Yankees will regret all that spending in the future. We’ll see- personally, with the budget they have, I don’t think they’ve handed out anything outlandish.
“Maybe that’s just a Red Sox fan’s optimism,”
Enough said right there. Flights of fancy will do no good.
The Yankees have young players like
Hughes
Joba
Cano
Austin Romine – another solid minor league catcher who will be in AA this season
Montero is one of the best minor league prospects and can flat out hit and will be in AAA this season
David Robertson who is terrific in the bullpen
Mark Melancon who could be a solid bullpen arm
Aceves is 27
Granderson is 29 this coming season
Tex is 30 this coming season
Sabathia is 30 this coming season
Swisher is 29
Pettitte and Vazquez are both free agents after this season and Pettitte may retire
The only guy Sherman’s joke piece has any merit with might be Burnett who is now 33 and the Yankees can afford it anyway.
Heck we had American Idle Carl Pavano doing nothing in New York.
The Yankees will be winning for a long time to come.
You didn’t seriously call Lowell a “Super Sub” did you? He can’t man his primary position, third base, which requires less athleticism than 2nd or short, he is coming off surgery, his ability to hit is up in the air, and the sox signed Beltre and Scutaro(who mind you, was a fantastic “super sub” in oakland) both of whom have solid reps of playing everyday.
Super Sub? No. part time DH, and bench player? yes.
So in 2015 the Yanks will be on the hook for $21 – $33 (!!) million of a 40 y.o. Arod, $22.5 for a 35 y.o. Tex, and $23M for a 35 y.o. C.C. That’s $67 – $79M committed to three guys over 35 at that time. I think it’s safe to say Jeter gets no more than a four year deal after this year.
every long contract is a “time bomb”. People age?? And as they get older they arent as good at elite spiorts? ya think joel sherman? and those contracts have brought them CHAMPIONSHIPS, which i thought was the whole point of spending the money. and then give arod a couple mil a year to chase hank aarons record and espn doesnt stop covering the yankees. AROD = $$$$. WHAT A CONCEPT
believe you meant to say barry bonds’s record
haha yea. it just still hasnt sunken in :/
Yesterday, I posted that I didn’t think the Yankees would sign Crawford. Sherman’s column discusses the reasons why.
Crawford isn’t good enough for the Yankees to be encumbered by yet another long term contract. Having said that, I don’t think the situation is as precarious as Sherman suggests because the Yankees probably have the money to spend $50m a year more than they do now, but are showing relative restraint so as not to give ammunition to the forces in MLB that would impose an even more onerous luxury tax.
Once the next CBA is ratified, the Yankees may spend more if the need arose.
You have to love the fact that Cashman and Co. really controlled the FA and the likes of Johnny Damon this year. Ya, they spent big last year on Burnett, Sabathia, and Tex, but all in all so far, money well spent. It really does seem like the Yanks are getting younger in the right places and instead of buying the most expensive, they are comprising a team of role players now who take their cues from the Captain.
You are completely right, they probably have 50m more they can spend, but they have controlled it, and are being patient. The days of Super Agents depending on the Yanks to bail them out seem to be in the past. I say that now, but the next 2 FA look to be much better than this year.
How are Sabathia and Burnett’s contracts “time-bombs”? They’re only signed until they’re 33. Tex is signed until he’s 36, which might be too long. Arod being signed to 42 is outrageous.
But besides Arod, the other 3 aren’t “time bomb” contracts. Tex’s might be volatile, but it’s not terrible.
Of course this all depends on how much they spend on Jorge, Jeter, and Mo. Too much on those 3 and THEN we’ll have a problem
From Sherman’s article:
“Sabathia, a heavyweight with a heavy workload, is signed through 2015.”
If my math is correct, he’ll be 35 at the end of that contract (he was born in 1980).
And Burnett was born in 1977 – so he’ll be 36 at the end of his contract (2013).
Just an FYI.
Spend on Jorge? No chance he is resigned after 2011. Mo won’t see a raise in my opinion (2 year deal). Jeter will get at least 20-23m (3-4 years).
The best thing people can do is stop listening to Joel Sherman, dude is bored $hitless having to cover a Yankee team with no controversy and the biggest issue is who is the
#5 starter – Joba or Hughes
last man in the bullpen – Gaudin or Mitre
last bench player – Thames or Hoffman
The media tried playing up the OMG Derek’s contract is up, that got nowhere
Now that Arod has a World Series ring, they can’t write the same tired lines.
This is what happens when they have no Bronx Zoo to talk about.
LOL, I love it.
There’s no Knicks to cover, because they pretty much suck now, so they gotta write something.
It’s quite the opposite. With all the FA’s this season and the Knicks having the money for about 2 max contract players, there will be MUCH to talk about.
But not right now, the team sucks, the trade deadline is done, all they can do is wait till the offseason and/or talk about it until then.
As much as I WISH the Yankees were going to explode in a few years, It’s really not that bad. Yeah, they’ll be paying those five old guys like $100m combined, but let’s break down the rest of their roster…Cano, Hughes, Chamblerain and Gardner could all still be on the team, and finishing arbitration/entering free agency in 2013/2014. Let’s say those guys have improved a bit, and cost the team something like $35-50m, depending on how good they are. Now the Yankees need one more starter, two corner OF’s, a closer, a bullpen, and a bench.
Sure, Sabathia might not be an ace in 2013. Let’s go out and get a new one. $20m price tag. Ace problem solved, Sabathia slotted in at #2, should be fine at age 33, Hughes and Chamblerain a good 3/4 and Burnett should be a fine #5 if he’s healthy, but not like you need a #5 in the playoffs anyway. Payroll up to let’s say 165m.
Jesus Montero could be a great catcher by 2013 and dirt cheap still. Second year in the bigs? 500k.
Maybe a guy in the minors comes up to fill a OF spot? Maybe not. Let’s sign Carl Crawford in 2010 (15m a year?) and a new guy in 2013. Corner OF markets are always pretty bloated, probably get the second best guy on the market for decent money (10m?) Payroll is up to 190m, need a closer, a bullpen, and a bench.
Closer is the last pricey option. Mariano is a freak, could he be playing and good still in 2013? Who knows. If not, the Yankees get like Papelbon in 2011 or Broxton in 2012. Or Maybe Joba is the closer and they spend that 12m on another starter. Now let’s figure 10m to make a bench and 10m to make a bullpen, and we’re at like 225m. Considering the luxury task threshold is increased yearly, they wouldn’t be any further over it than they are now.
Sure, the problem is the old guys won’t be as good then as they are now, but most of them should still be above average major leaguers, barring any drastic injuries. And they can pay to infuse this team will more talent when the time comes. You can do a lot with a 225m payroll, even if 100m is already taken up.
And yes, I know the odds of it working just like this are slim to none, but the point is, their is a lot more wiggle room there than you think, and they should still have plenty of talent all through these long contracts. And like I started with, I WISH they would explode, but it’s more likely they’ll just go through a lull where they don’t dominate but still win, then all of the sudden in 2016 they have TONS of free money again, and it’s the 2009 offseason all over again.
Hmm I think the Yankees would do best to not go beyond a 3yr contract for any of the SP’s on the market next year. If you give Lee a 5 year deal he will be 37 by the end of that contract. He is right now in his prime and they would essentially be paying prime form money for years where almost all pitchers start to fall off. Same thing with Beckett.
An interesting option for them would be to look into Brandon Webb. He’s someone who could be had for less than Beckett or Lee, has the potential to be an ace but could def fit into the #2/#3 spot in the Yankee’s rotation. However how effective he is will depend on how Jeter is at SS since he is a groundball pitcher. Although you really only have to worry about that for one year because after posada’s deal you have to figure that they put Jeter at DH for 3-4years and then they move A-Rod there towards the end of his contract.
As far as Carl Crawford goes he would be nice to have leading off in front of Jeter but i dont think he will be their number 1 target. If Joe Mauer doesnt sign an extension this year look for the Yankee’s to give him a blank check. In 2011 they would then have Posada and Mauer rotating in the DH spot since Nick Johnson will be gone. From there maybe they can trade Jesus Montero for a young pitcher to supplement the rotation. Maybe pluck one of the Angels young arms.
If Webb regains form, he will be worth more than Beckett. Not a doubt in my mind.
I’m pretty sure that “would like to stay in Cleveland long-term” and “signed on with Scott Boras” are mutually exclusive.
Yeah, if he wanted to stay long term, a different agent would be his main priority…
The Yankee’s reduced payroll last year and reduced payroll this year. They don’t burn money like its out of style anymore. They do have a lot of bad contracts for huge money. Arod till age 42? Thats insane. Teixeira/CC contract probably wont be too bad because there still young and under 30. Still a lot of years left though.
If they are truly financially responsible they will cut Jeter’s salary in half and trim a 3 or 4 million from Mariano.
Has anyone ever examined what percentage of Boras’s clients remain with their own team upon reaching free agency, and how that compares to other agents’ clients?
Funny thing is?
The Yankees experienced a year where a few aging players bit them in the ass (namely Giambi, Pudge, among others), along with injuries, combined with young talent that wasn’t ready yet.
They managed to win 89 games in said year of 2008. Guess what? If it weren’t for the Rays having the year they had that year, the Yankees would have been the Wild Card.
Here’s the link to said team roster: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=2008&t=nya
Yeah, I’ll take an aging A-Rod, Teix, CC, and AJ over some of the jokes on that team any day of the week.
Everyone else can keep waiting as long as they like for that super-horrible year from the Yanks when all those contracts go bad. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? No guarantee.
Funny thing is?
The Yankees experienced a year where a few aging players bit them in the ass (namely Giambi, Pudge, among others), along with injuries, combined with young talent that wasn’t ready yet.
They managed to win 89 games in said year of 2008. Guess what? If it weren’t for the Rays having the year they had that year, the Yankees would have been the Wild Card.
Here’s the link to said team roster: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=2008&t=nya
Yeah, I’ll take an aging A-Rod, Teix, CC, and AJ over some of the jokes on that team any day of the week.
Everyone else can keep waiting as long as they like for that super-horrible year from the Yanks when all those contracts go bad. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? No guarantee.
You have to remember that Sherman is just writing about this because he has nothing interesting to write about. He constantly gets beaten to “real” stories by other writers and resorts to trying to find something negative to say.