Yankees, Cashman Agree To Extension
TUESDAY: The Yankees officially announced Cashman's new three-year deal, tweets Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
FRIDAY: Theo Epstein is gone, Andy MacPhail isn't coming back, and Andrew Friedman appeared to entertain the idea of leaving. But the longest-tenured general manager in the American League East is staying put. The Yankees have agreed to an extension with GM Brian Cashman, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The sides agreed to a three-year deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter) and they are waiting for the World Series to end before making any announcements.
The Yankees have won four championships under Cashman, who took over New York's baseball operations department before the 1998 season. The 44-year-old has built playoff teams in 13 out of a possible 14 seasons. MLBTR's Transaction Tracker offers a look back at his many moves. I looked ahead to the Yankees' offseason earlier in the week. Cashman's primary offseason goal will be acquiring starting pitching.
Red Sox Rumors: Sizemore, Shortstops, Sabathia
The latest Red Sox rumors, courtesy of Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald…
- The Red Sox are expected to explore signing free agent Grady Sizemore as a right field option, a team source tells Silverman. Sizemore would not rule out playing a corner outfield position for the first time in his MLB career, said agent Joe Urbon. An incentive-laden contract for Sizemore would likely include a player option, writes Silverman. Sizemore ranks 26th on my top 50 free agents list.
- Predict which top free agents the Red Sox and other teams will sign in our new contest for a chance to win awesome prizes.
- In declining Dan Wheeler's $3MM option yesterday, new Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said, "We didn’t feel like we could commit to that money this early in the offseason."
- Cherington hinted that the team's shortstop surplus could be helpful on the trade market.
- The Red Sox made no offer for Derek Lowe, said Cherington.
- The Red Sox were "expected to go after C.C. Sabathia hard, if only to drive his price tag in New York higher," hears Silverman. Sabathia completed a contract extension last night.
- Though Commissioner Bud Selig could step in as early as today to resolve the Theo Epstein compensation talks, Silverman doesn't think it's a hard deadline.
C.C. Sabathia Signing Reactions
Last night the Yankees completed a contract extension with ace C.C. Sabathia, adding one guaranteed year and an additional $30MM and preventing him from opting out and reaching the open market. The new total is $122MM over five guaranteed years, with the $24.4MM average annual value representing a record for a pitcher. If Sabathia avoids a shoulder injury in 2016, a 2017 option will vest and the total will become $147MM over six years.
As with Cliff Lee and the Phillies last year, it's hard to call a record-setting contract a discount. However, I believe Sabathia would have landed six guaranteed years in that same $147MM range, at minimum, on the open market. A seventh guaranteed year wouldn't have been out of the question. It's a huge contract, but Sabathia took significantly less guaranteed money to stay in New York. On to today's C.C.-related links…
- "It was an easy choice" to stay with the Yankees, Sabathia told reporters. Avoiding free agency was a big motivation for him.
- The Yankees can now "shop in comfort rather than desperation," writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman still expects the Yankees to bid for the right to negotiate with Yu Darvish, if the righty is posted. He also thinks the team will explore the trade market for another left-handed starter.
- Yesterday "wasn't a great day for Yankees fans," writes Ken Davidoff of Newsday, but "it could've been much worse."
- "The number of elite pitchers who excel throughout their 30s should make us accepting of the deal," writes Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues.