With the Yankees planning to get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold by 2014, many have wondered if the club will be able to retain both Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson after their contracts expire following the 2013 season. Today, team president Randy Levine flatly stated that the team has a plan in place to retain both stars, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
General Manager Brian Cashman says that the club will not entertain going above the $189MM mark and the front office is committed to getting below that figure. While some wonder if the Yanks can even consider marquee free agents this winter such as Matt Cain or Cole Hamels, Cashman won't rule out making a play for a high-priced player on the open market.
…they have a plan.
It’s called go over the luxury tax again and not care.
Unless they plan on trading A-Rod, I don’t see how this is possible. Maybe retain a player like Swisher for under $10MM a year and convince Cano and/or Grandy to take heavily deferred payments?
Why dont they just let Swisher go? Hes expendable for the $ he is making. He will be a FA anyway by the end of 2013. Rivera and Burnetts $ will be off the books as well. They will probably just have to resist the urge to blow everyone out of the water for Hamels.
And who are they going to replace Swishers production with?
I think Swisher is undervalued, but as of right now he is still the 5th best hitter on that team (arguably). Is that really an issue?
Just because he’s hemmed in by guys who’ve been producing at an elite level the last few years (and ARod and Tex, who are both quite capable of such production) doesn’t mean he hasn’t been a huge contributor to the offense. Nor is his defense a negative.
Did you not read when i said that i think Swisher is undervalued? But when it comes to paying Cano and Granderson more while trying to stay under the 189MM, Swisher and his 8 figure salary becomes expendable.
Depends who they would decide to replace swish with. Swish is undervalued and if he would make half of the contract of granderson then he is a better bet to sign if they have someone decent to sign to for left field. If grandersons contract means they need a scrub to replace swish then let him go. He is better but is not twice as valuable as that contract would suggest.
Well there’s always the option of just putting Jeter at right field and letting Eduardo Nunez play SS.
Did you not read when i said that i think Swisher is undervalued? But when it comes to paying Cano and Granderson more while trying to stay under the 189MM, Swisher and his 8 figure salary becomes expendable.
The Yanks haven’t had trouble scoring runs even with Tex and A-Rod having sub par years last year. The Yanks have been 1st or 2nd in runs for along time. The upgraded pitching will help also.
Swisher will be gone after this year!
No team will take A-Rod without the Yankees eating up all but about $6MM/year.
2 edged sword with Rodriquez..NY gave him that 275m 2nd contract so he would break Ruth’s HR record in a Yankee uniform, as much as for what his production would be over the course of the majority of his contract and they wouldn’t move him even if they could give away that deal, which they would have to pay probably all but 25-30m of the remaining cash owed.
They want to keep that most coveted of baseball record in pinstripes, just like they gave jeter that 3 year deal to make certain he would be the 1st NYY with 3k hits.
Those things are very important to them. It’s pride.
Hes still gotta pass Aaron and Bonds too…
LOL My mistake..I meant them also.. So used to Ruth..
Funny thing?? I remember Aaron chasing the record and giving the fan who got the ball 714 silver dollars..Think it was Grant jackson who gave it up tho..No idea who gave up Bonds…
Edit:
Al Downing.. Looked it up.. Memory getting worse ;-(
The Yanks are not trading A-Rod!
duh…. who the heck would trade for him and that albatross of a contract. 762-629=123 so 124 more homers gets him their. Six years left on the contract. He needs to average 21 homers over the life of the contract to get it. We should have a better idea after this year but I’m a skeptic. I don’t think he gets their. That hip is gonna be costing him games from here on out.
“762-629=123 so 124 more homers gets him their”
Gets him their what?
really? I dont think that it will be that hard for arod to get 124 more hr, if he throws together a few somewhat healthy seasons he can get more than 21
They can give Grandy a service contract after he retires like the Angels did with Pujols.
So long leverage!
Little bit of quick math here.
They let Swish walk. Marin stays only if in the 10m range. Hughes and Gardner are now iffy. A top flight SP, such as Cain is now problematic, but Sanchez, or Grienke who they might be able to nab in the 13-15m range could be signed.
If they do try to get them, both.. Cano will cost 17-20m per and Grandy (IMO) 15m +/-. I just can’t see them retaining them both and keeping players who could probably help, while staying below the cap, that is.. If these players continue being useful like Hughes and Gardner..Martin etc..
Now.. Never count out Cashman with working magic and also, never count out a Steinbrenner with reversing course if he thinks one of his core players is going to leave and something like the salary cap is getting in his way and that player is something his team cannot win without.
NOT meant as an insult..
I’m guessing the front office is really banking on the two B’s-Campos-Pineda for the rotation, so they don’t have to go after Cain/Hamels/Grienke.
Cain/Hamels/Grienke., not happening
I really do think that one of the main ideas behind the Pineda trade was to grow him into an ace and thus not NEED to go in on Hamels, et al. If the 2013 rotation looks like CC, Pineda, Nova, Hughes, Killer B, it makes 2014 quite a bit easier.
You’re quite right that we can’t do it if we go out and sign FAs besides our own though.
Agreed and the thing with Pineda is that he is likely to have more value than montero would. Even if he pans out as a #2 then he would be more valuable than a dh. Especially when arod will need the spot soon, they just didn’t have room.
For hamels though I think that it really depends on how they do this year. If Hughes, Pineda, and nova really break out then they will probably try bet or ban in the 5th slot. But if one proves they don’t belong then they sign hamels. Their rotation could be very very good or it could flounder. We just have to wait and see, but regardless I think they make the postseason with that lineup.
I’m assuming you’re a Yankees fan, because only a Yankees fan would believe that whether or not Hamels signs in NY is simply a matter of whether the Yankees want him or not. Because no top-flight pitchers could ever possibly prefer playing in Philadelphia over New York (cough cough, Cliff Lee, cough).
My money is on Hamels getting extended with the Phils. Halladay and Lee are getting up there, Hamels has #1 talent and he’s still pretty young. They can’t afford to let him walk.
Yanks starting rotation 2013- CC, Pineda, Nova, Hughes, and Banuelos. 6th man Warren, Phelps, or Betances.
I find this laughable. We all know that once this current group of yankees is well past their prime that they will blow that 189 million cap away and splurge just like they have in the past.
The Yankees, Red Sox, etc. have all the small to mid market teams to buy players from. Basically a AAAA farm system.
Take Cashman’s word with a grain of salt.
I notice half of your comments are payroll complaints. And I notice your a Twins fan. You do know your deceased owner had over 3x much money as the Yankees deceased owner don’t you? Not like Carl Pohlad couldn’t put out a high payroll team of his own. #JustSaying
YOU’RE RUINING THE NARRATIVE DARN YOU!
Everyone knows that the Steinbrenners and the Yankees have more money than any other MLB owner/franchise. After all, those poor midmarket teams….they hardly make a profit! Teh ESPNs say so!1!!one
Real baseball fans (Or I should actually say real sports fans) should never go based on what ESPN says. Jeremy Lin is God, Tim Tebow is God, etc.
It’s all about MLB Network, NHL Center Ice, NFL Red Zone and the NBA League Pass.
Your argument is irrelevant. The Yankees play in the richest market in America. More per capita income than any other US city save a few places in California. Pohlad spent 50% of the team revenues on the major league team. What the Yankees spend is so beyond the cap that 90% of the other teams have no chance of competing with them. So take that big market, big new york attitude and shove it.
What’s the point of having a league when most of the teams have no chance of competing. Your world series titles mean nothing as most of you players aren’t homegrown and are the product of other clubs. Hurts doesn’t it?
U mad bro?
It’s a Mad, mad, mad, mad World and sometimes it transcends from the silver screen to people?
Aw you’re cute. Let’s go over who’s won the last few WS titles shall we?
2011: Not the Yankees
2010: Not the Yankees
2009: The Yankees!
2008: Not the Yankees
2007: Not the Yankees
2006: Not the Yankees
2005: Not the Yankees
2004: Not the Yankees
2003: Not the Yankees
2002: Not the Yankees
2001: Not the Yankees
Because every year no other team has a shot but the Yankees right?
Sincerely
-A Yankees fan.
Cashman only needs to get under the cap for 2014.
BINGO. I could see some major restructuring or backloading of contracts to be under $189 Mill for 2014 and have the payroll explode to $230 MM or more in 2015
what is funny to me is all you big market haters have nothing to root for so you bash winning franchises.
Right because bigger market teams dont have any serious financial advantages over small market teams……
Of course they have advantages. They have disadvantages as well. Heck, small market teams have some advantages of their own too. Money is not a cure all, the Yanks have proved that over the last decade. And it isn’t as if most owners couldn’t afford to spend far more than they do and still make a profit off their team, not to mention if they were actually willing to go the Steinbrenner route and put some of their own money into the franchise.
Disagree with everyone here. I think they can do it.
Rivera – 10millionBurnett – 15 millionSoriano – 10 million
Kuroda – 10 million
Martin could be gone depending on how they feel about Romine. With raises for Cano and Grandy (together 20 miilion, absolute maximum), they have room to fill out their roster and get under 189. Bans and Bets are going to be key, but if one one of them gets to their potential, they could be well under the 189. Worst case scenario, Bets, Joba, and Robertson battle for the close spot.
Infield = 80 million (if Jeter is still here)
Outfield = 40 million (if they retain grandy and swisher)
Rotation = 40 million
CC
Pineda
Hughes
Nova
Bans
And the bullpen shouldn’t cost enough to be over 189.
Obviously these are estimates, the rotation heavily depends on Phil Hughes and the other young pitchers to perform (none of whom besides Hughes will be making much money)
This. Its doable. Swisher, Martin, and our friend Mr. Boras are the sticking points, not the numbers.
And, frankly, I’m not sure I want to keep Grandyman if he has two more seasons like last one. He’ll not just want huge money (which we could finagle into the budget), but huge years. He’ll be 33 at the end of contract and while I can certainly see switching Grandy/Gardy in the OF to make the defense take another aging veteran, I don’t need to watch 4+ years of decline over a 6, 7, or 8 year contract.
If u could get a young player (almonte or williams) to make big strides in the next two years, it’s feasible, but not likely. They need to maintain one of swisher and granderson, personally, i see Swisher with the less steep decline.
Long and top brass like Almonte, he looks like a player. He could be the one to take Swisher’s spot next year. Dickerson and Curtis are other outfield possibilities. Williams might be ready by 2014.
your math is off…Cano will cost 20mil alone, so the IF is 85m without Martin, 95m with martin, Swish, Gardner, and Grandy will cost closer to 50m, and pineda will be around 7-8m by 2014, and probaly 4-5m each of hughes and nova, take CC’s 25 mil, and your talking another 45-50mil…so worst case scenario you drop Martin or swish and have a very cheap bullpen
No it’s not, 25 for ARod, 23 for Teix, 8 for Jeter, and 20 for cano. That’s under 80 million.
Matin could be 10 million, or catcher could be basically free as Romine’s contract would be renewed.
Outfield 10 for Gardner (his last year of arbitration), if Granderson is retained it would be 18 million probably, and Swisher would be 15 million if he was retained as a free agent. 43 million
Pitching is still the same, Hughes’ last year of arbitration, Pineda’s first and Nova’s first, Banuelos would be renewed. That’s probably about 50 million.
The bullpen would easily be under 15 million
OK, Infield is 76M (not including catcher), OF Grandy is going to be 20m if he produces like he did in ’11, Swisher at 15m seems right, and Gardner could be as much as 12m IMO…so the OF is probably closer 47M, CC is 25m alone, probably 25m for the other 4 spots combined..that adds up to 173m no catcher, no DH, no bench, no bullpen…Lets say they keep Martin for 10m, and fill the bench with in house guys, you have 4m for a 7 man bullpen…so they will have to drop Swish, Grandy, or Martin to do it
LOL at Grandy and Cano for a combined $20 million. Try $20 million apiece, minimum. And if Boras got 9/$214 for a one-dimensional player like Prince Fielder, just imagine what he’s getting for Cano. 7/$200 will be the starting point, and I’m sure they’ll be gunning for all-time highest 2B contract.
Soriano is actually $13 million if I’m not mistaken.
Soriano will not be on the team in 2014.
Right, I’m saying the Yankees payroll will decrease by at least $13 million after 2013 by his contract, not $10 million.
Does any other franchise struggle to put together a good team for $189MM? You can have 1 in every 5 of your players be $20MM/yr superstars and still have more money left over than 17 teams (57%) have to begin with, based on 2011 payrolls. Yeah, the $189MM would include the entire 40 man roster but it does for every other team too.
Posada is gone. Rivera is probably gone after this year. Soriano will be gone before 2014. If they can’t get it done with that head start it’s because they’re not trying.
You’re completely ignoring huge paydays for Granderson and Cano along with potential raises to swisher and martin. It’s not going to be easy retain all of these guys and keep under 189 million.
No, I’m not ignoring it. Welcome to what every other team has known forever: You can’t have everything you want and stick to a budget. Let me guess, you’re a Yankees fan?
The Yankees have a number of bad contracts. If they want to reduce payroll they’re going to have to–gasp!–control payroll increases. If they can’t make those decisions, they can’t control their payroll. Their choice.
No, I’m not ignoring it. Welcome to what every other team has known forever: You can’t have everything you want and stick to a budget. Let me guess, you’re a Yankees fan?
The Yankees have a number of bad contracts. If they want to reduce payroll they’re going to have to–gasp!–control payroll increases. If they can’t make those decisions, they can’t control their payroll. Their choice.
Swisher and Martin will be gone next year, Romine will be the catcher and either a platoon in RF.
“Does any other franchise struggle to put together a good team for $189MM?”
I can name plenty of ball clubs today who could have that high a payroll and still be a struggling team.
Like that other New York ball club. Or those 2 Windy city teams, the team from the City of Angels.
Oh if I recall, the team from Beantown (while not a struggling team) increased their payroll from $125 million to $165 million in 2 seasons and missed the playoffs each of those seasons. If it went to $185 and they missed a 3rd time in a row (which can happen even with the added WC), what would you say about them?
” If it went to $185 and they missed a 3rd time in a row (which can happen even with the added WC), what would you say about them?”
Heads rool, mass desertion of leadership.. hey.. Wait a minute..
Didn’t we see that already this past off season with a couple of high
$$$ teams? 😉
Can you please tell me how the Yankees are ‘struggling’ to put together a good team? They’re ‘struggling’ to put together THE BEST team, but they’re a pretty damn good team even if you subtract Sabathia, Rivera, and Cano.
The Sox are the ones struggling, last year’s collapse was the worst of all time.
Was it worse than the Braves last season to?
Yes.
How so? Because people hate the Red Sox? And the Braves are barely talked about? I see very little difference between both collapses.
One, it was the fact that the Red Sox obtained key additions like Crawford, signing him to a 7 year deal, and trading prospects for Adrian Gonzalez. Second, the high payroll that the Red Sox already had compared to the Braves(75~M difference). Finally, the Red Sox had a higher percentage that they blew compared to the Braves. Mix all these facts together and you can easily see why the Red Sox collapse is far worse compared to the Braves.
Was it worse than the Braves last season to?
Can you please tell me how the Yankees are ‘struggling’ to put together a good team? They’re ‘struggling’ to put together THE BEST team, but they’re a pretty damn good team even if you subtract Sabathia, Rivera, and Cano.
The legendary Mike Bacsik of course. So glad i was able to see that HR live on tv, even though the record is “tainted”
(I have a man crush on Barry Bonds)
Fair enough I think bonds deserves hof regardless. Looking at his talent level even after Roids it is a good career. If arid breaks it it will also be a big deal and will be cool that it was a new York Yankee that gets the record. That is what the contract is all about.
I imagine the record would still be “tainted” if A-Rod broke it. He did acquire 156 of his HRs during the time when he admitted to using PEDs – would he even be close to the record with out those HRs?
He would .. he was projected to break the record by over 100 .. but if last year is any indication of loss of power…….
edit-removed
they say their going to get under 189 million but i doubt it will happen at all. they care to much about winning and if they dont start winning more world series the fans are going to have the steinbrenners heads.
Yanks have around 53 million coming off the books after this season. Swisher is expendable. They will either trade for a younger , cheaper right fielder or if Ziolio Almonte has a very good year, he could be the right fielder next year.
In 2013, A Rod’s contrace starts to decline. They also lose Burnett’s contract and Soriano’s after 2013.
By 2014 , Gardner , Robertson, Hughes and Chamberlain will be free agents. I think theonly ones of those that they are concerned about keeping is obviously Robertson and depending on what he does his year and in 2013, is Hughes
Chamberlain unless he comes back from TJ surgery and is more like the old Joba, is expendable and so is Gardner.
By 2014 , one or more of Slade Heathcott, Jake Cave, Ravel Santana, Ziolio Almonte and Mason Williams could be ready .
I could see the Yankees having in the outfield , Williams. Almonte and Santana by 2014, 2105 at the lastest. So, resigning Grandersen is not a given , despite what Levine is saying. Cano is the only one that is a sure thing as being resigned.
This makes for the agruement that the Yankees should have broken their own policy and extended Cano again back in 2010. They should have extended him through the 2019 season and his 37th year. If they wanted to keep Grandersen longer , he should have been extended through 2015 .
It’s not hard to get under $189m:
C: Sanchez/Romine/Murphy – internal and cheap
1B: Teixeira – expensive
2B: Cano – expensive
3B: A-Rod – expensive
SS: Bichette Jr/Laird/Culver/Adams – internal and cheap (I know only Culver is a SS…but they can teach the others to play SS I figure)
LF: Gardner – not too expensive
CF: Granderson – expensive
RF: Williams/Santana – internal and cheap
DH: Anyone who will be cheap and platoon like now
SP: Sabathia – expensive
SP: Pineda – cheap
SP: Nova – internal and cheap
SP: Banuelos/Betances/Phelps/Warren/Mitchell/Stoneburner
SP: Some expensive/moderately expensive SP from the market (Hamels, Cain, Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Ervin Santana, Gavin Floyd, etc)
Bullpen: Cashman always finds ways to make it effective while being cheap and I assume he will do that again. Players like Robertson, Joba, maybe Betances, Wade, etc will be in there. Without Rivera and Soriano, it’ll be cheap.
So if Sabathia, A-Rod, and Teixeira are $75m…Cano and Granderson are $20m each, the SP will be $15m-$20m…that totals about $135m. The other players will not be expensive enough to add another $60m in payroll.
If Cano tests out the FA waters he should easily get 20-25MM per season, for 6-8 years. Fielder got a huge payday and he is a overweight base-clogger who plays first because he cannot play anywhere else. There are a few teams that will drive up the price on the Yankees.