It would be “the longest of long shots” if the Yankees acquired Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus this offseason, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports. Andrus’ eight-year, $120MM extension begins in 2015 and the Yankees aren’t interested in paying that type of superstar money to a player who hasn’t yet delivered on that level. “You would have to hope he turned a big corner if you took on that contract,” an executive tells Feinsand. “If he never gets any better, that’s a lot of money for a good — but pretty ordinary — player.” Ironically, the Yankees’ long-standing interest in Andrus was part of the reason why Texas extended him in the first place, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. It’s worth noting that Andrus has opt-out clauses in his deal after both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, so the financial commitment may not quite be as lengthy as it seems.
Here’s some more from around the AL East…
- There isn’t any truth to reports that the Orioles made a three-year, $30MM offer to Billy Butler, a member of the organization tells MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. While the O’s have had interest in Butler, Kubatko feels the team wouldn’t spend that much on a full-time DH.
- The Orioles will meet with Nick Markakis’ agent Jamie Murphy today, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). The O’s are still seen as the favorites to sign Markakis, though the Blue Jays and other teams are interested in the veteran outfielder. Earlier this week, Murphy said that the Orioles weren’t one of the several teams he planned to speak with about his client during the GM Meetings.
- Though Yoenis Cespedes’ name has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) that those rumors aren’t “based in any sort of evidence. We’re happy to have him. We felt like as we were building a lineup for next year, adding that power element in the middle of the lineup was critically important to us. So now that we have it, we’re not really anxious to give it away. We believe he’s very important in 2015, and 2015 is very important to us.”
- Cherington spent “an extended period of time” talking with Jon Lester’s agents last night, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford tweets.
- The Rays interviewed Giants bench coach Ron Wotus about their managerial opening yesterday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Of the ten candidates on the Rays’ list, the team still has to speak to Barry Larkin, Doug Glanville and Kevin Cash before getting into the second round of interviews.
- In other AL East news from earlier today, we published a collection of Blue Jays notes, the Yankees signed lefty Jose De Paula and the Orioles are shopping right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez.
Would it make sense for the Pirates to trade Tabata for Elvis and then flip Elvis to the Yankees for a pitching prospect or one of their prized, but numerous young minor league catchers with some ‘cake’ thrown in to adjust for the bad contracts?
Not if the Yankees don’t want his contract, as mentioned above. Doesn’t matter who’s offering him…
cake = money to offset the cost of the contract
As long as it’s German Chocolate…
Are the Pirates really the type of team to be eating millions of dollars for the Yankees?
Would the Rangers take Tabata for Andrus? I doubt it.
Rangers will pass on Tabata, thank you.
probably, the Rangers would be happy to shed Andrus’ contract.
They would do that in a heartbeat, but not sure why the Yankees would take on Andrus.
I would have to think so. The Tabata deal is only another $10MM, that is peanuts compared to the $120MM that Andrus is owed.
Every other team had a chance to have Tabata when he was on waivers. Not sure why so many thinks he’s such a big trade chip
Well this Confirms it…Welcome too New York Hanley…..
Would love to see Hanley playing SS in New York. He makes Jeter look like Ozzie Smith.
Could still sign Lowrie, Cabrera or Drew.
Probably Drew to a 1 year pillow contract, which I’m becoming increasingly ok with.
I’d rather have Cabrera on a pillow contract. He’s younger and has more upside. Drew is like 4 years older. It’s been rumored Cabrera might consider a one year deal to boost his numbers, a hitter’s park like Yankee Stadium could help.
If Cabrera would take a 1 year deal that’d be ok, but he isn’t a shortstop when it comes down to it. Drew is the only real SS on the FA market and the defense would definitely factor into the decision.
Prado and Ryan can back him up at SS. I just don’t want any part of Drew or Boras. Even though Drew should come cheap (key word should), I’m sure Boras will want something ridiculous. Drew probably won’t sign again till late in the offseason, and won’t be prepared to start the season again and with Boras as his agent I’d be surprised Drew not have at least a 2 year contract demand.
Boras doesn’t have much leeway when it comes to Drew. Nobody is going to offer him much after last season and, he is likely to take a deal of around ~5 million dollars for one year. I’m sure Boras and Drew would agree that it’s best for him to re-build value on a one year deal, and be 100% ready-to-play the first day of Spring Training.
The Rangers would definitely have to eat some of that contract, if they ate 4 – 5 million a year on it I think it would be alot easier to swallow. He’d be worth his value at 10 million a year for the Yankees.
One weird thought I had was using the 6 MM they get from Detroit for Prince to eat some of Andrus’ contract in a trade, just not to NY, because I want no part of him.
I am thinking Markakis is gone. I think he wants a change in scenery.
As for Butler, I am thinking the O’s might give him a chance to play first base everyday. I am leaning that Butler wants a change of scenery too and wants to play 1st base somewhere.
If you are thinking that the O’s would let Butler anywhere near a fielders glove, then you are thinking wrongly.
They worked with Davis… I think they can work with Butler.
I think there was a lot more to work with in Davis than Butler.
Where would you put Davis?
I would non tender him to express my disappointment in him.
Plus, if you sign Butler early, you can start working on his 1st base skills.
Not sure there’s enough time between now and April for that.
Seeing Markasis’ regression (2014 wasn’t as bad as previous years), I hope the O’s either move on without Nick or offer him something like a 3/30 contract. I think he’ll be a platoon player/bench player with a low average and no power within a couple years.
And I want nothing to do with Butler.
Did the Rangers seriously take the Yankees interest in Andrus into consideration when resigning him to that unpalatable contract? And now the Yankees are balking on the contract. I don’t even know what to say about that other than really bad business.
They signed him to that contract when he was 24 year old coming off back to back 4 WAR seasons. It seemed like a good move at the time, unfortunately for the Rangers Andrus’ OBP and defense started declining at age 25.
I just can’t get my head around signing someone to a long term deal because another team is interested.
I was of the opinion they should have traded Andrus and stuck Profar at ss. Teams were willing to pay through the nose for Andrus at the time, was no point to keep him at that contract when Profar looked like he was elite.
Throw Kinsler into the mix and it’s a real head scratcher except that Detroit saved them from that.
I wouldn’t call handing over Fielder’s contract as saving Texas.
I wouldn’t either, it saved Detroit more than anything even though it was just a few million dollars. I’m just saying if Detroit didn’t engage them in that trade then the Rangers would have had a logjam.
Isn’t that the idea behind every extension, to keep a player from hitting the open market where other teams can bid for his services?
It seems like the kind of thing that could get somebody fired.
The Ranges have been known for “really bad business” in the past.
If they did that is a bad plan. You should stick to paying players what you think they are worth. Makes you wonder though when a Boras client actually takes an extension.
i find it unfathomable that any team, unless they had explicit interest expressed (as in, “sign him and we can talk”) would commit themselves to all that money. fundamentally different than some of the off-season signings you see where you know the player is going to flipped at the deadline.
Anyone who thinks Elvis Andrus is an “ordinary player” has never seen him play defense. If Andrus is “ordinary,” what word are we using to describe Derek Jeter’s play the last couple of years?
Terrible has been a word frequently associated with Jeter’s late career defense. His offense and particularly his power production were far greater than Andrus’ even at age 38.
Andrus’ defense also took a big step back in 2014.
Ordinary player does not mean ordinary defensive player. If he had ordinary defense, he’d be a well below average overall player because his offense is poor.
His defense is seeming to be in decline, but still fine. The problem is that his bat has become so bad.
Opt out? LOL.
If the opt out was a plan for him, then they’d be happy to have him. The opt out GUARANTEES that it’s a bad deal — if he’s good he opts out and if he’s bad you’re stuck with the full amount.
Not always. If he opts out you are stuck with no decline period on a long term contract.
If the player is on the decline, why would they opt out?
In an 8 year contract you are most likely thinking the player won’t be good the last few years. If he opted out after 4 they got 4 prime years from him, but also don’t have to pay for more of his over 30 seasons.
Clarkin+Judge for Andrus+3.75mill per year (30 total). Who says no?
Yankees!!!!!
Yankees are not giving up 2 of their 6 best prospects to pay Andrus $90MM.
You make it sound a lot crazier than it actually is. Neither prospect is a top 100 guy, Andrus is a very good, young SS, the Rangers have no pressing need to trade him, and the Yankees would only (I know, I know) pay an average of 11.25mill a year. It would be a good deal for both sides if NYY can’t find a better option.
Judge will be a top 100 guy, and even if he wasn’t, that’s still a huge overpay for the Yankees.
Define “Very good”. Defensively? Yes. Offensively? No.
Keith Law had Judge at 45 midseason, and he only continued to hit at the next level up, and in the AZFL in the second half. It would be nuts actually to say he definitively isn’t a top 100 guy.
Andrus has really stumbled these past 2 years, I don’t see the Yankees giving up that kind of talent in order to still pay him $90MM.
Jacob Lindgren looks like he will have a chance to make the big league club as a left handed reliever next year as does Tyler Webb. It seems they already have some potential LH relief help on the way, but maybe this guy adds to the mix.
It’s about seeing what sticks. Relievers break down all the time, so it’s a good plan to bring in a few guys for the early season, and then you still have the depth in the minors for when the players do get hurt.
If traded a club option at the end of the deal for $15MM becomes a player option + he receives full no-trade protection from the club that acquires him. The $120MM could be $135MM with no possibility of dealing w/o his consent – tough to assume that overall risk in my opinion.
No way Elvis is being traded