There has been a lot of Jeter stuff going up in the last few days, but that is to be expected when the Yankee captain is putting together an MVP type season. Mark Feinsand chimed in with the latest, on Jeter’s contract situation:
Jeter’s contract is up at the end of 2010, and his situation will be a very tricky one for the Yankees. It’s hard to imagine him taking a huge pay cut, especially when you consider the MVP-type season he’s having this year. But his 10-year, $189 million deal was signed in the one year when salaries were at their all-time highest. Is he worth more than $20 million a year at age 37 and beyond?
At the same time, it’s virtually impossible to imagine him in another uniform. I can’t help but think that as much as the Yankees need Jeter to be the face of the franchise, Jeter needs the Yankees just as much. Seeing him finish his career in another uniform would just be strange. He’s talked about how special it is to play his entire career with one team – the one he grew up rooting for, no less – so I have to assume they’ll figure something out.
How long will Jeter play beyond 2010? He doesn’t seem to have any set plan, and as far as I can tell, he’ll take it year by year and see how his body feels, how he’s playing and how much fun it is for him. Unlike some players of the past that hung on way too long, Jeter has more money than he’ll ever need and he’s already got his championships….
Jeter’s future will be a very hot topic next season unless the Yankees get him signed to an extension before he becomes a free agent. He’s not thinking about his next contract any more than he’s thinking about retirement, but at some point down the road, he’ll have to figure out just how long he wants to continue playing the game.
I have no idea what kind of contract Jeter is going to get, although I would probably propose something like 3 years, 54 million, with a mutual option for a 4th at 16M. Jeter deserves the money, and quite frankly, there is absolutely no way that the Yankees let him go anywhere. Furthermore, his performance defensively this year suggests that even if he declines at the plate, he will no longer be killing the Yankees in the field. I think there is a better than zero shot that he approaches 54 million in value over that term, and his status as a Yankee icon makes any overpayment worth it.
Additionally, I would like to focus on Feinsand’s last paragraph.J eter is probably going to want to discuss an extension this offseason. He will be coming off a great year, and the team may want to avoid a year of stories about bringing him back after each slump. They know they are going to have to pay him anyhow, and this is actually a better financial market for the team to claim that times have changed and infielders dont get 20 million anymore. It makes sense for both sides to get an extension completed in the offseason. Get it done, Cashman.
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11 Responses to Jeter's Next Contract
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TIQ IQ
This is such a thorny issue. As well as he’s playing right now, I can’t picture him replicating this kind of production at age 37. He relies on his legs for much of his game and stats say that guys typically lose their legs after 34-35 at the latest. He’s such an icon at this point that fans might revolt at the idea of lowballing him.
Though he’s a great guy, he’s also got tons of pride in the Torre, Pettitte mold and both those guys left when offered a cut in pay. That said, you can’t possibly keep paying him $20M per for several more years. I guess I’d do $16M per if he’d agree to it, though you’re still probably going to be vastly overpaying when he’s 37-38.
The Yanks will let him play out his option, that is just their way of doing business. I can’t think of anyone recently that they signed before their contract was up.
Loyalty in sports is a one way street. The organization has to show it to the player and not vice versa. Posada and Rivera would be gone if some team gave them a little more $$. Also, remember Bernie and Coney?
Paul O’Neill is the last one I can remember who re-upped w/the Yanks not caring to get more elsewhere.
Andy Pettite declined to negotiate with other teams last winter, even when the Yankees offered him a low base salary. Sometimes players are loyal to the team and its fans.
He wasn’t so loyal the first time around. He left for Houston when he felt slighted by Cashman.
He also didn’t take any less money to stay with the team this time. The Yanks still gave him the best offer by far.
Houston was also his home town team and as much as he loved New York and the Yankees he loves his family way more and they all live down here in Texas. He went home to do the sentimental thing, got injured a lot had one good season that was injury riddled and realized he was a Yankee and nothing could change that so he came back to us for less money than he wanted to. What do you want the guy to do, cut his heart out on The New Yankee Stadium mound and offer it up to Babe Ruth?
I think Jeter will do the right thing here I really doubt he would ever ask for an outrageous contract or bid them against rival teams, I mean it’s Derek Jeter the guy has never made one wrong move in his entire life, he isn’t going to start now, especially if we can walk away with a championship or two.
I concur, T.O. Chris…
Chris H, save this thread. You can send it to me if you prove me wrong. Jeter will be talk to other teams and the Yanks will match any offer.
….and don’t be shocked if he changes agents and hires Boras next year…you read it here 1st.
Considering Arod had to stop negotiating with Boras and come to the table himself I highly doubt he will!
Very, very tricky situation. The 5 year/100 mil stuff being thrown around is insane, but you can’t tick him off either. Contracts with the core players (Mo/Posada/Bernie) have always been more contentious than those with free agents. The Yanks are putting their faith in Derek, that he will do the right thing, since he always has. He needs them as much as they need him.
The only thing I can say for sure is that nobody knows how this will play out, and anyone who claims to is lying. The Yanks themselves don’t know.