Some fans have argued that the Yanks are treating Derek unfairly, saying “How can you give all that money to A-Rod and NOT pay Derek?” and they’re right. We should treat both of these players exactly the same. Hence, I would like to propose the following clause be added to Derek Jeter’s contract:
An additional performance bonus of $6 mil plus a $30 mil marketing agreement for each of the following milestones-
-Passes 500 Home Runs
-Passes 600 Home Runs
-Hits HR #714, 755 and 762
Just like Alex.
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12 Responses to A Modest Proposal for Derek
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TIQ IQ
Lol. i get the point. But having 3k hits does seem pretty cool as well. Anyway, my take is that i think 3/45 does sound pretty reasonable. And other teams are unlikely to be as generous. If he truly is the captain, he will understand that his team needs the money to strengthen the team (point that cashman was quoted to be making) as well. I would love to see Jeter in pinstripes, but if money’s all he’s concerned with, then maybe Jeter’s no longer the Jeter i know…..
Jeter’s always been about the money, don’t be fooled. The guys here did a nice write up the other day outlining Derek’s past contract disputes. Dont get me wrong I’m a big Jeter fan and I support the players in getting every penny they can from the owners, but this dispute now shouldn’t surprise us at all. Mo isn’t much different either, he pulled his same shtick 3 years ago.
Heh. I loved Hank’s comment: “Some of these players have more money than their employers.”
It would be nice if Jeter showed the class and dignity that Halladay showed Philly – rich enough is rich enough. Oh, and Halladay isn’t on the steep downslope of his career that Jeter is.
The overwhelming sentiment in fan comments that I’m reading across the blogs is anti-Jeter, that is, believes the Yankee offer to be quite generous. This confirms my sense that any anti-Yankee backlash will be a short-lived, media-generated phenomenon. And I think the Yankee organization (which reads these blogs, too, as part of its due diligence of fan mood) sees the same thing.
I’ve noticed throughout the years that fans generally take the side of ownership in these matters. Players come and go, you root for the laundry. We all have our faves, I was certainly sorry to see Bernie pushed aside, but fans first and foremost want to win. Any player who seems to be putting his own interests over that of helping the team win, or hindering their ability in any way to improve the team going forward, is an easy target.
One reason fans seem to take the side of ownership is because we can’t relate to them. They are so rich that we pretty much accept it as divine right. The players, however, used to be “one of us”. What’s more, we all think we would gladly trade places with them for fractions of their salaries. As a result, we begrudge them what they deserve. I am guilty of it too at times, but it is really misguided logic.
I have been very troubled by the anti-Jeter sentiment being expressed by many Yankee fans, especially because he hasn’t really done anything (yet) to deserve the backlash. He and his agent are negotiating a contract. At no time has Jeter criticized the Yankees during the process, so I am not sure why so many seem to be jumping all over him. At least let him take a misstep before hammering him. I’d like to think he has earned at least as much after 15 great years.
I also think fans (diehards at least) need to think twice about the win at all costs philosophy. If winning really is an end that justifies all means, then we might as well simply jump aboard the most promising bandwagon each season. Make no mistake about it…I root for the laundry, but there are people wearing that uniform, and some of them, like Jeter, transcend winning and losing. For example, I never saw Lou Gehrig play, but I still revel in the legacy he left behind. I enjoy his exploits as much as any championship or player I’ve witnessed in person. Jeter is an heir to that kind of legacy, and I hope my children and grand children will look back at him in a similar manner.
Winning isn’t everything… IT’S THE ONLY THING! Truer words were never spoken and nothing comes before the W in sports, NOTHING!
ESPN and sports writers may act and say sports is about life lessons and becoming a man and all that jazz but it’s nothing more than a buisness to the owners and an outlet for the fans, but if the buisness doesn’t wim it doesn’t make money and if the outlet doesn’t win then watching the game becomes hate field.
Anyone who could watch the 2004 CS and then say winning and losing isn’t everything doesn’t connect with me.
I agree about the winning as the primary perspective, as does Derek, too. But I want to compliment your first paragraph, William. Much insight,well expressed.
I think the game would benefit if the union loses some power, and if the player compensation system gets some significant rejiggering. (I’d love to see a minor league “retirement” fund built from major league contracting, as a small note.)
….and tell him to hit 3 or 4 in lineup for the first time in his career. If the Yankees end up paying him near 20m/yr then what was the point of letting him play for his contract this past year and not signing him sooner.
Question, if Jeter does sign with another team how do the Yankees replace all those outs?
I rarely root for the owners in any negotiation-especially when it’s union vs owners. What Jeter’s agent is saying may be negotiating, but he’s asking for a lot more than ‘more’.
3/$45 is an extremely generous offer for Jeter. It’s a lot ‘more’ than anyone else is willing to pay him. Allowing his agent to use the word ‘baffled’ in re that offer is way across the line.
We really don’t know what Jeter’s agent is asking for, but it’s his job to ask for the stars and then settle for the moon. Also, what’s so wrong with using the word “baffling”? Without knowing the tenor of the conversations, it’s hard to criticize Close’s impression. After all, I know I find the repeated public posturing (including by Hal before the process started) as “baffling”. That’s not the way the Yankees usually handle things.
There is really nothing “baffling about it” it’s a planned buisness and PR move… now you paint Jeter into a corner as either being “greedy” or “not a true Yankee” so if he does leave the fan base blames him for the long haul, however if he takes the offer your still overpaying him but now the fans aren’t as mad about it because Jeter “was forced to take less” and the Yankees finally have a chance to give themselves hand in all players negotiations from here on out.
Maybe “baffled” means “wished I had thought of it”.