So, according to Wally Matthews, the Yankees plan on offering Derek Jeter $45-60MM. Now that we have that information, let’s assume (I know, not always a good thing to do) that it’s correct and see if we can hammer out this contract ourselves.
Let’s start off by just getting it out of the way: for the market, Derek Jeter is going to get overpaid in both years and money. I guarantee that no other team would over him more than 2/$30 and that’s being a bit generous on the price. Hell, I don’t know if any team would even go 2/$24-25. But, the Yankees are likely to take care of Jeter, so let’s roll with that.
The low is, apparently, $45. I’ve said before that I want a two year deal, am comfortable with a three year deal, and could swallow a four year deal. There’s no way in hell Jeter’s going to take a four year deal worth “only” $45. $45 over three years is $15M a year. That is something I could definitely live with. It sets the balance, I think, between cost and years. Hell, I think I could be easily convinced to up the cost to $50 for three years. But, at the same time, I don’t know if Jeter will take that pay cut. He’d still be making anywhere from $15-16.67 a year under those scenarios–which I think are more than fair, but Derek may think otherwise.
Assuming $60 is the max, I’d almost want a two year deal. Yeah that’s a massive contract and there’s no way in hell Derek Jeter is worth that much money, but at least it would be for only two years. I think what I just wrote is crazy, and it is. However, I think that’s the only way Jeter would sign a two year deal. $60 over three years is still a lot at $20 a year, which is more than he made in his previous contract. Over four years, it’s $15 a year.
The answer obviously lies somewhere in here, but the Yankees do need to set two limits. One is a limit on years and the other is on money. I think they’d be more willing to bend on the money (don’t mind me; I’m just projecting my thought process onto Hal, Cash, & Co.) than years, but some proverbial lines in the sand need to be drawn.
In terms of years, the Yankees should not be willing to go past four. In terms of money, they should not be willing to go past the $60-65 range. Anything over that would be exorbitant, even for Derek Jeter.
No matter how the negotiations for this contract go, someone is likely to look bad. The Yankees will perhaps be perceived as stingy and disrespectful if they set such limits as the ones I briefly outlined above (they should still do it) and Jeter risks negative PR if he rejects even one legitimate offer, thus coming off as greedy.
I have faith in both sides getting a fair deal done…eventually.
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8 Responses to Getting a Glimpse?
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TIQ IQ
I can’t see the logic of anything more than 3 @ 15 per. He remains overpaid, but the Yanks have a bit more room in their budget to better the team around him.
Unfortunately I think for Yankees fans we are looking at a problem if they sign him for too long. DJ became an adult within the ego boosting praise showering MLB spot light. There’s no way he has the ego of an average earthling. That said, if he behaves as I would expect, no one is going to tell him when to retire. A deal that goes too far out could essentially allow DJ to play a fairly gigantic role in c**k blocking us fans from seeing another ring ceremony for awhile. Everybody needs to protect image here, but don’t give him the right to tell us when he stops playing in pinstripes. Yes, he’s a trademark, accomplished amazing things for the last 15 years, however you have to ask yourself, on what othere team would he have had the OPPORTUNITY to accomplish so much. He IS great, but it’s a 2-way street.
Wait–2 yrs @$20M per is better than 3 yrs $45M? Can we really expect Jeter to be less than a $5M a year player in 2013 but somewhere approaching $20M (or $15M plus the sentimental bonus) in 2011-2012?
Give him 3 yrs and an option with a big buyout. Even if his contract is dead weight in 3 yrs (doubt it), it wouldn’t be the only one–and of all the guys in baseball that should be able to contribute to winning with decling skills you have to put jeter first. Besides-Jeter has a lot of leverage people don’t seem to realize. The Marlins aren’t going to trade Hanley Ramirez to the Yanks any time soon and there is no other way the Yanks are going to do better at short stop. Without a potential upgrade in the system, a can’t miss free agent, or a realistic trade possibility Jeter holds all the cards. Its not about how valuable other teams see Jeter…its about how valuable he is to the Yankees. Like Tex and CC–he feels an obvious need.
monument park awaits jeter to honor what he did…his contract should be about what he will do going forward and that is not likely to be much better than league avg…15 mill per year is more than generous
The years are what this is going to be about. He’ll get hi 17-20 mill per. But if he wants 5 years and the Yankees want 3….that’s what the fight is going to be about.
Any more than 2 years, 22 million is an absolute giveaway. Jeter couldn’t get 15 million on the open market right now.
If you take the Jeter mystique away he’s basically Miguel Tejada going forward. Worth maybe $6 mil. He can’t argue much about an offer of $15 mil. without looking silly.
We understand what he’s worth but we also understand he is going to be grossly overpaid and I can live with 3 years 55 million.