Bill Madden is reporting that sources in the Jeter camp are looking for a deal that would pay Derek 25 million per year until age 42. He writes:
Throughout this process, Close and Jeter have never revealed what they’re actually looking for – which is why so many Yankee fans, opposing club officials and nationwide media types are asking: Why are the Yankees treating Jeter this way? But sources close to the Jeter/Close camp have said their starting point was six years, $150 million and that they aren’t budging on $25 million per year – which would effectively get the captain about even in annual average salary to Alex Rodriguez, the real benchmark from their standpoint in this negotiation.
.
There have been hints of these figures in recent days around the Yanks, but Bill Madden now has it coming directly from Derek’s camp. This could go a long way towards explaining why the Yanks have been so aggressive in publicly taking Derek down a peg in recent days. In light of this report, the Yanks were actually soft on Jeter in their recent public statements and did him a favor by not releasing this info themselves. He’s an asset to them, so I’m sure they have no desire to damage that asset in the hearts and minds of the public. That’s a big reason why they didn’t want to go to arbitration with either Derek or Mariano, the process is ugly and requires the team to denigrate the player in order to justify their case. Now we know why Jeter’s agent Casey Close was so “baffled” the other day, the two sides are miles apart in their contract negotiation. 80 mil to be exact.
I fear this proposal will ultimately be damaging to Derek on a few levels. First, it makes him look greedy and irrational in light of his current abilities as a player. Also it forces fans and objective observers to look at the class of player he’s trying to put himself in salary-wise, and making himself look puny by comparison. That was the point behind my light-hearted Modest Proposal piece the other day. He’s never hit 54 HRs and knocked in 156 RBIs the way Alex did in 2007. He’s never won an MVP, Alex has 3 of them. The contract proposal would pay him more than double what Chase Utley made last year. Chase has been a 29 Win player over the past 4 years, Derek’s at 16.8. The contract he’s asking for would pay him more than Albert Pujols, and comparing Derek and Albert is like comparing Woody Allen to Arnold Schwarzenegger. If Derek wants to protect and preserve his ‘brand’ he should tread this road very, very carefully.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
20 Responses to Madden-Jeter wants 6 years/150 mil
Leave a Reply
TIQ IQ
I fear Derek Jeter has lost his mind.
EGO and PRIDE will be his downfall.
“Mr. Team” is showing he’s no different than any other greedy selfish player.
At the moment when Derek Jeter had a chance to solidify his reputation as the ultimate team player, he got greedy, and he’s going to hurt his legacy.
The Yankees have already paid him for his great years – more than any other player except A-Rod. And, to be fair, as much as we all love Jeter, A-Rod has always been the better player.
I have discussed this situation with many many lifetime loyal Yankee and Jeter fans. Everyone I have discussed this with feels the Yankees offer of 3/$45 is generous – more than fair.
Very sad. Very very sad.
WOW. I truly don’t know what to say…
Wow, Dave Cameron was right. This is the same number Boras wanted for an equally over the hill Manny Ramirez.
Hope you enjoy playing for the Tigers, Derek.
If that is what he wants he will be sitting at home coke spring training. While Jeter should have won at least 1 mvp the point is valid. He just came off his worst season and looks to be slowing down. He is a 10 million a year player. The Yankees are over paying him by 50% with the offer on the table.
I’ve had enough of Jeter bashing. Honestly. Long story short for the same price range and demands, i’d go for cliff lee over Jeter. Somehow i suspect this piece of news is just going to drive up the price for cliff lee….
You may want to re-read the quoted text. This is coming from the Jeter camp, not the Yankees. If it came from the Yanks, it would look like a smear. But this is coming from Derek’s camp, so this is what he thinks he’s worth.
This was in response to Den, my phone sucks.
Yup. I think you meant the ‘Jeter bashing’ part. I meant the many comments calling jeter greedy and all. Because it does seem that way. And for that price range i’d go for cliff lee instead of Jeter no matter the ‘legacy’ and stuff. Just a thought.
Jeter’s need to compare himself to ARod, when Jeter is no where near ARod’s class, is very, VERY disturbing. I knew it when Jeter wouldn’t even talk about movng to 3rd when they got ARod, and again when Jeter (as team Captain) refused to support ARod…. if this is true, Jeter is really showing his stripes. A raving Egomaniac.
You are absolutley right oldyanksfan when Torre and Jeter allowed the team to treat Alex (the best player on the team) like they did to the point in which his game in the postseason was affected is a disgrace, that was always one of the main reasons I couldn’t wait to see Torre go.
As always, Bill Madden is the columnist of record, right? The bible of baseball.
i am not surprised by the amount of years he is asking, his goal is 4k hits..the money he is asking for is an Arod stick in the eye.. after this past year i thought he would soften his position on both those #s, he must have thought his fan base would back him up..he is very wrong,and should not make this a fight, he won’t win with the yanks, and most importantly the fans who love him..including me..the yanks made him the second highest player ever last contract..behind his alter ego alex.. he has always been the very best ,maybe ever with dealing with the press ,the yankee front office,and thats with george all those years..and of coarse his very loyal fan base..not now derek…..take 17 mil for four years,that gets you to 3500 hits, with a 3mil bonus for hitting .300 or better.. everyone is laughing at your demands, you should not play for any other team ,all that you have done will be washed away…except the 100s of millions you have earned because you were a yankee.. don’t forget it…the world champ giants are looking for a SS. land of dimaggio, only by his birth..not by his undying legend .. come back home and make it fast..before you look like all the rest..
I personally hope he doesn’t even get a 4th year…. I don’t mind paying him 20 milion a year for the next 3 years but I don’t want him under contract for a day longer than 3 years.
I’m down with oldyanksfan’s comments. I had typed a similar post a few days ago, but decided not to submit it.
Jeter has been about himself for a lot of years now. Allowing his teammate to be dog-piled like Arod was a few years ago is inexcusable to me.
Jeter is being childish plain and simple! When Alex moved off of SS to come to the Yankees and win he was already being talked about as one of the greatest short stops off all time (putting up number Jeter never dreamed of, had he stayed at that position he would have ended up as the greatest to dawn the position blowing away Wagner.
If Alex was willing to give up being the greatest short of all time while still in his prime then Jeter should be willing to sign a 3 year 45 million dollar deal coming off of his worst season ever, everyone talks about Alex’s ego but maybe he got the idea for his centaur picture from the one Jeter has in his house ;).
The hostility between Alex and Jeter started after a 2001 esquire interview in which Alex speaking the truth Rodriguez commented on how Jeter wins but he has never be required to be the man to do so since he is always surrounded by talent. This is a fairly harmless statement and not really that far from the truth but it forever soured a once solid friendship, now since that time some of the wounds have been fixed but I think this contract show that while Jeter may forgive (eventually) he never forgets, kind of like when you forget your girlfriends birthday and have to hear about it for the next 3 years.
Ummm, $85 million apart? My math says 6 years at $25 million equals $150 million (enough to pay for school lunches for 10,000 kids for at least 30 school years), which is $105 million more than the $45 million, 3 year contract he was offered by the Yankees.
Maybe one of those school kids could help you with the math. :>)
Hello!!….the guy is building one of the biggest mansions in Florida, he needs the money.
Well maybe you should read the actual story instead if trying to be a smart ass…
Jeter’s initial offer was of 6 years/150 but it is believed that they have since come down from that tp 5 years125 million which is 80 million apart.
Maybe one of those school kids could teach you about what jumping to conclusions and assumptions lead to.
Just pay him.