You guys know how I feel about Tex, I've been campaigning for him since July. I think he should be starting at first base for the Yanks next April, and for many Aprils after that. I know some disagree, but for those who do go over to the Replacement Level Yankees Blog and check out this post. When you're finished, come back and tell me what you think.
(Hat tip to River Ave. Blues)
Friday, October 24, 2008
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19 Comments:
Good data, but, I will stick to my guns: No contracts over 5 years.
Fine I can respect that, but how can the Yankees get better if they do not give certain players long-term deals?
Same way they did it '96-'00. The Yankees down turn started in '01 when they went to long term deals with Jeter (10), Mussina (6) and Giambi (7).
Guys like Raines, Strawberry, Curtis, Girardi, Duncan, Brosius, Sojo, Knoblauch....all short term guys...all have rings, the long term guys, since '01...Zero.
27 years in the military taught me that complacency is a killer.
But look at who those teams were built around offensively: Jeter, O'Neill, Bernie, and Tino. Each of those players played with the Yankees for at least six years. O'Neill became a Yankees at 30, and Tino became a Yankee at 28.
The players you mentioned were role players, and I agree, you go short-term with role players. But Teixeira is one of the best 1st basemen in the game, he's worth a long-term deal.
Is Teixeira better than Bernie, Tino and O'Neill?
I dunno, something about Tex says 'fools gold' to me. I don't know what it is, can't put a finger on it, but I'd stay away...
Tex is better than Tino and O'Neil. That shouldn't even be a question. He's not Giambi guys. He can play D. He's a switch hitter. He hits around or above 300. Not a bad player to stick at first for the next 7 or so years.
Those guys were with the Yanks for multiple short term deals, not one long one.
I'd rather over pay on a shorter deal (less than 5) than be stuck with a guy for more than that.
Flexibility.
Mike,
The Yankees signed Bernie to a 7-year, $87.5M deal in '98, and they certainly haven't gone short-term with Jeter (10 years/$189M).
I also don't remember the Yankees going short-term on O'Neill and Tino either, but I'm not sure, can anyone confirm or deny this?
"I'd rather over pay on a shorter deal (less than 5) than be stuck with a guy for more than that."
For who? There's nobody out there that the Yankees can overpay for a short-term deal. At least not for first base.
Raven,
He's better than Tino and O'Neill.
Check Bernie's numbers over the last 4 years of the 7 year deal. Jeter is just a marvel, he didn't show a downward slide until 2008, year 9.
O'Neill and Martinez lived out contracts signed with their previous teams and then signed short term extentions.
I'd give Tex like 25 mil each for 4-5 years before I gave him 20 mil each for longer.
Another option is to front load the contract so he's making less at the end of the deal so he is tradable. I'd rather pay him 25-30 per at 28 years old than that money at 38 years old.
Are you sure about that with O'Neill and Tino? I'd really like to know the actual extensions they signed as Yankees.
Anyway, Bernie obviously slowed down, but he wasn't really a burden on the team, at least not until 2005 - the final year of the deal.
I do agree with you about front loading the contract, I like that idea a lot. I wish it was done more with this team.
And I wouldn't want to give Teixeira ANY money at 38. I'm not suggesting a 10-year deal - 10 year deals are way too long unless you're talking about someone who is 20-23 years old. I'd give him a 7 or 8 year deal if that was the only way they could sign him.
By the way I should be clear about something; I'd rather sign Teixeira to a 4 or 5 year deal too, I just don't think it's possible.
I'm not a big Teix guy, I know he is good but the only problem I have with giving a player an 8+ year big money contract is that he should be the best player at that position in the league not the best available player.
Let’s say that all 1B would've been FA, there's no way a team would pay that much for him at least I can name 3 1B I'll take over Teix. I didn’t like the Jeter or Giambi contracts neither because they weren't the best at their position. I see giving A-Rod a big contract like that because he is the best 3B and arguably the best if not a top 3 overall player plus he could break the HR record.
I'm with Mike on this one give him a 4-6 yr deal but I wouldn't go over 7.
O'Neill re-signed with the Yanks for 4 years ($19 mil) in 1994. Then for 1998 he signed a 1 year deal (6.5M) with a player option for 1999 (5.5m)and a club option for 2000 (6.5m).
Martinez signed a 5 year deal as part of the trade agreement with the Mariners (20.25m), then a 1 year deal for 2001 (6.3m).
Fair enough, but those kinds of deals are almost non-existent in baseball today, especially with 28 year olds. I don't think it's possible to sign Tex for less that 7 years (I wish it was).
Jon Heyman said yesterday that the Yanks are willing to offer him 6 years, I'm sure they give him one extra year if it meant getting him or not.
By the way, where'd you get that contract info Mike? I've been searching and searching and I can't find it.
NYT archives.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE4DF113FF93AA15753C1A962958260
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE1DC123BF934A25752C1A9669C8B63
And
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/bleachers/1523/profile.html
Cool, thanks!
WAY too much time on my hands....
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