Heyman: Could Jeter ask for six years?

From Jon Heyman (hat-tip to RAB):

Speculation around the game is that Derek Jeter will get a nice contract extension from the Yankees at season's end for three or four years for between $20 million and $25 million per. However, two executives from competing teams now say they believe Jeter could ask for a six-year deal.

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The Yankees generally have treated their own big stars very well. But six years for a shortstop who's 35 now is seen as a stretch, even by the execs who say they expect that to be the asking price. "Casey Close is a good agent. You don't get if you don't ask,'' one executive said. Close declined comment.

Six years may seem extreme. But there is logic to it. Jeter saw his famous frenemy Alex Rodriguez get a 10-year, $275-million deal from the Yankees two winters ago that will take him to age 42. Jeter will be 36 by the end of the year, so six more years would take him to 42, same as A-Rod.

After seeing A-Rod get a contract taking him until he's 42, why wouldn't Jeter want the same? A case could be made that Rodriguez is a more natural fit as the DH, so playing into his 40s might be easier. But both are hard workers, extremely fit and without injury history. And Jeter's the one who's a Yankees legend.

I didn't like when the Yankees handed A-Rod a deal that would keep him in pinstripes until he was 42, and I wouldn't like it if they don't do the same with Jeter. They're only a year apart, so it leaves the Yankees with two 40+ year-old former superstars who probably won't be able to play the field anymore. I'm not saying I'd rather them only have A-Rod at that point, but they kind of forced that by signing him to a deal for that many years.

That said, he'll probably get whatever he wants. He's Derek Jeter, he's is the Yankees, and they will most likely accommodate him.

At the same time, I'm not sure Jeter will ask for that type of deal. Sure, he wants to play forever, but in the back of his mind he knows he can't. And while he'll never admit it publicly, I think the last thing Jeter wants is to become a burden on the team. That would be too embarrassing for a man that has as much pride as Jeter does.

Most people believe he will ask for and receive a four-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million, and regardless of this report from Heyman, I still think that's what he's going to get.