For my last day of posting for a while I want to leave you guys with something to think about. Here goes........... 2013 salaries = Current status _________________ _____________ Jeter...............17M 9.5M option Cano..............15M Free agent Grandy...........15M Free agent Kuroda...........15M Free agent Pettitte...........12M Retired Youkilis...........12M Free agent Rivera.............10M Retired Hughes...........7.5M Free agent Logan.............3.5M Free agent Hafner............2M Free agent Chamberlain....1.8M Free agent Overbay..........1.25M Free agent That's over 100M dollars & doesn't include the possible 25M coming off if A-Rod is suspended for the entire season. Of course Jeter will pick up the option. #1 priority will be resigning Cano currently expected to be for 7 years at 175M. As of right now CC Sabathia & Ivan Nova are the only sure starters for next year so pitching would be next in line. The Yankees are expected to go hard after Japanese phenom Masahiro Tanaka 25 who went 24-0 with an era of 1.27. Posting fee for his rights are expected to exceed the 51.7M the Rangers paid for Yu Darvish two years ago. Staying on the pitching front in the weakest crop of free agents in years are, Matt Garza, Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez & Tim Lincecum. Catching will also be a high priority with the Yankees expected to go hard after McCann. IMO 4 years at 60M should get it done. If not Saltlamacchia could also be an option. Currently under fire (and rightfully so) are Mark Newman the teams VP of baseball operations for the systems failure to develop any frontline starting pitchers and the lack of any impact position players. Also on the hot seat is & should be Damon Oppenheimer, the clubs amateur scouting director for his recent performance in the drafts. So there you have it guys. What would you do??? "Something to think about".
Obviously Cashman should be on that list of those under fire... not as sure about Oppenheimer... I've heard it floated around there is the chance the Yankees and Jeter might come to an understanding... where Jeter declines the option (getting the $3M buyout) and is then signed for $7M. That would be half a mil more than he'd make if he accepted, and it would be a huge chunk off the books towards the luxury tax... not sure if it'll happen, but it could... Definitely a weak class as far as pitching goes... Personally, I would go hard after Tanaka... hell, make a posting fee of in excess of $60M... I would expect the Yankees to make offers to Garza, Lincecum, Kazmir, and/or Ervin Santana... Let's not forget about the bullpen which officially has no one signed yet... I'd prefer Cano was 6 years, but I can live with 7 I guess... If it were up to me, I'd go hard after McCann and Saltlamacchia at the same time and have the first to sign get the deal. We'll need solid back-up options for 3B with A-Rod expected to be out all year, SS because who knows what we'll get with Jeter, and 1B (see SS) OF, I would absolutely not offer anything to Granderson... we are already on the hook for Ichiro, Wells, and Soriano... people are talking about Granderson and Beltran which would make us no younger, no better, and wouldn't be any cheaper... I would go after 2 of the following: Ellsbury, Choo, or Gardner
Hey at this point I'd be happy if we just resign Cano at a reasonable price & years & pick up someone like McCann.
yeah, those would be nice 1st steps... still will need quite a few pitchers and other positions as well...
...yup, Oppenheimer was not given complete autonomy with his job title until about a year and a half ago. Cashman was still making a lot of the decisions concerning the farm. ...as far as Wells, they're really not on the hook for much...about $2.8 Mil if i remember correctly so they could move him or simply release him.
...yeah, that's what I mean...he really serves no purpose. The Yanx were hoping to catch lightning in a bottle...but the lightning only lasted about a month. ...I don't want to see him whiffing on that low and away breaking ball anymore.
I would like to see Wells released and maybe they could get someone to take Ichiro off their hands and just eat a big chunk of money. He is a huge liability and whoever wanted to sign him for 2 years should be shot. I think it was Hal. Those two are huge liabilities right now.