Comments on: Know your arbitration-eligible Yankees

By: Yanks decline option on Mitre | River Avenue Blues

Yanks decline option on Mitre | River Avenue Blues — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:33:43 +0000

[...] him, Brian Cashman will look to retain him on an incentive-laden deal. Just a few days ago, I predicted that the Yanks would pick up his option. So much for that. Posted on Tuesday, November 17th, [...]

By: David

David — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:18:04 +0000

“Some feel the two-time 19-game winner could test the open market; others say that his marketability in Taiwan is dependent upon the pinstripes.”

For most Taiwan people, MLB’s(or the pinstripes’) marketability in Taiwan is dependent upon Wang.”

By: Balla

Balla — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:44:10 +0000

If the yanks don’t sign Wang it would be stupid. They have a huge payroll, so increasing it by 4 mil or whatever doesn’t make that big of a difference. Plus with the potential to win 19 games, it’s totally worth 4 mil for any team.

By: Steveospeak

Steveospeak — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:36:47 +0000

While I understand what you say in that Wang is now wishing the Yanks had offered him a 3 year deal, b/c he won’t get near the money. But there is no way Melky would sign for 3 years $9 million. For one I think he’ll get over $3 million this season. His numbers were pretty good this year I think his Arb deal will be just under $4 million this year. A fair 3 year deal would be for about $15 million. $3.25 mil this year, $4.75 next, and $7 million the third year. That would be a steal for the Yankees even if he doesn’t get any better than he is right now (and even if he has a small regression).

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:14:32 +0000

I’m torn about the Melk Man. I’d love to see him in pinstripes for a while to come, but nobody has any clue what his ceiling is or how he’ll improve or if he’ll stay stagnantly developed, etc. Nobody knows. a 3 year/$9MM deal for Melky is going to look bad for somebody in the end. He might very well turn into a guy that his .280 with 20 HR’s and 90 RBI’s a year, plus above-average defense. That kind of line would qualify him in my book for $7MM a year. Right now it’s be lunacy to pay him that, but a year or two from now, it could look quite reasonable. There’s no way of knowing if he’ll in fact become that player or top out now and never be worth more than $4MM a year in his greatest payday.

By: KDB

KDB — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:17:42 +0000

Mitre seems to be able to pitch one-two positive innings each time up before crashing, and burning, fine for middle relief, spot starter. Melky on the other hand is about at his pay limit at 2+ million dollars. I expect a non-tender next year.

By: JMK aka The Overshare

JMK aka The Overshare — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:28:22 +0000

You may be correct. I think for him it’s worth the risk to wait until arb and collect a big paycheck for a lot of years than take the guarantee of almost a decade and an okay paycheck if he’s confident in his abilities.

The risk is definitely bigger for the Rays, no question. I was wrong to say the risk is inflated—it’s not.

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:55:37 +0000

Yup. It’s ridiculous to say $50 million doesn’t set someone up for life. You can’t account for historically epic ineptitude, but it’s much more reasonable to say that amount of money sets him up for life than to say it doesn’t. You can’t rely on historically epic ineptitude as a basis for your argument.

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:53:19 +0000

There’s absolutely no incentive for the team to offer a shorter deal, that’s the whole point for the team. It’s either accept the deal, or risk waiting it out, there’s no negotiating for a short-term deal.

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:49:31 +0000

“Chances are pretty good that he’d continue to hit around .300 with 35 HRs all the way to arb.”

He had never hit .300 with 35 HRs at the time he was offered that contract.

I don’t think anyone’s inflating the risk, I think you’re underestimating the risk and the value of getting that guaranteed money. You’re letting yourself be unduly influenced by that possible payday he’s delaying. Delaying – not forfeiting.