ByAccording to Jon Heyman, the Yankees and Scott Boras are talking about Mark Teixeira. It’s hard to tell how we should take this report. It could be a ploy by Boras to get the Red Sox back to the table or the Yanks could genuinely be interested in the first baseman. For what it’s worth, Mark Feinsand says that Manny remains the Yanks’ target and that the team has probably not yet made an offer for Teixeira. · (96) ·
Some CC & AJ contract details
By · CommentsThe AP, via ESPN, has some details about the new contracts signed by CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. Let’s do this bullet point style:
- Sabathia’s contract includes a $9M signing bonus paid in three equal installments over the next 8 months: one on December 31st, one on March 1st, and the last on July 31st.
- His salary breakdown is simple:
2009: $14M
2010-2015: $23M each - Sabathia will be paid semimonthly over all twelve months of year; most players are paid semimonthly during the six-month regular season only. He’ll earn $583,333 every two weeks in 2009.
- He gets a suite on road trips, not uncommon for big name free agents. And, of course, he can opt out of the deal after the 2011 season.
- Burnett’s deal isn’t front or backloaded, and apparently doesn’t include a signing bonus. He’ll get $16.5M per year for the next five years.
- Both contracts include full no-trade clauses.
So Sabathia will have already been paid $9,499,998 before he throws a pitch in the 2009 season. Livin’ the dream baby, livin’ the dream.
Open Thread: Who’s paying attention?
By · CommentsThis, my friends, is the current poll up on FOX Sports’ MLB frontpage:
That’s been up on their site for the past two days, and of the ~23,000 people who’ve voted, 11% feel Jake Peavy is the best remaining free agent. 2,530 of FOX Sports’ readers are idiots. The three of us are so happy and proud that we’re fortunate enough to have such smart readers. Seriously. You guys are the best.
Here’s your open thread for the night. You’ve got the Knicks at home taking on the Bucks, and Anchorman on TBS at 9pm.
ByBobby Abreu is almost 35 and with a career offensive line of .300/.400/.500. He’s been one of the steadiest and best producing outfielders in the Majors for a while, but what should be his last big payday of his career came at a terrible time. The market is flooded with corner outfielders, and teams are wary of a player like Abreu who may have already started a steep decline. Despite his pedigree, as Jerry Crasnick explains, GMs across the game see Abreu as a piece of the puzzle rather than the center piece of a team, and the former Yankee is waiting for a market to emerge. · (62) ·
RAB Live Chat
By · CommentsRed Sox, Teixeira dancing the tango
By · CommentsBy all public accounts last night, it seemed as though the Sox had pulled out of the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. After a night to sleep on it, Jon Heyman’s “multiple baseball sources” say that’s not true. Rather, the Red Sox have made their best offer to Teixeira; they won’t go any higher; and the first baseman’s future is in his own hands. This may just be a dance the two sides are playing to stall negotiations or it may portend a final outcome in which Teixeira and Scott Boras just follow the money. The Yankees are playing this one close to the vest.
Additional pontification by Joe.
The most interesting two paragraphs in the linked Madden article, I think, are these:
It was believed that the Red Sox’s offer to Teixeira was for eight years at around $170 million and that Angels owner Arte Moreno topped out at $160 million over eight years in his offer.
With those figures floating around, it’s not clear what “other offers” Henry was referring to. According to a source, Boras informed the Red Sox that if they were willing to go to $184 million over eight years, they could have Teixeira.
So, like Ben, I believe this is just another part of the dance. The $184 million over eight years represents a $23 million AAV, or exactly what CC Sabathia commanded. I think that, ultimately, the Red Sox would be willing to add Teixeira at this amount. They just don’t want to jump into it now, when it is uncertain whether Teixeira has a better offer in hand than the rumored eight year, $170 million offer from the Sox.
Most interesting, of course, is the final line. “[I]f they were willing to go to $184 million over eight years, they could have Teixeira.” Sounds like that’s an opportunity to swoop in and nab Teixeira. Perhaps, then, the rumors of an insane offer from Washington are overblown (Feinsand’s article mentions an eight-year, $120 million deal, which clearly wouldn’t cut it). Perhaps the $170 million offer is, in fact, the best offer officially on the table, and Boras just wants to squeeze out as much as possible. The Red Sox see this, and are backing off for the moment, confident that their offer will remain the best.
It’s tempting, at least to the fan, to think that all the Yankees would have to do is phone Boras and say “we’ll give Teixeira eight years and $184 million.” If it’s that easy, I’m sure many of you are thinking, why don’t the Yanks just do it? I’m not sure of their exact reasons. I’m sure it has plenty to do with the current payroll scheme, both for the 2009 team and for long term projection. It probably also takes into consideration the relative value of Teixeira — in that he’s not worth the payout.
Clearly, I think the Yanks should do this. However, I realize that if they don’t, they have their reasons, many of which I’m not privy to. It’s easy for you and me to project decisions for the Yanks. We’re passionate observers on the outside looking in. We want what’s best for the team, but we don’t have all the relevant information at hand.
Let me repeat: If I’m Brian Cashman, I’m spending the bulk of my Friday convincing Hal Steinbrenner to okay the funds to acquire Teixeira.
Yanks leaving the lights on for us
By · Comments
The view from above at night. (Photo by Tom Kaminski/WCBS 880)
For five hours a day, Tom Kaminski patrols the skies above New York in WCBS 880 AM’s helicopter. Last night, he happened to swing by Yankee Stadium following the Sabathia-Burnett press conference, and the Yanks had seemingly left the line on for him. It’s hard not to get excited over the new stadium when the shots look as good as the one above.
Kaminski also shot the interior of the new stadium with the lights on from a few angles. You can see the full gallery by following either of those links, and as a bonus, check out the half-deconstructed Shea Stadium too.
Following through on a CC-inspired plan
By · CommentsDuring the Winter Meetings, as it became clear that the Yankees would indeed land CC Sabathia, Joe wrote a piece about the importance of patience. He talked about the Sabathia signing through the lens of the Johan Santana shenanigans that went on during the winter of 2007.
On Thursday, as the Yankees introduced CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to New York, one team official expounded on this idea. Long after the press conference was over, Brian Cashman sat down with one of the YES Network reporters and talked about the courting of Sabathia. It obviously wasn’t just some spurt-of-the-moment idea that formed since the 2008 season ended.
It had, in fact, been a goal of the Yankee front office since last season and Sabathia’s impending free agency was one of the primary reasons why the Yankees never completed the Santana trade. As Cashman said, the Sabathia signing was the “completion of the concept.” Cashman noted that the Yanks had CC on the radar since being bounced by Cleveland in 2007. Sabathia was, after all, a “premiere player available for just a draft choice.”
It’s interesting to hear Cashman use these words so unequivocally. The Yankees understand — better, at times, than many of their fans do — that it pays to wait one season to land that top tier pitcher through free agency. There is no need to overpay in prospects, players and money for a pitcher when you can land one nearly as good six or eight months later for just money and a draft pick.
Of course, at the same time, Cashman realized that this wasn’t an easy wait. “We took a lot of hits going through that process,” he said. The Yanks GM also was well aware that there was “no guarantee” that Sabathia woud sign with the Yanks.
In the end, though, these words were telling. Behind Cashman’s rational lies the reason for the Yanks’ huge offer for Sabathia. They wanted to ensure that no one would outbid them a season after intentionally losing out on Santana. Who knows how the move will pan out? Nothing suggests Sabathia won’t excel in New York. But as Brian Cashman knows, a lot depends on CC. Right now, passing on Santana to wait for Sabathia was the right move. Now we just have to wait for the games to start to make sure it remains the right move ten months from now.
Teixeira not headed to Boston
By · CommentsCan you believe it? I can’t. Yet it’s coming from up top. Red Sox owner John Henry has said, in so many words, that his team will not sign Mark Teixeira. His exact words:
“We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor.”
You can follow the entire saga on MLB Trade Rumors. No one expected this, at least not this soon. The Red Sox, the team so many considered the frontrunners for Teixeira, will, in the words of the owner himself, not be factors. It appears, from Henry’s words, the price tag is a bit too high. Reports of the Red Sox offer varied, though WCVB-TV claims it was eight years and $184 million, or a $23 million average annual value.
Boston could obviously jump back into the picture, but for now it appears they’ll let the first baseman sign elsewhere. Clearly, I expect a flurry of “now the Yankees have to get him” comments. Think about this, though. There’s at least one offer out there better than eight years and $184 million. Should the Yankees go higher than $25 million a season for Teixeira?
Yanks make offer to Manny purple monkey dishwasher
By · CommentsFunny how quickly this:
The [unnamed baseball] official believes that the Yankees are “going hard” after Ramirez, to the point where they are willing to give him a three-year deal worth from $22 million to $25 million per year.
Turns into this:
The New York Daily News has already reported the Yankees have a three-year, $66 million offer out to Manny.
Thanks, Cafardo, for totally and completely playing telephone with this one.
h/t Tim.
Oh, and this is the open thread for tonight. So discuss away.
