It's been over a week since Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees have talked business.The team offered the All-Star shortstop a fair $45 million, three-year deal, but that wasn't quite good enough for his agent, Casey Close. Apparently, he and Jeter are looking for something in the ballpark of an average $25 million over six seasons.
That would put him around 42 years old when the contract is up, which is too damn old to play up the middle. That's like 100 in shortstop years. And there no way in hell he will ever make a decent designated hitter, despite his .314 lifetime batting average.
The guy has never hit more than 24 home runs in a single season and is clearly in the twilight of his illustrious career.
Anyway, this is all anonymous hearsay since neither side has publicly disclosed their intentions since Hank Steinbrenner made it clear that the Yankees don't owe anyone a thing. In the meantime, Jeter's side hasn't made an official counter-proposal, so he might have to settle for their offer if he'd like to remain the Yankees captain.
Jeter, whose 10-year, $189 million deal just expired, slumped to a .270 average with 10 home runs last season, which is considerably crappier than the .334 average and 18 bombs he hit during his 2009 World Series-winning season.
Good luck Jetah! You're gonna need it... unless you're involved in a dance-off.
[Associated Press]
2 comments:
Insane amount of money aside, the Yankees would be nuts to give him six years when they can just go out and buy any young, talented shortstop they want for less.
Furthermore, the NYY aren't the only big market team in baseball these days. Jeter could really play anywhere he wanted, he just might have to settle for a shorter contract to do so.
The most enjoyable part of following this farce is hearing Yankee fans have to pick sides. They either have to trash their front office for abusing Saint Derek or trash their beloved face-of-the-franchise-who's-never-done-anything-wrong-in-his-entire-friggin-life for turning out to be just as greedy as other mere mortals... and perhaps even more so. Gotta love it.
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