As expected, the Yankees moved quickly to contract the representation for Cliff Lee, according to an AP report (via ESPN). A baseball official says that the Yankees told Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, that they will be back in touch later with a contract offer for the left-hander.
The Yankees have long coveted Lee, and are considered one of the front-runners to land the 32-year-old. The Rangers and Nationals are among the other clubs hoping to lock up the prize of the pitching market this winter.
Let’s hope this time it actually happens.
So the Yankees can continue their capitalistic dominance of payroll over the rest of Baseball?
Damn Commie.
Commie, commie, traitor to our country!
Yes, let’s hope it happens =D, and while we wait for it to happen, they could go and sign AdriĆ”n GonzĆ”lez to be part of their bench for 22 millions, Crawford for 18 millions to be a pinch runner and each and every one of the closers in the major leagues so they can distribute them in their minors… =D
Yea, deal with it. Luckily our owners don’t have to deny the fans a great team to maintain extreme wealth.
Tell more people to watch non Yankee games. Starting with the world series.
no.
i still think that the rangers will be able to re-sign him
I think it’s down to yanks and Rangers. After losing in the World Series the Rangers new ownership group might want to make a point.
And keep in mind that Cliff Lee’s home is exactly 4 hours and 58 minutes from Rangers Ballpark (according to mapquest of Cliff Lee’s town to Arlington Texas).
Haha SPAN yousa creep.
Just doing my due dilligence
Yeah, that’s why CC, Texeira, and Burnett signed with the Yanks.
PS
It doesn’t matter if the rangers stadium is near his house, with the money he could get from the Yanks he can buy 10 houses per year in NY.
Tex signed with the Yankees not just because of the money but because of the way they handled the negotiations. The Boston offer was comparable and the Nationals offer was greater (rumored to have a slightly less AAV, but an extra year). Teixeira specifically said that he asked teams to keep negotiations private and not to negotiate in the press and Boston ignored him and John Henry talked a hell of a lot about him in the papers.
Give Cashman some credit for handling those negotiations simply better than Epstein. Of course it’s easier when you can have a 200+ mil payroll, but Cashman wouldn’t hurt for employers if he ever left the Yankees.
Henry was pissed at Boras not Teixiera. Boras was basically lying to the Sox and Angels during the contract negotiations, mainly to up the price to the Yankees. It really has nothing to do with Teixiera personally, but of Boras’s dubious antics. The Angels pretty refused to deal with Boras during the 2008/2009 off season after the Teixiera sweepstakes. One reason the Angels weren’t interested in Manny Ramirez
And he grew up an Orioles fan but with Don Mattingly as a favorite player which doesn’t hurt.
Haha, what are you a creeper? Jk lmao
Haha Jennry!
Haha Davve!
how long is the flight?
5 hours I believe. 2 minutes longer.
how could the flight be longer then the drive
I meant the flight from NY. The flight from ark is like 1 hour
In all honesty, it is probably like a 3 hour flight. I just flew from JFK to Aruba and that was only like 5 hours so to Arkansas its probably only like 3.
only if Lee decides not to take the highest offer!
Surprise! Didn’t see this coming. I think they Yankees are the front runners unfortunately. Imo
Buy…Buy…Buy… every top notch player. I wonder what would happen if there was a form of salary cap? The yankees might not field a full team of all stars…that would be tragic
Coming from a Yankee fan who watched the team lose to another built around cheap young talent in the ALCS, I can see how your point makes sense..
Or they could sign them for 1 million and give them a “bonus gift” of 19 millions per year as a thank you for signing with them, or better yet, sign them to be members of the board in a new enterprise of the Steinbrenners with a salary of 20 millions per year, while they are signed to play baseball for 20 dlls per season.
=)
Things would be pretty much the same. Those owners that don’t really wish to compete would keep their money and not spend- as many do now.
Just to indulge you a bit. If there were a salary cap, do yopu really believe that all owners would spend to the cap threshold, in order to compete? Don’t bet on it.
Better question,Do you really believe that owners would reduce ticket prices at the ballparks? If you think yes- think again
The NFL,NBA and NHL all have had some form of salary cap for years. When was the last time any of the teams in those leagues reduced ticket prices significantly?
Cliff Lee will sign with whoever gives him the most money. I think The Yankees and Nationals will be able to givw him the most but ultimately I think lee will sign with The Yankees because they need him so bad they’ll write him a blank check.
He will NOT sign with the Nationals, he will either be a Yankee or Ranger
If the nationals give him more money then the yankees or Rangers It would’nt surprise me to sign where the most money was but I think the Nationals will end up trading for a starter like a Matt Garza or Zack Greinke then sign Lee.
The only way he goes to the Nationals is if the Yankees let him.
The only way he goes to the Nationals is if the Yankees let him.
Why not? There’s a lot of buzz that he might go where the highest offer is. And it’s not like the Nationals have no hope. In year 2 he’d be in a rotation with Strasburg and Zimmermann. There’s some hope in the low farm system and they could acquire Lee and still make a serious move for a pitcher like Garza. Lee, Garza, Strasburg, Zimmermann and ? could be 2012’s best NL rotation.
They have one of the best young infielders in the game (maybe the most underrated player in all of baseball) in Zimmerman, have a decent middle infield tandem in Desmond/Espinosa and have (arguably) the #1 prospect in baseball in Harper in the pipeline.
Look, I’m a Yankee fan and would love to watch him pitch every 5th day. But I don’t think it’s an entirely unreasonable notion that he goes to DC.
2012’s best NL rotation will be the giants. Nobody is touching them and I don’t even like them. Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and Bumgarner are a very solid and balanced four.
I think there is some question about that. They’re the best today, but how can you assume health for all 4 of them? The Giants have the best rotation in the NL coming into 2011 (depending on if Philly picks up a decent starter), BUT let’s wait to see if Bumgarner makes progress or Sanchez continues to limit his walks. Let’s see if Lincecum continues to adjust to his slightly diminished velocity. And, again, I never said that hypothetical Washington rotation WOULD be the best, just that it COULD be which is not a completely unreasonable scenario.
The Nationals are probably the most severely underrated team in the majors. People don’t seem to realize how close they are to competing.
The Braves are going to improve steadily the next few years, I’ll give that, but…
The Mets are a mess, the Marlins refuse to spend money and the Phillies have signed some shortsighted contracts and severely depleted their farm system the last few years. The Phillies’ window might be closing in a year or two.
The Nationals, meanwhile, have a young, cost controlled core coming up fast and have been drawing consistent top picks the last few years. They’ve got a swiftly improving rotation, one of the best third basemen in the game and are a few role players away from seriously competing in that division.
Wonder what their 1st offer will be, I’m guessing 5/100
Rumor has it Lee wants a Sabathia-esque contract… so I’d say 5 yr/$100M would get laughed at.
Well again its a starting point, and I don’t think Lee gets Sabathia money, unless the Yankees, Rangers, and Nationals are really that desperate
I’d die of laughter if Yankees signed Lee to a CC type contract.
I would die of laughter if he signed for 5 years an 100 million, am i the only one who saw he was hurting in the World Series? he doesnt show it in his face, but his body language said something isnt right here, i think it was either his forearm or possibly his rotar cuff, but at any rate im sure he will pass a physical and my point will be moot but i seriously think he will be 2005-06 Cliff Lee in NY
Not laughed at…it’s good starting point…then let the rediculous bids begin…i wouldn’t be suprised if he got 7 years 22 million…i hope it doesn’t go there because that would probably mean the Yankees got him and i think thats too much since they already have CC with a contract like that and the last 2 years would probably be a bust but i could see the Yanks going there…Hope i’m wrong…i’m still traumatised by the Arod deal.
I think it’ll be 105 million over 5 years but i think they’ll go up to 6 years 140 million
It won’t be as high as 6 years, 140 mil for one simple reason. It would give Lee a higher AAV in his contract than Sabathia and I don’t think they’d do that. I could see them giving him the exact same 23 mil Sabathia makes, but I don’t think they pay him more. Also Lee is almost exactly 2 years older. I have trouble imagining them going to 6 years. I think 5 years, 115 million is the Yankees final offer (23 mil AAV, signed through the same age and money as CC).
If the Yanks don’t offer 6 years at 140, the Nats will.
I really hope Lee snubs the Yanks after how their fans treated his wife at the ALCS. If the Nats or Rangers make a decent offer, one can hope he will.
The incident with his wife was blown way out of proportion by the media. Cliff Lee basically said that himself.
And here… we… go!
I wonder if the yankees have ever tried drafting and developing players? Nahh Who am I kidding.
I am definitely a Yankees hater but they have developed a few. However, whenever there is ANY hole in their lineup/rotation it is usually getting filled with the best available FA.
Yeah, I feel you. I’d rather go after the worst possible free agents available.
They sure filled LF with a star last year. Oh wait…they let the star (Damon) walk and replaced him with an untested 2nd year player (Gardner). Some of the moves they made in-season…any body could’ve had Wood, Kearns or Berkman – the Yankees didn’t even take on the full salary of any of those players.
They sign plenty of guys, no question about it, but so do Boston/NYM/Philly/etc. On some level their payroll is higher too just because of the overcommitments to aging stars that weren’t acquired by free agency (Jeter, Rodriguez, Posada have all made more than they would on the open market).
Just a few, deffinitely just a few, from 2010 alone:
Posada
Cervelli
CanĆ³
Jeter
PeƱa
Gardner
Marcus Thames
Nick Johnson
Juan Miranda
Eduardo NĆŗƱez
Kevin Russo
Colin Curtis
Pettitte
Huges
Mariano
Chamberlain
IvƔn Nova
Alfredo Aceves
David Robertson
=) 19 players out of 37 (51.35%) players who were with them during the 2010 season.
Rangers 2010:
Julio BorbĆ³n
Ian Kinsler
Justin Smoak
Chris Davis
Mitch Moreland
Teagarden
Brandon Boggs
Craig Gentry
Colby Lewis
Tommy Hunter
CJ Wilson
Scott Feldman
Darren Oliver
13 out of 39 (33.33%)
Except Nick Johnson and Thames weren’t developed by the Yankees.
But at least you’re familiar with your team …
You can try to spin it any way you’d like, but the Yankees have a significant advantage financially. If it didn’t offer a huge advantage, they wouldn’t do it.
Johnson & Thames were absolutely developed by the Yankees. They both came up through the Yankee system and went from AAA to the major league roster and played for the Yankees before they were dealt.
They didn’t develop in any other organization’s minor leagues.
actually if you look it up nick johnson and thames came up through yankees minor league system yrs ago. They just signed as free agents this past yr
Johnson and Thames were developed by the Yankees a long time ago. They were brought back this season. If you recall Johnson was part of the first Vazquez trade and Thames hit a home run on the very first pitch he ever saw off Randy Johnson.
You know, you almost had a point until you included spare players who didnt play much of a role and then almost entirely named all the starters for Texas, Texas would have a higher average there when you compare everyday starting lineup players there chief.
I think it’s a bit disingenuous to include Alfredo Aceves (signed out of the Mexican league – not exactly a player the Yankees developed). Same basic idea with Miranda. Lewis, Johnson, Thames, Oliver and maybe Pettitte are all questionable inclusions – once they leave the organization getting them back later isn’t exactly developing them (hell, Texas failed at developing Lewis, it took Japan to do that).
Also if you’re including guys that are no longer on a team’s roster (Smoak) you’ve gotta do it both ways (Melancon). If you’re going to count minimal contributors for the Yankees (Curtis, Russo) then you need to count minimal contributors for the Rangers (Kirkman, Strop, Mathis, Gentry, etc)
No they stole Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Wang, Melky Cabrera, Jesus Montero, Joba, Hughes, etc. from other teams through free agency.
Why is Wang, Cabrera, Joba, Hughes and Gardner on this list?
because they came up through the Yankees system.
well, they did steal Jeter from the stupidity of the Astros, who drafted Phil Nevin instead.
How about the good old Reds? Who drafted our good friend Chad Mottola?
Well that was the Astros fault and I wonder why they’re not very good lol.
Not the Yanks fault.
Coming from a phillies fan..
Derek Jeter
Andy Pettitte
Mariano Rivera
Brett Gardner
Phil Hughes
Robinson Cano
:
Jeter, Posada, Rivera, Pettitte. Want recent, Hughes, Cano, Joba, Robertson, Aceves, Gardner. Future, Montero, Brackman, Betances, Banuelos (aka The Killer B’s)
Heathcott, Romine, Sanchez (Gary)…need I go on?
yes.
Well, obviously the 1st 4, then Hughes, Cano and Gardner. Other than that some ??? Not all prospects pan out. Let’s not jump the gun here.
I know because Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada, Cervelli, Nova, Gardner, Cano, Hughes, Joba, Austin Jackson, , Jesus Montero, Chien Ming Wang, Dellin Betances, Austin Romine, Adam Warren, etc all were drafted by some other team and the yankees just robbed them and either kept or traded them
In 2009 the Yankees had the most homegrown players in the American League.
mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090725&con…
I couldn’t find an updated 2010 version but after resigning Thames and Nick Johnson, and letting non-homegrowns go (+Damon, +Matsui,-Cabrera) i’m sure its not far off from 56%. The 2010 Yankees farm system will be rated very highly this year, my guess is that it breaks the top 10.
I guess you forgot about players like Jeter, Rivera, Cano, Pettite, Posada, and Gardner. Learn more about the game before you make a comment. Your just a Yankee hater.
Check how many players the yankees had in their roster the past two seasons and compare it with those teams that played in the playoffs in 2009 and 2010 you won’t believe that the phillies have more players acquired trough free agency and trades than the yankees, heck even the rangers core players came trough trades/free agency this year.
The Yankees SHOULD have more homegrown players than anyone else. They can draft anyone and not worry whether they can afford to sign them. That means that some of their sandwich picks and second round picks might have gone much higher if other teams had virtually unlimited payrolls. Further, when was the last time the Yankees had another team poach one of their players that they wanted to keep? Pretty tough to outbid a team that has the resources the Yankees do.
Except on the Adeiny Herrachivia case. His dream was to play for the Yanks, but he opted to go to the Jays because he knew he would make it to the big leagues much faster. This makes me wish Derek Jeter was on his last year as Yankee SS before he retires. Heck, I wish that now.
agreed…i think the Yanks will be making a mistake if they don’t go year to year with Jeter…i personally only want him to get his 3000 hits with the Yanks besides that historical milestone i’m ok if he is not back after 2011…i would over pay him for 2011 because of that milestone but make a trade for Stephen Drew or Hanely Ramirez after that…or if Jose Reyes finally plays to his potential and decides to hit free agency after i would consider him…and i hope Jeter Arod and Posada contracts don’t get in the way of the Lee offer…
I went over the stats to see if Jeter could come close to Pete Rose and although at this stage in both of their careers Jeter has more hits than Rose, Jeter would need to hit 318 hits a year for 4 years in order to catch Pete Rose, or if he could go an astounding 6 more years, he would need to keep his pace of around 200 hits to catch Rose.
They can draft anyone, but they can’t automatically sign anyone. They drafted Gerit Cole a few years ago #1 and he decided to go to college. He didn’t take millions from the Yankees to sign.
He’ll enter the draft in the next couple of years and be a top 10 pick.
The draft isn’t doing the Yankees any favors.
THat’s a completely ignortant statement. Name me 1 major draft talent that slipped to the Yanks because no other team could afford him? I’m not talking about guys who fell because they had injury concerns (Andrew Brackman) or had to be talked out of going to college (Dellin Betances) or playing another sport (Austin Jackson) because those were gambles that any team could’ve taken and DB and AJ were late round picks (8th rnders in 2005 and 2006) and neither got a bonus above $1mil. In fact, aside from maybe 2010, the Yanks are not even among the top 5 teams in draft bonus spent per draft over the last 10 years. Pkease stop acting as if the Yanks have stolen any talent away from others in the draft because it hasn’t happened, or else Harper would be a Yankee and so would Strausberg.
OK, name me a few players that the Yankees haven’t drafted because they didn’t think they could afford to sign them. I’ll wait… Of course the Yankees are not going to be amongst the highest teams in draft bonus compensation over the last 10 years. They continually don’t have as many first round or sandwich draft choices because they poach so many type A players from other teams. Please don’t act like the Yankees are on the same playing field when it comes to keeping their star home grown players as all of the other teams. That just makes you look ignorant.
“OK, name me a few players that the Yankees haven’t drafted because they didn’t think they could afford to sign them”.
Wow.. Not even sure how I would answer that question. You’re the one making the statement that the Yanks are stealing draft players from others. The onus is on you to prove that. I can’t “prove” something I know doesn’t exist.
“Of course the Yankees are not going to be amongst the highest teams in draft bonus compensation over the last 10 years. They continually don’t have as many first round or sandwich draft choices because they poach so many type A players from other teams”.
For the record, the Yanks have had a 1st rnd pick in every draft since 2000-2010 except for 2002. In total, from their own 1st rnders as well as comp picks, the Yanks have had a total of 14 1st rnd selections since 2000. Do you even bother to research stuff before you make insane comments? Furthermore, name me 1 heralded draft pick that the Yanks signed from the draft that was a clear top 1st rnd talent that the Yanks “stole” that fell to them for reasons other than health?
“Please don’t act like the Yankees are on the same playing field when it comes to keeping their star home grown players as all of the other teams”.
And as for home grown players, yes the Yanks have traded some for veteran players but they’ve also held on to Cano, Jeter, Posada, Mo, Gardner, Hughes, Joba, Cervelli and Robertson. They were all integral parts of the 2010 season. They used Austin Jackson, Melky Cabrera, Ian Kennedy, Phil COke, Mike Dunn and Aroldys Vizcaino to acquire Curtis Granderson, Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan. They have Montero and a host of other C’s, 2B and pitchers that are all either mlb ready or will be in the next 2 years.
So I choose to use things like “facts” and “thought process” to form my conclusions. How about you do the same and stop talking about what makes who look ignorant.
They don’t waste any time eh?
Looks like I’m going to need a bigger box of tissues for all you cry babies..
You may want to keep them for yourself LOL
I’m going to need those when he becomes an albatross and refuses to believe it and blocks trade attepmts :'(
I’m going to need those when he becomes an albatross and refuses to believe it and blocks trade attepmts :'(
I’ve also been hearing that the Phillies are trying to resign him.
Being a Phillies fan, I don’t understand their thinking, since the Evil Empire will give him everything he wants.
I wonder how Cliff Lee’s wife is going to handle this; she doesn’t like Yankee fans.
…Maybe the Yankees will give her something too >.>
Evil Empire? Do you realize how high the Phillies payroll is? I guess $142,728,379 is considered small market nowadays….
I could be wrong as I haven’t looked at the numbers this week, but last I checked, at this very moment, I believe the Phillies have the highest payroll in baseball. I don’t mean season payroll. I mean committed salaries at this very moment 9:07 EST. Obviously the Yanks will take care of that by the end of the month.
It is kinda funny.
It is kinda funny.
Nope. According to Cot’s, the Phillies have $143,000,000 committed to next year to the Yankees’ $144,000,000. Definitely VERY close, but the Yankees still have the highest committed payroll.
I never said that the Phillies were small market. And they aren’t. (unless you’re stuck in the late ’90s)
Compared to $206,333,389 I wouldn’t say it’s in the same ballpark. Let’s see, the difference would cover Tex, CC, Rivera, and Cano.
The idea that the likely $225+ million payroll for 2011 is anything similar to the Phillies ~$140-$150 million payroll is a joke. They finished the same this year. Imagine if the Phillies had that extra $70 million +? Give me a break, you Yankee fans just need to accept the idea that you buy championships and stop defending a moot point.
You have every other fan in baseball saying so and yet you dummies think you’re the smartest guys in the room…Arrogant/ignorant much?
Money isn’t everything, my team proved that this year. We defeated a team with a payroll over 200 million when ours is what 60 million? Yes, the Yankees will probably get Cliff Lee, but that’s what they have to do to win. The Rangers don’t NEED him, because they run their orginazation properly. They have GREAT prospects (Perez, Scheppers, Kirkman, Beltre) waiting for a chance Without Lee they can still role:
1. Lewis
2. Wilson
3. Hunter
4. Feliz
5. Holland
And move Ogando to closer or just sign someone.
Point is, the Yankees are annoying because they have it so easy and Cashman’s job requires almost no talent (unlike the amazing program Jon Daniels and Co. have instituted), but that’s baseball.
i love when anti yankees fans bash the yankees for putting money into their team and trying to put a championship caliber team on the field while other owners pocket there money.
cough cough Lozia cough
I assume you mean Loria? You’re having a bad spelling day.
Yeah, cause the Pirates would be competitive if they spent the extra $20 million…
They’d be competitive if they had an ownership that over the years actually wanted to compete.
Yup. If they had drafted Weiters instead of Moskos, Lincecum instead of Lincoln, BJ Upton instead of Bullinton…..all who they passed on because of money concerns.
Yeah, I know, the Yankees aren’t making any money. They are in this for the fun of it. And Yankee pride.
i think the yankees will finnaly not land a top pitcher, cliff lee will stay in texas, the only way the yankees will sign cliff lee is if the yankees give cliff more money than he should be malking
Which they definitely could do.
You posted this as if it’s something that’s very uncommon
If he goes to the Nationals they could actually do some damage next year and be an even bigger threat in 2012. The offense was already pretty solid last year their pitching was just terrible. If they get someone like LaRoche to play 1B and a couple of cheaper solid hitting outfielders like Pods and Nady they could be a serious team next year.
Even if they were to get Lee, Pods, Nady, and LaRoche they would still be a worse team than the Phillies and Braves. They have no rotation after Lee, Strasburg is out for most if not all season next year, Marquis and Lannon are average, I don’t see Hernandez having a season like he did last season, and their bullpen is below average. They still have long ways to go before they are contenders
I don’t think the Yankees can give more money in annual salary to Lee than to Sabathia. Not that they couldn’t afford it, but if Sabathia were to have a better year than Lee next year, CC could opt out of his deal and use the fact that he’s better than Lee as a bargaining chip for more money. Not guaranteeing CC would do that, but its a situation the Yankees would likely try to avoid.
CC has already stated he will NOT excersise his option, but hey he could change his mind. In the end I think Lee ends up with a 6/130 contract
I don’t expect he would void it, but, if somehow the situation became unfavorable, he could always use it to try to make a couple of extra bucks (CC on the open market right now, in my opinion, would get 8 years/185).
That was before he put up a second great season in a row. If he’s in Cy Young contention next season and Lee gets more AAV than him at about the same age? He’ll opt out.
He wanted the opt out in there in the first place and allegedly changed his mind about needing it, nothing stopping him from changing his mind again.
Slow night?
This one kinda seems like “duh.”
Still wouldn’t be surprised or unhappy to see him sign in Texas, and that’s with myself being a Yankee’s fan. Made for an exciting post season and a great Texas club to give them Angels a wake up call they have needed for last couple years.
Just glad Mike “The Miracle” Angels manager won’t again win the Manager of the Year award.
IMO it seems the Rangers will get the right of last refusal. Whatever the Yankees offer, Lee will ask the Rangers to match. If they do, he’s a Ranger. If they don’t he’s probably a Yankee. Washington odds..less than 10% (probably much less).
Wouldn’t it make sense then for him to ask the Yankees for more?
The bidding stops when one side says they won’t go any higher.
I guess i didn’t phrase it correctly. IMO, the Yankees have to beat the Rangers best offer. The Rangers only have to match the Yankees best offer.
Yea I would agree with that. It is a question of how much of a premium the Yankees are willing to pay.
also because taxes are cheaper in texas, he would make more with an equal deal
Any tax advantage in Texas would be more than compensated for by all the extra endorsement money be would make playing for the Yankees.
maybe maybe not, but the tax point is guaranteed.
Also, I didn’t realize this until I read an article about it. MLB players are taxed in 2 ways. Prorated amounts of their salary for 81 games in the state they are based in and the other 81 games are taxed according to the city they played in. It’s crazy but true. Also, when teams exchange offers w/ players and agents it’s done showing the after tax amounts as well so all of that is known up front. So when Lee is comparing offers from, say Ny and Texas, he will already be well aware of what the difference is and so will the Yanks. If the difference is $10 mil then I’m sure the Yanks would take that into consideration for their offer. The opposite of the salary tax issue are the proceeds from endorsements. Jeter has established a residence in the state of Florida and because of that he is taxed according to FL rates and not NY. Not sure what the difference is from Arkansas to NY but I’m sure Lee will have more than one address.
I guess i didn’t phrase it correctly. IMO, the Yankees have to beat the Rangers best offer. The Rangers only have to match the Yankees best offer.
Wouldn’t it make sense then for him to ask the Yankees for more?
The bidding stops when one side says they won’t go any higher.
The yankees are breaking no rules here. Im tired of everyone hating and complaing. The yankees have money to spend and can do what they want with it. Just cause teams pocket their money and dont spend thats not the yankees fault. They take their money and put it back into their product. They pay a luxury tax that gives money to all the teams what ur team does with the money after that who knows. Are you aware the yankees can increase their payroll by millions and millions more are they doing that no.If they wana throw money at lee, crawford, or who ever thats them
The Yankees turn a huge profit. Don’t be so delusional. They can spend more not because they are the “most generous, best owners in the world!” but because they also bring in the most money.
Baseball is a business. If the other owners aren’t making a profit, well, the team will not exist for very long.
How am I delusional I know they bring in the most money the revenue they make is great and I’m aware that its a business my point just was that I’m tired of people complaining like their breaking rules if their team had resources like the yanks they be celebrating. The yanks contirbute a lot thru luxury tax
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Oh, wait, guys…. Brian Cashman has great “negotiating skills”. It’s why Teix signed with the Yankees. It’s that he’s SOOOO MUCH BETTER than Epstein at socializing. Yeah, that’s it.
NOW THAT was the dumbest thing I’ve read so far here in the comments section. People, the Yankees get players because of the money.
And no, Cashman has not won because of a combination of scouting/develop. and free agency. He’s won mostly of free agency. He has no Cain/Lincecum that he developed or a Lester/Buchholz like Epstein.
Honestly, to imply the Yankees do not scout and develop shows you know very little of what you are talking about. Their farm system will be ranked in the top 10 in most lists this winter.
They aren’t going to put just anyone on the team though because unless you are really good at your position, they can probably find someone better via free agency. And if you can get a better player, why on earth wouldn’t you?
A lot of prospects may not be a fit for the Yankees but they can be very valuable to other teams and allow you to fill holes via trade.
Actually i don’t think they will be on top ten lists. Around 12 is good enough. If it is 14 or lower, i’ll have a little bit of a problem with that, but I wouldn’t be surprised because nearly no analysts likes to look at the Yanks minor league prospects.
This is halarious. First, GMs don’t develop prospects. There’s this thing that all teams have called a “scouting department” that drafts and develops prospects. Second the Yankees, if you look at their rosters, they have had more home grown players than most teams(Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes, Brett Gardner, most of the Bullpen)and have solid regulars holding down jobs for other teams that were developed by them(Austin Jackson, Jose Tabata, Ian Kennedy). They have also scouted and developed the Core Four(Jeter, Mo, Posada, Pettitte). There are alot more players developed by the Yanks who are retired right now. They may not have someone like Lincecum/Cain, or Lester/Buchholz, but they have shown they can develop talent, and I’m pretty sure their gonna finish developing alot more with the Killer B’s and Jesus Montero and Austin Romine looking nearly major league ready.
Yankee hater with absolutely nothing to back it up.
So Cashman didn’t have a hand in drafting/signing Hughes (18 game winner), Cano (MVP candidate), Gardner (5-6 WAR player), Austin Jackson (who was traded for Grandy), Cervelli (who was a great backup at lge minimum), Swisher (who he traded for a bad of socks) and Arod (who he traded Soriano for)? Not to mention key role players that he picked up for nothing like Berkman (got Astros to kick in $4 mil), Wood (got Indians to kick in $2.4 mil), Kearns and Thames who he signed on a $800k minor lge deal. Yeah you’re right, Cashman didn’t do anything to help build a winning team……except trade or draft for about 6 integral starters and a handfull of key role players.
As expected. Yankees will shell out money thats fact, but the Rangers can do the same, so if the Rangers can come close to the Yankees offer then Lee will sign with the Rangers. He has already said he loves it in Texas, has fun playing in Texas, and loves the team. So, money aside Rangers win, but if the Yankees bid is way higher than Texas is willing to handle then it become money and Lee will choose Yankees. I just wish Yankee fans would get some class, some do, but most not so much. Lee will decide for himself and for what is best for his family. Don’t automatically assume you can just throw money all over the place and expect players to immediately sign a contract. There are other aspects.
Cliff Lee and his wife are close friends with Sabathia. His agent also has AJ and Dustin Mosley as Yankee clients and w/ no disrespect to the Rangers, they have a lot of players who in 3 or 4 years might really get expensive and might require the Rangers to make some tough decisions. I’m not saying that the same circumstances are in play that existed when Arod was in Texas but probably the last thing Lee has to worry about is the Yanks cutting lose of their best players because they couldn’t afford them 3 or 4 years down the road. He already went thru that with the Indians and to a lesser extent the Expos. He MIGHT appreciate the fact that he should have an honest chance to play in the playoffs for the life of his contract if he signs with the Yanks. Also, I’m not sure of his personality but he may also have his sights set on breaking Pettitte’s all-time win record of 19 wins in post-season play. He has 7 right now and it’s conceivable that he could appear in 6 or 7 playoff runs if he signs w/ the Yanks. They’ve rattled off 13 in a row recently and have been in 14 of the last 16.
Mike Mussina joined the Yanks at age 32 and during his 8 year career with the Yanks from 2001-2008 he went 123-72. Lee has already won 102 games and who knows, a 200 game winning lefty on championship caliber teams and an all-time post season winner pedigree playing in the NYC media might lead to HOF consideration that maybe he wouldn’t get under too many other circumstances.
This is a great point…i hope Lee takes this into consideration in addition to the bottom line…
i hate all posts to do with yankees.. brings out both extremes. . the people that say oh yankees just buy up everyone
or the yankee fans that say our owners arent cheap or look at all the players we drafted..
In other news the Dallas Cowboys, at 1-7, are a bad team
It took a 1 – 7 record for you to conclude they “are a bad team.”
Have you watched a Cowboys game this season? Sure they’re very talented, but that isn’t a replacement word for a “good team”.
I’m a Cowboy fan watch all their games and just said it took a 1-7 record for u to realize there a bad team. Never said they have talent or were a good team or that talent=good team which it does not. I think u misunderstood what I previously posted.
Aubrey Huff at 1 year, 3 million is absorbing payroll? How delusional.
Also keep in mind that, yes, you drafted and developed a great core … However, only the Yankees, perhaps a few others, could have afforded to keep this core together financially.
Ppl can go back and forth and say all they want. The Yanks are not the kind of team looking for a “window opportunity” to compete. Ppl talk about the Rays and their recent success and saying they “did it the right way”. Well if doing it the “right way” is being a team that consistantly finished among the bottom 5 teams which allowed them to draft inside the top 5 each year then yes they did it “the right way”. However, relying solely on the draft isn’t a sustainable way to compete in/and out every year just by itself. If you’re smart enough and if the stars align then those prospects will come together and maybe afford you a 3-5 window to compete but once those players become expensive then your time is usually up and you’ll find it harder to compete when you’re not drafting @ slot 1-5 but instead 25-32.
The Yanks are built to compete each and every year. Some years they’re stronger than others but just about every year they are in it. And to be in it means retaining the players you develop or trade for (Arod, Jeter, Mo, Posada, Pettitte and Cano) and suplementing them with needs when the opportunity presents itself. The Yanks retention of core players provides continuity and a foundation to build around and no GM, organizaiton member or fan should feel apologetic about that fact. Yanks pay the cost for continued success and dedication to delivering a consistantly competetive product that ppl pay hard earned money to watch.
More importantly, Anti-Yankee fans should NOT fear our payroll but fear that in addition to the wealth the team is making strides in producing more and more legit mlb prospects. Soon the Yanks “might” be able to have the best of both worlds. More inhouse everyday players and the payroll ability to sign what our farm might lack.
I’m gonna root for the Nationals in this one. Just because. It would be amazing if Washington could pull it off š
LETS GO NATIONALS! LETS GO NATIONALS! xD
5-6 years 100-120M. I don’t think the Yankees should go beyond that.
I am fed up with the argument about Yankees and their payroll. The so called “small” market team fans always talk about the payroll but forget the home grown players the Yankees made.
They talk about their restricted payroll but always seem to forget that they gladly pocket the luxury tax money the Yankees pay to them. Its not the Yankees fault that they sign the best FA’s. Its the small market teams owners fault who pocket the luxury tax money and deprive the fans of a championship caliber team.
Is this even news? Honestly?
Jesus Christ what a bunch of no educated whiny idiots. The only FA signed on our roster is texeira, cc, and aj.
Just cos we use our resources to resign our star studded roster that gets brought up from our farm system, doesn’t mean u have to whine and cry.
Go beg your team’s owner to Invest on your team.. BUT NOO. the money they get fro
The Yankees luxury tax goes into their fat greasy pockets.
I don’t even want cliff lee, because that douchebag gave a smirk when he caught a Johnny Damon pop up when he was pitching against us in the WS..
But.. Idk
Anyways.. We do need a lot of work to do.. Thanks to aj and Vasquez..
I’m a Yankee fan, but you need to check your facts. You make the rest of look bad.
Free agents on the Yankee roster (not counting guys like Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Marte and Rodriguez that were drafted/traded for and then re-signed as free agents or even guys like Cano or Nova who were signed as international free agents, meaning the Yankees outbid other teams to get them): Pettitte, Thames, Johnson, Winn, Moseley, Mitre, Park, Ring, Moeller, Huffman. Those lesser guys matter because the Yankees have the advantage of being able to drop 10 million or so on junk that provides nothing like Johnson, Winn, Mitre and Park without it impacting their ability to go out and get a player later.
I love the Yankees, and I love that they spend more than any other team and I love being in the postseason (nearly) every year. But you’re deluding yourself if you think the Yankees don’t have a MASSIVE advantage in payroll (which goes even further because year in and year out they spend as much as anyone in the amateur draft – they had 2010’s most over slot signings – and in the international free agent market).
Pettitte came up from the farm system..
All our money is gone to “re-signing” players who grew up in our farm system or players we got from trades.. If your argument is that the Yankees payroll is Josh because of all the lower contracts or that we pay the same in our farm, than that’s a weak statement.
Arod, jeter, pettitte’s contract should be more than enough to prove my point.
And paying your closer 15 million??? Who h team pays their closer 15 mil? Exactly. These are our homegrown talent. NOONE should tell us how much to pay them. Just saying..
Excuse my typos, I’m typin from an iPhone
For starters, Pettitte left after 2003. He was signed as a free agent for the ’07 season.
I don’t know what ‘payroll is Josh’ means so I can’t respond to that. But the fact that the Yankees can, and often do, spend more on amateurs than any other team is yet another way they have a huge competitive advantage.
My point is that the Rays (or many other teams) can’t or won’t afford to keep their homegrown talent in a way the Yankees can. Carl Crawford is probably the greatest player in the history of Tampa’s organization (a few years from now Longoria will likely take the title, but for now it’s Crawford). There is basically no chance of Tampa resigning the greatest player in the history of their franchise. On the flip, if the Yankees want to resign a Jeter or a Rivera or a Rodriguez they can and will.
It’s naive to pretend the Yankees don’t have an enormous advantage. I, for one, don’t mind and I feel no need to delude myself about it. I like winning and I like rooting for a team that’s always in the playoffs, but at least I recognize that the Yankees are having their way with an imbalanced playing field.
The Rays are not suffering from an “imbalanced playing field”. The Rays are suffering from a situation where the market they play in doesn’t support the product. They are looking to lower their payroll to $50-55 million. Now MLB is going to be able to sustain competitiveness with those financial restrictions (and keep in mind they get money from luxury tax and revenue sharing). MLB can implement a salary cap and the Rays STILL wouldn’t be able to keep their star players. Ppl act as if keeping the Yanks from spending somehow allows the Rays to spend more. Not the case. To my knowledge the Yanks have never signed a Ray’s free agent from them anyway. So when the Angels, Tigers or Red Sox or whoever signs CC will they keep pointing at the Yanks as the problem?
The fact that the economics of baseball and the Tampa region don’t allow them to financially compete is the very definition of an imbalanced playing field.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care. I love that the Yankees can outspend anyone. I’m not in favor of limiting the Yankees’ spending in any way, in fact (I think, on the whole, it’s actually a net positive for the game – think of the road revenue, merchandise sales and TV ratings they help generate). Really, I’m not saying it’s a problem, just a reality. BUT, the Yankees do play in a situation with more money than anyone else, the best market and one of the best TV/radio broadcast scenarios.
One free agent the Yankees signed from Tampa, small example but still, was Tino Martinez for his second stint in pinstripes. The Yankees signed Travis Lee from them the year before that.
My point was that even if there were a salary cap it would not help the Rays and their situation. There’s a major problem that exists in markets like Miami, Tampa and Oakland that relates to a poor market place. So if you’re talking about a salary cap to bridge the gap in spending for the Twins and the Yankees then yes that’s a valid example. But for the Rays it’s absolutely not. They have been one of the best teams in baseball for the past 3 years and there’s only been a marginal improvement in their gate draws. If anything, contraction might be a valid option. If a team isn’t viable then move those teams to markets that will support them. Then you can have an honest discussion about resolving all other comptetitve problems.
But I never said there should be a salary cap – I’m against one. I’m just pointing out that for a variety of reasons the Yankees have significant advantages over their competitors that go FAR beyond just making wise choices. Wise choices are part of it, but the best market and an enormous budget are critical too.
That market is mediocre in Tampa, but I’m not sure that it can’t support baseball. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Tropicana before (I was at the first game, years ago, after Piniella bleached his hair in honor of the team’s 1st 3 game winning streak), but that is a truly awful stadium. It has this surreal feeling to it and simply doesn’t feel like baseball. It actually reminds me, in a way, of the Reggie Lewis Center (the indoor track facility) in Boston more than any baseball stadium.
Plus, the stadium isn’t actually in Tampa Bay proper – if it were where Legends Field and Raymond James are currently located I think the team would have a much better chance to draw fans.
Also remember they, in effect, are paying Kei Igawa over 9 mil per year counting the posting (before luxury tax) to pitch as a lefty specialist in Scranton. No other team in baseball can afford a disaster like that.
Red Sox.
Possibly – easier pill for the Yanks to swallow, either way.
It doesnt really matter about highest payroll since 01 yanks have had the largest payroll in baseball and only won 1 world series so why be surprised if they throw money it doesnt guarantee a championship yankees arethe best team in baseball during regular season but with the exeption of last year yanks are not a playoff team
I agree. People who hate the Yanks or any team due to payroll size is rediculous. If the Yankees want to keep flushing 200 mil down the toilet every year while watching the Rangers win the World Series year after year, then that’s their perogotive. Everbody wishes their team had the money the Yankee’s have to spend.
Wait, the Rangers won the World Series? Did I miss something?
You just might miss something. Texas Rangers: World Champions 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014…..and so on…..and so on…..
im sorry i didnt know the rangers won the world series
shed know what your talking about before you comment
I know what I’m talking about. The Rangers WILL win the World Series. Bank on it, my friend and call your bookie.
it comes down to people are just jealous of the yankees and how successful the franchise is
Everybody, I do know what I’m talking about. My statement is about how it’s going to be because what’s in the past doesn’t matter.
…come on guys, pay attention.