Yankees general manager Brian Cashman suggested last week that the club is intent on re-signing second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who’s their best free agent and one of the few stars on the market. However, it doesn’t appear the two parties are anywhere close to a deal.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today told MLB Network that the Yankees are offering a four-year contract worth $75MM, but he added that LeMahieu is seeking a five-year, $100MM pact. The one-year gap between the two is accurate, but the money is not, a source informed Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. The Yankees and LeMahieu are actually apart by more than $25MM, according to Kuty. Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic hear the same.
While LeMahieu’s hope is to remain with the Yankees, he isn’t going to limit himself to one team in negotiations, as Rosenthal relays that the 2020 AL batting champion is going to start talking with other clubs. There is widespread interest in the 32-year-old, though some teams are in “why bother” mode with LeMahieu because they expect him to return to the Yankees, per Sherman.
Historically, the Yankees have been able to keep their top free agents when they’ve wanted to, but it could be a different story this winter because of the team’s desire to cut payroll during the pandemic. As Sherman notes, if the Yankees get under the $210MM luxury-tax threshold in 2021, they’d be cutting around $50MM in payroll compared to last season.
Considering his contributions to the Yankees over the previous two years, it’s hard to imagine LeMahieu playing elsewhere in 2021. But it looks quite possible if he and the Yankees can’t reach a reasonable compromise in the coming weeks.
The Yankees shouldn’t fret over paying him 1 extra year worth of 25 million. They’re the Yankees. Think of it this way: It’s essentially signing a one year deal (because 5-4), and 1 year deals are never bad. I know he’s aging, but I think that deal would pay more benefits that it would hurt.
How many people can say they became a better hitter away from Coors Field? A batting champion in both leagues. I’d rather ATL devote the Ozuna dollars (and more) to DJ and put him at 3B, letting Riley take more COF.
Totally agree rundmc
Think of a team with Adam Dunn, Mark Reynolds, Dave Kingman and Chris Davis. That’s basically what the Yanks will have with Voight, Judge, Sanchez and Stanton. Which is why it’s imperative they re-sign DJ, they need a hitter on the team that can make contact.
I know exactly what you’re saying with the homer or nothing. But with those 4 it’s not as bad as the names you compare them to. Dunn, Reynolds, Kingman were 210 hitters, but at least Voit, Judge, and Stanton can hit over .270.
They need another contact hitter, but Urshela had an 82.6% contact rate this year and owns an 80.3% contact rate since 2019, which is a pretty decent contact rate.
I agree also RunDMC This way the kids can play in the outfield. But pardon my ignorance What is COF?
Corner Outfield
Thank You
rundmc, I was thinking the exact same thing. his numbers have improved away from Coors and as hes gotten older..? He’ll resign with the Yanks, it’s a given.
That’s what everyone thinks (including NYY), which is the problem. They think they’re only bidding against themselves which leaves room for everyone’s favorite team: the mystery team.
Why not then run up the price to help keep the Yankees above the tax threshold? That’s what Boston and the Mets should be doing. Besides if he takes the offer, you’ve improved your team and hurt the Yankees. I realize the compensatory pick but he’s an exception and most likely you don’t Sedona anything but run up the cost to the Yankees.
*do
@RunDMC oh man. What a move that would be. I like it.
Yankees stadium LF line is 318 ft, Coors Field 347 ft.
Yankees stadium RF line 314 ft, Coors Field 350 ft.
And you want to bring up who hits better in which ballpark. The thin air doesn’t make up enough with those dimensions in play.
Just keeping it Real!
They just got a huge discount on the last contract and he is worth what he’s asking for as his MVP caliber 2 years and $24 million contract they just paid him was grossly underpaid.
Tampa Bay Rays RF line is 320, LF is 315
Fenway RF line is .302, LF is 310 to the wall
Minute Maid Park RF is .326
Sometimes players get lucky and their home parks play to their advantage…..DJL hits to all fields and is one of the few players who aren’t shifted by any team in either league.
You’ve obviously never hit a seven iron in the mountains. The advantage to hitting in Yankee Stadium over Coors is zero to none.
The best line I’ve heard to describe it? When someone asked Uecker if the ball really carries like everyone says in Colorado, he replied, NO…. Much better.
I know! A lot of people are always bashing Colorado’s hitting numbers. Well, LeMahieu has proven them wrong.
Yankees crying poor….
I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to pay the luxury penalty either. For a year it is ok, but if you don’t reset it, it gets costly.
@DMC. Not even in my wildest dreams would I dare hope the Braves upgrade their biggest hole on the team with DJL. I imagine you don’t actually believe that will happen either, but man, how potent would our line up be with DJL manning 3B.
It would be perfect, But the Braves have had a hard time with a long contracts. I would love it! How about 4@80 w/option
Or would you rather the LAD get him in that already scary lineup. Dodgers are gonna make an impact move just don’t know at what position or positions.
I hadn’t really given it much thought (mainly because I always picture NYY/DJ being Ross & Rachel), but depending on the validity of the numbers reported, while also not knowing what ATL is playing with, it could be a safer option, IF not knowing when DH decision is coming and thinking that DJ’s bat (and to a lesser extent, glove) will age better. His position flexibility also makes things interesting, giving more time for Riley to establish himself offensively, while manning a COF position he looked pretty good in at times (upgrade over Ozuna’s regular work). I don’t know about 5 years for either DJ/Ozuna though.
No one in their right mind would pay any player $20-$25 a year for 4-5 years to play a position, 3B, they are defensively weak at who is 33 years old and who has no power.
Yeah, I agree, crying poor is vastly different than paying 2 dollars to everyone else’s one dollar. That’s just bad business which is why MLB needs to continually increase the LTT incrementally.
Take it from a fan who has seen several of those contracts with a 4th or a 5th year that never seem to work out. See Dexter Fowler and to an extent, Matt Carpenter’s 3 year extension. I’m hoping his 4th year option doesn’t vest.
Crying poor to pay for your sorry club that can’t generate revenue. Maybe if they actually worked at it.
Watch the Mets do it,just like Philly and Atlanta do it.
Just clutch your Royals banner every 30 years and be happy.
@FredMcGriff for the HOF- hardly the case at all, they will still have the highest payroll in the majors. Last thing the league needs is a salary cap. Best case scenario is staying under the luxury tax for every team.
They’ve the highest payroll by a large margin and want to reduce it somewhat. Calling that “crying poor” is ridiculous and goes to show how deluded many fans are about baseball economics.
I understand what you’re getting at, @Rangers29. A lot of that is a leftover belief, however.
Hal is not George, man.
Pops was much more interested in winning than the he was the bottom line. Say what you want about him (& many, many things have been said about him) but George would put 70-80% of revenue back into payroll. Good heavens. I doubt we’ll ever see an owner of any team in any sport do that again.
The Yanks still win. They still have a high payroll. But they don’t throw nearly as much money around as they did in the past. The mantra has gone from “Championship or bust!” to “the playoffs are a crapshoot, bro.”
I think going from a 250 mil payroll to one sub 210 in one season is a horrible idea. But even with that the Yanks’ll be a postseason team unless utter disaster occurs. & I don’t really expect a whole lot of sympathy from say…Royals, Reds, & Pirates fans. Uh…I guess I don’t really expect sympathy from – well – *any* fan base at all.
Which is one of the fun parts of being a Yankee fan. Some of us prefer to wear black cowboy hats.
Emotionally, I’ve already parted ways with DJ. Ya never know. I didn’t see them ponying up for Cole last year. And if they’re truly tightening up the belt that 18-19 mil AAV he’ll get should be spent on multiple players. This off-season in particular.
“Championship or bust! to The playoffs are a crapshoot bro.” That’s classic, Lol. also unfortunately true.
@NYstateofmind
There was a great Yankees blog called River Ave Blues. In the middle of the decade we used to joke about “Cashman’s 85 win maintenance program”.
Well, I think at this point it’s now the 95 win maintenance program.
Which…let’s face it, is really not a bad place to be as far as your favorite team goes. Absolutely every team’s fans would gladly “settle” for that, uh.
It’s just different for some of us who remember a different mind set. Again though, I don’t expect much sympathy from fans of any other team in MLB, man.
@Ducky
I remember RAB, listen pal I’m right there w/you. Love your posts, keep up the good & insightful work.
Yeah but the 95 wins haven’t gotten a championship. The playoffs are NOT a crapshoot.
If you’re going to count pennies, however, you can’t really spend 22 mil+ on a DH and 9 mil on a seventh inning guy who isn’t great.
Great blog. Hasn’t been replicated anywhere that I’ve seen.
I agree with Mr Axisa when he said he’d ran, “the best damn Yankee blog for thirteen years”.
I’m in my fifties. Been a Yankee fan the whole time, man. After seasons when they didn’t win, the owners & GM’s would apologise. 2019 was the first time in ~ five decades I *didn’t* hear that.
That “playoffs are a crapshoot”? That’s a direct quote from Cashman at the end of the ’19 season, serious.
I certainly wish Hal would be a little more interested in emulating his father’s ever present all-in mentality. I know it drives a number of Yankee fans insane. At this point I’ve sorta just taken an: it is what it is (as the wise man said) type of outlook.
I’ve been really fortunate as a Yankee fan. I’ve seen two dynasties plus a spare World Series title. A handful more of AL pennants. Haven’t watched a losing team in ~ a quarter century.
I guess everything changes at some point, man.
@Kevins
Yeah.
I know.
Accepting it & advocating for it are two completely different things. Ya know?
22 mil is what the red sox are paying Martinez. That’s really not that onerous of a sum. As for Ottavino…I’d like to see him pushed down a couple spots in the pen. That’ll make him a useful albeit expensive player.
I have several boats & kayaks. Otto is like my pedal kayak. It actually cost more than my other two & I use it significantly less. But it does come in handy a few times every autumn.
@Ducky.. No Hal doesn’t spend like George but George screwed up plenty with some of his acquisitions. Not to mention trying to trade away the core four while they were still prospects. George also wasn’t operating under the current system which gives lots of Yankees money to the Rays.
Before panicking over DJLM, remember how many Yankees fans were upset they signed him in the first place. I trust Cashman to do the right thing with the position players. I am concerned about the starters though.
Yeah for sure, @Joe Says… .
Like I said one can say a lot of things about King George, man.
One thing that *cannot* be said – however – is that he was comfortable with losing. Or that he had any qualms about breaking out the checkbook to sign free agents.
I do like Cashman. I think he’s been a pretty good GM for us. But let’s face it. The Yanks are trying to transition to…I dunno…let’s call it Dodgers East. I’m starting to wonder if Cash is really The Guy to oversee that.
NO power? Lol.
You are absolutely correct about George and Hal.
Also correct about Cashman. The window was open for a few years after ’17, a season in which we should have made the WS (see cheating Astros). Our GM’s strategy involved obtaining another RH slugging OF, JA Happ, spending an exorbitant amount on the BP, and trading for an oft-injured SP. While Corbin, Keuchel went elsewhere. Never enough emphasis on SP and when it is addressed, it is often faulty. Spend money on SP and get more balance in the lineup.
Like Robinson Cano?
Let him walk..gross over pay for age 33-38…Yanks have infield depth and they’ll get draft pick compensation when he signs elsewhere
Even if he leaves @flyfisher64, I still think we need an external addition to the middle infield. I’m not sold on either Wade or Thairo. But there are numerous pretty good keystone players available that will cost half the AAV & years.
The elephant in the room is that second basemen have a long history of sudden & rapid decline. I’d be uncomfortable if I was Cash going any longer than 3 years. It ain’t my money but I really would prefer a two year deal.
His defense is declining. & if more of those flyballs start landing on the warning track instead of over the wall, his value plummets in a hurry.
Always good to see another sportsman on the board.
If they let him walk, the only thing that makes sense in terms of long-term planning is their intention to sign one of the several top-tier infield FAs next year. Outside of that, the plan is “Hell, let’s wing it and how she flies”
Its not a one year deal. Its a five year deal he wants. One additional year 5 years into the future is not the same thing as a one year deal.
If the 4 year deal goes bad in year 3 then that would be two bad years on a 4 year contract then now you add the “additional” bad year.
Yankees offer 4 years already factoring in that 5 years may be too long
Rangers29:
But it isn’t just about the money. IIRC, last season was the Yankees second consecutive year over tax threshold, elevating their penalty this season into the 40% bracket, if they go over. No big deal for the them I know. But last season their payroll was $237M, just 3 million under the level that would incur additional monetary penalties as well as losing draft choices.
Not sure how much money is coming off the books, or what the arb raises will amount to, but obviously they can’t just spend whatever it will take, and explains why they’re being so conservative with LeMahieu.
How do the Yankees stay under the threshold if they resign him? Don’t they need to sign several starting pitchers too?
I don’t see how they do it either. Figured it’s either let him walk or forget about the threshold. They could just trade for cheap pitchers. Not much wiggle room.
That’s why yanks aren’t in on him. This is a lip service article designed to drive up his price.
“You’re competing w yanks and deals almost done so better hurry and make your best offer”
DJ prob ends up in Toronto.
Doubt it. Prediction: Toronto signs no big name/expensive players. Why: Toronto is showing interest in too many players to sign a huge guy
Yankees really only need one starter. They have Cole, German, Montgomery and Garcia. Also have Schmidt and Severino coming back midseason.
DJ has the Spanks over a barrel, IMHO. He knows the Metsies are going to be on the back pages all winter, and Yankee fans will go nuts if they don’t re-sign him.
NY is a two team town again, and Cashman knows it, too. DJ’s a Yankee; cost is not totally irrelevant, but it’s close.
This particular Yankees fan won’t “go nuts”. If the Mets land him so be it. I hope he gets a great deal. His defensive numbers were rather mundane last season. He is physically slowing down. & a good portion of his offensive success is a direct correlation to playing in The Stadium.
You’ll notice I refrained from using “muts” or the famous “LolMets” or something like that in referencing your squad.
😉
“NY is a two team town again”
Eh, even as a Mets fan, they have to actually do something to put themselves on the level of the Yankees. The Cohen story will only be big news in and of itself until they start losing. And they’ve only signed two moderately prices FAs so far.
Now, if they go out and sign one or two big names, that could change things. But if they don’t perform well, all you will hear is Same Old Mets.
Sooooo, by the Yankees telling DJ we are going only to 4/75 million and you’re welcome to shop other teams, that’s HIM having THEM over a barrel?! Wow, that’s a much different perspective than from which I saw it. Also, I’ve spoke with @Ducky about this very topic and….I don’t think Yankee fans are going to be quite as upset as you’d think. In reality, pre-DJ Yankees ended up in virtually the same place, no?
Yeah man, @Clipper.
And, let’s face it. NY could easily have a third MLB franchise & there’d be plenty to go around for everyone.
NY has been a 2 team town for a long time. But the Mets were still a clown show.
If Cashman lets DJ walk away, the Yankees will collapse and it will be ugly to watch for years (except for Judge, Stanton, Cole, Voit). We’d be the next Secret Base (f/k/a SB Nation) laughing stock.
Can’t see judge and Stanton aging well due to their size and injury history. Can’t think of any elite hitters their size when their bat speed inevitably slows down in their 30s
@kingbeas.
Frank Thomas.
Frank Robinson.
Dave Winfield.
Adam Dunn.
Daryl Strawberry.
Dave Kingman.
You still so sure about that?
I love how one of the knocks on Mookie Betts was how as a smaller player he was going to break down as he got older.
Well… which one is it, lads? & look at all the productive football & hoops players that are still playing well in their 30’s.
LeBron is a good example of that.
I don’t buy into that narrative & I’ve never seen any proof of it either.
Ooof. Why is Dunn or Kingman on your list?
Straw missed time due to suspension, Thomas was the bigger hurt in his 30s.
Winfield and Robinson were supreme athletes. But your examples helped make King Beas argument much stronger TBH.
Hold off on your “oof”, bro.
They make the list as big dudes that were productive MLB players in their 30’s. That was the only criteria I used. Hence why guys like Richie Sexson didn’t make the cut.
Were they as good as they’d been in their primes? Of course not.
Now wether you like them as players – or not – is an entirely different matter. But stay on the field & still be able to grip it & rip it?
Yes.
I think the issue with Stanton and Judge is their muscle mass. Most of the guys on your list are the big and burly type, or pretty thin and tall. Judge and especially Stanton are big and ripped. Which isn’t a great combo for staying healthy longterm in MLB. Obviously having as many injuries in their 20’s as well doesn’t bode well for aging well either.
Ya know, I’ve heard similar takes. Every time I’ve asked for a link or something to help confirm that assertion nothing is provided.
I go to Fangraphs. I like metrics & the new statistics. And I’m not one of those fellas that demands charts, graphs, ratios, etc in order to “prove” something in baseball.
The thing is, I haven’t even seen any decent anecdotal evidence. Like I said, one of the knocks on Betts was that as a smaller player he was going to be prone to breaking down. No one seemed to be able to back that claim up, either.
I’m just not convinced in any way that there’s anything to this.
They had their window with them. and made some poor choices. The window is almost closed. They should have put their money in pitching not Stanton or Ellsbury. Now it will be DJ. As a Red Sox fan I would be thrilled if they signed DJ to a long term deal, as I was with Ells and Stanton. They don’t need bats. They were stacked, but had to have Stanton. I remember the Yankee fans saying how they stole him. LOL The beat goes on.
I need to ask this to all Yankees fans. How is this Cashman’s fault. He doesn’t write the checks guys, please blame someone else not Cashman.
But i think if Cashman gets bounced, it will be so the Steinbrenner leadership doesn’t take the heat. The Yankees fans will never accept an owner who wont spend this off-season. That would be the equivalent of taking lessons from the Wilpons. I like Brian, and think he has done a great job managing all that is Yankees. But i think with Theo taking a year off, his position is in The crosshairs this season. World Series or he’s out.
Yankee fans have No Choice. Yanks don’t rely on attendance, and have the largest tv package. What are you going to do? Watch the Mets?
Cashman has a short & long term budget (at least a 3yr plan) to work with, it’s ultimately his responsibility to find a way to make it work. Hell, with that train of thought no GM would ever be fired.
I’m not blaming Cashman @nationalpastime.
But the Yanks are changing the way they operate. I honestly think they are trying to emulate the Dodgers. I think Cash has done a pretty good job. He’s never had a losing season in 22 years. I realize he’s had big payrolls to work with but that’s *still* impressive.
I’m just not entirely convinced he’s really the guy who can lead the Yankees through that transition.
Cashman is a genius what he’s accomplished in the yrs when they were over run with injuries. I think he’s terrific, coming from a RS fan. Maybe cut him some slack, Hal gives the orders about signing FA. Evil Empire fans should be grateful they have such a baseball genius as Cashman, and i doubt he’s going anywhere.
Seems to me Seems to me the Yankees won 100 games immediately before DJL arrived on the scene. Let’s not get carried away and suggest he’s the second coming of The Babe or Joltin’ Joe.
Collapse? You’re an idiot.
Yankees arent going anywhere. They be here long after we are dead. And Im a Braves fan, from NY
DJ is playing his hand here, which is fair. Ask for the moon all day long and hope you get it. But if you don’t, make sure you’ve gotten them to come as close to your number as possible.
They really should just hire a live band.
You got him on the cheap for the past 2 years do the right thing and pay the man!
5/$100M seems like a lot. Are any other teams willing to go that high, or would the Yankees be bidding against themselves?
The Yankees offering 4/$75m is just the Yankees chumming the water. LeMahieu is getting north of $20m per year. Of course, I think the Yankees want to see exactly who will step out of the shadows to offer that number. The Dodgers? Maybe. The Jays? I don’t know. It’s a weird market but in the end I expect he heads back to the Bronx.
I posted well earlier this year that DJ outside of New York is worth about 15 million and if I were the Yankees I would have held firm at 17-18 million per year over 4 years…. Current offer is 18.75… I wouldn’t move beyond it and let LeMahieu weigh being a Yankee legend or let him chase a couple million bucks on be considered one of the biggest free agent busts.
I love DJ, really wanted the Cubs to sign him 2 years ago but his skill set is perfect in New York and isn’t going to play nearly as well outside of it. He will still be a good hitter, don’t get me wrong, but he isn’t going to be a great hitter.
@drasco, I agree. He is the perfect fit for Yankee Stadium. His bat won’t play as well in 90% of the parks out there. Further, I don’t see any other teams, Dodgers included, giving 5/100. Don’t forget, Dodgers know his strengths and weaknesses as well as any team out there. That said, to get it done, if I were the Yankees’ brass, I’d give him 4/80 with a club option at 8-10MM. No team in MLB is going to top that this off-season for DJLM.
**5th year club option
Am I the only one who’s a bit wary of committing a big deal to this guy? He’s obviously been amazing in for NYY, but I don’t know if he can keep it up. His power production could be a product of the short porch.
Nope, apparently the Yankees feel the same as you.
Are they planning on changing the dimensions? Then don’t worry about it.
I am a bit wary too, the power though I do not worry about as the short porch isn’t going anywhere. But middle infielders generally do not age well.
I wouldn’t give him 5 years and I’m not sure I would give him 20 million a year. Baseball is not a one player sport, it takes a few to spark a team
Signing a second baseman exciting his prime until from age 32 to 37? Not something I would pursue with intensity.
Simply negotiating by DJs camp. Toronto isnt going to top the Yanks offer, unless the Mets unexpectedly do.
It’s not a team being cheap; it’s a team and player taking their time to agree on the closest number between them both. Probably see him sign a deal for 5 years $90M~ With incentives in late January.
If this is really the hold up then I expect this to be done and over with soon. 5 years/110 mil is a no brainer for the Yanks. Have him play 2b until they find their SS then slide Gleyber back to 2b and DJ can play either 1b or 3b. Honestly if they are worried about him staying healthy the length of the contract then slide him to 1b next year. This is a no brainer I don’t even understand why the contracts aren’t being drawn up as we speak.
They need to get creative, maybe include incentives for later years. Otherwise likely paying for old, injured or washed up player. He should be paid for what he will bring, not what he has done.
If the Yankees offer is the highest offer, they are not going to bid against themselves.
DJ back at 2b (YES!) means Torres back at ss (ugh). Get Lindor instead of DJ and move Torres to 2b.
If they get Lindor they would most likely have to give up Torres, right?
I don’t see any way the Yankees trade Torres as any part of a package for Lindor, unless one of the Indians’ young starting pitchers are involved to. But even then, I don’t see it happening. This is all, of course, just my opinion.
Easier to just wait a year. (OMG! The NYY might not be ALL IN for a whole year!!)
or trade luke or gio for a SS and move DJ to the corners……Plus we need a ton of good SP, not the usual cashman crap
You sir are correct! We need a shortstop not two 2nd basemen -Torres is a terrible SS – & if you re-sign DJL that’s what you’re getting. The Yankees need to trade for Lindor & let DJ walk just like they did Cano. And trust me I love LaMachine but I just don’t see it working.
“It’s the smart move. Tessio was always smarter.”
If they get Lindor, they’d have to give up prospects and he’s a FA after 2021. And he will likely command much more money than DJ.
@rct
I know, you’re right but at least Lindor fixes your long term problem at short & I’d rather spend it on him then DJM. Or if you want get all crazy & fling open the fault door, sign DJM, trade for Lindor & spit the bit on Urshela. At least that’s what “The Boss” would do, Lol
Could sign Didi probably for 10 million less per year. And Gleyber could go back to second.
5 years but with team options or go back to obscurity playing in some third world city.
I’d give him the $20 million a year he wants, but I don’t think I’d go to five years on him given his age. Four years, $80 million seems fair to me. If you need to add an option year with a buyout to make him feel like it could be a five-year deal, then do it, but I wouldn’t guarantee that fifth year.
Somebody said DJ has the Yankees over a barrel. That’s too funny
I’ve never heard a DJ play Roll out the Barrel. You need a good polka band. Break out the accordions.
DJ will get one of these two deals from the Yanks, 4/85, or 5/98.
@slider32- I was thinking 4/90 with a 5th year option, or 5/115. My guess is the later. The Yankees will likely match his best offer, or come close and he will resign.
4 year $80 mill take it or leave it. NO. Hey Marcus 2year 30 mil. Thats a savings of 60 mill over 2 years. With the luxury tax savings
Those two deals alone put them over the CBT. They are at $185M right now, so they have ~$25 Million to work with.
Sorry, I read that wrong. You are saying Marcus as a backup plan to DJ if he says no, got it!
Easy to say when its not your $100 million, but pay the man please! We have other things to do this offseason!!
If the Yankees want to sign Lemahieu and go with Torres at SS and go with a makeshift pitching staff, have at it.
The Yankees would be crazy to commit 5 years to this guy. Judge & Torres are 1year closer to free agency themselves so are Yankees fans ready to lose one of these two because the Yankees overspent again and can’t move DJL & his $20M+ Salary in a couple of years? Yankees would be better off signing Kim out of the KBO and let him & Torres compete for SS/2B. By spending $20M on DJL, they put themselves very close to CBT jail for their 3rd consecutive year.
Well, clearly you haven’t seen him play one game for the Yankees. He leaves and you replace him with anyone less than Lindor this off-season and the team falls apart next year.
Don;t know about “falling apart” if DJL leaves and they don’t sign Lindor…..but the Yankees aren’t signing a guy out of the KBO and letting him compete for either the starting SS or 2nd positions….in the words of our new president elect “Come On man”!!!!
If it was for 2-3 years I agree 100%, but 5 years is way too long. Money can be spent better elsewhere. Then again, what other team is going to offer DJL 5/100+?
You said it: other stars are moving through arb, getting raises, approaching FA one year at a time.
Cole is also getting older. As are the pieces of that bullpen.
So what do you do? Bringing back DJL is going all in.
Letting DJL walk, well, they weren’t good enough in 2020 WITH him… so obviously you need to replace his production if you let him go, as well as upgrade elsewhere to be better than the year before.
Already played the past two seasons without Judge (essentially). The Yankees are the Boston Red Sox the past two years without DJLM. We are not the Royals! Yankees are paying 26 million for Ellsbury to go away and leave us alone. I think we can find some money for the best hitter in MLB.
I think the insurance company is paying Ells.
I think the insurance company is paying Ells.
I think the insurance company is paying Ells.
I think the insurance company is paying Ells.
Are you willing to commit 20M + to Judge? While when healthy is a very good player but how many seasons has he made it through a full season or close to it.?
@Dorthy
This is the kind of straight thinking we’ve come to expect from you. Again, I love DJL but if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work…AND it doesn’t work. Time to move on
Just time to forget the dj
@Shaun owens- that is unlikely to happen
The Yankees will sign DJ. They just got to give him that 5th year. Definitely looks like Tanaka is gone. Expect Lester, Kluber, Rodon, or Quintana on a 1 year deal. They might make a trade with the Pirates for Taillon or Musgrove depending on who’s cheaper. And that might be Taillon, coming off an injury.
If another team is really offering a contract north of $100m, then DJL would have taken it by now.
@NY_Yankee- The Dodgers and the BlueJays are probably offering close to $120 million for 5 years. If the Yankees offer close to 115 million for 5 years he will likely stay in NY. He wants to stay here.
Yeah, i doubt any teams are offering that much money unless they are deferring portions of it.
Yeah about that….. Dodgers wouldn’t come close to that
If the Yankees can get under the luxury tax, they might have Story or Lindor as the shortstop was n 2020.
@NY_Yankee- the problem with getting Story, Baez, or Lindor via trade, you have to give up top prospects, and then sign one of them to a extension right after the trade. The Yankees would just be better off just signing DJ and giving up nothing.
I am willing to bite the bullet and wait until 2022 if I can get Story or Lindor. I am not paying $100m or more for him.
If Cohen wants to be embraced by the Mets fans, signing DJ would do it, and it’d be absolutely hilarious. That being said, I expect the Yankees to work something out. I’d be shocked to see DJ in another uniform.
5 years $100 million is $20 million per year.
4 years $75 million is $18.75 per year.
They are close in dollar amounts, $1.25 million per year apart and a year off on length.
That’s what negotiations are about. It’s not $25 million apart as the headlines state.
Over exaggeration for sure…Lol
The headline doesn’t say they are $25 million apart. The writer is reporting what other industry analysts are saying. We have three different reports;
1. The Yankees have offered 4/$75M
2. DJL wants 5/$100M
3. The difference between the two sides is greater than $25M.
It’s implying the report that the Yankees offered 4/$75M is false or what DJL is demanding is false. Or perhaps that third report is false, but I don’t see how you can reasonably just dismiss any of them.
I cannot even believe we’re having this discussion. Brian, are you kidding me?
You asked Hal for $ 324,000,000 but he won’t give you $25m for one of the greatest hitters in Yankees history.
What a disappointment, I thought the Wilpon’s were out of NY.
Hang the DJ
Everybody wants to crap on the Yankees but I don’t blame them for not wanting to go five years on a guy who will be pushing 33 by the time the season starts. That sounds like a free agent land mine in the making. I’d just offer a higher AAV in order to sign him to three years. It might make him one of your highest paid players, but at least you wouldn’t be paying him in his decline years.
Giving a 33 year old a guaranteed 100 million dollar contract would be very foolish. You don’t pay a player for what they’ve already done.
7 homers a year over 7 years in Colorado, OPS+ of 93. Then suddenly, to the vitamin capital of the world, and he’s the greatest hitter in yankee history? Sign him up for at least 5 years!
Wow. You actually went there…..
It’s pretty clear that it’s the short porch that aided him in NY. If he’s on PED’s in NY, he would’ve been on them in Colorado.
Suggest you look at his spray chart….you may change your mind about his power…..and as far as the short porch in Yankee Stadium;
Tampa Bay Rays RF line is 320, LF is 315 – don’t think 2 feet makes a difference do you?
Fenway RF line is .302, LF is 310 to the wall – the shortest
And just for comparison…..Minute Maid Park RF is .326
Sometimes players get lucky and their home parks play to their advantage…..DJL hits to all fields and is one of the few players who aren’t shifted by any team in either league. And, he happens to play in a division where 3 of the 5 teams all have very short distances down their lines….
Damn, so his home run spray chart shows that he was aided by Yankee stadium, which is exactly what I suggested. Thanks for that?
You need to look at OBP. look at the stats it will show you who is the best
Not another Yankee doing the PED’s!!! Say it ain’t so DJLM….
I think its the .364 BA this year 25 HR avg per year and almost 200 hits per year in 162 games avg the last few years
I know players “figure it out” without vitamins. I’m just pointing out that absent one year he wasn’t anywhere special at all in hitter’s paradise. Everyone gripes that the Rockies hitters stats are inflated. This guy was not one of those players at all. Now all of a sudden he’s an MVP candidate. If you don’t think pitchers will adjust and find holes, then it must be vitamins. Otherwise, they’re going to figure out how to get him out, and he regresses to sub 100 OPS+.
At whyhaterzee that’s ridiculous
I know, see my second comment. I was being facetious. My bad.
Well before the Nats won the WS in ’19, I posted to their now defunct chat room that they would never win without doing the following: Bring back Asdrúbal Cabrera, get a catcher that has WS experience, and hire Kevin Long as hitting coach. As it turned out, they did exactly that… OK, NYY: bring back DD! Then, you have some leverage over DJ’s agent (DJ is sitting on a beach in Central East FL, wearing his NY hat no less.). Oh, and get a catcher with WS experience. Point is, some guys just seal the deal, others just help get you there. Gene Michael and Bob Watson were able to FEEL this.
If the Yankees are soooooo concerned about spending too much money then why the hell did they trade for Stanton!?!?
Because the Stanton deal was made in a toooootally different time and situation.
It the Yankees were the only stupid team to take on such a stupid contract. Like hey we are the Yankees let’s waste another boat load of money on a guy who can’t handle NY and is injured 90% of the time. Just like when the resigned Arod
chip chipperson:
I’m guessing you have a short memory. Stanton had a no-trade clause. The Giant’s made an offer, which was the Marlins first choice. Stanton would have been in SF had he approved the trade, but he didn’t. Next in line were the Cardinals, who, like the Giants, were also willing to take on Stanton’s salary. Stanton nixed that trade as well. It was only Stanton’s willingness to accept a trade to NY, getting the Marlins the third best trade offer, that put him in NY.
Just give LeMahieu a 5 yrs $100 Million already!
Year 1 $25 M
Year 2 $25 M
Year 3 $20 M
Year 4 $15 M
Year 5 $15 M
That’s it, pay him the most in his 1st 3 yrs that way you have some insurance after the 3rd yr in case you need to trade him, his annual venue is not up there in the sky!
to4:
That would make it easier to trade him, but it doesn’t solve the Yankee’s problem That would be a $20M hit toward the CBT, putting them over for the third straight year and into the 40% tax bracket.
Yeah, they could afford that, but if they exceed a $240M payroll (it was $237M last season), they lose draft choices with additional surtaxes. Giving DJLM more than their budget allows limits additional FA signings. That’s what they want to avoid.
The Q for the Yanks to really ponder:
Is there REALLY a strong viable second suitor for DJ?
DJ Springer JTR will be fascinating case studies….. if there was ever a yr to take off the gloves and play dirty at the negotiation table from the owners this is it!
It aint my money either way; but I will say I want my Gm/Owner taking off those gloves this offseason and getting in the dirt. More than 1 way too skin a cat, you dont have to be dead set on anybody this year if the price aint right-
Agree wholeheartedly I feel the Yankees should tab in the trade market for this very same reason they shouldn’t be handcuffed to one player even if its a player they love and know fully well over these last two years don’t pay for past success and instead think logically if they sign DJ that leaves Torres at short where his footwork is not the best but you move Torres to 2nd with is bat and all of a sudden his defense is way better he comes one of the top 2nd basemen.
So the question is should the Yankees instead allocate to fill the holes in various positions or stay on one position and not upgrade the rest?
I would love the Yankees to try and get Jackie Bradley Jr and move him around in the Outfield lets face it the Yankees Outfield is Paper Thin and bringing in a superior defensive outfielder with the short porch you will see a different ballplayer and if they can get either Correa or Lindor you now upgraded on two positions and I feel Odorizzi would be a good fit as well
You get Lindor,JBR & Odorizzi or Correa, JBR & Odorizzi that would provide depth all around.
You guys should do a piece on contracts, age, and WAR. Show how many of these 5+yr deals at Age 30-32 actually pan out.
Bottom line is this all MLB lost a lot of revenue then you add the Yankees case not only losing money due to pandemic but not trying to get hit with additional taxes everyone knows what DJ brings to the table but also we have to look at his age going into the season he will be 33 years old and going 4-5 years at what he is trying to get $25 million is too rich and they will be stuck with another high contract with a player past his prime by the time the contract is up.
Also signing DJ will prevent them from doing any more signings so this signing will handcuff the Yankees if the goal is to stay under the luxury so will signing DJ improve the Yankees? It wont because Starting pitching will still be in flux as much as he is a fan favorite it is best they let him go somewhere else allocate the money to spend on starting pitching and making a trade whether its for Correa, Lindor or Story this gets Torres where he belongs at 2nd base and 2022 current salary will be at $118.5 million
Cashman once again trying to short Yankee fans. He does just enough to keep them afloat.
I believe in this case it is different as is for all the clubs due to the loss of revenue they just experienced and on top of that not knowing what to expect going forward either if Fans will be allowed or if the baseball season will start on time.
The problem is here we have a ballplayer that at the time the Yankees signed him most major pundits were stating why the Yankees threw that much money on a ballplayer from Colorado that they were stating his numbers were inflated but also the Yankees were overpaying for a utility guy that wouldnt have a set position at the time with the Yankees but Cashman believed in him and his analytics department now fast forward and it was the best money spent on a player that finished in the MVP his both years with the Yankees now everyone is saying no way the Yankees should let him walk and should pay him top flight.
But here is the problem he will be 33 years old on opening day if he commands $25 million then you are paying for past services and not future services so that is something that Brian’s department is carefully looking at what if they give him say $23 million and he goes bust next four years those same pundits that were stating pay him will say once again the Yankees gave big money to an aging player.
That’s all very true. But on a team full of sluggers who strike out too much and fail to put the ball in play in key situations DJM is your best player. In October when your team needed a clutch hit who was getting it the majority of the time? Mind you the fact that you’re getting Gold Glove defense at mulitple positions(and a .300 avg). If the Yankees lose him they will be a worse team and that should be the bottom line in resigning DJM. This isn’t a Ellsbury situation where you re paying a guy for what he did somewhere else because he’s been your best player by far for the last 2 seasons. If Cashman can’t come up with 5/90 for this guy that would be a joke to me. There is such a thing a late bloomer.
Yes without a doubt DJ has been the MVP of the Yankees not Judge, not Stanton he has been the rock of that foundation but again they have to be careful too in the # of years they are offering and dollars I would give him a 3 year pact with the team option year 4 I wouldn’t go 5 years but a 3yr/$68-$70million or 4yr/$90 million with a team option year 4 .
Or backload say Year 1 give him $19 million, Year 2 $28 million Year 3 $23 or four years at Year 1 $20 milliion, Year 2 $30 million Year 3 $22 and Year 4 Team Option $18
Bottom line they need Year 1 for DJ to help them out so they can use that extra money to upgrade on other areas and give him his due Year 2 then either way I still dont see how the Yankees will offer him 5 years I think Cashman is making it very clearly with his cryptic notes.
DJM is worth going 5 years for. He leads by example and he hits .300 in his sleep. I look at him as a late bloomer kind of like Edgar Martinez. He will still provide value at the plate and at 1B well into his 30s. If Cashman plays hardball you will lose him and it won’t be easy to find a replacement. Can’t be naive about the situation he’s your best player.
I hear where you are coming from not to play hardball with your best player but from all indications in NYC the amount of years & 25 million apart is what is holding up everything which is why I believe that either they come to terms at 4 years not at $25 million as he wants more like $22 million-$23 million again that is just an opinion.
DJM has already stated that he would take a discount if he got the 5th year. If Cashman offered 5/90mil he would’ve signed that deal yesterday. Yankees really can’t afford to lose DJM.
Let’s be honest. Cashman has a problem. Despite the largest budget in baseball for payroll, scouts, training, facilities, analytics, coaches, development etc… he just can’t seem to compete when it matters in the fall..
Specifically other than Cole, he can’t build a SP staff. He can’t seem to find a contact hitting lefty bat, and he can’t seem to find a SS or C who can play D. Thank the good lord though he finds guys who can hit 18 dingers a year against the O’s and strike out 200 times.
Now he’s in a bind, because he “may” have to build a winner on only 210 million.
Time for someone new willing to take a chance to taste glory. the team needs to sign DJ to play one of the corners. flip luke or Gio for SS or legit SP, flip some other guys for LH hitters and bring in 3 solid #2-3 type of pitchers.
Cashman blows this you’re gonna have a lot of pissed off NYY fans! DJ is only a 2 year Yankee player but displays to fans, teammates, management & owner as a Yankee at heart, he loves being a Yankees, respects the history and would love to one day be included in conversation as legacy of greats! Sign him and stop playing around!!