04/26/24
November 10, 2010
Sources: Yankees Will Overpay Jeter: Derek Jeter's offer is expected to be for three years at somewhere between $15 million and $20 million per season, two unnamed sources told ESPN. "That would be a slight paycut from his $21 million paycheck in 2010, but still well above the going rate for a shortstop who hit .270 last year and will hit his 37th birthday two weeks before the next All-Star Game," writes Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.Com.
Sources: Water is wet.
Sure, it's wet. I just didn't think it'd be that wet.
posted by tron7 at 02:07 PM on November 10, 2010
Sources: Baseball executives will continue to pay for past performance.
Sources: Agents will continue to successfully negotiate above market deals for certain players because they players are "The Face of the Franchise."
Sources: Even though no one else is in the running, the Yankees will pay above market for Captain Intangibles because he is, after all, Captain Intangibles and because the franchise has never had a 3,000 hit player and Jeter is 70-something away.
Sources: The gold glove voters are whack if they think Jeter is the best defensive SS in the AL. Apparently they have never seen a ball hit two feet to his right or left.
posted by holden at 02:10 PM on November 10, 2010
The best line I've seen on Jeter's Gold Glove came from Peter King of SI:
"If Jeter can win a Gold Glove, think Wade Phillips can win Coach of the Year?''
That about sums it up.
posted by Howard_T at 03:22 PM on November 10, 2010
Regarding the Gold Glove, why does it happen? Who's to blame? If it's such a farce, someone involved with Major League Baseball should do something about it. I also don't think Jeter should win a Gold Glove, but I don't think he or his career should be at the point where he needs to be run down by fat-ass Peter King.
As for the money, it's going to be ridiculous, but that pretty-much sums up professional sports. What does it even mean? I'm also not going to get all upset by it, because even at this point in his career, Jeter is still no joke as far as a baseball player, and it's not impossible to think he could turn in a excellent season next year. And if he was going to sign for a huge cut in salary, other teams would suddenly be in the market for him.
Yankee fans, and baseball fans in general, will never bitch too much about Jeter making good money to remain a Yankee, at least not until there's another All-Star waiting to take his place.
posted by dyams at 03:36 PM on November 10, 2010
Sources: Yankees Will Overpay *
posted by cixelsyd at 03:55 PM on November 10, 2010
I've got no problem with the Yankees overpaying Yankees who have been Yankees forever. It's not like they're taking him away from some other team. Who cares? He's Mister New York after all.
That gold glove is still fucked up though.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:48 PM on November 10, 2010
I don't have a problem with the Yankees overpaying him, but I think sentimentality will slow down their trip back to World Series glory. He was an easy out in the ALCS.
posted by rcade at 07:47 PM on November 10, 2010
I don't have a problem with the Yankees overpaying him, but I think sentimentality will slow down their trip back to World Series glory. He was an easy out in the ALCS.
I always knew there was a positive side to sentimentality.
posted by billinnagoya at 01:51 AM on November 11, 2010
According to Posnanski, Gold Gloves are voted on by managers & coaches-the only awards they have a decisive say in, which could explain why guys like Jeter win. The whole article is pretty good, everyone should read it.
Riffing on his question at the end of the post, what do spofites say: should the Yankees "trade" Jeter for Hanley Ramirez (if you don't read the post, this won't make sense)?
posted by brainofdtrain at 04:23 AM on November 11, 2010
Good article. It does put a different spin on the Jeter/Gold Glove issue. I agree this award, when put in the context of being voted on by players and coaches, is more about respect than fielding prowess. And when framed in that manner, there's really not that much wrong with it. Jeter does play the game the right way, with the right attitude, and he has done so his entire career. There are better players, even at shortstop, but having a Hanley Ramirez on the field in place of Jeter, even though unrealistic, wouldn't sit well with me. The thing I think about now when Ramirez pops into my mind is his benching for refusing to hustle, then having a crap attitude towards his manager. There's nothing in sports I hate more than that, especially coming from a star who should be a team leader. Jeter has always led by example, even when his stats aren't fantastic. It's the type of thing that goes a long way towards keeping the overall attitude of a entire team in check. There are worse travesties in sports than Jeter getting a great contract.
posted by dyams at 08:09 AM on November 11, 2010
The thing I think about now when Ramirez pops into my mind is his benching for refusing to hustle, then having a crap attitude towards his manager.
That's a pretty expensive memory if you're willing to take sub-par defense and a 90 OPS+ over good defense, speed and a 124 OPS+ (which was a down year for him).
posted by yerfatma at 08:48 AM on November 11, 2010
Love the Posnanski piece, but is it true that Mariano Rivera is one of the players who gives the Yankees soul? He is a merciless pitching automaton who comes into games to kill the hopes of millions.
posted by rcade at 08:53 AM on November 11, 2010
That's a pretty expensive memory if you're willing to take sub-par defense and a 90 OPS+ over good defense, speed and a 124 OPS+ (which was a down year for him).
Jeter had a bad year. I feel bad for him since he's the only player to ever have a poor year. And the comparison to Ramirez is about attitude, not me thinking he'll ever be swapped for Jeter, straight up. Fans think only stats tell the entire story. Jeter has been the player who is so respected by other players due to the way he plays the game, and his attitude on and off the field. He has respect for other players, coaches, etc., and that still matters to some. I seriously doubt Ramirez will ever approach that level of respect from other players. In today's fantasy sports world, though, those things are lost.
posted by dyams at 04:27 PM on November 11, 2010
Jeter had a bad year. I feel bad for him since he's the only player to ever have a poor year.
But that's what I mean by an expensive memory: you're willing to pay for past performance. Rather than see a down year at age 36 as a possible sign of decline, it's just one down year. Nerds may want to say stats tell the entire story, but it's a check on those who want their heroes to be ageless. A 90 OPS+ at age 36 is actually pretty damn good compared to the vast majority of people who ever played baseball, but it's not something to overpay for.
posted by yerfatma at 04:56 PM on November 11, 2010
I'm sure Jeter is on the decline, but I also truly believe he can put together another really good year or two. The Yankees are going to have to pay based on past performance because he's the face of their franchise and they want him to retire a Yankee. They can't take the chance if they attempt to get him at a bargain that some other team will make a big play for him, and Jeter will leave, feeling slighted. I honestly don't see him as being that type of person, but I've been amazed before. It would be a nightmare for the Yankees if he did actually go somewhere else.
This whole issue is one of the big problems teams have to face when great players start approaching the end.
posted by dyams at 07:22 PM on November 11, 2010
I still believe Jeter to be both the most underrated and overrated player in MLB. He's overrated because of all the ridiculous intangibles he's given credit for, but underrated because there's such a backlash against that view that it's easy to forget how good he's been statistically (you know, in ways that matter).
And if you look at the Gold Gloves that way -- not as the best defensive players, exactly, but as the players who most appeal to managers and coaches for the way they play -- it starts to make a whole lot more sense.
I usually agree with posnanski, but I disagree with that. It makes less sense than the managers and coaches simply don't have the time, incentive, nor skill to tell who plays better defense game in and game out.
not until there's another All-Star waiting to take his place.
But Jeter wasn't an all-star this year, nor was he a joke. He was Marcos Scutaro.
I agree this award, when put in the context of being voted on by players and coaches, is more about respect than fielding prowess.
That's such a ridiculous concept. Best actor? It's about respect, not great acting. Please. If that's the truth, then get rid of the award because it's meaningless.
Jeter does play the game the right way... with the right attitude... always led by example...
Who exactly does he need to lead by example on the Yankees these days? Arod? Teixeira? Cano? Posada? Sabathia? They are a veteran team. They don't need Jeter to lead. And the rest, well, I don't believe the Yankee front office actually believes any of it will win games in 2011. They're overpaying him because he's the face of the franchise, he's represents the Yankees brand, and as long as he's an average player, they have enough talent to not look for an upgrade and enough money to overpay.
Don't get me wrong. I like cheering players that play the 'right way'. A big part of me would have rather seen Lowell at third instead of Adrian Beltre. Nothing against Beltre, but I have huge respect for Mike Lowell. But no way would the Red Sox have been better with Lowell in the place of Beltre.
If Jeter doesn't rebound, if last year was the new Jeter, the Yankees would be flat out better with Hanley Ramirez at short. Playing the game the right way doesn't score runs (though pretending to be hit by a pitch might help). But they'll probably score enough runs that it will still come down to pitching. In other words, they can still win with Marcos Scutaro at short.
posted by justgary at 02:47 AM on November 13, 2010
Latest Gold Glove sparks debate on award's merits
posted by justgary at 07:41 PM on November 13, 2010
Rob Neyer and Joe Posnanski are better than this, no?
posted by justgary at 01:38 AM on November 14, 2010
Sources: Water is wet.