Derek Jeter

A crawl on the bottom of the ESPN game says Derek Jeter's agent is asking for 23 - 24 million per year for 4 to 5 years. Is there anyone out there that believes that in 2011, let alone after, that Derek Jeter will be one of the 100 best baseball players? As weak as he was in 2010, at his age the decline per year is significant. I thought the Yanks offering him 3 years at 15 million per year was overly generous, more based on public relations than baseball ability. If you were a GM of another team, what would you offer him?

Quote: SOOPOO

A crawl on the bottom of the ESPN game says Derek Jeter's agent is asking for 23 - 24 million per year for 4 to 5 years. Is there anyone out there that believes that in 2011, let alone after, that Derek Jeter will be one of the 100 best baseball players? As weak as he was in 2010, at his age the decline per year is significant. I thought the Yanks offering him 3 years at 15 million per year was overly generous, more based on public relations than baseball ability. If you were a GM of another team, what would you offer him?

Not me. He's always been overrated in my book, and he's been on so many championship teams because his team mates carried him through those series.

Right now I'd say he's worth about $2.5million/year, 3 years max.

I'm a native New Yorker and a Yankee Fan. I say not worth it, it's just greed.
Good team captain, fine hitter, good infielder, yes. One of the immortals? No. $6M a year, possibly.

Dan, I think you are correct. And he is scoffing at 15 mil per year. (Native New Yorker (Bayside) and Mets fan growing up)

A good case could be made for not offering ANY player a salary of more than, say, $1 million. All too often, a highly-paid player winds up not being worth even a small fraction of what he gets paid. The prime example for this would be the San Francisco Giants, winning the World Series, and the previous playoffs, with the $120 million Barry Zero sitting on the bench, and a bunch of castoffs (aside from Lincecum, Cain, and Posey) doing all the heavy lifting.

I'd like to see this happen, if for no other reason than half of those huge salaries go to the federal government anyway, and we fans wind up paying $25 for parking and $7 for a hot dog. Also, there wouldn't be the absurd "arms race" bidding wars that drive salary offers so insanely high.

It's a free market, I hope. The salary caps in the NHL has gone a long way in equalizing the talent and making the league much more competitive (save the Maple Leafs who will suck in perpetuity). The Yankees pay into a luxury tax for their exorbinant payroll. But $1 million?

Jeter certainly doesn't deserve the contract he's asking for. However, he is going into the hall-of-fame and I think he wants to retire as a Yankee and is asking for whatever the best terms are possible.

the smartest general managers in all the big four pro leagues have always let these types go when they reach their declining years.

First of all, fuck salary caps.

Secondly, I live in Seattle and am a huge Seahawks fan. When we made our unsuccessful run in '05/'06 for the super bowl our "star" running back was Sean Alexander - we ended out signing alexander to a ridiculous salary and let Steve Hutchinson (pro bowl OG) go. This ended out being a huge mistake and we're still paying for it. If we hadn't signed alexander after that amazing year though, I would have regretted it and so would have a lot of Hawks fans.

Morale of the story: These are no-win situations, someone is going to be angry in the end. Personally, I'd give into him if he gives you his word that he'll retire at the end of those four years - someone like Jeter won't go bust (like Alexander) he just won't be worth it.

It only matters if Hank thinks he is worth it.