Yanks just say no to arbitration
by NumberSeven
on Dec 1, 2008 7:26 PM EST
Via Pete Abe over at LoHud:
Bobby Abreu made $16 million, Andy Pettitte made $16 million and Pudge Rodriguez made $13 million. All three would have been in a position to get at least as much via arbitration and likely some sort of raise.
Meanwhile, if Mike Mussina suddenly decides to play for somebody else, the Yankees get nothing in return. Sure, that’s extremely unlikely. But that was supposedly the case for Roger Clemens, too.
Cashman said the Yankees remain engaged with Pettitte and Abreu. To what degree isn’t certain. Today’s decision certainly indicates they want Andy back only at a pay cut and the same would be true of Abreu.
Seems a little strange to me, splitting hairs. They want Pettitte and Abreu to take pay cuts if they come back, sure- but just how much of a cut are they thinking? $3-4 M? More? Abreu for one year in the neighborhood of $16M ain't so bad IMO, especially when the downside is getting a draft pick if he goes elsewhere. And is Pudge really going to accept arbitration from the Yanks?
In a later post by Pete, he says Cashman explains it was all about spending control. If so, the Yankees really seem to balking at spending at spending maybe an extra $4-5M on one year deals? Used to be chump change... is this a new era beginning in the Bronx?
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I've got
a slew of thoughts about this, many of which I’ll get to later.
But here’s the first one:
This certainly removes leverage from these free agents. In the eyes of the Yankees they’re each now just another player. Does that make it more likely that we’ll see Pettitte and Abreu in pinstripes in ’09?
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
by jscape2000 on Dec 1, 2008 8:07 PM EST 0 recs
i would say less likely
in the case of abreu. i would have thought the only way he comes back is if he accepted arb and signed a one year deal. I really don’t see the Yanks going three years for him, which is what he wants- and someone probably will. even a two year deal with a vested option year seems unlikely.
as for pettitte, i don’t know what this means.
The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants
by NumberSeven on
Dec 1, 2008 9:56 PM EST
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I think this will turn out to be a mistake
We really could have capitalized in the draft this year; the ’09 signing class could have been the new ’96 crop leading us to future World Series domination.
Abreu now is more likely to sign elsewhere, since he won’t cost his new team a pick, and we then won’t get anything for it.
Pettitte probably will end up re-signing with us, but if he doesn’t, again, we lose out. Then not only is our immediate rotation really fucked, but our future talent base is as well.
And Pudge will probably sign a couple-year deal with a team that has one of the first 15 picks, so we’d then get a supplemental pick, but that’s better than nothing.
I would have offered all of them arbitration. Might as well have offered Moose arb too, for the hell of it.
I hope Cash knows what he’s doing here. To me, saving a few million isn’t that big a priority when we’re the Yanks, even in a bad economy. Sure, over time, we want to control our payroll better, but since we already want Pettitte, and since adding Abreu for a one-year deal would keep our defense out there weak but really bolster our offense, why take a huge gamble just for the chance of saving a few mill?
"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden
by SenorSwanky on Dec 1, 2008 10:32 PM EST 0 recs
Also...
We’ll be losing picks for any FAs we sign, so we need to pad our options for the draft. Isn’t our new philosophy to develop youngsters? Where we need to be most conservative is years committed in contracts, not money.
Then again, Cash’s public rationale (payroll control) could be a ruse that could end up leaving him open to hypocrisy charges if we sign Manny or Tex in addition to Sabathia.
"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden
by SenorSwanky on
Dec 1, 2008 11:23 PM EST
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Don't expect ...
to see Andy in pinstripes. Would we lose out? I’m not so sure. Andy without the roids coursing through his system in August, September wasn’t very good (2-8). Kei Igawa likely could have posted those kinds of numbers. While I do like Andy it’s time to say good-bye.
Let’s get CC, maybe Looper and look from within.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Dec 2, 2008 10:43 AM EST
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dumb, dumb, dumb
when did we become the Marlins? is $16 mil for Abreu THAT bad that it’s worth giving up two high draft picks for? Pettitte too? and supposedly Moose retired, but the same shit happened with Clemens in 2003 and Yanks got nothing when he came back.
by Travis G on Dec 1, 2008 10:33 PM EST 0 recs
You didn't give up two picks
If they had offered arbitration and Abreu had accepted, then they would pay him $16mil+ for a one year deal. You would only get draft picks if another team signs the player. Cashman was probably pretty sure, based on info from around the league, that Abreu would accept arbitration if offered and obviously they don’t want him back at that much money.
by BTLove on
Dec 2, 2008 12:48 AM EST
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i know how arb works
that’s a low risk, high reward move. the downside is retaining Abreu on a short-term contract (is that SO bad?). the upside is two top draft picks.
by Travis G on
Dec 2, 2008 10:53 AM EST
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not to mention
if they sign CC and/or Burnett or the like, the yanks lose their draft picks.
i agree Abreu for one year at $16M isn’t so bad…
The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants
by NumberSeven on
Dec 2, 2008 11:21 AM EST
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Cashman must be dure that noone would sign him
He must be entirely convinced that there is almost no chance another team would sign him. I agree with you; even if it was like 50/50 shot, they should offer him arb. This indicates that Cashman believes there is an overwhelming chance that he would accept arbitration, meaning the possible results are: 1. have him back at $16mil+ 2. lose him to another team (and receive no draft picks) or 3. have him back for less money. Of these choices, Cashman must think that having him back at too big money is the worst.
by BTLove on
Dec 2, 2008 2:55 PM EST
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is it possible
that maybe, just maybe, the front office has a little more information than us? i just get annoyed when we declare a move “dumb, dumb, dumb” when all we really know are the player’s current salaries and a rudimentary understanding of arbitration rules. for example, we know nothing about the yankees balance sheet. sure we are the richest team in the league but what does that even mean given the current financial scene? 5 mil here or there adds up. plus, do we even know what’s available in the 2009 draft class?! maybe another sandwich pick wouldn’t have netted much. i don’t know and neither does anyone here. the yankees do and i guarantee the front office takes everything into account when making these decisions. do decisions always work out? no, absolutely not but you always try to maximize your chances of getting a desired outcome.
by tombradylikesdudes on Dec 2, 2008 12:41 AM EST 0 recs
yes, there is a budget to worry about
but when has that stopped the Yankees before?
dont give me that crap that they might lose money. they’re now getting tax breaks, rolling in money from YES and all the unloaded contracts. teams like Cincy and Arizona offered arb to nearly every FA they had. since when did the Yankees get cheap?
pertaining to the FAs: i’ve already written how i feel about Abreu, but you could make the same arguments for the others.
Pudge: i’m hoping the Yankees know for sure that Posada will come back fully healthy and ready to catch or Molina might be the everyday C.
Pettitte: A horse and dependable starter. not exactly easy to find. and left-handed?
Moose: did they learn nothing from Clemens in 2004?
by Travis G on
Dec 2, 2008 11:00 AM EST
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This was unexpected
My feeling tonight is that it is being too clever. You cause yourself a lot of trouble being too careful.
I hope Cash makes me eat those words.
As I think about it, this says, I do not want any of you vack unless you’re willing to take a cut. I think it’s now clear the Yanks will make a big change.
Are they going younger. I’ve been taking the faster and more athletic talk with a grain of salt. This makes it carry a little weight.
If I's known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself. Casey
by Cbeck3 on Dec 2, 2008 1:07 AM EST 0 recs
it really says, I don’t want you back for significantly more than other team’s are willing to pay.
by BTLove on
Dec 2, 2008 1:11 AM EST
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buster olney said it best in his blog about this exact subject
believe it or not, the economic downturn has even hit the yankees. He predicts major drops in perceived player values over this winter.
Most of u have questioned Cashman’s ability to stick to the plan of developing youngsters because we’re risking losing draft picks and I agree, but at what cost?
Abreu definitely would have accepted arb immediately according to many sources, he doesnt want to leave NY.
I say we sign him and pettite for 10 million each for one year deals and move forward.
I really like how cashman and crew are being smarter with their spending on FA’s now. The economic landscape is changing drastically in the baseball world and the real world. I think we see cc and tex get their asking price and everyone else takes a cut from what they think they will get.
I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it. ~Rogers Hornsby
by kdog on Dec 3, 2008 10:49 PM EST 0 recs
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