WE GOT TROUBLE, MY FRIEND

If you haven't seen the New York Times today, see it. See it HERE, see it now. If you are a Yankee fan and Jeter fan, it's a must read. Because believe it or not, we have trouble right now between the "Face of the Yankees", and the Yankees and if Jeter was smart, he'd take a page from the A-Rod diaries, boot his agent and call Cashman himself and finalize a deal, because 1 thing we all know about sports agents is, they aren't only out for their clients, their out for themselves as well. And Casey Close is about to blow it big time.




Cashman has concerns about an aging Jeter. All of us agree with that. Especially when we're talking about a multiple deal. Cashman is quoted as saying: “We do appreciate the contributions he has made to this organization, and Derek Jeter is the person we want playing shortstop.”



Cashman says the salary offer of 3 years $45 million is fair, especially for a 37 year old shortstop.
While a agree with that a little, I say, throw him a few more bucks and a 4th year option. It's Jeter, come on.

Cashman’s statements came a day after The New York Daily News published an article quoting Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, as saying that the Yankees’ current negotiating strategy was “baffling” because it refused to acknowledge “Derek’s total contribution to their franchise.”


Cashman also said that there “is nothing baffling about our position here.We have been very honest and direct with them — meaning Derek and Casey."
I love this statement by Cashman, when I read this, the next thing I feel is anger toward Close and picture Jeter in a Cincinnati Reds uniform in 2010, sad and wondering what just happened.


The Times goes on to say that "according to a lawyer in baseball briefed on the negotiations, the Yankees have made Jeter a three-year, $45 million offer that was arrived at in part by comparing him with other middle infielders and with players close to his age. The lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to jeopardize his access to sensitive information, said that the Yankees and Jeter were “not even in the same ballpark” in terms of a new deal."


Close hasn't publicly said anything about what type of deal they are seeking from the Yankees, but want it longer and heftier than what the Yankees are offering.



The Times did this as well, they broke down how the Yankees came to Jeter's contract. They looked for comparisons and singled out:

1. Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki, who is 37 and will make $17 million next season


2. Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins, who will turn 32 this week, plays the same position as Jeter does and will make $8.5 million in 2011; Rollins’s double-play partner


3. Chase Utley, who will also turn 32 soon and will make $15 million


4. Rafael Furcal of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who plays shortstop, is 32, and will make $12 million.


5. The Yankees also cited Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who turns 27 next month and hit .300 in 2010. He will make $11 million next year, or $4 million less than what the Yankees are offering Jeter.
   

In a ridiculous move, Close compared Jeter to Babe Ruth. When I first read this, I thought it was a joke.

As I reported, there we're jokes about Jeter's contract at the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Gala a few weeks ago, but nothing else from the player himself.

Hal Steinbrenner was quoted as saying that he thought negotiations could "get messy." The New York Times writes "Cashman told reporters he did not think that would happen. But now, two weeks later, that appears to be the case, with Cashman becoming more blunt and Close perhaps getting ready to respond."

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