SHORTSTOPS, ELVIS ANDRUS & TROY TULOWITZKI

A lot can be said about Elvis Andrus and Troy Tulowtizki.  Both are shortstops. Both are being eyed by the New York Yankees in some capacity, as they try to figure out how to fill the position after our great Captain, Derek Jeter retired.  

But besides the talent and the numbers, there is a bigger factor, something that back in the George Steinbrenner days, we didn’t think about.  Well, these days we think about it a lot.  It’s money and it’s big contracts and it’s watching players with large contracts break down in front of our eyes… almost as fast we get them into our uniforms.  I don’t have to run down the list.  Alex Rodriguez is a big example in Yankeeland, but it goes further than the Bronx.

Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, both of the Angels.  Prince Fielder, going to Detroit and then being flipped to Texas.  Are baseball execs any smarter these days? Not exactly.  Look at Miami and Giancarlo Stanton.  

He’s a great player, but he’s not 13 years, $325 million great, especially when you still need to field 24 others guys as well.  They’re foolish in Miami and while Stanton is a franchise player, you gotta wonder what they’re thinking down there.  Stanton cannot carry the team. Plus, you don't know what type of injury could effect him tomorrow. It's a gamble. Sure, he went for the money… and I wonder if he’ll be scrutinized like the other “big contract” players of yesteryear.  We’ll see…

Believe it or not, this all goes back to Elivs Andrus and Troy Tulowitzki, because with years, comes age and with age comes a slow down that teams don’t see when they're signing their “big player.”  Let me state that I think the idea of Andrus in pinstripes is a terrific idea.  But that’s on the surface.  When you think about the years and salary we’d be paying for, it becomes less appealing.  There is a plus with Andrus though. He’s young and if the Rangers can pick up some (most) of that salary that is owed to him, signing Elvis Andrus is a no-brainer. Why? Because at the end of Andrus’s contract, he will be age 34 . Not 38, not 42…. 34  That’s significant.

A Troy Tulowitzki rumor was floated to us late last week here at BYB.  The source is solid, but the rumor is slightly murky. I say that with respect to our source, because the reality is, What we know for sure is the Rockies have their Yankee prospect targets, and one would suggest the Yankees know about it.  Read SOURCE ON ROCKIES: "THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT" for more.  

The Rockies want to unload Tulo, but they want prospects in return. In fact, they want way too much.  “Baseball insiders” that don’t have this information are mad at me.  Well, we clearly have different sources, and guess what, that’s OK. It happens.  

(In Photo: Rob Refsnyder)

Here’s the thing though;  Giving up guys like a Greg Bird or Rob Refsnyder and a pitching sensation like Luis Severino and a “MLB ready” pitcher like a Shane Greene, AND THEN taking the majority of Tulo’s contract is absolute madness.  The price is too high for a shortstop who is almost 29 and has a bad hip.  If the Rockies could take the majority of that contract, and maybe we unload a few "less" prospects, I’m all for it.   But, it's still alot of years on a contract for a guy that is most likely past his prime at age 31. Just my opinion.

Here's the reality. The Yankees cannot part with Bird and Refsnyder. Ref would most likely (and should be) the Yankees second baseman next season. Not only that, may I suggest the Yankees bring up Bird too.  Make Bird the backup first baseman to Mark Teixeira, who’s clearly near the end of his career.  Remember I was talking about broken down players and big contracts before? There’s another one.

While the Troy Tulowitzki rumor is in fact true, the price is ridiculously high and the Yankees cannot commit to something like that.  It doesn’t matter that Troy wears #2. It doesn’t matter that Troy wants to be a Yankee. The Rockies need to be realistic.  Troy Tulowitzki isn’t 24… there is no way in hell I pull the trigger on that the way it stands right now. If I had to choose, and if negotiations would go smoothly, I choose Andrus.

Over the winter, it’s going to get silly in the Rumor Mill.  Many of the players are talented, Troy and Elvis included. But these teams that think they’re trading off solid gold and the Yankees should “pick up their salary”, because we’re the Yankees is ridiculous.  We want to win too and we need to be smart with our signings going forward.

Just a thought…

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