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Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Cashman: No new pacts for big three

We’re not in Sloanville any more.

When Brian Cashman looks at Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Girardi, the Yankees’ GM paints his shortstop, closer and manager with the same brush.

And with spring training opening next week in Tampa, Cashman has no plans to stray from his plan of not negotiating with them. All three contracts are in the final year.

“I don’t think you can separate one from the other,” Cashman explained. “I am not saying they are the same, but the questions will come, ‘If you did one, why didn’t you do the other?’ If this was Kansas City, it would be different — but it’s not.”

...“Everybody signed those contracts and there is a lot of money being made and people are comfortable,” said Cashman, who is signed through 2011 and never lobbied for an extension when he was in the final year of a deal.

Repoz Posted: February 09, 2010 at 02:01 PM | 18 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: business, yankees

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1. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: February 09, 2010 at 02:20 PM (#3456701)

Well, you could separate the manager from the players. A Girardi extension off 103 wins and a WS win wouldn't really set any precedent for wanting to wait on two aging and expensive players.

Given Jeter and Rivera are coming off excellent seasons at ages where they could become useless at any point in time (not that it's probable, just possible) it certainly makes sense to wait. The odds of improvement this year for those two have to be ~1%, so there's no downside.

2. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: February 09, 2010 at 02:21 PM (#3456703)

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Girardi

hmm, one of these is not like the other. If Jeter signed a deal, then people would ask about Mariano, not Girardi. And if Mariano signed a deal, then people would ask about Jeter. I don't see Girardi being in the same class of importance.

3. DetroitMichael Posted: February 09, 2010 at 02:42 PM (#3456713)

If this was Kansas City ... the GM wouldn't have two lifelong Hall of Fame players? What's the anti-KC slam all about?

4. JRVJ (formerly Delta Socrates) Posted: February 09, 2010 at 02:49 PM (#3456715)

It's pretty clear to me that Girardi has taken the position that he will not renew players until and when their contract expires and he has the financial fire power to be able to avoid having to do so.

5. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: February 09, 2010 at 03:14 PM (#3456730)

It's pretty clear to me that Girardi has taken the position that he will not renew players until and when their contract expires and he has the financial fire power to be able to avoid having to do so.

I assume mean Cashman there, but I don't actually even think it is his policy, I think it is the Yankees. At least as far as Bernie Williams' first round of free agency the Yankees' policy has been that they don't talk contract until the end of the previous one.

Sometimes it burns them (as with Posada's deal) but more often than not I think it is a good plan, since the chance of them losing a guy they have and really want is low.

6. Perros Posted: February 09, 2010 at 03:17 PM (#3456732)

so both will be free agents after this year?

the yankees have this luxury because no other team can offer more money, and neither player's going anywhere for less.

damn yankees.

7. JRVJ (formerly Delta Socrates) Posted: February 09, 2010 at 03:27 PM (#3456738)

Right, Cashman.

And the Yankees did buy out Cano's arbitration years a few years back, but then switched and did not buy out CMW's arbitration years (in hindsight, a wise decision) or extend Mariano or Posada when they were hitting FA at the end of 2007-2008

8. Nasty Nate Posted: February 09, 2010 at 03:39 PM (#3456741)

...and they won't offer A-Rod a contract if he opts out...

9. Dock Ellis on Acid

Posted: February 09, 2010 at 03:53 PM (#3456751)

Everyone got over Torre leaving pretty quickly. I can't imagine anyone putting up much of a fuss over Girardi not getting a contract.

Of course, Cashman knows that one of these is not like the other. But he sure as hell can't say so.

10. Fat Al Posted: February 09, 2010 at 05:12 PM (#3456824)

If this was Kansas City ... the GM wouldn't have two lifelong Hall of Fame players? What's the anti-KC slam all about?

I think it was a shot at the NY media, and the hand-wringing that (in Cashman's view) would result from negotiating/extending one of the named 3 and not the others. In KC that wouldn't be a big concern. I don't particularly agree or disagree, but I think that's what he was saying.

11. SouthSidePat Posted: February 09, 2010 at 06:30 PM (#3456892)

I think it was a shot at the NY media, and the hand-wringing that (in Cashman's view) would result from negotiating/extending one of the named 3 and not the others. In KC that wouldn't be a big concern. I don't particularly agree or disagree, but I think that's what he was saying.

St. Louis is a little more like KC than NY, in terms of the media that is, and there has been an outcry to extend Pujols for at least the past year.

However, the HOF manager has pretty much been year-to-year for the past 5 years. It is pretty easy to seperate the manager from the mang.

12. Greg Goosen at 30 Posted: February 09, 2010 at 09:29 PM (#3457136)

Hasn't Cashman himself worked the final year of his last two contracts without being extended and then signing a new one after the season was over? So he would have no problem doing the same to his minions.

13. Darren

Posted: February 10, 2010 at 03:05 AM (#3457450)

Does Cashman ever say anything where he's not strutting around, taking a swipe at someone, or generally sounding like a spoiled child?

14. Tom Cervo, backup catcher Posted: February 10, 2010 at 04:01 AM (#3457483)

Does Cashman ever say anything where he's not strutting around, taking a swipe at someone, or generally sounding like a spoiled child?

No, I don't think he ever says anything that you don't find a way to take issue with it.

15. Something Other Posted: February 10, 2010 at 06:28 AM (#3457580)

Does it make sense, though, to hamstring an organization like this? There will be times when you want to negotiate while a player is under contract, and times when you want to wait until the contract expires. I understand that consistency gets you off the hook with regard to having to deal with questions you'd rather not address, but that consistency also reduces the amount of judgment you get to exercise. Limiting its options is something a sharp organization should want to eschew.

16. akrasian Posted: February 10, 2010 at 06:38 AM (#3457583)

As #8 and some others alluded to - the Yankees aren't consistent. Right now it's in the Yankees interest not to negotiate long term with Jeter and Rivera, since they both are coming off very good years, are aging, and likely to decline. Since those players will resign with the Yankees anyway, why guarantee them big money based on what is likely to be one of their last great seasons? Better to say that it's a rule that the Yankees won't negotiate and expect to pay less or for fewer years. If it's the wrong decision - well, the Yankees will still keep them, just for slightly more money.

17. Cooperstown Schtick Posted: February 10, 2010 at 08:51 AM (#3457603)

What's the anti-KC slam all about?

I took it to mean that with a team on a smaller budget - like KC - the signing of one of these guys might be reasonably expected to preclude the signing of the others, so there wouldn't be so much wondering why they signed one and not all. The Yankees are expected (right now, at least) to sign all three.

GMs get a total pass on taking passing shots at the excess of the Yankees. I think Cashman is entitled to call out teams that lean furthest on the other side, especially given that the Yankees provide them with a good deal of their revenue.

18. Ron Johnson Posted: February 10, 2010 at 09:03 AM (#3457604)

#15 How does Cashman's statement hamstring the organization? A GM's statement of policy in no way binds any organization -- never mind one with an ownership know to be active.

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Cashman: No new pacts for big three

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