Thursday, October 3, 2013

Your 2014 Yankees Before Free Agency Begins


With impending free agency and retirements of the likes of Robinson Cano, Lyle Overbay, Hiroki Kuroda, Curtis Granderson, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Kevin Youkilis, Boone Logan, Travis Hafner, Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Hughes the Yankees have a lot of holes to fill this off season. With Brian Cashman in his contract season he could essentially be working the phones for his job this November and December. Let's look at the holes that Brian Cashman and company has to fill and replace as of today.

C - Francisco Cervelli (arbitration eligible for 1st time)
1B - Mark Teixeira ($22,500,000 - 3 years remaining)
2B -
SS -  Eduardo Nunez (arbitration eligible)
3B -  David Adams (pre-arbitration)
LF - Alfonso Soriano ($5,000,000 - 1 year remaining)
CF - Brett Gardner (arbitration eligible for 3rd time)
RF - Ichiro Suzuki ($6,500,000 - 1 year remaining)
DH -

BN - Vernon Wells ($21,000,000 - 1 year remaining)
BN -
BN - Jayson Nix (arbitration eligible for 2nd time)
BN - Chris Stewart (arbitration eligible for 1st time)

SP - CC Sabathia ($23,000,000 - 4 years remaining including vesting option)
SP - Michael Pineda (arbitration eligible for 1st time)
SP - Ivan Nova (arbitration eligible for 1st time)
SP - David Phelps (arbitration eligible)
SP -

RP - Adam Warren (league minimum)
RP - Vidal Nuno (league minimum)
RP -
RP - Preston Claiborne (league minimum)
SU - Shawn Kelley (arbitration eligible)
CL - David Robertson (arbitration eligible for 3rd time)

Other notable players on and off the 40 man roster:

C - Austin Romine
SS - Derek Jeter (2014 player option)
OF - Zoilo Almonte
SP - Manny Banuelos
SP - Jose A Ramirez

Alex Rodriguez ($25,000,000 - 4 years remaining) may be suspended for the entire 2014 season with his salary not counting against our luxury tax. Vernon Wells will have a $0 impact on the luxury tax between what the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are paying him plus what we paid him last season.


GM: Brian Cashman ($3,000,000 - 1 year remaining)
Manager:

Current Estimated 2014 Payroll using AAV*

$63,525,000 before arbitration eligible players sign

All these players have to be resigned or replaced and on top of that, if that were not enough, we also do not have a manager or a pitching coach at the end of this season either. Yikes...

*With the new collective bargaining agreement they use the average annual value of the contract to calculate a teams payroll and not what the actual payroll is. For example Alex Rodriguez would only make $25,000,000 but his AAV is $27,5000,000 so we will use the latter number in our calculations.

28 comments:

  1. Cashman hasn't even signed Joe Gerardi what has he don since 09 but watch this team get old yet he gets a pass him and Hal?????

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    1. What else could have been done? Aging players like Jeter and Rodriguez were not going anywhere, as no team was going to trade for them. The team payroll has been above $200 million for years, so you can't say they aren't spending. Adding Ichiro was iffy at best, but trading for another older player in Wells was a knee-jerk reaction to Granderson's injury, and at that point they had no other/better choices.

      I understand that Cashman is a scapegoat... that comes with the job. But let's not forget that Cashman didn't have many options.

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    2. Cashman could have gotten PZ to catch... big step up from Stewart/romaine. And he could have gotten Tori Hunter a big step up from chiro.I

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    3. "PZ"? You mean Pierzynski? I agree, he would have been a big step up from Stewart/Romine. However, seeing as how AJ signed with the Rangers in December, you're making the wrong comparison. It's not Stewart/Romine vs. Pierzynski, it's Cervelli/Stewart vs. Pierzynski.

      On the surface, would AJ be a step up from Cervelli/Stewart? Sure. But seeing as how Cervelli and Stewart made a little over $1 million... COMBINED, and Pierzynski signed for $7.5 million, I think the smart money was on Cervelli/Stewart. And while I'd bet anything Cervie wouldn't have continued to hit like he did before getting hurt, he would have made a lot more sense for the Yankees than AJ.

      As for Hunter, I don't know why the Yankees/Cashman went after Ichiro instead.

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    4. They went after Ichiro because the money that the 3000 hit club drama would bring... too bad he wont get there

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    5. Gman...
      He won't sign Joe G, until after the season ends in November! Just something they don't do!

      Bryan...
      I'll go along with that reasoning!

      Twasp...
      Tori would have cost much more, and Itchy can play all over the OF very well.

      Daniel...
      I don't think that is the reason, my 2 reasons are...money and the best all around player around for the money at the time was....Itchy! Agree on the 3,000 hits thing but, he has as little chance getting 3,000
      Hits as Jeter has for 4,000 hits.

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    6. There is talk that Girardi will re-sign or resign as Yankees manager as early as today...

      I believe that reports were released that te Yankees hoped for Ichiro to reach 3000 in pinstripes, hence the two year deal. They didnt come out and say "this is the only reason we signed the guy" but you can put two and two together and figure it out. Hunter is better than Ichiro and Hunter, albeit in a pinch, can play all over the outfield too. He started out as a CFer

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  2. Hunter is far better than Ichiro who is basically washed up.... a singles hitter who cant even get a .300 OBP??? And Hunter can field as well or better than Ichy who is a shell of himself.

    And Bryan ....PZ is head and shoulders better than Cervelli, Romine and Stewart. therenshould be no argument that he would have been an improvement last season.

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    1. I do not think that bryan thought that Pierzynski was not a better option than any combination of the three options we had. I think he merely pointed out that Romine was not in consideration when the season started and when AJ was available. He also pointed out the $6+ million difference.

      I hate to speak for people but that was what I got from it anyway

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    2. the extra $6m for the upgrade to PZ would have been well worth it. do you really think Cervelli or Romine are starting catchers? Especially on a weak hitting team that cant afford automatic outs like they are?

      And no one has explained why CashMan didnt go after Hunter over Ichiro?

      Stop defending CashMan , there were moves we said he should make , moves he could have made , but didnt , because he made the wrong evaluations.

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    3. I don't agree that AJ was worth the extra $6 million, for one simple fact... he wouldn't have made the difference between missing and making the playoffs. He's worth 2 wins... tops, and the Yankees missed the postseason by 6.5 games.

      And not far above is a conversation about why the Yankees brought in Ichiro.

      There were moves Cashman should have made, but neither you nor I know he COULD have. We can only assume.

      One last thing... it's not all Cashman. Make him the fall-guy if you want, but the blame for poor evaluations and such stretch much further than one man.

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  3. oldranger - why do you have to mention Jeter not getting 4000 hits.....its like you are rooting against him. Jeter will get 4000 hits and Aroid will never hit another HR again. i dont believe you are a Yankee fan if you dislike Jeter...a true Yankee legend.

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    1. He was just saying that Jeter has a small shot at 4000, and he does. That is not hating the Yankees or Jeter, I love Jeter, but his shot at 4000 diminished after 4 DL trips this season.

      He sits 684 hits away from 4000 as we enter 2014...If he got 200 hits a season for the next three seasons he would be in age 43 season, chugging towards 44, in the 2017 season just 84 hits away from 4000.

      This after four various leg injuries and aging well into his 40's.... Ichiro is a prime example of how to take care of your body and it will take care of you and he is not sniffing 200 hits a season anymore. He is healthier, faster, and more disciplined then Jeter is.

      None of this is a knock on Jeter, again I love Jeter, but I cant see 4000 happening. And it doesnt need to happen, first ballot hall of famer and greatest Yankees short stop ever.

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    2. Of course it's a long shot.

      Everyone knows that.

      There was no reason to mention it as we were talking about Ichy.

      The old ranger is very subtle in his throwing digs at Jeter, Soon you will learn this. He is a crafty old dog. BEWARE. He bites. Fixodent can do wonders.

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    3. I will have to keep my eye on old ranger ;)

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    4. Twasp...
      Have I ever called Jeter names, or said he wasn't the best hitting SS the Yankees have ever had?
      I do point out the rose-colored glasses you and some others look through when ever the great Jeters name is mentioned.

      I reiterate again and again my objection to naming a singles hitter with a very good glove but little range being the greatest Yankee ever. That is nothing but BS and anyone that can't see it is all media hype is really not paying attention to stats.

      We know he has Gold gloves but, we also know Gold gloves are given because of who you are more times than not! Silver Slugger was his for sure. Jeter and another ex-SS have some of the best baseball instincts of any player in the last 50+/- years.

      What MLB records does he have? 3,000+ hits, ok but, being one of 18 means you batted lead-of or 2nd place for 19/20 years and had a plethora of singles. On his clutch hitting stats he show up as avg, with only a small few, walk-off hits at anytime of the year. One can't count WS rings as his, he was part of a team.

      Biggest question is this; If Jeter is the greatest Yankee ever, why has he been named the best player only 3 times?
      Babe 11, Mickey-10...8 in a row...Joe D-6.

      I try being fair to each player, no matter if I like them or not...they are Yankees! But I will object to being told by a bunch of fans that have never seen the great ones play...that Jeter is better than Babe, Lou, Mickey, Yogi, Joe D, Munson etc.!

      Jeter, Mo will be in the HoF, no doubt about it...Mo as the Greatest Closer, Jeter as one of many to join the 3,000 hits club all while playing SS...that is tough!

      24-14

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  4. Mr. YankeesofOld

    what Jeter brings to a team goes beyond just statistics. he has the ability to make his teammates around him better. they feed of his confidence and ability to make the big play at the key moment.....the flip, the dive, the Nov HR.

    and not only his teammates mention his ability to perform when it counts

    A recent poll of 300 current ballplayers done by MLB Network , asked what player is the best in the clutch?

    An astounding 33% took Jeter!

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    1. It has to be very hard to come up with very many great moments for Jeter, you trot out the same two plays every time I mention he is not Captain Clutch. Clutch means being Clutch more than a couple of times over a stellar 20 year career.
      Overbay was our Mr. Clutch this year, what was it, something like 10 clutch hits this year?

      28-14
      Jeter has been the model ballplayer for the Yankees and Baseball itself. And one of the best all-around SS to play the game.
      But please, give me a break, one can't possiblie believe all the media hype they read and truly believe it all...not if one has watched the games.

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    2. Daniel...... what did I tell you.....Old Yankee .....Jeter hater.....

      Only 2 big plays in 20 years...?...

      Daniel please put together a compilation for Jeter ...... If you do I will send you a box of Milk Duds.

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  5. oldYankee its not only the media that thinks Jeter is great....

    Look at the results of the player polls .......His peers think he is a clutch player..... should we take your word over theirs?

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  6. Not on your life, Twasp!
    Try taking facts over the perception people have of him. two clutch plays in 20 years make him Captain Clutch...get real.
    Jeter is a HoF SS but get off the BS and Media hype. He is not the best SS in the last 50 years. He is one of the best, and that is saying a lot.
    I ask you to show me examples of his being clutch and you give me what others think...that is all subjective not facts or stats. You always say the stats speak for themselves.

    Well, where are these facts? I ask you for, what...the 20th +/- time?

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  7. Replies
    1. Do you know of more? I hope you can show me many more.
      A player known as a Clutch player has a long history of being a clutch player...Billy Martin comes to mind...A big named pitcher (I can't remember the name of said pitch) was asked; Who on the Yankees team would you dislike to have at the plate when they only need a single to beat you?
      Answer came back as a surprise, Billy, because he will find a way to get that run home.

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    2. Off the top of my head I can think of many more times that he was clutch then just twice. Clutch does not always mean at the plate. 1996 ALCS when he hit the Jeffrey Maier home run was pretty clutch. The shovel pass against the A's in the 2001(i think) ALDS that season was pretty clutch. There is two instances I can think of off the top of my head at 5 am after 6 hours of sleep...

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    3. Daniel...
      The famous flip play was not clutch at all anymore than a flip play from SS to 2nd. It was a great play, we can all agree about that, he was where he was supposed to be...between the mound and the catcher, the ball was off-line, he grabbed it and flipped it to the catcher...it was the baseball instincts of a very good player in one part and a good catcher on the finishing part.
      It was a great play at the right time but, everyone misses one big point...if Posada had not been looking at the ball but the runner...the play would have been a disaster. We should give credit to both of them. NOT just one, it took two players knowing their jobs to pull it off and one player not knowing when to slide.
      If you wish to add that play as a clutch play, go ahead!
      The HR that was not...in the ALCS, was something I object to, an honest player would have admitted it was interfered with, although I can see the reasonning behind it.
      I called back a 63 yd TD in college because I stepped on the sidelines but, they said it was a TD anyway. I know, the HR was much more important!

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    4. I think they both did get credit on that play I dont think anyone thought Jeter did it all on his own. I personally believe having your head in the game at all times, especially in big spots, is the bigges contributing factor to being clutch. A lot of short stops just let that roll without being cut off, not Jeter.

      Jeter has come up with big hit after big hit. They do not call him Mr November because he took a bases loaded walk on November 1st to win a game...

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)