What Gardner's Extension Means For David Robertson

The archaic policy of not negotiating contracts with players currently under contract has bit the Yankees in the butt time after time and has finally come to an end with the Brett Gardner extension. What does this mean for now Yankees closer David Robertson, is he next? If he's not he should be, especially before he starts racking up saves under his belt.

Let's use the Craig Kimbrel contract as a starting point for David Robertson. Atlanta gave Kimbrel a four year deal worth $42 million for an AAV of $10.5 million. After his first four seasons in the majors Kimbrel averaged 41 saves a season with a 1.39 ERA and 0.902 WHIP, those are Mariano Rivera type numbers. All this and Kimbrel is only 25 years old, which helps because this bought out arbitration years mainly and not free agency.

Robertson on the other hand has pitched for six seasons and will be a free agent after the 2014 season. Robertson is in his age 29 season and his age 30 season in his first year of free agency. In his six seasons D Rob has averaged a 2.76 ERA, a 1.246 WHIP, and over 30 holds in each of the last three seasons.

While I agree that the Yankees should extend the best set up man in all of baseball the last three seasons before he hits free agency I don't think he will get as much as Kimbrel did if we extend him now. D Rob avoided arbitration with the Yankees this season on a one year deal worth $5.22 million. If the Yankees were to, for example, give Robertson four years at $40 million I think he eats that up in a heartbeat and we have the back end of the bullpen locked up for the foreseeable future.