Wednesday, April 11, 2018

SPECULATION: The Didi Gregorius Extension is Coming



The New York Yankees positioned themselves this winter to get under the luxury tax threshold for a few reasons. Obviously, the main reason is because Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner is a cheap bastard and a coupon clipper, but another reason is because of the financial gains the Yankees would enjoy if they are able to stay under the luxury tax threshold for the entirety of the 2018 season. The Yankees would no longer have a tax levied on every dollar they spent via trades and on the free agency market and the team would no longer be penalized for going over the cap if they were to sign a free agent who recently declined a qualifying offer. The final reason the team wanted to get under the luxury tax threshold, and maybe the most important reason for many Yankees fans, is so the team can go absolutely crazy spending money after the 2018 season, both on potential free agents like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, but also to keep a few of their own in the Bronx for the rest of their careers.

New York is going to spend their money in 2019 just like they do every single offseason, but this offseason we may see a few more players locked up that are currently employed by the team and less players being added via free agency. I am talking about players like Sonny Gray and specifically Didi Gregorius, who I think will receive a contract extension barring any production or health concerns that arise during the 2018 season. Didi is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career after his last arbitration eligible season in 2019, so New York has one year beyond the current 2018 campaign to get Didi locked up long-term.

Didi is possibly the best pure hitter on the team, yes, I realize what I just said and it wouldn’t be the first time I have been killed on the internet for saying so, and is also a stellar defender at shortstop. Didi is a key guy in the clubhouse and he probably owns the best Twitter account on the team, which shouldn’t count for anything but it does for me anyway. It shows his character and it shows his willingness and ability to relate to his fans, something that is not always so easy in a huge market like New York.

The Yankees will extend Didi after the season once the financial restrictions are gone and the resets have begun, just be patient. It doesn’t matter if Manny Machado is about to hit free agency and it doesn’t matter if he grew up idolizing the Yankees, it is not a given that he will sign here and honestly, I’d prefer Didi anyway. Sue me, unbookmark the site and burn me at the stake. I stand by my words and I stand by my feelings. I’d rather see the Yankees allocate that money into their starting staff while keeping Didi rather than having another surplus and luxury of infielders. Sorry, not sorry.

6 comments:

  1. Totally agree with you 1,000 %!!!!

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  2. Burch you're using my line on the Coupon Clipper and cheap Bastard. I agree

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    1. Yes, I definitely had you in mind when I wrote that line.

      I have something I would like to run by you if you don't mind. Can you email me? DanielBurch 1102 at yahoo dot com.

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  3. I do not expect the Yankees to go hog wild next year after resetting the luxury tax penalties, but I am hopeful that they lock up Didi on a new long-term deal as one of the highest off-season priorities. I'd prefer Didi over Manny at short too.

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  4. I know this will get me in hot water but...Didi is the best SS I have ever seen the Yankees have! Best defense and not bad as a hitter. Maybe I am wrong but I like a SS that will make all the plays at SS and hit well. I know, Jeter had all those hits but was not very good on defense. None of which matters anymore as he was what he was...Hall of Fame!
    I degrees, Didi has become a very well rounded SS for the Yankees...I'll take him over Machado, like we need another big gun and the price tag. I didn't think we had to have Stanton and his contract either.

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    1. I have never shied away from my Derek Jeter bashing, and that got me into a lot of hot water over the years in my Yankees fandom as well. I can't bring myself to say Didi is better than Jeter just yet because part of what made Jeter so special was his knack for hitting in the postseason (clutch) and his longevity, both of which I need to see a larger sample size for with Didi.

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