The Only Way To Get Alex Off The Yankees....

Are you a fan of the New York Yankees and are you fed up with the circus that surrounds and accompanies Alex Rodriguez? Do you want Alex off the team either because you don't like the guy, you want the financial flexibility that comes with terminating the contract, or because it's the right thing to do? Major League Baseball is not going to fix this problem for the Yankees and New York owes him too much money to fix this problem for us. You, us, the fans can fix this problem pretty simply though, hit the Yankees in the pockets.

You want New York to get rid of Alex? Stop going to the stadium. Stop buying the memorabilia, the hats, the shirts, the merchandise, etc. Don't buy the YES Network, buy MLB TV or the equivalent instead. Hit Hal Steinbrenner in his most vulnerable spot, in his wallet. It works, remember the 2013 season?

In 2013 Hal imposed the "Hal Cap" as the team tried to limit spending to get under the luxury tax threshold for the 2014 season. The fans, even with the farewell tour for Mariano Rivera and the retirement of Andy Pettitte, did not flock to Yankee Stadium in drones like years in the past and attendance and YES ratings were way down. Result? The Yankees spent over $500 million the next offseason and blew the Hal Cap and the austerity budget out of the water.

You want A Rod gone? Don't damn Arod, damn the Yankees.

What I Want For Christmas: Alex Rodriguez

Christmas is just two days away and if you are a huge procrastinator you are in luck, I am here to tell you what I want for Christmas. I want Alex Rodriguez to be completely acquitted of his ties from Biogenesis and I want him on the field manning third base on Opening Day. A Rod is easily the best option we have at third base right now, including what is available on the free agent and trade markets, and is the best option for the team. A Rod's right handed power really balances out the lineup, makes him possibly the best 6th or 7th hitter in the league, and gives a big middle finger to Bud Selig which is always nice.

Is it realistic? Probably not. At best he gets a reduced suspension of 50 games, and hell I'd take that happily down from 211 games, but either way that makes the Yankees a better on the field product. Although if A Rod is acquitted or his suspension is reduced that really blows the lid on the Hal cap but in the immortal words of Mr. Brian Kenny "we're the Yankees dammit!"

Cano, Granderson, & Kuroda All Turn Down Qualifying Offers

To the surprise of absolutely no one, today Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, and Hiroki Kuroda all declined their qualifying offers of a $14.1 million 2014 contract, making them free agents and guaranteeing the Yankees of a 1st round draft pick should any of them sign with a different team.

Cano is of course seeking a huge pay-day and still will likely get it from the Yankees. Though negotiations have stalled, everyone still sees Robbie staying in pinstripes for next season and beyond.

However, the case is very much different for Granderson and Kuroda, for it is likely that these two have played their final game in Yankee pinstripes. Granderson is seeking a multi-year deal, and the Yankees were only going to bring him back for 2014. Despite all of his flaws (high strikeout rate, low average, low OBP, etc.), the Grandy Man's prolific home run power will attract many teams and likely make them overpay for his services. So, the Yanks are wisely taking the high road here.

As for Kuroda, it becomes another waiting game similar to the one he played last offseason. But, this time it's not as likely he returns for another go in the Bronx. Turning 39 in February, there is a growing belief that Kuroda will either retire or go to Japan to finish off a terrific professional baseball career. Even if he does want to return for one last season in Major League Baseball, his original team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, could make a big play for him and pry him away from New York, as they have the money and are better set-up to help Hiroki go out a World Series champion.

So what this all means is that the Yanks can now start negotiating with Cano on his long-awaited long-term deal, and that Granderson and Kuroda are almost certainly not coming back.

Curtis had a solid four-year run with New York, and with the struggles of Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, and Ian Kennedy (the prospects the Yanks dealt to get him), the trade made back in December of 2009 can likely be chalked up as a win. He even came close to winning the 2011 AL MVP with 41 home runs, 119 RBI, and 136 runs scored.


In both 2012 and 2013, Hiroki Kuroda was the staff ace, even if that label was attached to CC Sabathia. The right-hander posted 3.32 and 3.31 ERAs in his two seasons with the Yankees, providing a solid, consistent veteran presence in the rotation. One of his greatest starts with the team is already not too well remembered by fans, when he struck out 11 Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the 2012 ALCS -- a game the Yankees lost in ugly fashion, 3-0.


We'll see if any talks between the Yankees and Granderson/Kuroda emerge, but no one in the baseball world views that as a possibility. So, get ready to say goodbye to #14, and #18.

Derek Jeter's New Contract Explained, Finally

It is official thanks to Joel Sherman that Derek Jeter's new contract will indeed cost the New York Yankees money on their $189 million luxury tax AAV and not save them money. The original deal had Jeter simply accepted his player option would have been for a $10,750,000 AAV and this new deal is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $12,810,000. The Yankees were not concerned with AAV and the luxury tax threshold but more worried about making Derek happy and not having an awkward or drawn out negotiation like the last time Derek was a free agent.

Derek's new contract also includes incentives which could push the deal higher including $4,000,000 for a MVP award and $2,000,000 if he finishes anywhere between second and sixth place. Also Derek could make an additional $1,500,000 if he wins the Silver Slugger award, $500,000 for winning the ALCS MVP, another $500,000 for winning the World Series MVP award, and finally $500,000 more for winning the gold glove.

Now that we have that settled we can move on to qualifying offers...

Should The Yankees Bring In Paul Konerko?

The Chicago White Sox may have sealed the fate of Paul Konerko and his windy city career after signing first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu to a mega six year contract. That gives the Chi Sox a right handed option at first in Abreu and a left handed option in Adam Dunn, could that be the best news we have heard to date this offseason?

It is no secret that the Yankees want a right handed power option to spell Mark Teixeira a day or two a week next season, especially after missing most of 2013 with a wrist injury, and Konerko fits the mold. He is a veteran, which the Yankees love, he can hit for power, which we lacked in 2013, would likely sign a one year deal, which is ideal, wouldn't command much in salary by my speculation, see the $189 million luxury tax threshold, and is willing to accept a part time position to play at least one more year, sold!

Honestly I think Konerko is a White Sox player or he retires and we have absolutely no shot at him but it's worth kicking the tires on anyway. Konerko is coming off career lows as a regular with a .244/.313/.355 triple slash line after missing a month of the season due to a nagging back injury. Konerko does not help us get younger, he is currently 37 years old, and only hit 12 home runs last season but maybe a change of scenery can invigorate him and we can have a Raul Ibanez part two comeback.

Just to recap I am not advocating for Konerko. I think David Adams adds versatility with his ability to play first, second, and third base and is also a much cheaper option. Adams gets us younger, more flexible, and may shows some signs of hope for change around here. At the same time though, like I said, we should definitely kick the tires on this, doesn't hurt to right?

Imagining The Worst Case Scenario For 2014: Part 1

As many of our readers and our followers on twitter (@GreedyStripes) know I am very active and talkative on twitter but when I was asked this question I did not even attempt to answer it using 140 characters. This tweet gave me the uh oh feeling big time because I never really gave it any thought as to what we would do if this were to happen... Could we survive it?

@DanielBurch Have you thought of having a hypothetical look at Yankees 2014 if ARod is banned, Jeter retires and Cano goes elsewhere?
— Rooney (@CelticYankees) September 13, 2013

What would the Yankees do if the worst case scenario comes true this off season with Derek Jeter joining Mariano Rivera to retire, Robinson Cano decides to take his talents to South Beach, or Los Angeles, or anywhere besides Yankees Stadium, and what if Alex Rodriguez is suspended for the entire 2014 season as we are expecting and maybe even hoping? To add to that what if the oldest starting pitcher in all of baseball, Andy Pettitte, decided to hang it up thus ending the core four all together? That would make the 2014 season a complete and utter disaster, or would it?

The Yankees would be left with absolutely huge and obviously glaring holes at second base, short stop, third base, in the back end of the bullpen, and the starting rotation heading into November and the Winter Meetings. Granted the Yankees would have somewhere around $100,000,000 to spend this off season while still toying with the idea of keeping the payroll under the $189,000,000 luxury tax thresh hold. This would probably be the closest thing to a Boston Red Sox circa 2012 reset that we are going to get but we have to navigate this smart and not just throw money at aging veterans just because we can. We have proven that time and time again simply being the biggest bidder for the best players available just does not work anymore. The Yankees are getting burned by players who would rather stay away from New York at all costs, see Cliff Lee, not getting anywhere near the production we are paying for after being acquired in free agency, see AJ Burnett, or we are missing out all together on free agents specifically in the international market, see Yu Darvish, Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes, yada yada yada. The Yankees "we can retool via free agency and build up our prospects hype to make big time trades in July" has been exposed and it is just not working anymore, bottom line, so how do we fix this?

Let's start by looking at the roster penciled in using only 40 man roster players as of November 1st:

C: Francisco Cervelli

1B: Mark Teixeira

2B: Jayson Nix

SS: Eduardo Nunez

3B: David Adams

LF: Alfonso Soriano

CF: Brett Gardner

RF: Ichiro Suzuki

DH: Zoilo Almonte

BN: Austin Romine

BN: Vernon Wells

BN: Corban Joseph

BN: Ramon Flores

SP: CC Sabathia

SP: Ivan Nova

SP: Michael Pineda

SP: David Phelps

SP: Vidal Nuno

CP: David Robertson

SU: Shawn Kelley

RP: Cesar Cabral

RP: Preston Claiborne

RP: Dellin Betances

RP: Adam Warren

LR: David Huff

Will David Robertson stop trying to make the "perfect pitch" thus bringing him into more full counts than any pitcher in the history of the world, mild exaggeration, and succeed as the heir to Mariano Rivera? Can the Yankees rebuild 3/4 of their infield on the fly and replace the best offensive second basemen in baseball in Robinson Cano? Can the Yankees get just one more ride out of aging veterans Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia (wow I really just said that), Mark Teixeira (see CC Sabathia), etc? All these questions to answer and not enough time and space today to do so in one post so check back tomorrow to see part two to see if I can really "put the best team on the field one dollar at a time."

Yankees Should Offer Cano A 12 Year Deal

Being posted as a part of Syndicated Sunday from Pinstripe Alley

Where do I sign? - Jim McIsaac

Offering anyone a 12-year deal sounds like a terrible idea, but for the Yankees and Robinson Cano it actually makes financial and baseball sense.

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(When someone says) Now hear me out, whatever follows that is not gonna be good.

-Kevin Nealon

Now hear me out. The Yankees should give Robinson Cano a massive twelve-year contract following this season that will pay him until he’s nearly 43 years old. If the Yankees are serious about getting under the luxury tax of 189 million dollars and staying competitive in 2014, they need to get creative. Spreading Cano’s money over 12 years instead of 7-10 creates a lower average annual value of the contract. When calculating payroll for luxury tax purposes, Major League Baseball does not use the amount the player actually made in a given year. The Yankees could not offer Cano $5 million in 2014 with a much larger salary in the years that follow in order to get under the luxury tax level. Baseball uses the average annual value (AAV) of the guaranteed money in a contract including player options.

Whether the Yankees actually go through with their goal to get under the luxury tax in 2014 is questionable. At the end of this season, the Yankees will lose Curtis Granderson, Hiroki Kuroda, Robinson Cano (potentially), Andy Pettitte, Kevin Youkilis, Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes, Travis Hafner, Joba Chamberlain, Lyle Overbay, and $8.5 million of Vernon Wells’ salary for a total just a tad under $100 million. The Yankees current commitments to Alex Rodriguez, Vernon Wells,Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, as well as third-year arbitration players Brett Gardner and David Robertson total roughly $107 million for luxury tax purposes. Adding in a few other arbitration cases and a bunch of league minimum salaries adds another $14 million. While the luxury tax level is set at $189 million, around $175 million will go to big league salaries with the rest going towards benefits, medical expenses, and minor leaguers on the 40-man roster. As a result, the Yankees would need to fill out the rest of the roster with roughly $54 million.

Signing Cano to an eight-year, $200 million contract may make sense logically. A shorter term contract at an even higher AAV may make even more sense logically, but financially, a longer contract could net huge savings for the Yankees while allowing the team to compete in 2014. Whatever amount the Yankees deem a fair price for Cano, they should offer that amount over 12 years. At 8/200, the amount counting against the 2014 payroll is $25 million. If the contract were 12/200, the amount counting against the payroll in is $16.7 million. The Yankees would then have eight million more dollars to spend on the 2014 team when they will likely be shopping for an outfield bat, starting pitching, and infield insurance for A-rod and Jeter.

Cano would need to be enticed in some way to take the same amount of money over more years. The Yankees could offer $30 million per year over the first three years to make up the difference. Owners are generally reluctant to front-load contracts because they want to keep their money as long as possible. However, the move would prove valuable for the Yankees as getting under the tax threshold could be worth close to $60 million in 2014 alone, with the benefits likely totaling over $100 million from 2014-2016 even if they go back over the luxury tax in 2015 and 2016. After 2016, the Yankees would owe Cano $100-$120 million dollars over the next nine years. That is not exactly chump change, but should be palatable for the Yankees as Cano enters his decline phase. It would not hinder the Yankees the same way A-Rod’s contract hangs over future planning as Cano would make less money as the contract rolls on.

If the Yankees do go this route, expect hand-wringing from sportswriters and fans about the Yankees exploiting the system. Expect some form of an inquiry from Bud Selig regarding the fairness of the contract. Expect the Yankees to be able to do it anyway. The decision is actually defensible on baseball grounds. If the argument is that the Yankees should not be able to extend a player into his age-42 season, then the reply is to point to a certain Yankee who signed a long-term deal that reaches into his age-42 season. Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera are all players the Yankees agreed to sign past age 39. Although NHL contracts have been voided to get around the salary cap, those efforts were more blatant and one was set topay Ilya Kovalchuk the NHL minimum for five years at the end of the 17-year deal. Cano would still be making in the $5-$10 million range when his contract ended, and it is reasonable to think he may still be able to play at that time.

If the Yankees further try to exploit the rules and make every one year deal they sign this winter a one year deal with a $1 million player option, they may be more likely to run afoul of Selig. Signing Cano to a longer term and front-loading the deal would be a win for Cano, Yankee management, and fans who want to see a winner. Shorter term deals are generally preferable, but in this unique circumstance, the Yankees are better off extending the years on the contract. Skepticism abounds at whether the Yankees will actually go through with their plan to get under the tax level, but if they get creative they may be able to pull it off.