2013 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[tim_m]

Only thing that  could've made that cooler is if they played it live when he actually entered the game.

That would've been sweet. 

This is going to be an extremely interesting off season in the Bronx, it'll be fun to see how things unfold.

Indeed. We're surely going to be in rebuilding mode. Going out and just buying players like the past is not an option with the sons in control.

[Falcon]

Only thing that  could've made that cooler is if they played it live when he actually entered the game.

That would've been sweet. 

This is going to be an extremely interesting off season in the Bronx, it'll be fun to see how things unfold.

Indeed. We're surely going to be in rebuilding mode. Going out and just buying players like the past is not an option with the sons in control.

They were gonna have to rebuild at some point, retirements and bad contracts are coming due.

They've got work to do for sure, something like 300 mil thru 2017 on ARod, Tex and CC are obviously obstacles to overcome.

The Cano talks will set the course for the future, either succumb to a massive overpay and dig the hole deeper
or make a tough decision and play hard ball.

I suspect they'll be fine, they'll reallocate funds to amateur player procurement/development and selected free agents to augment the roster as needed.

It's not like they'll ever go on the cheap, but I think they'll go on the smart more often than not.

[tim_m]

They certainly seem determined to come in under the 189 million mark to keep from taking a huge tax hit. Can they pay Cano and do that? We will see. A lot depends on what happens with A-Rod's appeal. If the full suspension is upheld that's 211 games the yankees aren't on the hook for salary for him. Hal and Hank will be doing cartwheels around their offices.

[tim_m]

Wow what a nightmare game for the O's firs they lose Muchado to what seems to be a very serious knee injury. Now Casilla just got knocked out cold by the right fielder when his head slammed him to his leg while he was going for the ball. He stayed in the game at least for now though.

[pilferk]

Only thing that  could've made that cooler is if they played it live when he actually entered the game.

That would've been sweet. 

This is going to be an extremely interesting off season in the Bronx, it'll be fun to see how things unfold.

Indeed. We're surely going to be in rebuilding mode. Going out and just buying players like the past is not an option with the sons in control.

They're going to have a nice chunk available to them even if they want to stay under 189 to "rebuild)

You're losing Mo, Pettite, and likely A-rods money (though I guess that's still pending) next year.  Total, that's about 55 million.  Jeter's option isn't bad for next year, either, and I think it pushes his AAV down, because it becomes a 4 year deal.  You also are going to lose Joba and Hughes money (cause they are not getting re-signed) and Granderson is off the books (and, really, with Soriano on the cheap next year...he's expendable so I don't see the Yanks trying to sign him given his market value).  I suspect Wells will be released, too..given it wouldn't really cost the Yanks anything to do it.

They can "rebuild", but they have ample coffers to do it. And they really only need to be at or under 189 for ONE year to get luxury tax relief (which is the point of the 189...not the actual number).

They need at least 2 members of the rotation to replace Kuroda (and they might replace him with...him) and Hughes.  You have a bunch of internal candidates vying for the spot being vacated by Pettite so I don't think you need to look there.  If you have to, you fill that slot later.

Outfield is going to be Soriano, Gardner, and Ichiro (yikes), for better or worse.  They'll find a platoon type bat to complement Ichiro, probably, too.

Infield is going to be Tex...and 3 other guys.  You hope one is Cano.  They really need a competent SS and 3rd baseman.  Jeter will be back, but I don't think you can count on him playing SS every day. Nunez can not be the solution, either...though he probably will be.

Cervelli will be back as the staring catcher, likely backed up by Romine.  Stewart, I think, is going to be shown the door.

Bullpen will be Robertson closing, Logan as the LOOGY.  They need a setup man (who might also need to be able to close, if Robertson implodes) and a couple of good relievers.  Warren and Claiborne are a couple of those slots. Maybe Kelley, too.

[pilferk]

They certainly seem determined to come in under the 189 million mark to keep from taking a huge tax hit. Can they pay Cano and do that? We will see. A lot depends on what happens with A-Rod's appeal. If the full suspension is upheld that's 211 games the yankees aren't on the hook for salary for him. Hal and Hank will be doing cartwheels around their offices.

Even if it gets knocked down to 162 games (one season), it will be enough.  Heck, half a season would probably do it.  You'd drop 12.5 million off their payroll for the year (suspensions superscede the AAV rule).

Given the other departures (Grandersen, Pettite, Mo), they should have enough to back the truck up for Cano and still stay under 189.

[Falcon]

Given the other departures (Grandersen, Pettite, Mo), they should have enough to back the truck up for Cano and still stay under 189.

Looks like they're gonna need a bigger truck:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/09/robinson-cano-seeking-ten-years-305mm.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Per Buster Olney, they're seeking 10 years at $305 million.

Good luck with that Robby, er...Jay Z...

[pilferk]

Given the other departures (Grandersen, Pettite, Mo), they should have enough to back the truck up for Cano and still stay under 189.

Looks like they're gonna need a bigger truck:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/09/robinson-cano-seeking-ten-years-305mm.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Per Buster Olney, they're seeking 10 years at $305 million.

Good luck with that Robby, er...Jay Z...

I think I said this before:

They can want, or pie in the sky, whatever they want.  They can start with whatever number they want to start with.  But the reality is, they have to find someone who is willing to pay that.  It's not just "this is the deal I want and someone has to pay me this"...because we all know Cano is not going to "retire" if he can't find that deal.

And nobody...and I mean NOBODY..is going to give him a 10 year, 30.5 million per, deal.  And I'd love to both know where that number came from (directly) AND what the person was smoking who floated it. Because it must be some seriously good shit...

Cano is probably going to get something closer to 6 to 7 years at about 23 to 25 million per....OR 10 years at 16 to 18 per (though I expect most teams would rather pay more per annum than go longer term).  Still quite the deal.. but not close to what they're "asking for", according to Olney.

He's going to want more...and 5 years ago he probably would have gotten it.  But with the new CBA, and the cap rules that have been put in place, and the crackdown on PED's (meaning you're finding fewer and fewer guys who are productive after age 35)...even the Nationals, Dodgers, Mets, and Rangers are not going to touch the numbers he's talking about.

[tim_m]

If that's what he really wants he can take it and shove it up his ass for all i care.

[tim_m]

On another note Selig has announced his retirement effective January 2015.

[tim_m]

The Yankees are considering letting Rivera fulfill his dream of playing center field this weekend. I think they should let him do it and not even consider it. There's nothing at stake in these games, so let the man go out the way he wants he's earned it.

[pilferk]

The Yankees are considering letting Rivera fulfill his dream of playing center field this weekend. I think they should let him do it and not even consider it. There's nothing at stake in these games, so let the man go out the way he wants he's earned it.

Absolutely. I'd like to see them do it tonight, but realize that the rays games do have meaning in the wc race and home field for the one gamer.

But the three against Houston mean nothing. I say let him play...maybe even start...out there on Saturday or Sunday. What's the downside? He gets hurt? I doubt he cares, at this point....it would fulfill a lifelong dream. And mo certainly deserves that opportunity!

[tim_m]

The Yankees are considering letting Rivera fulfill his dream of playing center field this weekend. I think they should let him do it and not even consider it. There's nothing at stake in these games, so let the man go out the way he wants he's earned it.

Absolutely. I'd like to see them do it tonight, but realize that the rays games do have meaning in the wc race and home field for the one gamer.

But the three against Houston mean nothing. I say let him play...maybe even start...out there on Saturday or Sunday. What's the downside? He gets hurt? I doubt he cares, at this point....it would fulfill a lifelong dream. And mo certainly deserves that opportunity!

Agreed. This man has accomplished everything he has ever wanted to and more so let him accomplish the one thing he's always dreamed of. He's earned it and deserves it. Like you said if he does get hurt its not like he has to recover for next season.

[Falcon]

The Yankees are considering letting Rivera fulfill his dream of playing center field this weekend. I think they should let him do it and not even consider it. There's nothing at stake in these games, so let the man go out the way he wants he's earned it.

I'm all for it! 

[Falcon]

On another note Selig has announced his retirement effective January 2015.

Interesting legacy that ran the gamut of failures and successes.

[tim_m]

The Yankees are considering letting Rivera fulfill his dream of playing center field this weekend. I think they should let him do it and not even consider it. There's nothing at stake in these games, so let the man go out the way he wants he's earned it.

I'm all for it! 

Yeah, i mean how can you not be? The man's the greatest closer ever. He's got 4 games left in his career. He's a first ballot hall of famer. If he wants to play one game in center field in a meaningless game let him.

[pilferk]

Girardi just said in his pre game presser he is considering it. His implication is that he is going to do it, in Houston, probably on Sunday, with mo playng center in the 8 th and then pitching the 9th.

Girardi said it will not happen tonight, for the same reason I mentioned...that these games are meaningful to Tampa and Cleveland, and Texas...

[tim_m]

On another note Selig has announced his retirement effective January 2015.

Interesting legacy that ran the gamut of failures and successes.

That's for sure. He may have been a big part of the whole PED thing but you gotta give him credit for finally making a real effort to clean it up. His successes are clearly the expanded playoffs, the wild cards and interleague play. I know you aren't a fan of all that but the majority of the fans love it. Now the question is who is his successor? I personally think Torre could be a great commissioner but at his age i'm not sure he'd want the job or that the owners would want someone already that old.

[tim_m]

Girardi just said in his pre game presser he is considering it. His implication is that he is going to do it, in Houston, probably on Sunday, with mo playng center in the 8 th and then pitching the 9th.

Girardi said it will not happen tonight, for the same reason I mentioned...that these games are meaningful to Tampa and Cleveland, and Texas...

Good he's earned it. That will be a sight to see. I hope the game is on tv here in Texas.

[GeorgeSteele]

No chance on $305M for Cano, but with incentives, miletone bonuses, buyout options, post-retirement income, etc., I can see it going up to the $250M range.  All it takes is one other team to make the bidding ridiculous.  I think the Cubs could be that team, they will have a lot a payroll flexibility after this season. 

Also, is it possible that the Marlins will sucker yet another big-name free agent to sign a ridiculously back-loaded contract and then get dumped to another team after 1 year?  Their 2014 commitments are only $6M and after 2014... $0. 

Whatever the case, all said and done, Cano most likely re-signs with the Yanks. 

By the way, this a great interactive MLB payroll graphic:  http://mrphilroth.com/mlbpayrolls/