As I said in a previous post, Brian Cashman looks one or two years down the road when making decisions. He didn’t put up cash for a player like Holliday or Lackey this off-season because he knows next off-season is going to be a crucial one for the Yankees. The Yankees have decisions to make on Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. There will also be some potential free agents the Yankees should take a look at.
Derek Jeter will turn 36 in June of 2010. His contract will expire after that season. The Yankees aren’t going to treat Jeter like they treated Giambi, Matsui, Damon or even Bernie Williams. They will keep Jeter in pinstripes until he retires. The hard part is going to be working out how many years the contract will be. Is three years enough or does Jeter think he can play four or five more years? A-Rod’s contract, which expires when he is 41, will be brought up by Jeter’s side. Jeter is going to want a comparable salary and he may want four years. Disregarding the number of years, the price for Jeter is going to be well over $20 million per year. Jeter’s position on defense will also factor in. Will he remain at shortstop, go to the outfield or somewhere else? That’s another issue that will need to be resolved after 2010.
Mariano Rivera is another guy the Yankees will keep in pinstripes. He turns 41 a month after the 2010 season ends. If he still wants to pitch, the Yankees will re-sign him. One more year may be all he wants. Rivera made $15 million in 2009. A one-year deal worth around $15 million in 2011 would be ideal for both sides.
Moving on to potential free agents, Twins catcher Joe Mauer leads the list. Mauer was the 2009 AL MVP and there is no question that he is on the Yankees radar. The Twins, who are opening a new stadium in 2010, would be foolish not to re-sign Mauer. There are talks of Mauer wanting a contract extension before he hits the free agent market in 2011. Some people think Mauer would take less money to remain in his hometown, but if things don’t work out, the Yankees will be the first ones at his doorstep. The Yankees have to replace Posada soon, who will turn 39 during August of 2010. Mauer is entering the prime of his career, but he’ll have a hefty price tag.
Cliff Lee is another guy the Yankees will have their eye on. Lee was traded from Philadelphia to Seattle this winter after Philadelphia acquired Roy Halladay from Toronto. The 2008 Cy Young Award winner was thrown for a loop when he first heard of the trade. Seattle has improved their team and look poised to make a run at the AL West title. If Lee doesn’t sign an extension with the Mariners and hits the open market next winter, the Yankees will be be in hot pursuit of Lee. They could even use Lee’s good friend, CC Sabathia, to help recruit him.
Carl Crawford is another potential free agent the Yankees will look at. The Yankees see Crawford 18 times a year and they know how versatile and athletic he is. He would be a top of the lineup guy that the Yankees will be needing in the next few years. He has a career .295 average and will steal well over 40 bases in a full season. This is a guy that would set the table well for the power bats of A-Rod and Teixeira. He’ll come cheaper than MVP Mauer or Cy Young Lee and would be a great signing for the Yankees. He’s the type of player Joe Girardi likes.
The Yankees spent big for 2009 (Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira), are taking it moderately easy in 2010 (Johnson and trades for Granderson and Vazquez), but will get back on the wagon for 2011 in what could be another huge winter for the Yankees.
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I would love to see Mauer escape from Minnesota. Crawford in pinstripes alongside Granderson would be great for the D and O.
Bring on Cliff Lee or Brandon Webb every team needs as much good pitching as possible.
Potential Rotation
CC
Cliff Lee
AJ
Javy
Hughes
Wow, Mauer would be a FANTASTIC fit in the yanks power packed lineup
1. Jeter SS
2. Mauer C
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Cano 2B
6. Montero DH
7. Granderson LF
8. Swisher RF
9. Gardner CF
Also im not 100% on this but isnt Jason Werth of the Phillies a free agent in 2011? Our Lineup With him would look like this
1. Jeter SS
2. Mauer C
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Werth RF
6. Montero DH
7.?
8.?
9.?
those of you who don’t know who Montero is, aren’t Yankee Fans. The Best prospect in the system. He’ll bat about .325 with 25-35 Homers. Also anyone hear of Melky Mesa? another prospect in the system. He reminds me a lot of our beloved Alfonso Soriano. Expect the “new” melky to crack the big leagues at the fairly old age of 25. I could see him with an impressive line of .267 20-35 Homers and 30+ stolen bases. also 110-160 K’s
Excellent work, thanks for the comment!
lineup like this… Bench:
Montero C
1) Jeter ss Ed Nunez
2) Swisher rf Ramiro Pena
3) Texiera 1B F. Cervelli
4) A-Rod 3B B. Gardner
5) Cano 2B Austin kearns
6) Posada DH
7) Werth RF
9) Granderson CF
Honestly, i dont think they will keep monetro at C, but i think they should at least give him a shot be4 they go on to some1… else….
Rotation:
1) CC sabathia
2) Burnett
3) Cliff Lee
4) Phil Hughes
5) Pettitte (if he dosent retire), Ivan Nova( if u havent seen him…he looks great..just needs a better strike out pitch….throws 93-98), or bronson arroyo, or they could offer arbitration to javy, which i dnt think they will
Bullpen:
D.Robertson
Kerry Wood
Joba
Mitre
Aceves
Boone logan or Damaso marte( idk what evn happend to him)
Closer…Mariano rivera
Srry for the bench players being so close to the lineup of direk jeter thru cano
This is what the team should look like for the 2011 campaing:
Lineup:
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Nick Swisher RF
Francisco Cervlli C
Brett Gardner LF
Rotation:
CC. Sabathia
Aj. Burnett
Cliff Lee
Phill Hugues
Ivan Nova
Bullpen:
Closer: Mariano Rivera
Set up: Joba Chamberlian
Letfy especialis: Damaso marte
Mrp: David Roberston, Alfredo Aceves, Kerry Wood
Lrp: Chad Gaudin
Bench:
C: Chad Moeller
Utility: Ramiro Pena
4out fielder: Collin Curtis
Pinch Hitter: Marcus Thames
Thats the stuff!!!
c.-posada-1b-tex, 2nd cano, ss jeter, 3rd arod lf crawford cf werth, rf swish dh pujols starter cc, hughes, c lee, aj bronson arroyo
Good luck with that happening.
hey um lance why would our rotation go
cc
AJ
it would go
cc
lee