Every year, the expectations are that the Yankees will make a big splash. Often you hear fans say, “oh the Yankees will just go out and buy so and so.”
Yes, the Yankees have the money. But that doesn’t mean that you just associate the Yankees with every top free agent out there.
There is need and market…not to mention value.
Chad Jennings at LoHud has a nice post up. Here is what he says (emphasis mine):
Three huge signings in one winter — plus a trade for Nick Swisher — were made partially because Cashman looked ahead to this free agent class and realized it wasn’t nearly as strong as last year’s group. The time to make big moves was last year.
Might this winter call for the opposite thinking? Is this a time to think small with an eye on next year?
The list of potential free agents after the 2010 season includes MVPs Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer — each of whom could very easily re-sign before actually hitting the market — as well as names like Carlos Pena, Victor Martinez, Carl Crawford, Adam Dunn, Josh Beckett, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Javier Vazquez, Brandon Webb and Huston Street. Players like Kerry Wood, Magglio Ordonez and Lance Berkman have options that might or might not be picked up for 2011. Some of those guys will never actually make it to free agency, but it’s an awfully strong group.
Oh, and there are these two names to consider as well: Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Value, market and need. Don’t count the Yankees in on everybody.
1 response so far ↓
1 Jason // Dec 6, 2009 at 10:19 am
This has been my hunch as well, Mike. Crawford is more than a little tempting, as are Lee and Webb, both of whom would fit well in Yankee Stadium. I would be surprised if Martinez were allowed to hit the open market. Pena and Pujols are great, but play first and the Yanks have Teixeira. If Ordonez came cheap and could still hit, a two-year deal is fine, but his age and dearth of foot speed make me wary.
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