The Sommer Frieze

We just saw the news…or lack of…regarding Derek Jeter. It’s pretty much a given that Derek and Mo aren’t going anywhere but will retire as Yankees and even though Rivera is 40, that time doesn’t seem to be soon.

So after 2010, what happens? Jeter and Rivera get locked up to new contracts. At what rates? The current rates, or will there be any kind of raise or cut? Mo, it appears, would be year-to-year at 41. Jeter would have a multi-year pact, but how much and how long for a 36 year old SS?  

Which leads us into who would the Yanks target in the 2010 free agent market, if anyone?

First off, I don’t think Mauer is going anywhere, despite the wishes of some on various blogs that he become a Yankee. I expect him to stay with his hometown Twins.

Besides, if you have two talents in Montero and Romine whose contracts are extremely reasonable for the next several years, why would you offer the farm for Mauer? Is the win-now-at-any-price attitude that pervasive? I know that you don’t yet have any idea what Montero/Romine would bring vs. that of a Mauer, but with those two I don’t think you need to shell out $15-20 M or whatever it would take for Mauer. So even though Mauer is superb, cross Mauer off the list for me.

Which brings me to the OF. Want to upgrade by going after Carl Crawford? Fine. I am not as down on Brett Gardner as some are, but I do realize that Crawford has the speed Gardner does, more power, is more likely to hit .300, etc. A better player. I do wonder where the Yanks will get the money for Crawford from.

Now after 2010, the Yanks will have to address pitching issues. Will Pettitte retire? That frees up money for Crawford or another pitcher. Javy Vazquez can become a free agent.

So would the Yanks have to replace two starting pitchers after 2010? Would this impact whether they go for Crawford or not, since their first priority (after signing Jeter and Mo) might have to be replenishing the rotation?

I don’t see Josh Beckett leaving Boston. But if Pettitte packs it in, I could see CC sweet-talking Cliff Lee to try to get his ex-teammate to come to the Bronx.

Now would Vazquez go? Would you need to get another pitcher to replace him, or would some combination of Joba, Hughes or Zach McAllister all be ready to step in?

I don’t know if Crawford would be on the radar or how big a priority he may be. But after signing Jeter and Mo, I think that if the Yanks lose both Andy and Javy that the priority next offseason will be on starters to replace them—and not a Crawford and/or Mauer.

What do you think? And where would the $ come from (remember Jeter and Mo come first).  

More medals for the USA, and I can’t keep up—especially with the X games type of sports. The women did win a silver in hockey. The men have a semifinal game vs. Finland now (USA up 4-0, mid-1st period as of this writing). Wow. Goalie meltdown on ice. 4-0 only 10 1/2 minutes into the match. The Finnish starting goalie faced 7 shots and stopped just 3.

Um…make it 6-0 now and the game is just 15 minutes old. The Finnish goalies are like sieves today.

USA medal count: 32 medals, 8G, 12S, 12B going into today’s action.  A silver in ice dancing.

Nice to see the Canadian figure skater get a bronze. Now to bury her mom and deal with her grief. God bless her and her family.

Update: 6-1 win for USA men’s hockey; on to the final vs. the Canada-Slovakia winner.

Good thing LIndsey Vonn got that gold early (and a bronze later). Her battered body (broken pinkie the other day, the shin…) missed a gate and she DNF today. Good first two races, but not the last three. Now she hopefully has time to heal.