Unlike most people, I don’t think the Yankees owe Derek Jeter anything more than what his play dictates.
The Yankees are a brand with or without Derek Jeter.
The Yankees made Jeter— not the other way around. If Jeter had the same career with the Royals, he would be considered great, but not a mega crossover star.
I understand they want to give him a little more because he is Mr. Yankee. But the facts are he is a decent, not great player,and his demands are a bit crazy:
Derek Jeter started contract negotiations with the New York Yankees by asking for a six- year, $150 million deal, the Daily News reported.
Jeter, who has won five World Series titles in 16 years with the Yankees, is standing firm on $25 million per year, according to the New York newspaper, citing an unidentified person familiar with the negotiations. The Yankees originally offered the 11-time All-Star a three- year, $45 million deal that would make Jeter, 36, the highest-paid shortstop in Major League Baseball.
Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, disputed the Daily News report in an e-mail to the Star-Ledger, writing that “the recently rumored terms of our contract proposal are simply inaccurate” and refusing further comment to the Newark, New Jersey, newspaper.
I think the 45 million deal is very fair for an average aging shortstop and it isn’t like Jeter hasn’t been paid throughout his career.
Just because he isn’t getting A-Rod money, he is salty.
But trust me when I tell you this—if he ends up signing with the Astros or some other wayward squad, the Yankees will be fine and Jeter will be fading to Turkey with Allen Iverson.
