ORLANDO, Fla. — The Yankees are planning to make a contract offer of at least three years to Derek Jeter very soon, perhaps before the end of this week, The Post has learned.
The Yankees had hoped Jeter would make an initial proposal, but now recognize that is not going to occur. So the team has decided it is time to try to move the negotiations forward.
The expectation is the Yankees will offer something in the three-year, $45 million range, which will create some negotiating room to climb toward $57 million to $60 million on a three-year deal or perhaps go to a fourth-year option or a straight fourth year as a way to reach a settlement. Of course, that is assuming Jeter finds that range acceptable.
“The will is there to get it done,” Yankees president Randy Levine said. “And I believe there is a way.”
The Post reported Wednesday that Yankee officials told Jeter in a face-to-face meeting last week that they intend to pay him based mostly on what he is worth as a player and not based on his historic/iconic meaning to the organization.
Levine essentially corroborated that by saying, “Everything he is and who he is gets factored in. But this isn’t a licensing deal or commercial rights deal, he’s a baseball player. With that said, you can’t take away who he is. He brings a lot to the organization and we bring a lot to him.”
Levine added, “He’s a baseball player and we are doing a negotiation with a baseball player. A lot goes into a negotiation with a player. But this isn’t the same negotiation as 10 years ago (when Jeter signed for $189 million). It is a different time, a different place and a different stage.”
*** The Yankees are not as close to making an offer to Cliff Lee, mainly because Lee and his representative are still in a fact-finding mode designed to create — at the least — the perception of a large group of suitors. However, it is hard to find executives who do not think it will come down to the Yankees vs. the Rangers for Lee, with the Yanks prevailing.
Even Texas officials have told counterparts they would have difficulty winning for Lee if the bidding climbs to five or more years at an annual value at or higher than CC Sabathia’s $23 million.
*** The Red Sox and Yankees are among the teams that engaged the Diamondbacks about Justin Upton. Boston is more serious, but might not have the proper prospect combination to land the outfielder. The Yankees believe strongly they have the prospects necessary because new Arizona GM Kevin Towers worked in their system last year and liked a host of their prospects.
The Yankees, however, do not consider Upton a front-burner issue. GM Brian Cashman has told counterparts he likes his outfield of Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher, and would probably need to use one of them to get a pitcher before he would consider making a deal elsewhere.
*** In his time as Red Sox GM, Theo Epstein has had to let beloved championship players such as Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon leave to free agency, significantly lower the salary of team captain Jason Varitek and — before the title years — deal an iconic shortstop in Nomar Garciaparra. So he has some experience in dealing with matters that face his chief rival, the Yankees, now with Jeter.
“You would love to treat everyone the way they deserve, and you want to honor loyalty,” Epstein said. “But ultimately is a baseball decision. The way a GM demonstrates loyalty to his organization is by winning and playing in October.”
*** Phil Coke, who was acquired from the Yankees as part of the Granderson trade last year, is being converted from a reliever to a starter by the Tigers.
“When we got him, we thought about doing it at that time because our scouts thought he could do it,” Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said. “He has three pitches (fastball, curve and change) and has showed us good resilience. He wants to do it and we think he can handle it.”
*** The Nationals and Pirates have jumped out as the frontrunners for Jorge De La Rosa, who is possibly the best free-agent starter available after Lee. The Orioles, Blue Jays and perhaps Rangers also are interested. It is believed a deal for at least four years at $48 million will be needed to sign him.
*** Brewers GM Doug Melvin met with Prince Fielder and his agent, Scott Boras, on Tuesday and with the agents for his second baseman, Rickie Weeks, yesterday. Both Fielder and Weeks are free agents after the season.
Melvin is considering trading Fielder for pitching now, although he is aware that with his being a year from free agency and demanding a contract for more than $15 million in 2011 that Milwaukee probably will not get back equal value. Melvin has history in trading sluggers such as Juan Gonzalez and Richie Sexson, and he tends to like to make trades in which he gets back multiple players as a way to try to raise the chances of receiving something useful in return.
*** Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was not sentimental about trading second baseman Dan Uggla to the Braves for infielder Omar Infante and reliever Mike Dunn.
“The fans are going to say we will miss his home runs. But we didn’t win with him and our infield defense was not very good,” he said. “He is a terrific young man and hit homers, but we think we will make up the homers with a new catcher (John Buck) and full seasons from Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton. And we think our infield defense with Infante at second and (prospect) Matt Dominguez at third.”
Florida has been the most aggressive team early in the offseason, adding six players and specifically targeting its bullpen with deals that brought Dunn and fellow lefty Dustin Richardson and righties Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica. They will be added to closer Leo Nunez and Clay Hensley, and Loria expects to do even more in this area.
“We lost 27 games after the seventh inning last year,” Loria said. “If we win even 10 of those games, we make the playoffs.”
***The Tigers agreed to terms on a three-year, $16.5 million contract with set-up man Joaquin Benoit. Benoit was arguably the best set-up man in the majors last year, but he missed all of 2009 after shoulder surgery that scared off a lot of suitors who did not want to go beyond two years.
The Dodgers are contemplating re-signing Vicente Padilla after already retaining Ted Lilly and Hiroki Kuroda. The Nationals also are interested in Padilla.
The Astros are strongly considering playing Carlos Lee at first base and pursuing an outfielder.