The Yankees have not upped their offer to Derek Jeter.
According to a report last night, the Yankees had added $5 million to their three-year, $45 million offer to Derek Jeter.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations, however, said that wasn’t the case.
So, one week from today the Winter Meetings open in Orlando and the Yankees say the Jeter Saga won’t interfere with what they want to accomplish there: bag Cliff Lee and strengthen the bullpen.
However, until Jeter returns at whatever price and for however many years the focus in the Yankees’ universe will be on Jeter’s situation.
According to a source, 32-year-old Lee would like to be paid $23 million a year for six seasons.
CC Sabathia-type money doesn’t scare the Yankees who must add Lee to a rotation that was vulnerable behind Sabathia in the postseason. And would be weakened if Andy Pettitte decides to retire.
However, the Rangers aren’t likely to go near the $23 million mark so it may not be necessary for the Yankees to give that to Lee, who would slot in behind Sabathia and ahead of 18-game winner Phil Hughes, who was spanked twice by the Rangers in the ALCS.
As for Jeter and the Yankees, expect negotiations to increase this week with the idea of closing the wide gulf between what the Yankees are offering (three years for $45 million) and what Jeter believes he is worth ($23 million for four or five seasons).
That Jeter is still unsigned this late surprises some people who believed it would go smoothly. It hasn’t. Each side stated early in the process that they were looking at it as a business.
The Yankees believe $15 million a year for a shortstop who will be 37 in June and coming off a career-low .270 season is fair.
Obviously, Jeter doesn’t agree because he is still unsigned.
Of course, there will be a compromise. But by whom?
The Yankees don’t sound as if they are going to increase the money significantly. And since Jeter averaged $18.9 million for the past 10 seasons, anything less than $18.9 million per is going to be viewed as a pay cut. Never mind that Jeter made $21 million this past season.
Of course, the Yankees are operating with the belief that no other club is going to top their offer to Jeter.
And even if a team like St. Louis or San Francisco would match it or go a little higher, does Jeter really want to finish a Hall of Fame career in a uniform other than the Yankees’?