Derek Jeter eventually will sign with the Yankees, but it looks like a slow dance in an expensive ballroom.
That’s the consensus of sources throughout the sport, so much so that there is little interest among teams to even talk about Jeter because they don’t think he will ever leave The Bronx.
“It’s going to take time,” a source predicted. “But it will get done.”
A Post survey of 15 teams revealed very little interest in even discussing Jeter and what he is worth to other organizations.
“I couldn’t begin to guess because there is a lot to talk about,” an American League general manager said when asked what Jeter could expect to get outside of The Bronx. “There is his leadership and how great he has been. Comparing his skills, that’s different. But all of this is just talk because he should never leave that team. As long as there is mutual interest he has to realize who he is at this point and they have to realize he is a Hall of Famer.”
The Yankees understand they will have to overpay Jeter. But how much and for how long is the most popular question in the Yankees’ vast universe.
Because Jeter and the Yankees won’t use the press to negotiate the deal, it’s hard to figure what Jeter is looking for and how high the Yankees are willing to go.
A scenario where Jeter asks for four years might be countered with the Yankees offering three years between $17 million and $20 million per with an option for a fourth.
Then where do the Yankees view Jeter? Unless you love Eduardo Nunez as an everyday shortstop, and that isn’t universal among talent evaluators, Jeter is a shortstop. Teams don’t pay this kind of money for designated hitters who hit 10 homers unless they bat .350.
With owner Hal Steinbrenner and Jeter, through his agent Casey Close, agreeing the contract negotiations will take place with a business-first feel, something that could lead to tense moments, it’s not likely a deal will be reached before Jeter can begin talking to other clubs Sunday.
Jeter is coming off a career-low batting average of .270, will be 37 in June, and made $21 million last season.
He also is 74 hits away from 3,000, the all-time Yankees hits leader, the captain, the face of the franchise with an image as clean as the Board of Health.
And for all the talk of how bad a season Jeter had, he led major league shortstops in runs scored (111) and hits (179).
“Let’s say $10 million a year is what he is worth outside the Yankees. But to them he is worth a lot more than that because of who he is and what he has done,” an NL administrator said. “He is probably worth three years for $60 million to the Yankees, but they both should find a way to be creative beyond his playing days.”
Though people scoff at talk that the Yankees watch their dollars, remember it’s going to cost somewhere in the area of $20 million across four or five years to ink Cliff Lee. Will that lead to the Yankees holding down the price on Jeter?
As for Mariano Rivera, the Yankees believe he will return. Nevertheless, recent noise about Rivera, who will be 41 late this month, possibly wanting two years could be a roadblock. Rivera made $15 million this past season and the Yankees are never shy about dollars. But at Rivera’s age they may not want to go more than year to year. He, too, can begin talking to other clubs Sunday.
Where Andy Pettitte is concerned, the Yankees are waiting to see if the veteran lefty wants to return before talking about him in their evaluation meetings. It is believed Pettitte would be welcomed back.
When talks between Jeter and the Yankees begin, the Yankees will use Boston shortstop Marco Scutaro, whose 2010 season looked like Jeter’s in a lot of ways other than salary ($5.5 million to $21 million) as a negotiating tool.
Scutaro, 35, hit .275, scored 92 runs, hit 11 homers with 56 RBIs. Jeter hit 10 homers and drove in 67 runs.
There is more in play for the Yankees and Jeter than numbers and he obviously means a lot more to the Yankees than Scutaro does to the Red Sox. And many believe Jeter, a career .314 hitter who batted .334 in 2009, will be better than a .270 hitter next year.
“He had a little run at the end of the year,” an AL talent evaluator said of Jeter’s 2011 season. “I could see his average going up, but his homers going down.”
george.king@nypost.com