Yankees to pick up Sheffield's option

[Gom]

I have to admit, I didn't see this coming, but a great move by my Yankees. Now we get a chance to shut out the AL competitors, and considering what is on the market, A one year rental for Sheffield for the Dodgers/Astros etc., should bring back a decent player.

 

Score one for Cashman and the Yanks front office. It's a no-brainer.

 

Since I am on a Brad Lidge kick, I can easily see a Lidge for Sheffield deal. Makes so much sense for both sides.

[ORS]

Slow down there, Skippy. Gary has an opinion on this move....

 

New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield, informed Wednesday that the Yankees will pick up his $13 million option in 2007, was angry by the decision, hoping instead the Yankees would let him go.

""This will not work, this will not work at all," Sheffield told USA TODAY. "I don't want to play first base a year for them. I will not do that."

 

Sheffield, who heard that the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels were interested him, said he was hoping to test the free-agent market and receive another three-year contract.

 

"I don't know what they're [Yankees] going to do," Sheffield said. "Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just to a team for one year, there's going to be a problem.

 

"A big problem.

 

"I will not do this."

 

link

 

Score one for Gary. Anyone surprised that this isn't going to be easy?

[jsinger121]

The Yanks won't get back anyone that great for sheffield. If anything a mid level prospect.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

The Yanks won't get back anyone that great for sheffield. If anything a mid level prospect.

 

Better than nothing. Plus we can control where he goes, hopefully to the NL somewhere. Can't say I'm surprised by his comments, but I thought he was ok with playing first. He seemed to be at the end of this season..

[ORS]

Better than nothing. Plus we can control where he goes' date=' hopefully to the NL somewhere. Can't say I'm surprised by his comments, but I thought he was ok with playing first. He seemed to be at the end of this season..[/quote']

Which really reemphasizes the need for a salary cap. With a cap they would have to be smarter with their money instead of just throwing dollars around to shape the way other teams set up their rosters. I'm not saying that I'd want Sheff on the Sox, but there is something fundamentally wrong with that scenario. MLB, in the current system, is at the mercy of the financial muscle of the Yankees. Not very sporting, if you ask me.

[Gom]

This isn't any different than the Red Sox letting players walk they never wanted for a draft pick.

 

The Yankees have NO intention of keeping Sheffield. To tell you the truth, most teams that are interested in Sheffield are happy the Yankees signed him. I don't think you want to risk a 3 year deal on him, but a one-year rental can't be that bad.

[ORS]

It's absolutely different. If it was the same, then they'd let him walk and get a draft pick. Instead, they are taking advantage of the fact that they are the only team that can afford to eat a good portion of his salary (something they will likely have to do in order to anyone interesting back) in order to dictate where he does/does not go. And, the dissimilarity isn't just apples to oranges. It's apples to orangutans.

[rician blast]

It's absolutely different. If it was the same' date=' then they'd let him walk and get a draft pick. Instead, they are taking advantage of the fact that they are the only team that can afford to eat a good portion of his salary (something they will likely have to do in order to anyone interesting back) in order to dictate where he does/does not go. And, the dissimilarity isn't just apples to oranges. It's apples to orangutans.[/quote']

 

ORS is correct here. Where all other teams, including the Red Sox, base team options and similar decisions on a number of variables, including, and perhaps primarily, financial constraints, the Yankees are free to wield there wallet in a manner that no other team can, to the benefit of themselves and the detriment of the competition and sometimes the players themselves.

 

If Sheff were on the White Sox, for example, (a team with $100+m payroll) would they exercise the option? $13m for a veteran who was injured most of the previous yr tells me that it would be quite unlikely. If the option were not picked up, Sheffield could go out and seek a 3 yr contract which, while paying him less per year, would guarantee him 3 more yrs of baseball.

 

So the current MLB system allows that the Yanks can screw the player and screw the competition because of their wealth. It's not even close to a level playing field.

[guapo34]

Gary Sheffield is going to complain to try and force a trade somewhere he actually wants to play, but i don't see how hes getting screwed here. $13 million is much more than he would get on the open market, and i'm not sure if he could get a guranteed 2 year deal so the length shouldn't matter either.

[Gom]

It's absolutely different. If it was the same' date=' then they'd let him walk and get a draft pick. Instead, they are taking advantage of the fact that they are the only team that can afford to eat a good portion of his salary (something they will likely have to do in order to anyone interesting back) in order to dictate where he does/does not go. And, the dissimilarity isn't just apples to oranges. It's apples to orangutans.[/quote']

 

I disagree here. Due to the new collective bargaining agreement, the draft pick compensation has been drastically changed. Outside of the Yankees, I think there are many teams that would take a chance with one year for Sheffield. Red Sox, White Sox, Twins [maybe], Rangers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Astros, Dodgers would all be in the running.

 

I am not saying that the Yankees are going to get comparable baseball talent, but in this case, they are playing with house money. Sheffield would command, and most likely get 2 years 24 million. Don't you think one year at 13 million is better? Do you think that Soriano, or Lee, or Aramis Ramirez, et al. will get anything less than 4 or 5 years? This is a short term, relatively low risk investment.

 

Cashman is already having an good offseason. Regardless of what happens with Arod, he is categorically stating that Arod is off the market. By doing so, he increases the value of Sheffield [one less slugger on the market]. I expect the Astros, Phillies, Astros, Cards and Dodgers to be the big suitors for him. Could you imagine how the Cardinals would look right now with Sheffield protecting Prince Albert?

[ORS]

I disagree here. Due to the new collective bargaining agreement' date=' the draft pick compensation has been drastically changed. Outside of the Yankees, I think there are many teams that would take a chance with one year for Sheffield. Red Sox, White Sox, Twins [maybe'], Rangers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Astros, Dodgers would all be in the running.

 

I am not saying that the Yankees are going to get comparable baseball talent, but in this case, they are playing with house money. Sheffield would command, and most likely get 2 years 24 million. Don't you think one year at 13 million is better? Do you think that Soriano, or Lee, or Aramis Ramirez, et al. will get anything less than 4 or 5 years? This is a short term, relatively low risk investment.

 

Cashman is already having an good offseason. Regardless of what happens with Arod, he is categorically stating that Arod is off the market. By doing so, he increases the value of Sheffield [one less slugger on the market]. I expect the Astros, Phillies, Astros, Cards and Dodgers to be the big suitors for him. Could you imagine how the Cardinals would look right now with Sheffield protecting Prince Albert?

You compared letting a FA to walk to the team of his choice to holding the reigns over a player to dictate where he can/can't go (when it is evident the Yankees have no interest in keeping him). I don't care how the CBA changed the compensatory picks, Sheff would still rate as a type-A because they don't just look a the last year and they account for injuries.

 

Low risk for who? There is a very strong posibility that his wrist permanently affects his ability to swing a bat. Couple that with his oft injured shoulder and legs, and you are looking at a potential light hitting DH. For $13M? What a bargain.

 

Look, I know you can't resist the urge to apply a nice spit shine to Cashman's testicular region, but be real about it. He opened a can of worms with Sheff, and his statements about ARod are patent company line when this type of situation occurs. s***, Manny asks to get traded twice a year, but you don't see anyone here donning knee pads when Theo says "We'll try to accomodate that request, but a move will have to be in the best interests of the club."

 

You take homer to a new level.

[rician blast]

Gary Sheffield is going to complain to try and force a trade somewhere he actually wants to play' date=' but i don't see how hes getting screwed here. $13 million is much more than he would get on the open market, and i'm not sure if he could get a guranteed 2 year deal so the length shouldn't matter either.[/quote']

 

The issue is he won't even have a CHANCE to get two or three years guaranteed. As I pointed out his value per year as a FA would be less, but at least he'd have the opportunity to try and find a three year deal that gives him those two extra years of security.

 

Then again, he did negotiate his own contract with Steinbrenner and came away without a no-trade clause, so shame on him.

[Mr Crunchy]

Look, I know you can't resist the urge to apply a nice spit shine to Cashman's testicular region, but be real about it. He opened a can of worms with Sheff, and his statements about ARod are patent company line when this type of situation occurs. s***, Manny asks to get traded twice a year, but you don't see anyone here donning knee pads when Theo says "We'll try to accomodate that request, but a move will have to be in the best interests of the club."

 

sheff would look pretty good with manny and papi

however

the guy is cancer,pure cancer and who wouldve figured seeing as he comes from the same blood lines as the great doc gooden

 

i admire his skills but hes a pure unadulterated **********

[jacksonianmarch]

He is the epitome of a fair weather teammate. When things are going well for both the team and him, he is great. He is a solid, grade A offensive player who will stilbe dynamite in the middle of any offense. At the same time, he was a grade A cock every chance he got. I think there will definitely be a few teams looking for power hitting who may be goated into giving up pitching for Sheff, and the quality will depend on how much of the 13 mil will be picked up by the yankees. If the yankees wait until after Carlos Lee and Soriano sign, then he could be a nice chip to snag some pen help or to couple him with a few minor league guys to get some pitching help. I wouldnt be surprised if teams like Chicago or Houston were in the running. They cannot hit at all, and he would be a monster in Minute Maid or Wrigley.

[ORS]

I'm not so sure. I'll believe he's still Gary Sheffield when I see him be Gary Sheffield with that rebuilt wrist. If the bat slips a little, and there's reasonable expectation that it might given the injury, then his defensive liability gets magnified. I'll be very surprised if an NL team is interested in him as a full time OF. He has DH written all over him right now, IMO.

[jacksonianmarch]

He showed his wrist was okay when he raked on return. We shall see. Thing is, there is a major dearth of power hitting in this yrs FA pool, so the yankees have the market by the balls.

[ORS]

He raked? A .776 OPS in Sept, followed by a 1/12 in the ALDS is raking? Looks like the standard has dropped a bit.

[a700hitter]

I don't think Sheffield likes any team controlling his fate. He will openly complain about being traded to certain teams and he will want more $ etc. Why would a team want to pay $13 million for him plus give up a player in return for an old man with a one year contract? Teams would have to be convinced that Sheffield would be happy if traded. If not, he could be very disruptive. He could end up being the Yankee first baseman.

 

Seems Sheffield is not to happy about this:

 

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/otherMLB/view.bg?articleid=164385

[jacksonianmarch]

He raked? A .776 OPS in Sept' date=' followed by a 1/12 in the ALDS is raking? Looks like the standard has dropped a bit.[/quote']

 

 

anecdotal evidence is never good to go off I guess. I only watched him a few times and he did well. Sorry.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

Sheffield has 2 options. He can play next season(for what ever team hes with) make his 13 mill and move on. Or he can sit out next season without pay. For some strange reason I think he will play.

[ORS]

Sure, those are the choices, but by sharing his opinion (and showing his ass - AGAIN), he just hurt whatever trade value he had.

[jacksonianmarch]

Like I said before, market and desperation will determine his destination and how much the yankees get back. There is not much power out there, and everyone knows that Sheff has bat speed to spare, even at his advanced age (which is the first thing to go). There are a few teams that will be desperate enough to deal, like Chicago, who has a wastrel of a pitcher sitting around injured and a yankee team desperate enough to take the gamble. Last yr, Prior could have gotten Tejada, but the cubs balked. Now prior may not be worth anything, and with arbitration coming up, I think the cubs may want to move him instead of deal with an arbitration case that could have him over 7 mil in his first season of eligibility.

[a700hitter]

Sure' date=' those are the choices, but by sharing his opinion (and showing his ass - AGAIN), he just hurt whatever trade value he had.[/quote']

Exactly. What FO is going to want to give up talent for a $13 million dollar old and damaged ballplayer that is on record that he will probably be unhappy on your team. Cashman's phone is not ringing off the hook. In the end he'll play for the Yankees or they'll have to give him away and eat alot of salary. He's an ass, and Cashman should have anticipated that he would throw a wrench into the works.

[jacksonianmarch]

Exactly. What FO is going to want to give up talent for a $13 million dollar old and damaged ballplayer that is on record that he will probably be unhappy on your team. Cashman's phone is not ringing off the hook. In the end he'll play for the Yankees or they'll have to give him away and eat alot of salary. He's an ass' date=' and Cashman should have anticipated that he would throw a wrench into the works.[/quote']

 

Listen, take the bias out of things. I am not a yankee apologist by any means, but the guy has value, he has a short contract with a manageable amount of cash being owed. Add that to the lack of power hitting on the market, and you have a market. Once Soriano and Lee sign, you can expect the losers to be looking hard at him, and one will overpay.

[ORS]

What's biased about seeing how his injury, age, and attitude negatively affect that trade value? This guy is no lock to come in and put up MVP level numbers at his age, and there's a good possibility that he doesn't play the whole year. Then throw in the attitude. None of those contenders wanted a 1/2 year rental of Soriano at the deadline this year. What makes them all of a sudden want to get an older, slower, more apt to decline, more apt to get injured, more expensive, and more ornery player?

[a700hitter]

This is a guy that has admitted to deliberately making errors in Milwaukee because he wanted out. In 2005, he threatened any prospective trading partner that they would n't be happy if they got him in a trade. You don't think this type of behavior gives GMs concerns?

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

What exactly is his complaining going to do? If he throws balls away and he doesnt play hard he wont get a contract past next season. Sheffield screwed himself when he added that option to his deal. He should know a contract is a contract. He has no leverage outside of sitting out a year which he wont do. He will play next year because he has to. Call his bluff.

 

Despite recent harsh comments regarding a trade from Gary Sheffield, the Astros and Guardians are the newest teams to express interest in acquiring him.

Sheff is trying to dictate his future, but the Yankees have most of the leverage. "I am going to be a free agent, I don't see anything else," Sheffield said. "As far as coming back to play first base, it's three years or nothing." Does a year-long suspention without pay qualify as nothing?

[jacksonianmarch]

What's biased about seeing how his injury' date=' age, and attitude negatively affect that trade value? This guy is no lock to come in and put up MVP level numbers at his age, and there's a good possibility that he doesn't play the whole year. Then throw in the attitude. None of those contenders wanted a 1/2 year rental of Soriano at the deadline this year. What makes them all of a sudden want to get an older, slower, more apt to decline, more apt to get injured, more expensive, and more ornery player?[/quote']

 

Agreed on the soriano part, but the Nats wanted two to three hot prospects. That isnt the case here. I see more of a fixer upper for Sheff. Guys in that category are guys like Lidge and Prior. Lidge, the mental f***up who is still in line to make lots of bank, and Prior the arm f***up who cannot stay healthy, who is in line for a huge raise. There wont be any solid prospects moving, but I could see a guy who has fallen from grace getting moved.

[a700hitter]

What exactly is his complaining going to do? If he throws balls away and he doesnt play hard he wont get a contract past next season. Sheffield screwed himself when he added that option to his deal. He should know a contract is a contract. He has no leverage outside of sitting out a year which he wont do. He will play next year because he has to. Call his bluff.

Why should a GM take that kind of risk? He found a number of jobs after Milwaukee. He has always been an ass, and he has always found a job. If he acts like an ass in '07 but he can still hit, he'll find a team in the FA market. In the meantime, the GM that traded talent to pay this disruptive ass $13 million would live to regret it.

[jacksonianmarch]

Why should a GM take that kind of risk? He found a number of jobs after Milwaukee. He has always been an ass' date=' and he has always found a job. If he acts like an ass in '07 but he can still hit, he'll find a team in the FA market. In the meantime, the GM that traded talent to pay this disruptive ass $13 million would live to regret it.[/quote']

 

He will ask for an extension, he'll get it anyway. The guy still has the bat speed, he'll find work and people will pay. We'll see. Put me in the camp of calling him valuable because of what he has left and the poor FA market. We'll see who is right.