Lovely. Another contract disagreement between the Yankees and a Core Four member.
Via Yahoo! MLB Columnist Jeff Passan:
Source: #Yankees want to offer Mariano Rivera only a one-year deal. Rivera seeking two-year deal for around $18 million per season.
Let’s review the Yankees’ major suspected offers this offseason shall we?
- A) 11/17: Yankees want Derek Jeter for thee years & $63M, but Jeter wants at least four years.
- B) 11/21: Yankees plan to offer Cliff Lee a five-year, $115-120M contract.
- C) Tonight, the Yankees want Rivera for one year, but he wants two years, $36M.
If all three get what they want, that’s north of $60 million just to pay those three for next year. Add on Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, and you’re looking at close to $140 million for six players. That’s more than most teams’ total salaries.
I agree with the Yankees’ side in samples ‘A’ and ‘C’ but not ‘B.’ I said last night the Yankees should pay Rivera what he asks for, but I wasn’t expecting a 41-year-old closer (due in seven days) to ask for more than Albert Pujols makes.
I might give Mo $18M for one year, but definitely not for two.
Either way, I’m disgusted with both Core Four members asking for ridiculous contracts, and I’m even more ticked off at the Yankees for planning to offer Lee the lucrative deal he wants.
