Yankees offer arbitration to none
The Yankees have decided not to arbitration to any of their eligible players, including Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettitte. Brian Cashman recorded a MP3 in which he discusses the decision. Here’s the transcription:
“We certainly have been going through this process for quite some time. First and foremost, unlike in past years, we’re not in a position not to be able to sign these players as we move forward. That’s the most important thing. In the past and in the previous basic agreements, you were in a position that if you didn’t offer, you lose the ability to sign.
“Today’s date really has everything to do with the compensation attached to various players, if they had some. Bobby was a Type A and Andy was a Type A, so the determination that we made today was to make sure that we control what amount we’d be spending, at least in the event that we’re fortunate enough to bring those players back.
“We did not want to put ourselves in the position of having that determined by a third party without knowing what that figure would be. The arbitration time period falls in early February, so obviously as we attempt to put this team together, in Andy’s case and in Bobby’s case, they made $16 million a year. It’s been tough in the past to try and deviate from previous years’ earnings in an arbitration setting.
“We just wanted to control the cost that we would allocate for every position on the club by offering them arbitration, even though we wanted Draft picks if we lost anybody. By offering arbitration, we would lose our ability to at least determine a final cost. By doing so, we chose to go a different direction, not offer the arbitration, and we’ll still stay engaged with the entire free agent market including those two players.”
Bryan Hoch
I can’t understand this decision, and what he says above makes absolutely no sense. I woul’ve understood not offering arb. to Abreu, but not Pettitte. We need pitching and Pettitte, even if he had accepted, would’ve provided us another 180 plus innings of work; for a 4 or 5, that is astounding. The move listed above tells me these players definitely won’t be back and I’ve a feeling that this offseason won’t be as shiny as I predicted. Shunning your own players is no way to go, I’ll keep that in mind for years to come.
The good thing is we’re getting younger as a ballclub, but as the rotation stands, it’s some mix of Wang, Joba, Hughes, Aceves and Kennedy. Not as bad as it looks ( I’d love a fully homegrown rotation ) but I digress; we would need a colossal offense to keep that rotation afloat in the case it starts to sink. Teixeira, Rodriguez, Ramirez 3-4-5? Maybe I’m dreaming.
It sounds more and more like Sabathia will go to Cali, most likely to the Angels, where there is absolutely no offense to be found south of Vladdy ( who’s declining ) and Torii Hunter. Not to mention their closer is gone. They’d have a shutdown rotation, no doubt! I see them losing lots of 3-2, 1-0 games though.
Lowe is not the answer, Burnett is a five year schmorgazbord that’ll kick us in the butt. I’m still sticking to my guns here and saying that it’ll be Sheets, Penny or Oliver Perez. Look closely and you’ll see it’sa lot better than CC ( who we never had ), Lowe and Burn-me-ett.
Can’t wait until next week.
I am personally shocked at this move. I can sort of understand it if it’s for certain that expensive free agents are about to arrive and the front office are sure they can sign Pettitte regardless. But otherwise, are the Yankees really in such a financial situation that a 1 year overpriced deal to Abreu or Pettitte is too much to avoid, despite the potential loss of draft picks? Or is that Cashman and co are adamant that neither will get a multi-year deal if offered arbitration in the current economic climate and there’s a chance to negotiate with them both at lower rates?
It seems very strange to not offer arb to Moose just as a precaution against someone changing his mind.
It was a foolish decision candy. If they declined to offer arb., it’s most likely for the reasons you’ve already stated. My take on it: we may be going full speed ahead for Teixeira or Manny. I have a feeling that management is gravitating past CC and unto other options. Just my take though. It could be that they want to reduce payroll down to 180 MM mark, like various published reports indicate. I doubt it though, with the revenue sharing deal wth Cowboys and the streams of money being produced by the new stadium and Yankee memorabilia, I cannot imagine that payroll inflexibilty is what’s tightening our wallets.
Maybe they feel they do not want to risk having those guys back at a salary higher than what was earned last year? Abreu figures to be gone and Pettitte could be as well. I’m clueless as of what their next moves are; It seems as if we offered CC a contract and traded for swisher and got done with it.
I’m shocked that the Yanks wouldn’t offer arb. to Abreu and Pettitte just for the sake of the draft picks they are giving up. I guess they are afraid both players would accept arb. and the Yanks would be stuck with two players they obviously don’t want. Of course they are going to say they want them (but at 10-12M, if at all), but they know they won’t get them that cheap through arb. What it’s going to amount to is they lost their 1st and 2nd round picks last year due to not doing their home work and they will lose their 1st and 2nd round picks next year as compensation for whatever free agents they can outbid someone for. Their drafts have been crap anyway. Where are Jon Skaggs, Andy Brown, David Parrish, Shea Morenz, Tyrell Godwin, John Ford-Griffin, Bronson Sardinha, Brett Smith, and Eric Milton now? I wonder if the Yanks know they don’t have to pick the names of their draft picks out of a hat!
I agree with these guys. I do not understand Cashman. His moves are not acceptable. Either he is very sure that CC & the others are signing or he really hates the Yankees and what it stands for. He thought that ignoring Pettitte is the way to go. He did it in 2004 and now again. Then good luck to him in 2009. You’ve just lost a fan. I hope Hank & Hal will fire you now. Oh please show him our comments. BE PREPARED Cashman!!! You have so many questions to answer for this coming year. If you are still alive by then. GO TO HELL CASHMAN!!!!!! OR IS IT HANK & HAL!!!!!
Soledadliu
For heavens sake have you got to fire shots at Cashman. Of course I know he made the decision without consulting the owners that would make sense !!!!!. They know what they are doing collectively. No doubt you are sleeping as it is 6 PM here in Melbourne
Aussie Bryan
What’s not to understand? He wants the Yanks to set the salary, not an arbitrator who most likely would give Pettitte and Abreu raises.
Six Yankees will take up $106.1M of salary in 2009. The youngest of the six, A-Rod, turns 34 next July. Pettitte, coming off a mediocre year, will be 37 next June. He doesn’t want a pay cut, and the Yanks don’t want to go to arbitration which would give Pettitte more money. A standoff? Maybe, but Cashman is saying we aren’t going that high with someone of that age coming off a so-so year.
The Yanks will have to replace them, yes. But how many guys 35 or older (and remember, Jeter and Matsui turn 35 next June) do you want on this team sucking up all the money? Eventually you have to turn the page and get younger. Damon 35, Posada 37 (38 next Aug.), Mo 39, Matsui and Jeter 35 next June. Alex 34 next July. Now people are complaining about Andy (37 next June) or Abreu (who will be 35 next year)?
How old do you want this team to get?
Let’s see how Cashman reinvests the money saved (at least $32 M) in Pettitte and Abreu. Does he use it towards someone else, and if so, who?
It’s so easy for people to tell someone else to spend when it isn’t their money. There may or may not be a different kind of Yankees with Hal now in charge. Time will tell.
Since this worked so well the last time…..
I guarantee Andy signs somewhere else. Maybe even for less money for a guarantee of 2 or 3 years? We’re doing the same thing we did in ’04. I honestly don’t think Cash and Co want him. They know the history. They know what happened in ’04. Now that Yankeefan is done listing our older players, let’s not forget: Cano, Cabrera, Gardner, Hughes, Joba, Swisher, Nady, Coke, Aceves, Ramierez, Veras, Wang. All 30 or under. Add CC and Sheets and we’re younger still. I think Pettitte’s importance to this rotation (and in reality, when talking about staff age, separating the pitchers from position players is important) has been underestimated. He may be 36 now but he provides a veteran presence with WS Rings and HUGE playoff success (who the hell said recently he didn’t have much post season success?? 18-7 in 218 innings with a 3.9 era in 35 starts?) in a rotation that could all very well be 30 or under starting next season….. I think it was a mistake.
All we need to do is sign one of the top pitching FA and our rotation looks like this: ??/Wang/Pettitte/Hughes/Joba at the least. And that leaves likes of Aceves and Coke to step up if necessary. Maybe even IPK gets hit tihs together.
Pettitte is not even going to entertain the Yankees anymore. Look for the Dodgers and Astros to move quickly on a multi-year deal. The Mets may talk to him also. The Yankees offered Pettitte a 1 year deal and Pettitte rejected it.
Instead we will give away our picks by signing players offered Arb.
interesting about the Braves and Vasquez. I guess Peavy either goes to the Cubs or stays at home.
I guess what upsets me the most about this decision, is the Abreu situation. I can understand that they would like Pettitte back for $10M and would never get him that cheap through arb., but I don’t understand why they wouldn’t try to get draft picks for Abreu, especially after they screwed up last years draft. Abreu would have declined arbitration, because he wants a three or four year deal and in arb. he would have only been guaranteed one year. If he had accepted arb., sure the Yanks would have been stuck with him for another year at $16M, but there are certainly worse players out there making more than that. (Zito and Giambi, to name a couple)! He is still a productive No. 3 hitter with a high OBP, with decent power and speed. He’s not the greatest rightfielder, but slightly above average, I would think. He has certainly been steady and dependable, maybe more so than any other Yankee the last two years.