Cashman likes next year’s free agent crop
December 17, 2009, 11:00 pm by iYankees · 17 Comments
Via a Ken Davidoff (Newsday) tweet from the Granderson presser:
Cashman says the potential of next year’s free-agent class is “incredibly more impressive than this one.”
Here’s next year’s free agent class, which Cashman seems to like, courtesy of MLBTR:
Updated 12-17-09
Catchers
Henry Blanco (39)
John Buck (30)
Ramon Castro (35)
Raul Chavez (38)
Ramon Hernandez (35) – option vests with 120 games played
Gerald Laird (31)
Jason LaRue (37)
Victor Martinez (32)
Joe Mauer (28)
Chad Moeller (36)
A.J. Pierzynski (34)
David Ross (34)
Jason Varitek (39)
Gregg Zaun (40) – $2.25MM club option with a $250K buyoutFirst basemen
Garrett Atkins (31)
Lance Berkman (35) – $15MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Wilson Betemit (29)
Jorge Cantu (29)
Adam Dunn (31)
Wes Helms (35)
Paul Konerko (35)
Derrek Lee (35)
Doug Mientkiewicz (37)
Lyle Overbay (34)
Carlos Pena (33)
Albert Pujols (31) – $16MM club option with a $5MM buyout
Ty Wigginton (33)Second basemen
Willie Bloomquist (33)
Alex Cora (35) – $2MM option vests with 80 starts
Craig Counsell (40)
David Eckstein (36)
Mark Ellis (34) – $6MM club option with a $500K buyout
Omar Infante (29) – $2.5MM club option with a $250K buyout
Akinori Iwamura (32)
Maicer Izturis (30)
Julio Lugo (35)
Kaz Matsui (35)
Aaron Miles (34)
Nick Punto (33) – $5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Ramon Vazquez (34)Shortstops
Juan Castro (39)
Alex Cora (35) – $2MM option vests with 80 starts
Craig Counsell (40)
Bobby Crosby (31)
Adam Everett (34)
Alex Gonzalez (33) - $2.5MM club option
Cristian Guzman (33)
Cesar Izturis (31)
Maicer Izturis (30)
Derek Jeter (37)
Julio Lugo (35)
Jhonny Peralta (29) – $7MM club option with a $250K buyout
Nick Punto (33) – $5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Edgar Renteria (35) – $10.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jose Reyes (28) – $11MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jimmy Rollins (32) – $8.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Ramon Vazquez (34)
Omar Vizquel (44)Third basemen
Garrett Atkins (31)
Wilson Betemit (29)
Geoff Blum (38) – $1.65MM mutual option
Jorge Cantu (29)
Eric Chavez (33) – $12.5MM club option with a $3MM buyout
Craig Counsell (40)
Bill Hall (31) – $9.25MM club option with a $500K buyout
Pedro Feliz (36)
Wes Helms (35)
Brandon Inge (34)
Mike Lowell (37)
Jhonny Peralta (29) – $7MM club option with a $250K buyout
Aramis Ramirez (33) – $14.6MM player option
Scott Rolen (36)
Ty Wigginton (33)Left fielders
Eric Byrnes (35)
Carl Crawford (29)
David DeJesus (31) – $6MM club option with a $500K buyout
Willie Harris (33)
Jason Kubel (29) – $5.25MM club option with a $350K buyout
Jason Michaels (35)
Manny Ramirez (39)Center fielders
Willie Bloomquist (33)
Jody Gerut (33)
Willie Harris (33)
Andruw Jones (34)
Mark Kotsay (35)
Jason Michaels (35)
Corey Patterson (31)
Willy Taveras (29)Right fielders
Willie Bloomquist (33)
Jose Guillen (35)
Brad Hawpe (32) – $10MM club option with a $500K buyout
Gabe Kapler (35)
Magglio Ordonez (37) – $15MM club option vests with 135 starts or 540 plate appearances in 2010
Jayson Werth (32)Designated hitters
Pat Burrell (34)
Jason Kubel (29) – $5.25MM club option with a $350K buyout
Hideki Matsui (37)
David Ortiz (35) – $12.5MM club optionStarting pitchers
Bronson Arroyo (34) – $11MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Josh Beckett (31)
Joe Blanton (30)
Jeremy Bonderman (28)
Dave Bush (31)
Matt Cain (26) – $6.25MM vesting option
Kevin Correia (30)
Jorge De La Rosa (30)
Jeff Francis (29) – $7MM club option
Freddy Garcia (35)
Chad Gaudin (28)
Rich Harden (29) – $11MM mutual option with $1MM buyout
Aaron Harang (33) – $12.75MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Hiroki Kuroda (36)
Cliff Lee (32)
Ted Lilly (35)
Rodrigo Lopez (35)
Kevin Millwood (36)
Sergio Mitre (30)
Brian Moehler (39)
Jamie Moyer (48)
Carl Pavano (35)
Brad Penny (33)
Andy Pettitte (39)
Nate Robertson (33)
Jeff Suppan (36) – $12.75MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Koji Uehara (36)
Javier Vazquez (34)
Brandon Webb (32)
Jake Westbrook (33)
Dontrelle Willis (29)
Chris Young (32) – $8.5MM club optionClosers
Scott Downs (35)
Frank Francisco (31)
Jason Frasor (33)
Brian Fuentes (35) – $9MM option vests with 55 games finished in 2010
Trevor Hoffman (43) – mutual option worth $7-8.5MM; buyout at $500K-1MM
Chad Qualls (32)
Mariano Rivera (41)
Rafael Soriano (31)
Huston Street (27)
Billy Wagner (39) – $6.5MM option vests with 50 games finished
Kerry Wood (34) – $11MM club option, vests with 55 games finished in 2010Right-handed relievers
Luis Ayala (33)
Grant Balfour (33)
Rafael Betancourt (36)
Jesse Crain (29)
Juan Cruz (30) – $4MM club option with a $500K buyout
Chad Durbin (33)
Kyle Farnsworth (35) – $5.25MM club option with a $500K buyout
Matt Guerrier (32)
Aaron Heilman (32)
Mike Lincoln (36)
Justin Miller (33)
J.J. Putz (34)
Jon Rauch (32)
David Riske (34) – $4.75MM club option with a $250K buyout
Takashi Saito (41)
Scot Shields (35)
Dan Wheeler (33) – $4MM club option with a $1MM buyoutLeft-handed relievers
Jeremy Affeldt (32)
Bruce Chen (34)
Randy Choate (35)
Pedro Feliciano (34)
Trever Miller (38) – $2MM option vests with 45 games in 2010
Dennys Reyes (34)
Arthur Rhodes (41)
J.C. Romero (35) – $4.5MM club option with a $250K buyout
Bobby Seay (33)
Matt Thornton (34) – $3MM club option with a $250K buyoutCot’s Baseball Contracts was used in the creation of this list.
Joe Mauer, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, Adam Dunn… huh? Sounds pretty weak to me…
Photo by Chris Cox/Getty Images
This was stated by someone on MLBTRADERUMORS.COM it seems like their right on point
“I as a Yankee fan personally love the Nick Johnson signing. It truly shows Brian Cashman’s grand plan for this team over the next 2 years. As he even said today about next year’s Free Agent crop being undoubtedly better than this year’s.
The Johnson signing shows that the Yankees only want Damon on a 1 year deal. Not 3 years and no, not even 2 years. Only a 1 year deal. I believe now they will sign Ben Sheets eventually on a 1 year deal. With this years team shaping up as follows:
SS Jeter
DH Johnson
1B Teixeira
3B Arod
C Posada
CF Granderson
RF Swisher
2B Cano
LF Cabrera
Sabathia
Burnett
Pettite
Sheets
Hughes
Rivera
Joba
Marte
Robertson
Gaudin
?
Definitely enough to get the job done and win Number 28.
Now onto next winter. Where the key to the entire offseason will be Joe Mauer. Yea I said it.. One of the following 2 scenarios will unfold.
Scenario 1: Joe Mauer is not extended by the Twins and becomes a Free Agent. The Yankees sign him, moving Jorge Posada to a full time DH. Thus allowing them to trade Jesus Montero and others for either Felix Hernandez or Josh Johnson. Sign Carl Crawford to long term deal to play Left Field. Resign Jeter, see if Pettite wants to pitch another year and do the same with Mariano. Resign him for as long as he wants to keep pitching.
SS Jeter
LF Crawford
1B Teixeira
3B Arod
C Mauer
DH Posada
CF Granderson
RF Swisher
2B Cano
Sabathia
Hernandez or Johnson
Burnett
Pettite
?
Scenario 2: Joe Mauer is extended by the Twins. Bring up Jesus Montero to catch with Posada backing up, mentoring and DH’ing. Sign Carl Crawford to long term deal to play Left Field. Resign Jeter, see if Pettite wants to pitch another year and do the same with Mariano. Resign him for as long as he wants to keep pitching. Then sign either Cliff Lee or Brandon Webb for the rotation.
SS Jeter
LF Crawford
1B Teixeira
3B Arod
C Montero
DH Posada
CF Granderson
RF Swisher
2B Cano
Sabathia
Lee or Webb
Burnett
Pettite
Hughes
That is the Cashman plan.”
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While I still prefer Matt Holliday in LF over Carl Crawford, I do agree that this season will likely be used as a bridge prior to next year’s crop of talent. In a year, after reassessing Jesus Montero’s ability to remain at catcher, the Yankees could pursue Mauer, Dunn for DH, Brandon Webb (who they like), I mean, the number of quality free agents next winter is tantalizing to say the least.
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Sounds very optimistic, but hey I wouldn’t mind that lineup out there every day. By the way, pls lose the becket pic please, use Harisson Jr or something he’s a free agent too!
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Better yet. Bruce Chen!
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Haha. Sorry, about the pic. I figured if I ever had an opportunity to switch it up with a Beckett pic, this post was it. Bruce Chen wouldn’t have been a bad idea. How about Randy Choate? Ha..
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All good, we’re the classy end of the rivalry
Great site here btw. Keep it up. Cheers
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Only guy that’s interesting to me is Mauer. I don’t know about a pitcher since they’d have to lock up Joba/Hughes while CC/new pitcher’s contracts are still running.
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Joba and Hughes both won’t be starter and at this point neither of them may be starters so I really don’t think the Yankees are thinking of locking them up until they actually run out of contract.
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But honestly though do you think with the push to get payroll down that the brass is really going to go after Mauer, the kids going to command Tex type money with the other loaders on there that’s got to be phenomenally expensive. But most certainly a wise investment considering Posada, a must on that list is Crawford, I always pictured him roaming the Yankee outfield as a regular. We can always use that ‘top prospect’ to catch as I’m sure RSN will also be going hard after Mauer as well. Should be a more interesting postseason than this for sure.
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I really don’t want Crawford! He is going to want big money and by the end of his contract he will be way more useless than Damon is going to be even next year and he won’t have a fraction of the power! Once his legs go he will really decline as a player with his numbers, stolen bases and defense and he really doesn’t have that much better of an arm than Damon.
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Beckett is interesting on next years market but you have to ask yourself if you think he can maintain his health throughout a 6 year contract that will take him up to age 36, he already has minor injuries almost ever year.
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Beckett will sign an extension this offseason with the Redsox.
The Redsox traded for Victor Martinez with the intention of signing him longterm this offseason THEN trading him to the Twins for Joe Mauer at the 2010 deadline.
This will force the Yankees to keep Montero as a catcher and stick the Yankees with
Posada at DH until he retires.
Mariners put off their plan to trade for Matsuzaka (Mariners owner is Japanese and loves Dice-K) using the unsignable Felix Hernandez until after the 2010 season.
Redsox will sign King Felix longterm.
The Redsox will use “no-hitter” Buccholz as bait to trade for Prince Fielder and sign him long-term.
The Redsox plan to use the high draft picks gained from Wagner/Bay leaving to get
the highly touted prospects they’ll need to trade for Ryan Howard, who is likely to be Ortiz’ replacement.
The Yankees may be able to win a bidding war with the Redsox on Carl Crawford, as he is one of the few Boston targets that will make it to Free Agency.
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ROFL! SO you expect to trade for and sign long term deals with Beckett, Fielder, Howard and Mauer? You wouldn’t have enough money!
This is ridiculous!!!!
Back to serious baseball conversations.
I really do see Beckett leaving this offseason, I don’t think they trust his arm for 6 more years and I really doubt they would sign the 31 year old Lackey to a deal bigger than AJ’s just to turn around the next year and sign Beckett to an even bigger deal than either of those 2 have.
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Gammons aka RSN008; you can have them ALL mate. Lol shouldn’t you trade for Greinke to complete the trio
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Adam Dunn is the big bat I want out of next years free agent class! He will be a perfect DH and his swing in Yankee stadium would be too perfect! He could hit 50 HRs in our park I bet and as a DH you don’t have to worry about his god awful defense… He will be 31 next year and you could easily give him a 4 or 5 year contract and expect him to fulfill his end of the deal.
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