Yanks First Offer To Poor Baby Jeter...Boston's Focuses

The NY Yankees are apparently ready to submit their first (not last, you can be sure) offer to team captain and aging shortstop Derek Jeter. The offer is said to be three years for a total of $45 million over that span. I saw this over at si dot com...

"The Yankees are making their initial offer to Derek Jeter very soon, and it will be for three years and about $45 million.
Jeter has yet to name his asking price, but he's believed to seek more than that. It's hard to imagine the sides not coming together eventually."

I agree with the author's last thought. The team and the player will compromise and bring that dollar figure up but I'm very uncertain NY will increase the length of the deal. Maybe, just maybe they'll agree on a fourth year team option but no more. In an earlier post, I wrote that Jetes will be seeking a four to five year contract. Frankly, I don't know about that and would seriously doubt he'll get it. Put it this way, Derek ain't going anywhere if he still has his wits about him. He's the pinstriped putz who plays the six hole.

Nothing was done in the just concluded meetings except to establish the ground work between the Red Sox and other teams that will be followed later this winter when things get serious and decisions become crucial. Let me go through a few of them, if I may. First up are Boston's own free agents, Victor Marinez and Adrian Beltre. The club wants both of 'em back but just getting one would be a huge victory. Then there are the unaffiliated with Boston free agents. I'll run the trio down...

1. Carl Crawford. Speed, speed and more speed. Great outfield defense (he'll play left). A quick bat and a terrific addition to anyone's outfield.

2. Jason Werth. His agent is Scott Boras so he won't come cheaply or quickly. He had his weaknesses last year batting only a paltry .186 with runners in scoring position and an even worse .139 with less than two outs and runners in scoring position. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, Theo. Spend the money elsewhere.

4. Justin Upton, a new name for a few of you. He's only 23 but he's a multitalented veteran already. Only injuries can stand in his way. The shoulder problems he experienced last year HAVE to be a one-time occurrence and nothing I've heard tells me otherwise. There will be many teams scrambling to get this future superstar. He's the real deal.

That's the Red Sox free agent thinking that has been released to the public. If the Sox cannot resign Beltre, they'll HAVE TO sign a powerful offensive player who can man the leather at first base while Youkilis slides over to the hot corner. Only Adrian Gonzalez fills my every first base wish. A tall order? Yes, oh yes. And don't forget the two (three) arms needed to shore up the bullpen. Theo, your work is cut out for you but I'm fairly certain you'll get the green light from the "powers that be" with the loot, the cash, el dinero. Just say "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

I hope your weekend will be fantastic and the short week ahead of us will zoom into Thanksgiving before any of us know it. I thank you for making this one of your daily "Sox stops" and I hope you come back. Please click on this post's title for more baseball comings and goings and as always, BE WELL.