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Yankees to pass on free agents?

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The Yankees found $181 million lying around last offseason, and made a late, victorious bid to corral Mark Teixeira, so never say never when it comes to the Yankees and spending. But the initial read as the winter bazaar opens is that the Yankees do not intend to make a play for the three biggest free agents: Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and John Lackey. This is not about need, because corner outfield and starting pitcher are priorities to fortify what is now a champion. But based on conversations with multiple Yankees officials, I sense that financially and philosophically the Yankees will not big-game hunt in free agency.

New York Post

Jason Bay, Getty Images Jason Bay, Getty Images
November 6, 2009  07:02 AM ET

Ha! They weren't interested in Teixeira either.

November 6, 2009  07:02 AM ET

If anbody out there believes that..... I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

November 6, 2009  07:06 AM ET

Lackey is the one I most expect them to sign. Holliday has already said he wants to be a Yankee. Bay will be staying in Boston.

November 6, 2009  07:07 AM ET

Hey Phillies - Lackey is what you need.

November 6, 2009  07:12 AM ET
QUOTE(#3):

Lackey is the one I most expect them to sign. Holliday has already said he wants to be a Yankee. Bay will be staying in Boston.

That would also be my guess. They have only 3 pitchers they trust, and if Andy Pettitte retires then they only have 2.

November 6, 2009  07:22 AM ET

Maybe they are taking a year off because they just won the World Series. But, you can be sure that they will start buying free agents again, if they do not win the World Series next season.

November 6, 2009  07:37 AM ET

I don't know, I could see the Yanks still swooping in and taking someone.

Comment #8 has been removed
November 6, 2009  07:48 AM ET

Baseball wouldn't be baseball without the Yankees buying up all the good FA's.

November 6, 2009  07:51 AM ET

It's the New York Post, the smart money always bets the other way.

November 6, 2009  07:57 AM ET

here we go again....

and for all you complaining about the yankees spending lot of cash, think about this...the two contracts that changed the game and the made the salaries skyrocket were Kevin Brown's $105MM deal with the Dodgers and Arod's $250MM deal with Texas. Brown became baseball's first $100MM man and Arod...well, he won the Texas lottery. These two contracts change the landscape forever.

And also..Arod was going to play in Boston for less but the union stepped in and didn't allow it and that's when the yanks signed him. These contracts drove up the asking price for all major leagurers and it has gotten to the point where only one team can afford to pay the money.

as hard as it is for some of you to believe the salary situation is not a problem created by the yankees...it, like steroids, is a baseball-wide problem and the union is the biggest culprit.

i hope the yanks stay out of the market - they don't need any of these players.

November 6, 2009  08:01 AM ET
QUOTE(#11):

here we go again....and for all you complaining about the yankees spending lot of cash, think about this...the two contracts that changed the game and the made the salaries skyrocket were Kevin Brown's $105MM deal with the Dodgers and Arod's $250MM deal with Texas. Brown became baseball's first $100MM man and Arod...well, he won the Texas lottery. These two contracts change the landscape forever.And also..Arod was going to play in Boston for less but the union stepped in and didn't allow it and that's when the yanks signed him. These contracts drove up the asking price for all major leagurers and it has gotten to the point where only one team can afford to pay the money.as hard as it is for some of you to believe the salary situation is not a problem created by the yankees...it, like steroids, is a baseball-wide problem and the union is the biggest culprit.i hope the yanks stay out of the market - they don't need any of these players.

I think you are letting the insane GM's off way too easy. No one put a gun to the head of the GM in Texas to offer A-Rod that deal. Nor the GM for the Dodgers. A-Rods salary was based on the fact, at the time, the highest contract in pro sports was Kevin Garnett who got 126 million from the Timberwolves and A-Rod, along with Boras wanted to double that. The GM was dumb enough to go along with it and sign off. If the GM never signs off, the deal never happens.

November 6, 2009  08:04 AM ET
QUOTE(#12):

I think you are letting the insane GM's off way too easy. No one put a gun to the head of the GM in Texas to offer A-Rod that deal. Nor the GM for the Dodgers. A-Rods salary was based on the fact, at the time, the highest contract in pro sports was Kevin Garnett who got 126 million from the Timberwolves and A-Rod, along with Boras wanted to double that. The GM was dumb enough to go along with it and sign off. If the GM never signs off, the deal never happens.

Brown's deal was worse...$100MM for a guy in his mid 30s...and I remember vividly when it was announced and how it was vilified by the league and media. his deal was $40MM higher than the Padres (existing teams) offer.

Arod, at least was entering his prime - but his contract was the worst ever. you can only blame the owners for that....and George Steinbrenner wasn't involved at all.

November 6, 2009  08:10 AM ET
QUOTE(#13):

Brown's deal was worse...$100MM for a guy in his mid 30s...and I remember vividly when it was announced and how it was vilified by the league and media. his deal was $40MM higher than the Padres (existing teams) offer. Arod, at least was entering his prime - but his contract was the worst ever. you can only blame the owners for that....and George Steinbrenner wasn't involved at all.

i just re-read this and I sound like a nimrod.

both of the deals were horrible and the amounts and terms could never be justified...the owners are at fault for making stupid deals like this but the union is at fault for most of baseball's problems.

November 6, 2009  08:10 AM ET
QUOTE(#13):

Brown's deal was worse...$100MM for a guy in his mid 30s...and I remember vividly when it was announced and how it was vilified by the league and media. his deal was $40MM higher than the Padres (existing teams) offer. Arod, at least was entering his prime - but his contract was the worst ever. you can only blame the owners for that....and George Steinbrenner wasn't involved at all.

Is there much difference between the deal around Brown and A-Rod's current deal? Both were signed about the same age, A-Rod was 33 and Brown had just turned 34 a month before and both are signed to monster deals that will keep running well beyond the prime of either player. There are some parallels.

November 6, 2009  08:11 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

i just re-read this and I sound like a nimrod.both of the deals were horrible and the amounts and terms could never be justified...the owners are at fault for making stupid deals like this but the union is at fault for most of baseball's problems.

I agree that both the union and GM's/owners share the same amount of blame. While the union wasn't going out of their way about the steroid issue, the GM/owners were signing players they knew were juicing to monster deals.

November 6, 2009  08:11 AM ET
QUOTE(#15):

Is there much difference between the deal around Brown and A-Rod's current deal? Both were signed about the same age, A-Rod was 33 and Brown had just turned 34 a month before and both are signed to monster deals that will keep running well beyond the prime of either player. There are some parallels.

Don't forget Mike Hampton...

Comment #18 has been removed
November 6, 2009  08:15 AM ET

In the long run, which is worse ... the Yankees doling out tons of cash to get the best players or the Royals/Pirates etc, trading all their best players each year because the owner doesn't want to pay them?

 
November 6, 2009  08:16 AM ET
QUOTE(#17):

Don't forget Mike Hampton...

Hampton was 27. Big difference.

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