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They also said they weren't taking **** back! Hank is a bigger **** than Pops!

They have already tried to reward him for his past glories with the offer that is presently on the table. 15 mil for a pitcher who's best day are probably behind him is more than geneous. Enough is enough. Teams can not pay players for their past glories when there seems to be a decided decline in thier abilites. Yes, Mo can still get people out but he is not as domiant as he once was. His cutter has lost a little bit of its bite and his fast ball just doesn't move as much as before. Mo can still get out the majority of MLB players but there are times when he just doesn't have it anymore. St. Joe would always leave him in in those moments. What is he going to do the first time Girardi doesn't leave him in the game?. (And believe it with Girradi managing there will be changes and Giradi will make moves that are not going to please some players currently on the Yankees. He aint St. Joe.) What happens when Girardi goes to someone else because Mo just gave up three hits in a row and the game hangs in the balance? Does he throw another ego fit like he is now? What thappens when Girardi uses him in a non closer role? Ego fit? Mo's got his ego out of whack and needs to have a heart to hear talk with his own self and face reality. If he keeps tthis up, I can say with great reluctance Mo it was good to know you. You did good . You were one of the best. But I reckon all good things must end sometime. With a lump in my throat I would have to say goodbye and farewell.

4192, agreed.

The offer on the table is 40% richer than any closer's in baseball...not even A-Rod's deal is that head-and-shoulders above the crowd. His ERA was MUCH higher than it's been in years, and he's heading into the twilight of his career. The offer is more than generous.

It would leave us a big hole in the closer spot, perhaps force us to move Jaba there and fight harder for Santana. But enough's enough.

Ready for alll the Haters to go crazy if we let him go? Tell us how stupid we are for NOT overspending on an aging star? Damned if we do, damned if we don't...

soxsider, the comparison to the A-Rod deal is faulty. Giving A-Rod ten years at his age means you can count on good production for 70-80% of the life of the deal, and maybe get lucky in the last couple of years. He's just had his best year, and is years from any expected decline.

Mo is coming off his WORST year, and is a lot closer to 40. Give him three, hope for two of them to be good. But give him four, expect to be wasting half your money.

You guys are such geniuses for offering Schilling only one year, and we're fools for not offering Mo four? Yeah, that makes sense.

Yankee64, you seem very angry today ;)

I wrote this yesterday on another thread and I think it has meaning today, especially here:

"See that's part of the Braves and Yankees thinking that has hurt them. They keep having these smaltzy images of rewarding palyers for past deeds with big contracts now and going into the future. The Sox are not inclined to do that type of emotional thing and it has helped them to maintain a stronger team so far. They tend to look at reality and say how can this deal help us now and in the near future? Emotions and being nice can only take you so far in the real world of baseball. You need to put the team that has the best chance of producing on the field every year. Sometimes the fans don't realize that but in the end they will when the team produces those winsand possible cahmpionships.
I subscribe to the adage it is better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late."

4192jc | 11/16/07

Mo take the deal. It should only be a one year or two year deal at the most, anyway. Take it.

I don't think Mo should be offered 4, I was just hoping they would offer him 4. The check book has been opened all week, he's just hoping to take advantage of that.

mo will just wait, and they'll give him the 4th year. The Yanks already showed they can be pushed around, and when they say they WON'T do something (negotiate with A-Rod, 4 years for Posada), they'll back off if it if you wait.

Their bullpen is total crap, so what other options do they have? He'll get his 4 years...

As a diehard Yankees fan, this is disappointing that Rivera is being such an ****. He compared his wanting a 4-year deal to Posada's (even though Posada can be a DH or play first-base eventually). He compares it to A-Rod's, who will be 42 when his deal is up...um, there's no holding water here for Mo...A-Rod is 32 years old, in his prime. And then he compares it to Billy Wagner, who got 4-years from the Mets. Umm, Mo, he was 34 when he got that deal, and the Mets gave a guaranteed deal to Pedro...'nuff said. He really needs to revamp his argument here, or move on. I'll take Joba as closer for a year if this is how its going to be.

Mo Money. Mo money , Mo Money. I want Mo Money.....

Oh, RSB...you know how the Haters get me going sometimes...

Yes, he's been fantastic...but as 4192 says, a contract isn't a reward for past glories. It's a bet on future production. And the Red Sox are wise to remember that, even if that means losing Lowell.

In Mo's case, you've got an aging guy coming off his worst year. So tell me...if we were fools for signing Clemens to a 1-yr. deal after a 2.30 ERA season, how are we ALSO fools for trying to keep Mo at just a 3-yr. deal? Based on the crap I was hearing yesterday about Clemens, suggesting we should offer Mo four years is a hypocritical as can be.

Is it not?

MLB is big business. They wanted steroids and now the steroids have become MLB.

Rivera deserves a fourth year.

Wealthy and cheap - walk together, it's a lonely road.

And the Red Sox are wise to remember that, even if that means losing Lowell

Yes, agreed. They haven't wavered on the three year deal, just juiced it up a bit more from what I hear. So with four 4 year deals out there (including the yanks) they may just say goodbye to lowell. I just wish Theo would leak something, the silence is killing me.

Soxsider, I hear you. I hereby un-Hater you.

At this point in a pitcher's career, you've got to be careful. Especially when he's coming off an off year. Could be a glitch, could be the beginning of the end. You don't know, so you hedge your bets.

Your bet on Schilling could turn out as badly as our bet on Clemens. Does that make you idiots? No. You made a short bet on an aging pitcher and now you hope for the best.

Mo will be dominant, maybe...for one year? Two? Three...? I'm with the Yanks on this one...the smart bet is three years, Maybe they'll blink and offer an option; Mo knows he's our only good option at closer. But I wouldn't be bitter if they let him walk away.

Soxsider, didn't meant to refer to "you" as a Red Sox fan. Affiliation understood.