Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
The New York Yankees dared Derek Jeter to test the free-agent market. They even told their 36-year-old shortstop that he needed to drink some “reality potion.” And though the Captain is back, he’s not happy about how contract negotiations went.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t angry how some of this went,” Jeter said at the news conference to announce his three-year, $51 million deal on Tuesday at the team’s spring training complex.
The shortstop and the club reached a preliminary agreement Saturday on the deal, which also includes an $8 million player option for 2014. Jeter was coming off a $189 million, 10-year contract. He was initially offered a $45 million, three-year deal.
Yankees president Randy Levine had said earlier in the day that he didn’t believe the negotiations were a problem.
“I don’t think it was contentious,” he said from the announcement of the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. “Every negotiation is a negotiation. People start and ask for ‘A’ — and it’s the old adage, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. And it’s that way on both sides. So I don’t think it was contentious. It was done in a business-like way. We spent a lot of time with Derek before this was done — he was the usual high-level integral person that he is. [He] comported himself with tremendous professionalism in the spirit of what the captain of the Yankees truly is.”
Levine also said he didn’t believe the relationship between the Yankees and Jeter was damaged.
“I’m sure it’s not,” he said. “We had a lot of conversations. You’ll hear from him later. I feel very comfortable that that’s all behind us, and that all he’s thinking about is leading the Yankees to their 28th world championship.”
Jeter had a .270 batting average with 10 homers this past season, down from a .334 average and 18 homers the previous season. Although his RBIs increased by one to 67, his on-base percentage fell from .406 to .340, and his slugging average dropped from .465 to .370.
One of Jeter’s biggest supporters through the years has been former Yankees manager Joe Torre. Torre said he followed the back-and-forth from afar.
“You don’t like to see that, because, as I say, both parties wanted the same thing,” Torre said from Orlando where he was honored with other retired managers. “But again it came and went quick, which I think was important. To me, Jeter, I’m a little partial, but knowing how he feels about the Yankees, I’m just glad it worked out for both.”
Torre said he won’t manage again. He added he has had some talks about being a baseball TV analyst.
Andrew Marchand
