Multiple reports came out yesterday that the New York Yankees and their top Free Agent, Batting Champion DJ LeMahieu, are over $25M apart in negotiations. This coming just one year after paying $324M for a guy who plays in only 20% of games and no I am not talking about Giancarlo Stanton.
LeMahieu was looked at as the Yankees top priority this off season as he was coming off back-to-back silver slugger awards and a batting championship this previous season but the penny pinchers in the Bronx look to be scared to spend the money due to the lost revenue from the 2020 season and the crippling contract of Giancarlo Stanton tying up $29M a year. Pay back from Derek Jeter for when Hal and Cashman tried to play hardball with him in 2010. If you come at the captain, you best not miss!
I mean I get DJ asking for another $25M. Not only is he an incredible baseball player but Tobacco prices in NY are through the roof. The guy needs at least another $25M for the hammers that he throws in. His agent should put that on the slideshow if he hasn't already.
It is clear that DJ wanted to be back in pinstripes and only planned on talking to the Yankees to get this deal done but now with the two sides being so far apart, LeMahieu's team is starting to let other teams in to the conversation.
The good part for DJ is that if he really likes New York he can stay and probably get paid what he wants from another team just a subway ride away that has a lot of money to spend. But this is not a Mets blog so we won't go there.
Who would have ever thought in our life times we would see the Yankees be so afraid to spend money. The evil empire, whos franchise is currently valued at $5 BILLION dollars, have always been at the top of the food chain every off season, buying players and championships year after year. Spending a league high $111M in 2020's shortened season, where they are still not even paying half of their lineup, as most of those players have not hit free agency yet. Its going to be very interesting to see what happens when the young guys like Judge, Urshela, Torres and Sanchez hit free agency. Will the Yankees shy away or will they pay the guys who have helped get to them to the ALCS (and no further) over the past few years.
It appears like the Gary Sanchez love affair is over and his time in the Bronx may be coming to an end but what do you do with a guy like Judge in a few years. He is very good when healthy but do you pay him the big contract and get another Giancarlo Stanton on the books? I don't know.
But one thing I do know is that the Yankees are pulling a Michael Scott and declaring bankruptcy due to the pandemic season, even though the organization is still worth, again, $5 BILLION. Seems like a sad, sad time to be a Yankees fan. Why would they do this to those great people!!
Poor George must be rolling in his grave seeing Hal drive the death star right into the ground but every empire comes to an end and I think this stingy Yankees front office may be the start to it. Take it from a guy whos rooted for a team with cheap owners for the past 29 years.
Must suck to root for a poor franchise. Wouldn't know.
Evil Empire is on life support.
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