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November 02, 2007
Jeter: Four More Years And Out?
Unless the Yankees do something foolish with respect to contract extensions, at the start of the 2010 season (which is just two seasons away), the following players will no longer be on the team payroll: Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Kyle Farnsowrth, Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, and Bobby Abreu.
So, while the next season or two may be somewhat burdensome in that the Yankees will have some old and expensive players on the team, come 2010, the deck should be pretty clear. In fact, don’t rule out that Damon gets traded sometime between now and the end of the year. This means, of the aforementioned players, maybe only Matsui gets to play as a Yankee in the “new” Stadium come 2009.
This season, coming up, may not all be roses, puppy dogs, and lollipops – as Hank Stein has warned. But, it is the beginning of a new era in Yankeeland – that should be in full swing when the new park opens (in 2009).
With this changing of the guard, one constant will remain: Derek Jeter. However, the captain’s contract will be up after the 2011 season – when Derek is 37-years old. Jeter should have his 3,000th career hit by 2011. And, he’ll probably the Yankees all-time leader in games played by 2011.
Without milestones left to be reached, would the Yankees want to keep around a (then) 38-year old Jeter – among all the new and younger Yankees that will be part of the scene in 2012 (five years from now)?
Could it be possible that we’ll be watching the last four years of Derek Jeter’s Yankees career, starting with next season? I think it’s possible. Time will tell.
Update, 11/3/07, 8:27 am ET: Whoops! Jeter's contract is up after 2010. (Thanks Rich M.) The information I got from mlb4u.com was not correct. So, it's more a question of "Jeter: Three More Years And Out?" Still, it's an interesting question.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at November 2, 2007 01:11 PM
Comments
I hope it's as good a final four years as the first four years were. Hopefully he goes out better than Bernie did.
Posted by: MJ ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 2, 2007 01:35 PM
If Jeter continues playing well, he'll stay a Yankee (I just hope not at SS at that point!). If Jeter doesn't play well, I would think that he would retire. He just doesn't strike me as a guy who would hang around at a much lower level.
Posted by: jonm at November 2, 2007 01:45 PM
>> Hopefully he goes out better than Bernie did. >>
Anyone think there's a possbility Bernie attempts a comeback with the new manager at the helm?
Posted by: Pete at November 2, 2007 02:39 PM
~~~Anyone think there's a possbility Bernie attempts a comeback with the new manager at the helm?~~~
You mean with the Dodgers? {wink}
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at November 2, 2007 02:44 PM
>> You mean with the Dodgers? {wink} >>
A-HA!
Posted by: Pete at November 2, 2007 02:51 PM
according to cot's baseball contracts, http://tinyurl.com/gnkk2
Jeters contract is up after the 2010 season.
Posted by: Rich M at November 2, 2007 04:39 PM