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I can't believe I'm saying this, but... I agree. No to be too dramatic, but it would kind of break my heart to see Mo in another uniform. But at some point you have to be realistic. Just because Mo is a living legend in pinstripes and has done so much for the team does not mean he should be able to demand whatever he wants. If his agents are hitting up the Yankees in a sort of "let's make up for previous contracts" tone, that's absurd. Mo was always well paid, and retroactively getting back dollars missed in the past, while at the end of your career, is foolhardy.

Frankly, I don't understand what he is thinking. Mo has made a lot of money in baseball. Would he really end his Yankee career over a few million dollars?

This idea that Mo felt slighted at the beginning of the year when they wouldn't extend him is tired and old. Enough. I'm really shocked by his behavior. And if they have to move on, they move on. It would greatly weaken the 'pen AND the rotation, because Joba would have to close. If Mo takes more money elsewhere for his final deal, leaving the Yanks in a bind, I think his rep takes a big hit.

It would greatly weaken the 'pen AND the rotation, because Joba would have to close.
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I'd rather they offer Cordero 3 years/$30 million than let Joba close.

Isn' t this ironic everybody said Mo would be harder to sign then Posada ......I remember what Mo said about respect,he saw what they (the Yanks) did to Bernie, and they could have had him (much cheaper) at the beginning of this season.The Yanks HAVE to sign Mo,because they have no alternatives.Joba can be ace number 1 instead of closer no 1!The Yanks haven't properly groomed a closer (and they know the Mo is in his thirties for how long?) and are honestly in a bind.Bad management for years has lead to this situation,Mo's stubbornness is justified.Who can they use to replace him?If Joba closes,the Yankee rotation is Wang,Hughes,Mussina, and Kennedy! Is that competitive enough for a season.No way!And Karstens and Rasner haven't fufilled their promise yet so is Chase Wright or Clippard the 5th guy?

I'd rather they offer Cordero 3 years/$30 million than let Joba close.
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Cordero, really? If Mo gets this monster deal, Cordero will probably demand more than 10 mil a year. What has to scare you about Cordero is that he was awful with the Rangers (the year they dumped him) and then was great moving to the NL. He seems like a guy primed for a blowup. I want Joba to start, but I would let him close for one year if Mo left and then reassess the situation after that.

Has there been any indication that another team would offer him this type of money? I love Mo, but it's hard for me to believe he'd get that money anywhere else either. We may have to wait this out.

I want to amend what I said about Mo and Po.Actually Po looked liked he would flirt with the Mets and had interest from other teams,whereas Mo seemed to be dealing solely with the Yanks.It looked like Po would be signed after Mo.Well,the Mo contract is becoming an issue and the Yanks have no Accardo(like the Jays had when Ryan went down)to become closer.Sorry,Joba shouldn't be closer,because if you can get 7 to 8 quality innings out of a guy a game why make him the relief ace?

~~~Has there been any indication that another team would offer him this type of money? ~~~

Not to my knowledge. Other than the Tigers, I have not even heard of another team rumored to be in the hunt.

Would the Mets now get invloved, since they saved money on the hunt for Posada? Their pen is weak.

Co-closers in Queens?

Even if the Yanks rescinded their offer I can't see the Mets getting involved. If the Mets offered $10x3 that's still a lot of money (to the Mets) that they can spend for better things - Wagner's not too far different than Mo so the money would be to improve Heilman's spot.

You think Mo is going to a team to be a co-closer? You think Billy Wagner wouldn't have fifteen heart attacks and go get drunk every night at a Philly's Hooters until spring training?

No way that happens.

"Sorry,Joba shouldn't be closer,because if you can get 7 to 8 quality innings out of a guy a game why make him the relief ace?"

If Mo leaves, the Yankees might not have a choice. Everyone wants Joba to start, but if Mo is gone, who closes? Farnsworth? There was no alternative to Posada -- they had no other everyday catcher -- but they do have a closer in Joba if they're forced to use him in that role. I'd rather use Joba as a closer for a year than bring in someone else that's not very good. But hopefully Mo signs and this is a moot point...

~~~You think Mo is going to a team to be a co-closer? You think Billy Wagner wouldn't have fifteen heart attacks and go get drunk every night at a Philly's Hooters until spring training?~~~

Yeah, those are vaild points.

Would the Dodgers try and sign Mo and then trade their current closer? Could Torre sell it that well for Rivera in LA?

This is distressing news.

I understand why baseball players talk about respect, and I understand why they want to get the most money they can - why shouldn't they?

But Steve got it just right - if being the highest-paid closer by $4 million isn't good enough, I can't imagine what would be good enough. At that point you have to wonder if it's about the money, or if it's just Mo's way of saying he doesn't want to be a Yankee anymore.

And that is the most distressing thought of all.

Let Mo field offers from other teams.....If he gets more than what the Yankees offered...Good Luck to him. 15 for 3yrs is about 2.5 million a year more then I thought they would offer him.

FWIW, I've now heard it from a good source that Mo went into this asking for $16.7 mill a year for 3 years, in order to get the $15 mill a year deal...so, maybe this is all moot?

I don't know what kind of game Mo is playing. Unless it's just the principle of the matter to make the Yanks sweat it out or to rub their faces in it, what else does he think he'll get in the market? Even if the Tigers wanted him, they just signed Todd Jones to a one-year deal. Would Jones become Rivera's setup man? Would the Tigers come close to even offering Rivera 3 years/$45M? Would anyone else?

Unless he's willing to take a paycut or a lesser offer from another team, Rivera might want to cool down a little bit here. I am pretty disappointed in his attitude, frankly.

~Just because Mo is a living legend in pinstripes and has done so much for the team does not mean he should be able to demand whatever he wants.~

Mo is getting everything he could possibly ask for in this deal. 50% more than the second highest paid closer taking him into his age 41 season after a sort of crappy year (by his standards.)

And he wants $5M more? What the hell?

Would the Dodgers try and sign Mo and then trade their current closer? Could Torre sell it that well for Rivera in LA?
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I would guess it's doubtful. Saito was a beast this year -- and not to anger the Yankee gods and have everyone and everything I love destroyed, but... he was better than Mo was. 64 IP, 78 SO, 1.40 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, .151 BAA.

The Dodgers would be nuts to trade Saito. If they could convince him to be a setup man to Mo (which again might be doubtful) then the Dodgers would have an amazing 'pen: Broxton in the seventh, Saito in the eighth, Mo in the ninth. If they made the playoffs, that would be a nearly unstoppable bullpen.

It would be interesting, though. If Mo showed he would really sign with the Dodgers, maybe the Dodgers could flip Saito for something useful (he obviously has a lot of value).

But in the end I think Mo will just re-sign with the Yanks. Well... I hope so, anyway.

Also FWIW, I've heard that Mo is away in the DR and won’t be back untill the weekend. So, we may not hear from him until next week.

Everybody's acting as if the offer was rejected. Is that so? The way I read things is that they haven't accepted the offer yet. Unless there's a deadline set on the offer what's the rush? Maybe Rivera wanted to sleep on it.

Maybe Rivera wanted to sleep on it.
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I think the concern is: with a deal this lucrative, coming from the team he's played for his entire career, why wouldn't he immediately say yes? Why even hesitate?

If he honestly wants that type of money, let him go. He's probably not even the best closer in the ML and he's asking to be paid about $6 million more than number 2. I'd still want to keep Joba in the rotation though.

I posted on another thread here that the offer allegedly on the table was over generous. If Mariano is being offered the ridiculous sum of $45 million for three years, as a closer, and he is trying to squeeze out more money/years, goodbye. He has already made more than any relief pitcher in history. And he feels slighted? What a joke!

Eventually, Mariano will no longer be very good, and maybe 2008 will be that year. Buyer beware.

I really do wish the Yankees had chosen to cut ties with some of these guys, move Jeter off SS, and get on with the youth movement, combined with strategic trades and FA signings. Giving players past their prime these big deals is a recipe for disaster. But neither Ca$hman nor Hank seem to have learned anything.