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November 13, 2007
Yanks Make Final Offer To Rivera
From Tyler Kepner -
The Yankees’ latest offer to Mariano Rivera — three years for $45 million — would make him by far the highest-paid closer ever, and team officials are somewhat surprised he has not yet accepted. The initial offer was for $5 million less, and the Yankees have no plans to improve it again.
“I think we’re all pretty much in agreement that this is it,” Hank Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ senior vice president, said in a telephone interview last night. “Make no mistake, I want him back, and that’s why this offer is what it is.”
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that it’s a tremendous offer for a 38-year-old relief pitcher,” Steinbrenner said. “He’ll be, by $4 million, the highest-paid relief pitcher in baseball, by far. I don’t know what the holdup is. The ball’s in their court.”
There's no way that Rivera is not happy with this offer. And, there's little chance that someone will offer him a better contract than this one.
Based on all this, Yankees fans should expect to see Mo closing games for them in 2008.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at November 13, 2007 10:35 PM
Comments
Okay, Hank. Some nice work. Now let's play the quiet game...
Posted by: brockdc ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 14, 2007 01:34 AM
Unless,Mike Illich wants to blow him out of the water.....not!This seems like a very generous offer but MO felt disrepected.It's ironic that the Yanks had to talk to Arod mid-season but not the legacy Yankees like Mo and Posada.I wonder if he's trying to make the Yankees sweat a little bit.What Hank said makes good copy in the paper,but he was a bit too forward.What the holdup is?He wanted to re-sign in the spring right?What was the hold up then?Hank is starting to annoy me a little bit..........
Posted by: butchie22 at November 14, 2007 02:39 AM
The legacy Yankees are at an age where it was in the Yankees best interest to let the season play out. They may have felt slighted, but the Yankees took care of both with above FA market offers. Remember, Rivera had some arm issues coming out of the 2006 season.
As for A-Rod, he's the best player in baseball & in the prime of his career.
Posted by: Melland at November 14, 2007 08:59 AM
The legacy Yankees are at an age where it was in the Yankees best interest to let the season play out. They may have felt slighted, but the Yankees took care of both with above FA market offers. Remember, Rivera had some arm issues coming out of the 2006 season.
As for A-Rod, he's the best player in baseball & in the prime of his career.Quote
I realize that Arod is a great player but Mo and Po have multiple rings to their names ,what does Arod have?MO and Po have been team players for their careers (company men,if you will),Arod is a mercenary.I'm not an Arod hater,but rewarding someone who was the bane of your club vs people who are true Yankees to the fans is bad PR and ultimately business sense.Arod wouldn't even return phone calls from Damon or Cano!C'mon,he is a great player but his superficiality is so blatant!
Posted by: butchie22 at November 14, 2007 09:22 AM