A Decade for Derek?
By JON HEYMAN
NY Newsday
Oct. 24,1999

Atlanta - Yankees officials are considering the possibility of offering a 10-year deal for franchise player Derek Jeter this winter in hopes of making him "a Yankee for life." The Yankees have not taken an especially aggressive approach in their previous multiyear talks with Jeter, 25, but are expected to change their tack this offseason. The Yankees view Jeter and Mariano Rivera as their cornerstone players, and they understand that the total price to sign both players long-term could approach $200 million.

General manager Brian Cashman has in the past floated a 10-year deal to Jeter's representative, suggesting a 10-year, $50-million contract a year ago, or more.

However, Cashman acknowledges that recent multiyear contracts for young superstars have made that per-year figure seem ancient history. Yankees people know that Jeter's friend Alex Rodriguez has rejected an eight-year, $125-millon Mariners offer (though some of the money was deferred), and the Yanks don't necessarily expect Jeter to sign for all that much less than Rodriguez.

The Yankees would like to avoid letting Jeter and Rivera go into their walk year, 2001, without a long-term deal in place, particularly after seeing how other teams put themselves in difficult situations by waiting until the final year before their star players become eligible for free agency. Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, Juan Gonzalez, Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado are all heading into their walk years without a contract, and their current teams have to decide whether to meet huge contract demands or trade franchise-type players.

"Until we get them signed, every day [the price] goes higher," Cashman said.

"We definitely need to look at the situation and try to get something done. But a lot of things have to line up to make it happen. It's important, but that doesn't mean it will happen." Some Yankees executives have counseled George Steinbrenner to act sooner rather than later in these situations to save money in the long run. However, as was the case with Bernie Williams, Steinbrenner has been reluctant to lock up his big stars early.

Cashman was asked last night specifically about a 10-year deal, and he said: "I wouldn't be adverse to talking about anything. But now is not the time to talk about it. In the winter, I'd be hard-pressed not to think about it." After batting .349 with improved power numbers, it is likely that Jeter would receive $15 million, or more, annually. Rivera's negotiations got a boost when Trevor Hoffman signed a $40-million, five-year deal because it would be difficult to pay Rivera less than Hoffman. "That contract hurt us," one club official acknowledged.

" Hoffman definitely did help, but we'll see," said Rivera, even more brilliant in the postseason than in the regular season (0.42 ERA, compared with 2.58 in the regular season). "We've got to win first. I would like to but I don't think they're thinking about it right now." Jeter said about his talks, "It's not up to me, man. It makes no difference what I want." Jeter does want to stay. "Obviously," he said. "It's a winning team. It's the best team. And it's the best city in the world."

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