When Mariano Rivera went down in early May, Joe Girardi handed the closer role over to Rafael Soriano. Forty-six times, Soriano entered the game in a save situation, and only 4 times did he leave the mound with his shirt still bloused out neatly from inside his pants.
NoMaas killed the Yankees for the Soriano signing in January of 2011. We didn’t like giving multi-year deals to relievers (non-Mariano division), and we hated the idea of giving $35 mil to Soriano to be a middle reliever. But, after a season where Soriano stepped into the breach to post 42 saves, 4 holds, over a strikeout per inning, and a 2.26 ERA over 67.2 innings…
We still hate it. Fangraphs values Soriano’s 2012 effort at 1.2 WAR/$5.5 mil. Think that’s some saber-b.s? Okay. There’s a case to be made that Soriano was worth more to the Yankees, whose place on the win curve means that those marginal wins are a bit more valuable. Additionally, WAR for a reliever should be taken with a grain of salt. But, there’s no way that Soriano was worth the $11 mil he was paid for this season. Remember, if the Yankees didn’t have Soriano, it’s not like those 42 saves just go away. They would have had David Robertson (2.67 ERA/1.7 WAR) in the closer’s role — not much of a step down there, if any. And, of course, they would have had an extra $11 mil to spend in areas of greater need, like the starting rotation. (It just so happens that the Nationals signed Edwin Jackson before the season to a one year deal worth…$11 mil.) And this doesn’t even factor in the $10 mil the Yankees paid Soriano in 2011 for his replacement level work.
We’re happy that Soriano came through for the team and turned in such a strong performance. We’re positively delighted that it will lead to Scott Boras instructing his client to opt out of his contract. The Yankees should thank him for his service, hand him his $1.5 mil buyout check, and usher him out the stadium turnstiles. They should also do it while Randy Levine is in the head, so that the Yankee president and Boras patron can’t offer him another fatuous multi-year deal.
There is one more interesting choice for the Yankees here: should they offer Soriano a qualifying offer of one-year at $13.3 mil? If they make the offer and Soriano turns it down to sign elsewhere, the Yankees will receive a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds of the amateur draft. The risk is that Soriano accepts the offer and the Yankees end up paying him $13.3 plus the $1.5 mil buyout to be a setup man next year (we are presuming that Mariano will be back).
We say the Yanks should make the qualifying offer. The likelihood of another team offering Soriano is high. Heath Bell just got $27 mil over three years last offseason. Soriano is coming off a high-profile, dominant year. Scott Boras knows what he’s doing. And Soriano wants to find a team where he can be assured of having the closer’s job.
So from all your friends here at NoMaas… Gracias, Rafi. And Adios.
31 Comments
DormantUlcer October 31, 2012 03:59
Seriously. 11 mil, for a reliever? Buttfuck that shit right out the door.
Jay Destro October 31, 2012 10:49
I buttfuck your wife. Sweet tits.
Just saying October 31, 2012 15:47
You, too??
AVer in Rikers October 31, 2012 16:12
You only buttfuck because that’s the only way you can get off. You hate vaginas now.
Rambo October 31, 2012 04:00
Fuck em
Brian S. October 31, 2012 08:39
He not stinky
Duh October 31, 2012 08:42
Let him go. Next.
benji October 31, 2012 08:50
Boras screws the Yankees over again!! NO MORE BORAS CLIENTS.
Cano,Nova and Granderson for KING FELLIX please.
Matzo October 31, 2012 10:50
Seattle would LOVE to make that trade. LOL
Bud Selig October 31, 2012 09:37
I think another long-term, big-money contract for Soriano is a good idea, and in the best interests of baseball.
Scott MacSanio October 31, 2012 11:47
$10 million a season!?! That’s how much they are paying for replacement level work these days! FML.
Randy Levine October 31, 2012 13:57
Scott,
After you’ve collected offers from around the league, come back to us. We’ll bump it by 5% and add a player option for an additional year.
Kisses,
Randy
Randy Levine October 31, 2012 15:48
Oops, sorry about that.
I meant to say that we’ll bump it by 50%.
BIG POPPA PUMP October 31, 2012 15:06
GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT!!! THE CLOSER ROLE WAS HANDED TO THE DROB!!! SORIANO WAS HOLDING FOR DROB! THEY NEVER HAD ANY INTENTION OF GIVING THE CLOSER ROLE TO HIM. THEN DROB GOT INJURED!
Brian Saba October 31, 2012 15:08
Calm down.
AVer in Rikers October 31, 2012 16:15
You don’t tell a White Supremacist like Big Poppa Pump to calm down after he just cycled winstrol and dianabol.
He’ll snap you in two.
BIG POPPA PUMP October 31, 2012 19:00
WINSTROL AND DIANABOL??? MORE LIKE GUTS AND DETERMINATION. IT’S CALLED WEIGHTS…LIFT THEM. I HAVE THE GREATEST BODY IN THE WORLD. THE ONLY DIANA I BOL IS YOUR MOTHER. AND THE ONLY WINS I TROL ARE AGAINST THE INFERIOR AMERICAN LEAGUE. LONG LIVE THE 27 TIME WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES! THIS IS BIG POPPA PUMP THE ONE THE ONLY BUMPER GRINDER OF ALL TIMER. BUT YOU ARE CORRECT I CAN SNAP PEOPLE IN TWO POSSIBLY THREE.
Side effects of steroids October 31, 2012 19:58
No more balls and tiny penis.
BIG POPPA PUMP October 31, 2012 20:13
SIDE EFFECTS OF STEROIDS? LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. STEROIDS MAKE EVERYTHING ELSE BIGGER EXCEPT MY DICK AND BALLS? ARE YOU KIDDING? ARE YOU READING THOSE MAGAZINES FROM THE 1980′S??? STEROIDS MAKE THE DICK THREE INCHES LONGER AND WIDER. THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE I BUMP AND GRIND YOUR HEAD INTO THE GROUND AND THEN POUND ON YOUR SKULL LIKE I POUND MY HOOCHIES ALL NIGHT LONG. THE ONLY SIDE EFFECT TO STEROIDS. LONGER LIFE, BIGGER BODY, BETTER OVERALL HEALTH. YOU THINK BONDS HELMET AND SHOE SIZE WENT UP BUT HIS CUP SIZE WENT DOWN. MAN YOU ARE UNEDUCATED. BIG POPPA PUMP THE HARDEST BODY AND THE SMARTEST MIND. FIND A WEIGHT AND LIFT IT. THEN FIND A BOOK AND READ IT. BY THE WAY I DON’T DO STEROIDS I JUST WORK OUT HARD AND SMART.
Side effects of steroids October 31, 2012 21:49
Delusions of grandeur. Also a side effect.
Ask Canseco about his tiny nuts.
BIG POPPA PUMP October 31, 2012 18:55
TO BRIAN SABA – I’M GONNA TAKE YOU FROM BEHIND AND DO THE BUMP AND GRIND. I WAS LAYING NO MAAS ON HORIZONO AND FREAKING THEM TO STOP GASSING UP SORIANO. HE WAS GIVEN THE CLOSER ROLE AFTER DROB GOT INJURED. DROB WAS HANDED THE CLOSING ROLE AFTER MO WENT DOWN- NOT SORIANO. NO MAAS IS AN ON POINT WEBSITE THAT PEAKS AND FREAKS WITH IN DEPTH ANALYSIS BUT THEY MADE A BOO BOO AND DID SOME MESSING AROUND ON THE GROUND WITH YANKEEOGRAPHY. AS FOR SORIANO CHECKING ON AND DISLIKING THE TRUTH I’VE GOT ONE WORD FOR YOU. THE EARTH’S AXIS WILL BE SPINNING WHEN I PILE DRIVE YOU INTO OBLIVION.
Rambo October 31, 2012 15:38
The amount of retards around the internet clamoring for the Yankees to re-sign him is truly baffling. The deafening magnitude of retardation that 99% of Yankee fans exude is an embarrasment to those who actually understand how things work, and DON’T overrated people just because they have to get the final 3 outs of a game. The closer position as a whole is overrated, not taking anything away from Mariano as he’s one of the best pure pitchers ever, but the point still stands. It even gets into the mind of some (read: everyone named named Rivera) that after closing out a game they can act like they just the WWE championship, ala Papelbon or Valverde (when he wasn’t shit).
That said, fuck em (except Mo).
Fuckin' A October 31, 2012 23:24
I’m so fucking tired of all the theatrics on the mound. You want theatrics? Go to a motherfuckin’ Lady Gaga show. The best to ever do it (Mo) has never been a showy, conceited, taunting fuck.
“I get the ball, I throw the ball, and then I take a shower.” -Mariano Rivera
Enough said.
The minority October 31, 2012 17:44
I say offer Mo the qualifying offer too. Tell him that’s the offer take it or leave it. Don’t fall for that Red Sox bullcrap he tried to pull last time.
Brandon League October 31, 2012 18:49
Hell, if I can make over $7 mill a year, imagine what a good reliever could get!
Impeach John & Suzyn October 31, 2012 21:20
Shirt Untucker is worth more than 5.5M – and he’ll get it on the open market. 3 ys/35M to some dope like Loria. That said, I agree: see ya, Sori. Go with Robertson, Aardsma as plan B.
Hmm... October 31, 2012 23:35
Make the offer. He will reject it and then we get a draft pick (who won’t cost a fortune or bitch and moan about not wanting to pitch against teams in our division). He’s greedy. He did a great job with the Yanks, but he’s never felt like one of the gang, so to speak. There’s no “team” in Soriano. He wants to be a closer, so let him go do that. This is all, of course, given that Barnum & Bailey (aka Hank and Hal) actually DON’T pocket the money they save, and put it back into the team for things we NEED.
AArdsma is a complete question mark, if there ever has been one. It won’t happen, but the Yanks should go after Craig Kimbrel. 1.01 ERA, 42 saves, 0.65 WHIP, 116 strikeouts in 62.2 innings, with only 14 walks and 3 home runs given up. That is absolutely RIDICULOUS. Oh, and he’s only 24. Must be a fortune, right? Wrong– he made $590,000 last year (notice the word “millions” is nowhere involved in that number).
Joakim Soria November 1, 2012 02:50
Sign me.
Samuel Jackson November 1, 2012 15:27
Gooooood motherfuckin’ choice!
Robinson Tilapia November 2, 2012 08:59
I blow you harder than Sandy
AROD November 20, 2012 01:12
Did some one say something about “untucked”? Hey Now!