The Yankees and Ichiro Suzuki finalized a $13 million, two-year contract Wednesday that keeps the 10-time All-Star in the Bronx.
The 39-year-old, who will make $6.5 million in each of the next two seasons, was obtained in a trade with Seattle on July 23, revived his career and quickly became a fan favorite.”
If there was any doubt as to what drives the action of this ownership group, the Ichiro signing should remove that doubt. Let’s recap the offseason to date:
1. The Yankees make it clear they’re only interested in 1-year deals due to the 2014 Steinbrenner Cap.
2. The Yankees have no starting catcher, but allow 29-year old Russell Martin to sign with Pittsburgh for a very reasonable 2 year / $17 million deal. They reportedly don’t even make him an offer, and indicate they are content with their current crop of terrible catchers.
3. After the Arod hip surgery announcement, the Yankees allow Eric Chavez to sign with Arizona at a discounted rate of $3 million. They reportedly don’t even make him an offer, and later spend $9 million more on Kevin Youkilis ($12 million total).
4. The Yankees then decide to break their 1-year deal mandate and guarantee 2014 payroll for a 39-year old OF who has been the 7th-least productive hitter in all of baseball over the last 2 seasons (.277/.308/.361, 84 wRC+).
Fortunately, Ichiro derives lots of his value from his baserunning and great defense. He was still worth over 2.5 wins last season even though he hit like a female for most of the year. Between Brett Gardner and Ichiro, opposing offenses might want to aim their bats towards Sir Derek or everyone’s favorite bad player, Eduardo Nunez — because hitting it to the outfield is going to be a bad idea.
In addition, if he can provide a semblance of his post-trade small-sample-sized hitting success, this contract certainly wouldn’t be bad. In fact, the dollar terms of this deal are probably right where they should be. It’s an OK contract.
However, there is a bigger point to be made here.
If the front office was going to make an exception and give a multi-year deal to a declining 39-year old Ichiro, why in the world did they let Chavez and Martin (especially) sign cost-efficient deals elsewhere, when they both play positions the Yankees badly need? Makes no sense….
…unless if you realize what this ownership group is all about.
It’s been speculated that the powers-that-be were interested in seeing Ichiro achieve 3,000 hits while in pinstripes, and he’s currently 394 hits away from that mark. And while we’re only guessing, we would bet that the main reason behind the Yankees making an exception for Ichiro is the revenue ownership believes they could make off any 3,000 hit hoopla.
Why else would they allocate 2014 payroll to someone who will be 40 years old, but pass on anyone else who requires more than one year?
33 Comments
yankee fan December 19, 2012 22:01
Your logic is completely sound and most likely correct. However it could be added that Ichiro also brings the Yanks continuous exposure to the Japan market.
It also should be noted that Ichrio left $2 million on the table on stay with Yankees.
As far as the on field product. Ichiro is hell bent on getting 3000 hits
so if in the next 2 years we get those 394 hits then the contract will be justified.
Matzo December 20, 2012 15:29
We got a LF that hits maybe 3 homers. And a now a RF who hits say 8. What happend to those “big hairy monsters” Cashman likes?
Yankee Fan December 21, 2012 02:50
“Big hairy monsters” are what Cashman DATES, not who he signs.
Dale Mohorcic December 21, 2012 18:58
His wife found out about them.
Ted Nelson December 21, 2012 14:16
FUCK ALL OF YOU, I’M TED NELSON!!
Coney December 19, 2012 22:08
The Yankees gave him an extra year so he could help them do math. BONZAI!
Ki m Last December 20, 2012 14:58
Slant lumps
Mark Sanchez December 19, 2012 22:25
This town ain’t big enough for a Sanchez and a Chavez. One of us had to go. NY made the right decision.
AJ Burnett December 19, 2012 22:57
I’m still getting paid for 2013 by Hal.
Brian S. December 20, 2012 15:27
You were stinky.
Cashman December 19, 2012 23:28
I didn’t make an offer to Eric or Russell because I asked both “how many rings do you have?”
once they told me that in fact have never won jack shit I told them to
beg like a dog for a job and they both did and THEN i said fuck you
you’re worthless.
Ring-o-metrics – you have none then you must suck
Piston Honda December 20, 2012 00:55
TKO from Tokyo!
hank December 20, 2012 01:56
Wow I hope Ichiro doesn’t get to 3,000 hits before Arod. That would be bone chilling to my talent evaluating skills.
ichiri December 20, 2012 02:00
I got 362 hits last two years. so I’ll be doing 3,000 as a mariner.
Moe Katorre December 20, 2012 07:52
I think Chavez sign in ‘zona to be close to home. Yanks would probably have had to over pay to get him to come back. Plus Chavez is an injury waiting to happen. We got two good years out of him…not the worst idea to take the chips off the table and walk away a winner on him.
You not expendable December 20, 2012 08:59
Youkilis is banged up too. He’s a big injury risk too. Even if the Yankees had to pay $5 mil for Chavez, it would still be fine
front office decision making is f*cked up.
Stubhub December 20, 2012 09:48
sit back and watch some really good teams compete and win in 2013
K-Long December 20, 2012 10:33
Ichi is going to hit some taters for us this year because I am a cage rat. The great thing is that after a year of my hitting instruction, Ichi won’t hit in the postseason either, so I will get more interviews!
Billy Corgan to K-Long December 20, 2012 10:51
Despite all my rage I’m still just a rat in a batting cage.
Kevin Long December 20, 2012 10:58
Why do I have a job. Face it I am the Mark Sanchez of hitting coaches, minus the buttfumble & shitty facial hair. Seriously what the fuck do I have to do to get fired? I mean my team made a shitty Baltimore Orioles pitching staff look like the Atlanta Braves of the 90′s and the same pitchers that got anally raped by the Giants my sackless chargss couldn’t put a bat on a ball. I mean Nick Swisher couldn’t hit a cow in the ass with a shovel. Come to think of it I should be working for free this year.
Dave Eiland December 21, 2012 10:17
The only way to lose your job as a coach around there is to stop showing up for work for three months in the middle of a stretch run.
Pete Rose December 20, 2012 12:27
Oh shit. If you add Ichiro’s hits in Japan, then his 2,978th MLB hit will tie me for most professional hits of all time! Is that gonna be a big deal at all?
Derek Jeter December 20, 2012 17:07
Let’s add my post season hits and my minor league hits – both came harder than anything in Japan.
Hideki Matsui December 21, 2012 10:19
Are you sure about that?
-resumes watching porn-
Postseason Averages December 20, 2012 13:47
Chavez = .000
Martin = .161
Ichiro = .275
Hard to read through these numbers, NoMaas, but maybe there’s something here? Dig deep.
Asshat Hero December 20, 2012 17:43
Just for completion:
Swisher in a total of 154 postseason at bats = .169
Postseason Averages December 20, 2012 18:11
The number one thing I’m sick of, as a Yankee fan, is watching our talented team fail in October. Especially this year, with the disappearing bats. What’s wrong with a little change-up? Bring in the Youk, let Nunez DH most days, go with fast slap-hitting corner outfielders & hope it all gels.
Joe Páwlikowski December 20, 2012 15:25
When does Nunez get to 3000 hits?
Moshe Mandel December 20, 2012 15:31
We really Jew’d them all this off season.
Johnny Damon December 20, 2012 18:16
Where’s my 2 year contract to DH? I’ll certainly get to 3000 over the course of 2 years!
Jack Z December 21, 2012 02:10
That’s a pretty poor reason to keep him around. We didn’t want him and our team sucks.
Randy Levine December 21, 2012 10:15
It hurt losing all that Japanese ad revenue when Matsui left.
Having Ichiro around should attract enough Japs to make up for the low attendance that comes with 4th place finishes.
Tradenickswisher December 21, 2012 14:59
Stop with the Chavez non sense. this is when your everything by statistics crap gets out of control. While a nice bench player if he plays more than 2 days in a row he gets run down. He would not be a good platoon player. What happens if you face 10 right handers in 11 days??? Youkilis is a good move. he can give that locker room a much needed kick in the ass and if he can regain anything close to his previous form he is a professional hitter that understands sitiuations and will not swing for the fence regardless of the count or situation like most of the lineup the past few seasons.