Make Jeter an offer he can refuse

I don’t think anyone can argue that the 36-year-old Jeter statistically is even worth the three year offer the Yankees have on the table now.  However, many believe that Jeter is worth that much and more due to other reasons. Jeter has been the face and captain of the Yankees (the most successful sports franchise ever) since making his major league debut in 1995.  Jeter is also on the verge of 3,000 hits, while being considered one of the greatest Yankee players of all time.  To put it in perspective, how would Orioles fans feel if Ripken ended his career with another team?

The Yankees have been signing and taking away other teams franchise players for years.  Remember Mike Mussina?  He was supposed to spend his entire career in an Orioles uniform, but the Yankees swooped in as they always do, and offered Mussina more money and a chance to win.  How would it feel if the shoe were on the other foot for the Yankees and their fans?

Hypothetically of course, what if Andy MacPhail were to send an offer to Jeter and his agent Casey Close of four years at $15 million per year?  As an Orioles fan, I don’t want the 36-year-old Jeter as our shortstop. He is on the downside of his career, plays a below average shortstop, and his offensive numbers are on the decline.  However, I would enjoy watching the Yankees and their fans squirm while another team actually does come in with a better offer for their captain.

The hope would be that Jeter would never accept an offer to play and finish his career with the Orioles, even if it were a better offer financially.  He would however, use this to negotiate a longer contract for more money from the Yankees.  Yankees GM Brian Cashman said it himself. He encouraged Jeter to test the market.  Cashman “knows” no team will make an offer better than the Yankees.  Maybe just maybe, the Orioles or some other team will make a better offer to Jeter and stick it to Cashman and the Yankees.  Just as they have to the rest of baseball for the last decade.