USA TODAY International Edition
On payroll, Yanks send mixed signals
Team wants to avoid luxury tax but has eyes on high- priced targets
ORLANDO The New York Yankees are telling the free world they have their checkbook stashed away in their safe deposit box in Manhattan and, no matter how tempting, they don’t plan to dial the combination and embark on a spending binge.
They are determined to slash about $ 50 million from their $ 236 million payroll at the end of this season to get below the $ 189 million luxury tax figure in 2014.
“That’s the goal,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told USA TODAY Sports. “Instead of giving all of the money to the 29 other owners that are receiving that benefit, we would rather have our fan base receive it by putting it back into our franchise rather than giving to other competitors’ pockets.”
It makes perfect sense, considering the Yankees will dish out a record $ 29.1 million luxury tax penalty for 2013, according to salary figures obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Well, then, how come no one in the world believes them?
Executives and agents at the annual general managers meetings privately revealed that the Yankees are in on virtually every high- priced free agent, and, if they really are trying to get below $ 189 million, they have an odd way of showing it.
They have expressed strong interest in All- Star catcher Brian McCann, who will cost at least $ 75 million over five years. They have told free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran they want him, which could cost another $ 45 million. They will bid on Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, which will exceed $ 100 million, including a posting fee. They will talk to agent Scott Boras about $ 100 million outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin- Soo Choo, along with shortstop Stephen Drew.
And they want to bring back their own free agent, Robinson Cano.
They won’t pay him the $ 300 million he wants, but neither will anyone else. Cano should receive a minimum of $ 180 million over seven years, if not $ 200 million over eight years. Cano and the Yankees were talking about a massive deal approaching those numbers seven months ago when he was represented by Boras, before Jay Z and Roc Nation took over.
“I think we’ll have a substantial offer,” Cashman said at his GM briefing. “But I think somebody else might come in with a more substantial offer. ... I feel very comfortable we’ll firmly compete for the player.”
The last time the Yankees failed to make the playoffs, they made their fury known, dropping $ 423 million on the 2008 market for pitchers CC Sabathia and A. J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Ten months later, they were having a World Series parade.
It’s five years later, and God forbid the Yankees have back- to- back seasons without October baseball for the first time since 1993- 94.
“Ultimately, making the playoffs and not making the playoffs is less important as much as trying to win a World Series,” Cashman said. “I know you have to make the playoffs to win a World Series, but our team last year, even if we made the playoffs, we knew we weren’t going to be good enough to win a World Series.
“We’ve got to find ways to get to the point where we are good enough, no matter how long it takes.”
Immediately would be the preferred time frame.
Just like 2008, the Yankees have about $ 100 million off their ledgers.
There could be another $ 31 million in savings depending on Alex Rodriguez’s grievance with Major League Baseball. The Yankees publicly say they would welcome him back. But don’t think there won’t be one heck of a party in the Bronx if his 211game suspension sticks.
“Even with Alex as our third baseman, we’ve got a fair amount of money to start spending to try to fill the holes,” said Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees managing general partner. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Yankees’ holiday wish is at least two more starters, a corner outfielder, a catcher, a backup shortstop and bullpen help to fill the void left by Mariano Rivera’s retirement.
The biggest difference now is that the Yankees no longer can solve their woes by writing checks. Every team receives an extra $ 25 million in national TV revenue in 2014, and with filthy- rich teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers around, the Yankees aren’t the only club that can monopolize the market.
Still, there’s only one team in baseball that considers anything shy of a World Series championship a failure.
It’s also why no executive in baseball thinks the Yankees will keep their hands in their pockets for a second consecutive winter. If arbitrator Fredric Horowitz hurries his ruling by early December and Rodriguez’s entire suspension is upheld, there will be only one looming question.
Will Horowitz be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on opening day or will the Yankees wait and have a bobble- head day in his honor?