Yanks Do Not Flex Financial Muscle

Rather than risk overpaying on one-year deals for decent-if-not-great players, the Yanks have chosen to take the safe route. Brian Cashman and company have decided not to offer arbitration to Andy Pettitte and Bobby Abreu (and Pudge Rodriguez). As Pete Abe, who was one of the first to break the news, suggests, the decision is about payroll:

It came down to economics. The Yankees did not want to risk going to arbitration with any of their players given the salaries they made last season.

I am surprised, and not in the pleasant way, that the Yanks are following this tack, especially in the case of Abreu. What's the best that can be said about these conservative moves? That they're fiscally responsible? Woo hoo!!! (Will ticket prices be going down then as well?) That they're saving money to throw at players who will require longer and riskier deals? That the Gerritt Cole experience was so traumatic, they felt it best to avoid the tempation of draft picks altogether?  Anyway, my initial reaction is not a positive one. What do you think?

Comments

[Sam-YF]

Ill pass judgement on these moves once the main free agents are signed. If saving $16 mil allows a few big names to be signed then im for it, if its saving for the sake of saving it will be harder to swallow.

[John - YF]

I think Cashman must know one of two things. One, that he can sign Abreu at a much more attractive price OR he has something else in the works (Dunn, etc...) I am not greatly concerned with the extra picks, at least this way if they want Abreu and AP it comes at the value the deem best fits. I think Pete Abe stresses the financial aspect of it, but there really could be a deeper meaning for a deeper plan. We'll see, for now I wait.

[Lar]

Ya, I guess I'll wait, but I thought you would take the picks - especially for Abreu. I guess we'll see.

[Mark]

$36 million potentialy saved on Abreu and Pettitte can go towards younger options or in the owner's pocket. Hal is clearly not his Father, the results will speak.

[krueg]

Bye, bye Fat Bobby...good riddance. That in itself makes the new approach a good one for me.