The issue from the Yankees perspective is, balancing the need to get younger and more athletic with the need to have good players in the lineup. Those good player have to have contracts that still allow the team some flexibility.

In recent years, the Red Sox have done a good job with succeeding on that balancing act.

That’s why the Abreu case is a tough one for the Yankees. Obviously, he’s still a productive player.

However, he’s 35 years old and I can’t see the Yankees giving him a 3 year deal.

I think Bobby is going to get offers in the 40-45 million dollar range on the open market. I can’t see him getting less AAV (Average Annual Value) than JD Drew.

This is his last chance to cash in and, as Bill Raftery says, it would take “onions” on Abreu’s part to leave that much money on the table.

The question we don’t know the answer to yet are the results of the backchannel work teams do prior to free agency.

Teams get a pretty good idea who is on their radar (from conversations with various sources) as they approach free agency.

Some (like AJ Burnett telling several guys on the team he wants to play for the Yankees) are pretty overt. Some, are more behind the scenes.

That stuff, at least from the teams side, is VERY closely held info that usually doesn’t get out.

If their preliminary backchannel work tells them Tex is not interested in NY, that may effect the Abreu negotiations. You never know.

That’s info though we wouldn’t know until after the process is complete.

The Yankees have told both players they want them back next year and both players are going to give it thought after the season concludes.

That’s where it is at.

Based on the comments from both Pettitte and Mussina the last few weeks, one can infer (I think correctly) that, they will either be back or retire.

I don’t believe either guy will play with another team in 2009. Its either the Yankees or carpools with the kids for both guys in 2009.

The premium for 09 might be worth it to the Yanks.

While a one year contract may work for the Yankees, it doesn’t work for Abreu.

That’s the give and take with player contracts/negotiations.

Will the Yankees offer Bobby a 2 year contract and would he take it, leaving money and a year on the table? I don’t know.

Some guys do leave money/years on the table. Last year, Mike Lowell had a 4 year contract offer on the table from the Phillies. He chose to turn it down and sign a 3 year deal (for less money) with the Red Sox because he liked playing in Boston and wasn’t interesting in starting over at this stage in his career with a new team and new city.

Posada had a 4 year offer from the Mets. That’s a fact. Had the Yankees not given him a 4th year, he would have signed with the Mets.

Its hard for fans to do but, you really have to seperate the business side from the games. This is a 6 BILLION dollar industry now and its getting bigger every year. The business side of the game is a fact of life and its not going away.

Its how team manage the business side from the playing side that determines long term success.

I know Bobby really likes playing for the Yankees and they really like him.

The issue from both sides is, how much? Enough to leave money on the table? I don’t know.

I think Bobby knows he’s not getting a 3 year offer from the Yankees.

It will be interesting to watch how it pans out this off-season.

think about it. all he can do is run. it’s his reason for being,yet no one taught him how to bunt.
i don’t care what baseball prospectus says about the yankee farm system. it sucks.

just look at gardner for all you need to know. maybe the players are in place.maybe the potential is there. but doesn’t someone have to teach them how to play?

i think it would be simpler to turn all yankee minor leaguers over to the twins so they could learn to play the game and then get get them back as ready made major leaguers.
at least they’d be able to bunt.

Just guesses.

Why would Pete kick you off his blog if you are wrong? People are wrong here every day.