It’s official: Marte remains with Yankees
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Nov 12, 2008 
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This release from the Yankees:
YANKEES SIGN LHP DAMASO MARTE TO A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH A CLUB OPTION FOR 2012
The New York Yankees announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Damaso Marte to a three-year contract with a one-year club option for 2012.
Marte, 33, was acquired by the Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26 along with OF Xavier Nady in exchange for RHPs Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutchen and OF Jose Tabata. In 72 combined relief appearances with the Pirates and Yankees in 2008, he was 5-3 with a 4.02 ERA, holding opponents to a .214 batting average (52-for-243). The lefthander made 25 appearances with the Yankees, going 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA, but allowed just 2ER over his final 16 appearances (11.0IP) from August 16 through the end of the season and held the opposition to a .135 batting average over the stretch (5-for-37).
Over the last five years (2004-08), Marte owns the fourth-most appearances among Major League pitchers (352). Among left-handed relievers in the Majors over the same span, he ranks second in appearances and fourth in strikeouts (307).
Originally signed by Seattle as a non-drafted free agent in 1992, Marte has made 519 career Major League relief appearances combined with the Mariners (1999), Pirates (2001, ’06-08), White Sox (2002-05) and Yankees (2008), going 22-24 with 36 saves, a 3.29 ERA, 212 walks, 508 strikeouts and a .222 opponents batting average. He was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent in November 2000, going 3-1 with a 3.50 ERA at Double-A Norwich before being traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for infielder Enrique Wilson.
Granted he was only in AA at the time, but it’s ridiculous we traded Marte for Enrique Wilson.
Excellent news.
If nothing else, Marte has shown he is lights out against lefties. Just adds reliable depth to the bullpen.
I like it.
I also like that there is some official business for a change!
Count me as liking the move. We’ve needed a solid L reliever for a long time. Much better then Chris Hammond, Steven White, Felix Heredia, Alan Embree, Shawn Henn, Billie Traber, and yes, Phil Coke (at least at this point in their respective careers).
You forgot the great Gabe White, unless you confused him with Steven White. Also, there’s the illustrious Randy Choate.
Those kind of names are why I like keeping Marte under team control for 3 years, even with the gripes about giving a 33/34 year old a 3-year deal. Even if his performance drops off a cliff, the team is not stuck holding the bag on a huge Farnsworth/Linebrink-like contract. People like the idea of getting 2 picks for him, but I think it’s harder to come by a ML-tested lefty reliever making only $4 mill. a year as opposed to 2 draft picks (see: Bobby Abreu signing with the Cubs or the Mets).
OMG. 3+1? The lenght is the only thing that bother me, otherwise, good deal. He’ll still be easy to move, if they need to go down that road.
I’m with Jennifer. We played some tough teams who were playing some meaningful games. And then you had teams like Toronto who want to beat us so badly, it doesn’t matter what month it is. So while you can discount the importance of the games, you can’t dismiss that Coke and Gardner did well against teams that were still playing for something. They were trying to prove themselves, even though their elder brethren were playing like dogs!
SoS,
Didn’t see the game. We don’t have quality wins, but you don’t either! Just kidding. TD is good, but no one can play that short-handed. Manu they could do without, but no TP for a month? Ouch. We’re playing the Hornets, are you cheering for us?
Good move. Marte was very effective when not overused.
OK, great…
Now what about Pettitte? The Yankees are going to screw the pooch on this one, just like last time. I can see it coming.
I like it. Good move
This deal is actually a steal. 3 years at 12 million is way below market, in my opinion, for a solid Lefty in the pen with closing experience.
Considering what Linebrink got from the White Sox last year, this is a bargain.
Cash’s first big move turned out to be a smart one. We kept the guy, locked him in for 3 years and got him at a fair rate. Nice.
The pen looks solid and we can make deals from it for pieces we still need.
Follow this up with Pettitte re-signed and then dive into free agency with fists full of green.
I want Pettitte as our back of the rotation starter. If he pitches against most other teams 4-5′s next year, we’ll win those games.
I truly believe the Yankees are placing way too much stock in their expectation to sign CC Sabathia. I hope he is serious about resolving the process quickly. The Yankees have 3 rotation spots wide open and no one is a lock to sign with us except Pettitte if we get the chains moving asap.
How are the Yankees going to “screw the pooch” with Pettitte.
Pettitte wants to come back and the Yankees want him back. But, they have other priorities right now.
What is it that folks don’t understand about that?
Andy Pettitte is not a priority to the Yankees right now. Once they find out where they stand on the FA market, he will be.
He says he will wait and that he will either sign with the Yankees or retire. So, what’s the big deal?
Marte had a 1.35 ERA in September, when Girardi finally figured out how to use him. He is best used for 1 inning and I liked the Bruney/Marte platoon in the 7th-8th mixing and matching.
The problem came when Girardi tried to use him for multiple innings and used him too often. The 45 pitches in Texas on a 90 degree night was inexcusable. It took him 3 weeks before he recovered from that.
So if Marte’s arm doesn’t fall off from being abused in 3 years he gets another year?
Would Girardi us him as his own version of Scott Proctor?
Hope not.
G. Love,
Great point on Pettitte. He will be one of the best, if not THE best 4/5 pitcher in the game. I slot Joba into the 5 hole since his innings will continue to (annoyingly) be monitored. I get the concern with his shoulder, but it sucks to have to play the “rule” game.
GOOD MOVE…FOCUS ON PITCHING
I dont know where people project Garnder’s number’s from…
At each level of the minors…brett took his initial lumps, and then excelled…he did it in AA, AAA, and in the majors
We went on an 8 game winning streak with him in the lineup in July, even though he was hitting .220, then he came back and hit over .300 in September (I know, beware sept call-ups)
The bottom line, is that he is a winning player…and we didnt have very many of those last year
SJ,
Do you have a link to where Pettitte indicates that he’ll wait?
I’ve read nothing of the sort and while I know his preference is the Yankees or retirement, I think we all learned in 2003 that the guy needs to be made to feel wanted, lame though that may be.
I’d hate to see Pettitte get impatient, decide to retire elsewhere, and then watch Sabathia sign with the Angels or Giants and leave us with AJ Burnett or Derek BLowe.
I like this move Marte was very effective when used properly. I suppose this gives the Yanks the option of Coke as a starter.
Never trust September numbers or Spring Training numbers.
Jeff Karstens was the MVP of Spring Training.
Another concern of mine is the possibility of the Yankees plugging Phil HUSEless into the rotation.
That guy has a long way to go before he should be starting games in the Bronx. He hasn’t looked good in a game that he started since Texas in 07 when he pulled his hammy.
Let him work long relief and EARN a spot in the rotation.
Pete was right all along…they rushed this guy and it has bit them in the backside big time.
Good deal for the Yankees. Linebrink deal probably compelled them to have offer the 4th year option. Still, good price for a guy who will likely help. Agree with Pete on Coke. Pitched in garbage time. Nothing in his minor league history to suggest he’s anywhere close to what his September numbers reflect.
Marte is the goods.
do these types of press releases usually not include dollar amounts?
Never trust September numbers or Spring Training numbers.
Jeff Karstens was the MVP of Spring Training.
_____________
What I do trust is the 8 game winning streak we had while he was in the lineup…I don’t think it was a coincidence that the whole team had a different approach at the plate
I would have preffered the picks.
Pettitte has said all along he would wait. He reiterated that at Torre’s dinner.
He also has said numerous times, he is either playing for the Yankees or retiring.
You are worrying for the sake of worrying.
Right now, CC Sabathia, not Andy Pettitte, is the priority.
Until they know where they stand with Sabathia, there is no reason to move forward with Pettitte.
Do you not think there hasn’t been dialogue between the Yankees and Pettitte? They aren’t making these decisions in a vaccuum.
Just as folks went into a panic when the Yankees didn’t pick up Marte’s options (“What are they doing”??? “Cashman is a moron”, etc), they know what they are doing.
Before going into a panic, why not let things play out?
Before they move forward on Pettitte, they have to know how much they are going to be into for Sabathia and another FA pitcher. Mainly because Andy is not going to make 16 million next year.
SJ —
I don’t people were going into a panic over the declining of Marte’s option as much as they were reacting to posters in here who were applauding letting Marte walk for 2 picks and leaving our bullpen short a top lefty like it was some stroke of genius.
Some of us in here want the big club to win. Some of us are more interested in minor league fantasy baseball GM than seeing the actual Yankees put together a top team next season.
Mad Prince….where did Pettitte indicate that he WOULDN’T wait? He said all along, its the Yankees or I’m retiring. This isn’t like 2003 when he was regarded as one of the top pitchers in the league and the demand was high.
“He hasn’t looked good in a game that he started since Texas in 07 when he pulled his hammy.”
Thats simply not true.
G Love,
That was also part of it. Although, those who live for draft picks often forget the draft is longer than one or two rounds.
The baseball draft is not like the football draft. You can find some real gems from rounds 3 to 30. That’s where good scouting comes in.
There are times when getting two picks for a player is a plus. Other times, its not.
If the Yankees lose Abreu, they will get 2 picks.
The plan all along was to sign Marte to a multi-year deal. The devil was in the details.
As it turns out, this is a very friendly contract for the Yankees. Marte would have gotten more money on the open market.
It also speaks well of Marte. Clearly, he wanted to stay with the Yankees and adjusted his contractual demands accordingly.
It seems everyday someone posts on this blog they want players who “want to be Yankees”.
Well, you just got one.
Remember that if he blows a 2 run lead in a June game and you want Cashman to DFA him.
The guy is a good pitcher and this makes an already good Yankee bullpen even better.
Another plus when it comes to recruiting Sabathia and other starting pitchers this off-season.
G. Love,
You said Cashman was a moron for letting Marte’s walk. You were one of the main people voicing your displeasure towards Cashman, are you kidding me?
Now it’s all good job Cashman. Now it’s all good deal Cashman. Now it’s people weren’t overreacting? Puh-leeze!
Yes people were overreacting then just like they’re overreacting about Pettitte now.
Very happy about this. Our bullpen was nasty at the end of the year. Now we are guaranteed to have at least one good lefty in the pen — two if Phil Coke does not become a starter.
cashman is also waiting on mussina’s decision.
if the yankees sign sabathia,burnett and mussina pettitte is left out.
trade him for tabata
Marte sucks, we could have used those picks for long-term depth. I’m sorry i just hate marte, he underperformed with us bigtime, not made for NY, mark my words
BOOOOOO
So Cashman wants to build up the farm system but he signs a 33 year old reliever instead of getting 2 draft picks in the 1st 2 rounds of the draft for him. If they wanted to keep him, why not just pick up the option? I don’t agree with signing him instead of getting the picks. I don’t agree with signing him to a 3 year deal instead of just picking the 1 year option up to see how he does for a full season on the team. I think this is the worst of the 3 options the Yankees had with dealing with Marte this offseason.
The good news is that we will have one of the top lefty relievers in the bullpen next year and they can let Coke try to develop as a starter.
Oh well.
I don’t agree with this. It is obvious that plugging holes with older players is not the way to win championships. I know 33 isn’t that old, but we’ll be watching this guy pitch for the next three years. Everyone is stating his good September, but what about before then? Do we only notice the good stats and ignore the ugly?
I would rather have the draft picks.
This is not only a good move and the right move it’s one I predicted here weeeks ago. There was no way Marte was not going to be retained and the outline of a deal was probably already done when the Yanks turned down the option at the date it had to be done by.
Some of you still haven’t figured out what the Yankees are trying to do and that is get younger, cheaper and more athletic while remaining strong contenders for the post-season every year. That’s why you retain Marte. If they didn’t care about contending and were just focused on saving money and getting younger than Marte goes… but then again, if that was the plan, Posada, Pettite, Rivera would all be gone too.
another awful yanks trade. who trades marte for enrique wilson?
Signing Marte is a good move. I am fine with this deal. I also think that Coke is not a flash in the pan. He came up in August and was put in some big games. The guy did not fold. He throws strikes and has plus stuff. There is nothing wrong with two lefties in the pen. Coke can get lefties and righties out. Actually Marte does better against righties than lefties. I like our pen and our pitching will be super if we can can get CC, Burnett/??? to joing Wang and Joba. I would be fine with Andy as the #5 starter and if need be we can let Hughes start the season in AAA. We may have rushed him and he may need to get more innings under his belt in the minors. I would not trade Hguhes.
Aceves can be the long man in the pen and a spot starter. I like his make up. He showed me that he has moxy and decent stuff with good command.
Gardner makes sense to me as our CF provided we can find one additional bat that can replace Abreu RBI’s and Giambi power.If we get Tex then Gardner is a good fit. If we lose out on Tex or cannot find a solid hitting first baseman (the 2nd coming of Tino) then Gardner in CF can be a problem unless he shows an ability to hit with consistency.
Gardner gives us an extra dimension that has been missing on this team and despite a low batting average he did show an abliity to get runs in for us. I love his speed. His defense is very good. I also think we will see a more polished hitter with a better batting average.
I am a bit concerned that we give up offensive production with Nady and Damon in corners. It is not that they are not good players — they are. However, for all his shortcomings in the outfield, Abreu is a good bat and is hard to replace.