Baseball Musings: Trading Posada?

November 09, 2005

Trading Posada?

The Yankees are talking about trading Jorge Posada. At first I thought it might be to trade an aging bat for a younger one, but unfortunately it's about money:

Of course, that contract is the reason the Yanks are interested in moving him. Posada, 34, will make $8 million next season, and if he starts just 81 games at catcher, a clause in his deal guarantees his 2007 option at a massive $12 million salary.
That, obviously, isn't something the Yankees are interested in paying. In addition to the trade discussions, there have been internal talks about shifting Posada to first base - even part-time, with some time at DH, too - in an effort to avoid that contract trigger.

This article, in my opinion, is looking at this contract from the wrong angle. The $12 million salary in 2007 is a reward for being able to play well for the previous three years. He has to start 330 games between 2004 and 2006 for the clasue to kick in. According to Baseball Reference, his earnings for the four years if the trigger is pulled:

2004: $9 million
2005: $11 million
2006: $8 million
2007: $12 million

So the contract says to me that Jorge was worth $10 million a year for four years if he could stay in the lineup, $9 million a year for three years if he couldn't. That seems about right. The fourth year is a reward for a career Yankee for doing well the previous three. While I'm sure the New York AL franchise would rather spend the money on something other than an aging catcher, given Posada's production over the years, they should be to willing to foot the bill.

And while I'm not much for team chemistry, Posada is the person in the clubhouse who bridges all the cliques that develop. Posada still posts excellent numbers for a catcher. He's earned the extra pay check.

Posted by David Pinto at 02:05 PM | Trades | TrackBack (0)

Comments

I will say, though, that if Posada is running into the catcher's wall, I think it's a good idea to minimize his time behind the plate in the hopes that his bat remains productive longer.

Posted by: michael at November 9, 2005 04:49 PM

Jorge Posada has excellent numbers for a catcher and still has it as a ball player. has Mr. steinbrenner gotten cheap. i'll be tmr . Kabak will love this.Jerry Rabinowitz

Posted by: jerry rabinowitz at November 9, 2005 04:51 PM

Keep Posada. Introduce 1st base & DH and keep a lifetime Yankee, a Yankee. Management needs to understand that the players who are brought up in their system are the core of the team, while the high-priced "talent" they buy every year are stop gaps.

Posted by: Chris at November 9, 2005 04:56 PM

Posada isn't going anywhere. He's going to want to take that huge contract on. He's an old and wearing down catcher, and that's too much to pay for a guy who's going to have to limit time in the near future.

Posted by: Jake Brown at November 9, 2005 07:00 PM

Maybe Bernie and Posada should be kept on as player coaches next year to send them into transition gracefully without having them show up in Oriole outfits before retiring. Alternating 15 day disabled lists to avoid wasting a roster position?

Posada, certainly, has had a major role with the spanish speaking pitcher population on the Yanks, that would transition nicely into a bullpen player-coach. Bernie could teach how to be fast, yet still be poor on the basepaths.

Posada is the Hincapie of the Yankees. You can't underestimate that!

Posted by: tarik saleh at November 9, 2005 08:16 PM

Wow. That's one clueless sports writer. Quotes with my tongue-in-cheek commentary:

"...massive $12 million..."

As if $8 mil for '06 is chump change? $12 mil sure is a lot compared to A-Rod's $26 mil salary...

"That, obviously, isn't something the Yankees are interested in paying."

No, the Yankees *never* overpay for players.

"Trading Posada is a more attractive option..."

Yes, that way the Yankees can take on even larger contracts and waste even more money. I hear that the Red Sox have a player who is looking to be traded...

"If the Yanks were able to move Posada, they could get into the bidding for Angels free agent Bengie Molina..."

Brilliant! Waste money & talent getting rid of a "massive" contract for one of the best hitting catchers in baseball so that you can get into a bidding war for a light-hitting batterymate.

"The Yanks would be able to pay him a $4 million buyout after next season if he doesn't start 330 games at catcher between 2004-06..."

Ah, the truth comes out! It's either $12 mil for half a season ($8 mil '06 salary + $4 mil buyout), or $20 mil for two seasons. Considering what the Yanks usually pay for aging talent, $8 mil for the extra season-and-a-half of Posada seems downright inexpensive.

"...if Posada reaches that plateau and 2007 becomes guaranteed, then Posada receives a player option for 2008."

Hmm... the Unofficial MLB site (do a Ctrl+F for "Posada") doesn't mention the '08 player option and they usually have all the dirt on contracts...

Posted by: Jason at November 9, 2005 10:17 PM

This is why I think the Astros didn't get ripped off paying Clemens $18 million in 2005. Didn't they pay him $5 mil in '04? That comes out to about $11.5 mil a year, which is a bargain for Clemens. But I wouldn't offer him that kind of money for '06.

Posted by: Yankee Despiser at November 9, 2005 10:56 PM

Posada will be a 10-5 guy next year, so it makes sense that they'd at least explore the option of trading him this year.

Posted by: Gordon at November 10, 2005 01:30 PM

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