What to do with the hefty contracts, Cashman?

This morning I bumped into this article about the Yankees who would be ready to dump A-Rod in the first months of the season, pending on his performance. I don’t know if it is true. It appears highly speculative to me. But it made me think about what the Yankees should do with the hefty contracts of A-Rod, Teixeira, Sabathia and Beltran.

Now the Yankees have signed Chase Headley to a four year deal, there is no room left for Rodriguez at third base. Brian Cashman envisions a role as DH for him. Nothing more, nothing less. The article states that if A-Rod’s bat will stay cold in the first months of the season, they may release him. Release him and just throw away $60 million? Paying the remaining 60 million bucks of his contract to get rid of him? In the days of the Boss, things like this would happen. But we have seen that the Yankees are not willing to give in to the demands of Max Scherzer or Jon Lester, so why would they throw away $60 million?
The big merit of releasing him is that it would free up space for younger players; the demerit would be that you send away some veteran experience in fhe field.

Then Mark Teixeira. He had a helluva first season in the Bronx but his numbers declined ever since and he has spent a considerable amount of time on the DL. The Yankees have acquired Garrett Jones in the trade that sent Martin Prado to and David Phelps to Miami. Jones will turn 33 during the 2015 season and will serve as backup at first base. Could the Yankees follow the same scenario for Tex? To me he is another over priced player that doesn’t live up to his contract. His defense is undeniable good, no doubt about that. But a first baseman is traditionally a guy that put up some power numbers. Despite stints on the DL last year, he even managed to hit 22 dingers. But these numbers could be so much better if he stayed off the disabled list. To me appeared that he swung the bat without much self convidence, resulting in 109 strikeouts; not a career high, but still a high number.

C.C. Sabathia
Since Sabathia had a bone spur removed from his pitching elbow, he isn’t his old self. It has become clear that he cannot rely on his fastball anymore. Where he used to be a flame thrower, relying on his fastball, he now has to rely on location, something that he appears to have a problem with.
Last season he was placed on the DL with knee problems, probably caused by his big posture and big weight.
Sabathia has two years left on his contract, that will pay him 23 million in 2015 and 25 million in 2016. Releasing him will throw away $48 million. But what do the Yankees need a so so pitcher for. In 2013 he had a 14-13 record with an ERA of 4.78. In his injury shortened season of 2014 he posted an ERA of 5.28 with a 3-4 ERA. Not numbers that fit a big contract like his.

Carlos Beltran
Beltran was signed on December 6 2013 to a three year $45 million deal. in the beginning of the season he was diagnosed with a bonespur in his elbow. He was used as DH for the remainder of the season. He was limited to 109 games in which he batted only .233. Over the last few seasons Beltran didn’t hit well during the regular season, but then found his groove during the play offs. But what do you need a player like that for when you do not reach the play offs? A waste of money in my humble opinion. No matter if you keep him or release him, it is a lose-lose situation.

These four players have an average age of 33,75. Average. Two of theam are near fourty, two are in the early thirties.
Beltran will be thirty-nine when his contract expires, A-Rod will turn fourty-two.
It seems that the Yankees have learned their lesson with signing players with the age around thirty to these ridiculous long contracts.

But should these players be released? When they do not produce in the first months of the season, I think they should. Of course it is a waste of money if they will, but what do you need underperforming overpriced players for. Besides that, when they do not perform but are kept on the roster because of the money, they block the development of younger players.

I think it is time to continue with the rejuvenation. Cashman has made a big step in acquiring Gregorius and Eovaldi. But they are at a whole new territory. For the first time in decades the Yankees are not going after proven players but after players that still have to prove themselves, players of which the Yankees think that they can turn into solid pieces.
RIght now, Yankee fans are criticizing Cashman for not signing Scherzer, Shields and Lester to big contracts and to go after unproven players. But if this “experiment” succeeds, Cashman will be called a genius all of a sudden.

I really think that the Yankees has changed their course. I really think that they are focusing on the future. Randy Levine (president of the Yankees) expects the team to be competitive in 2015. To be honest I don’t have high hopes yet. And if they finish in the cellar of the AL East, it will give them an early draft pick next year. Another chance to rebuild their farm system and head into the direction of a homegrown team. I hope it is not only wishful thinking.