Mussina Stays a Yankee

[Degenerate39]

Mussina, Yankees reach preliminary agreement on $23 million, 2-year contract

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
November 20, 2006

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mike Mussina and the New York Yankees reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $23 million, two-year contract.

Mussina is scheduled to take a physical Tuesday that would allow the deal to be finalized. He declined comment on the agreement, saying he would refrain from any remarks until a telephone conference call Wednesday.

A right-hander who turns 38 on Dec. 8, Mussina left the Baltimore Orioles after the 2000 season to sign an $88.5 million, six-year contract with the Yankees. He was 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA this year.

New York declined a $17 million option last week, paying a $1.5 million buyout, but the Yankees have said since the end of the season that they hoped to keep Mussina. Some of the money in his new contract will be deferred, lowering its present-day value for purposes of the luxury tax.

New York's current rotation includes Chien-Ming Wang, Mussina and Randy Johnson. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman hopes Carl Pavano can return from a string of injuries that have sidelined him since June 2005, and Cashman said last week that he might have Scott Proctor prepare for spring training as a starter.

In addition, the Yankees enter spring training with more prospects than in recent years who could have a chance of making the rotation. Jeff Karstens impressed in six spot starts last season and Philip Hughes was 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 116 innings for Double-A Trenton. Humberto Sanchez, obtained from Detroit in the Gary Sheffield trade, was a combined 10-6 with a 2.53 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 123 innings with Triple-A Toledo and Double-A Erie.

New York also has been involved in discussions with the agent for free-agent first baseman Shea Hillenbrand. His agent, Dan Lozano, said several teams are interested in Hillenbrand and that discussions have not progressed with any club.

Yankees keep another old fart in their pitching staff

[terminator]

I can't imagine them not bringing in a FA pitcher to bolster that staff. They need better pitching to increase their chances of going deeper into the playoffs. Johnson and Pavano aren't going to pitch well consistently.

[Jpup]

I wish the Reds could have him at that price.

[Heath]

Interestingly enough, in the other part of the article that the Yankees is talking to Shea Hillenbrand. Wonder if Aurilia's headed to San Francisco.

[Patpacillosjock]

Interestingly enough, in the other part of the article that the Yankees is talking to Shea Hillenbrand. Wonder if Aurilia's headed to San Francisco.

i wonder if all this talk by us fans about WK signing a right handed bat to platton at first base is just water cooler talk and that Aurillia's just gonna sign again with the reds.

i wouldnt mind it but jesus, when are we ever gonna lure a nice named free agent?

think back to the last 10 years. only griffey came here and thats because of the "hometown" factor. outside of JR. who else have we signed that made any news??????

mediocrity sucks.

[blumj]

I can't imagine them not bringing in a FA pitcher to bolster that staff. They need better pitching to increase their chances of going deeper into the playoffs. Johnson and Pavano aren't going to pitch well consistently.

Who's Pavano?

[Jr's Boy]

Yankees keep another old fart in their pitching staff


Season 32 197.1 184 88 22 35 172 15 7 0 94.9 1.11 .241 3.51
Career 475 3210.1 3058 1384 345 719 2572 239 134 0 103.8 1.18 .251 3.63

[Jr's Boy]

I'll take this old fart anyday.

[terminator]

Who's Pavano?

Did I miss a joke?

Carl Pavano, the pitcher they paid $8MM last year while not pitching at all last season and who the Yankees are paying $10MM next year and $11MM in 2008. He who had one good year in 2004 before signing a huge four year deal with the Yankees. He who tried to hide his injuries from a car crash thereby getting himself in deep trouble with the FO.

[vaticanplum]

Mussina had a great season last year. It's a good deal.

Interestingly enough, there has not been a lot of talk in Yankeeland about a big-name free agent pitcher. Now, that probably doesn't mean much -- there wasn't much talk about Damon last year at all -- but that coupled with the insane spending by other teams this offseason makes me think that the gap between the Yankees' payroll and those of 29 other teams may be closing in years to come. Not completely, just getting closer. The Yankees are reeling in their spending. They've been more focused on their farm system the last couple of years. The $200 million payroll hasn't won them a World Series (in fact, they seem to be getting further away by the year) and Steinbrenner is due to die soon. Meanwhile every other team that can at all is going spending crazy. I can almost guarantee that Mussina would have made more money than this on the FA market.

It's just a thought. I could be wrong, but it's a thought.

[RedsBaron]

Mussina's Hall of Fame Monitor score is now 109, which puts him above the 100 score of the average Hall of Famer. If his career ended now, I do not think he would come close to ever being inducted, but with 239 wins he is slowly building his case for eventual induction. If he reaches 300 wins, he will make the HOF. Every win above 250 will increase his chances. In a way, he may be the second coming of Don Sutton.
I just looked up Sutton's stats. Through age 37, Sutton had 258 wins. He finished with 324. He won 20 games only one time. Mussina has never won 20, but he does have one season leading his league in wins with 19, while Sutton never lead his league in victories.