NEW YORK – Derek Jeter would rather count World Series
rings than money.
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Jeter vs. Rodriguez
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A look at the annual salaries for Derek
Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, who signed the two richest contracts in sports
history. Jeter's totals include a $16 million signing bonus, paid out at $2
million per year over eight years. Rodriguez's deal includes a $10 million
bonus, paid at $1 million per year over 10 years. |
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Year
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Jeter
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A-Rod
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2001
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$13M
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$22M
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2002
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$15M
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$22M
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2003
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$16M
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$22M
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2004
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$19M
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$22M
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2005
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$20M
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$26M
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2006
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$21M
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$26M
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2007
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$22M
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$28M
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2008
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$22M
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$28M
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2009
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$20M
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$28M
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2010
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$21M
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$28M
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Still, after 13 months of negotiations, he sounded overwhelmed
Friday when the New York Yankees rewarded him with the
second-highest contract in sports history, a $189 million, 10-year
deal.
"I think everyone's blown away by the numbers," the shortstop
said. "I don't sit down and look at the numbers. I look more at
that I have the chance to stay here."
As soon as he got word Friday that owner George Steinbrenner had
finalized the deal, he called his parents and his sister to express
relief that he would spend the next 10 years with the Yankees.
"They're very proud of me," said Jeter, MVP of the World
Series and All-Star Game last season. "I think they're more proud
because I'm happy."
Jeter, 26, could have become a free agent after this season and
learned his worth on the open market, perhaps breaking the salary
record Alex Rodriguez set in December with his $252 million,
10-year deal with Texas.
"I couldn't picture it," Jeter said. "I really felt there was
no reason to see if the grass was greener on the other side. Even
if I had played out the year, my first choice would have been New
York. I never intended to play elsewhere, and to be honest with
you, never intended to look elsewhere."
In the five seasons since Jeter joined the Yankees, New York has
won four World Series, including the last three, a run matched only
by the Joe DiMaggio Yankees of 1936-39, the DiMaggio-Mickey Mantle
Yankees of 1949-53 and the Oakland Athletics from 1972-74.
Only DiMaggio and Mantle (24), and Billy Martin (25) had played
on four World Series winners at a younger age.
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Biggest baseball salaries
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Player
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Years
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Avg.
|
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Alex Rodriguez
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2001-10
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$25.2M
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Manny Ramirez
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2001-08
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$20M
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Derek Jeter
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2001-10
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$18.9M
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Jeff Bagwell
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2002-06
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$17M
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Carlos Delgado
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2001-04
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$17M
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Roger Clemens
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2001-02
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$15.45M
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Mike Hampton
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2001-08
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$15.1M
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Kevin Brown
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1999-05
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$15M
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Chipper Jones
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2001-06
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$15M
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Mike Mussina
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2001-06
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$14.75M
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Shawn Green
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2000-05
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$14M
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Jeter, though, knows he has a long way to go to match Yogi
Berra, who played on 10 Series champions and 14 AL pennant winners
with the Yankees.
"Yogi is constantly finding his way to my locker," Jeter said,
"reminding me how many rings I need to catch up with him."
Joe Torre holds a special fondness for Jeter, who arrived in New
York during Torre's first season as the Yankees' manager. For five
years, Torre has been saying Jeter is a special player. Jeter still
calls him "Mr. Torre."
"Derek Jeter embodies everything the Yankees are about," Steinbrenner said. "There are some things that cannot be
defined by batting average, home runs and runs batted in. Equally
important are an athlete's heart and desire."
While many call Jeter the Yankees' leader, Jeter doesn't view
himself that way. He spoke with Steinbrenner about that earlier
this week.
"He wants me to be a leader, so to speak, but I think that's
something that just goes along with how I played in the past,"
Jeter said. "I don't tell everyone I'm a leader. I just go out and
play hard. I'll just continue to do what I've been doing."
Jeter hit a team-leading .339 last season with 15 homers and 73
RBI. His 996 hits in the last five years are the most of any major
leaguer and he became only the third Yankee with three straight
200-hit seasons, joining Lou Gehrig (1927-29) and Don Mattingly
(1984-86).
Yankees president Randy Levine and IMG's Casey Close, the agent
for Jeter, finalized details of the deal Friday morning and
Steinbrenner, who failed to finalize a tentative $118.5 million,
seven-year contract last winter, then gave his final approval.
The contract raises the Yankees' payroll to $99,935,143 for 21
signed players, with closer Mariano Rivera and the team working on a four-year deal that would pay the closer in the neighborhood of $38 million.
Jeter gets a $16 million signing bonus payable over eight years,
$11 million this season, $13 million in 2002, $14 million in 2003,
$17 million in 2004, $18 million in 2005, $19 million in 2006, $20
million in each of the following three seasons and $21 million in
2010.
Counting his $10 million salary under last season's one-year
contract, Jeter will get $114 million for the years 2000-06. By
waiting, Steinbrenner actually will pay $4.5 million less for those
years than he would have under last year's tentative agreement, but
he was forced to guarantee Jeter an additional four years, paying
$85 million over that period.
Using a 6 percent interest rate, the Yankees calculated the
average annual value of both deals in present-day dollars at $13.5
million.
While Rodriguez, Jeter's friend, will receive $100 million in
the first five years of his contract, Jeter will receive $83
million. He said he agreed to backload the contract to give the
Yankees flexibility.
"You want to have the opportunity to go out and sign guys like
David Justice if you need him, to sign a pitcher if you want to,"
Jeter said.
By any calculation, he'll be well paid. Jeter was asked how he
would mark the deal's completion, and he responded by referring to
the start of spring training next week.
"I don't really have time to celebrate," he said. "You
celebrate after you win the World Series."
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Derek Jeter says he enjoys playing for the fans in New York.
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