Speaking of baseball.





Armando Benitez proves yet again why Mets fans should feel nervous when he trots in from the bullpen. Just when I was beginning to feel good about this season, this happens.

I haven't felt this way since I was a Yankee fan watching Dave Righetti get out of the bullpen car in Yankee stadium. Righetti had a habit of turning games into nail biters, just like Benitez has a tendency to come up short in pressure situations (see against the Braves in 2001 or against the Yankees in the World Series).

I had two conversations with Yankee fans in the last two days (one at a family gathering, the other at the butcher) which made them apoplectic. In brief, I postulated if Erick Almonte the kid the Yankees have promoted from triple a to spell Jeter while Jeter recovers proves to be the real deal, would now be the time to trade Jeter?

I can hear the screams from Yankee fans as they read this but, hear me out. Jeter is now entering his ninth season as a major leaguer. Also, he still is owed $135 million dollars on a $189 million contract that runs through 2010 at a time when player salaries are actually starting to decline. His contract at the time it was signed was the second largest player contract in the history of the game. If the Yankees can win without him, does it make sense to tie up all that money in one player and take the hit in salary cap numbers?


Jeter's stats are showing a slight decline over the last two or three years. He is approaching his 30th birthday and will be 36 when his contract runs out. The Yankees would in effect be paying $20 million dollars for a 36 year old shortstop. Jeter places #13 on the power poll list but #2 in salary. Do shortstops hold up well? Is there any reason to think Jeter will be any different? And think about this, what could you get for Derek Jeter? What would come back in a trade? Does it make sense to carry the contract when you can win without him?