With the deadline to offer salary arbitration to outgoing free agents passing, the Yankees have sent a message to Derek Jeter:

“Test the Market.”

Coming off the most disappointing season of his career, Jeter, shown in his rookie card on the right, is seeking a four-year deal with the Yankees that would potentially keep him in New York for the rest of his career.

The Yankees, who don’t want to overpay for a shortstop who may be declining rapidly at age 36, have been unwilling to give Jeter what he wants, instead offering  a three year, $45 million dollar deal.

Jeter was named a type A free agent this offseason, meaning that if the Yankees had offered him arbitration they could have gotten two compensation draft picks had he signed with another club. It also meant they could wind up paying Jeter up to $25 million (in a one year contract) had he accepted arbitration and returned to the Yankees.

At this point, it’s nearly impossible to come up with a “fair” market value for Jeter, who means more to his team than any other player in Major League Baseball. “Mr. November” has been a Yankee his entire career and helped lead the team to many World Series titles.

However, Yankees GM Brian Cashman says the team is taking Jeter’s value to the franchise into consideration, and wants Jeter’s camp to treat him fairly in the negotiating process.

Although Jeter is coming off the worst year of his career (.270/.340/.370), it’s hard to see him playing anywhere but New York. Jeter has been the captain and face of the Yankee franchise for over a decade.

Jeter’s teammate, Mariano Rivera was also declined arbitration by the Yankees. Rivera has also been with the Yankees since his rookie season in 1995, and, like Jeter, has played a crucial part in many World Series victories.

While Rivera’s strikeout rate took a dip in 2010, all of his other stats were phenomenal, and he has had good seasons in the past while not striking many batters out (1998, 2006). Like Jeter, it’s almost impossible to imagine Rivera playing anywhere other than New York.

Jeter and Rivera have helped the Yankees to five World Series titles and even if there are differences between the two sides (more so with Jeter) the pair will likely be back in New York for the rest of their careers.

Used with permission of the author.

 Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and maintains a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.

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