The Yankees are willing to pay Carlos Beltran, who has become their #1 target for the moment, $14 million per year over two years to fill vacancies in their outfield. Beltran is holding out for a third year on his next deal that the Yankees have, so far, been unwilling to concede. Will that keep Beltran out of New York in 2014?
Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York writes that a Yankees source tells him that the team sees the third year for Beltran as a deal-breaker. Beltran would turn 39 around Opening Day of the third year of a three-year deal. With multiple players already at or near 40 years old, it is likely not in the Yankees' best interest to add yet another one to the fold. If they want to agree to a longer deal with a player, the younger Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin-Soo Choo are still available.
Hopefully this is a glimmer of hope that the Yankees realize that they need to stop the practice of giving old players multi-year deals in the twilight of their careers. Switching gears from Beltran to Ellsbury or Choo would definitely require more money to work out a deal, but that shouldn't cause them to waiver on sticking to their guns on not giving Beltran three years instead.
Would you be willing to go three years for Beltran? What do you think the best backup plan for the Yankees is if they can't work out a deal with him?