In contrast to the Derek Jeter fiasco, Mariano Rivera’s negotiations with the Yankees are reported to be going smoothly. “Night and day,” a source tells ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand. Rivera is expected to get $16 or $17 million a year. He wants two years, but it could be done with one year and a vesting option.
My guess: if Jeter said he’d take three years or less, his negotiation would be over rather quickly. The killer in all of this, I think, is the time commitment. On a one or two year deal, the Yankees can work around Mariano Rivera if he craters. If Jeter craters while on a four year deal, there will be nowhere to hide him that long and the team will end up having to DFA their most important player in the past 20 years.