Yankees agree to terms with reliever Soriano

[cruzg24]

It appears that Mariano Rivera has a new setup man and the Yankees have a future successor to the long-occupied closer role in the Bronx.

Jon Heyman of SI.com and MLB Network reported via Twitter that the Yankees have made a big free-agent splash, agreeing to terms with reliever Rafael Soriano, pending a physical, on a three-year contract worth approximately $35 million. The Yankees have not confirmed the report.

The "deal is creative and provides for flexibility," with Soriano eligible to opt out of the contract "after either one year or two years," according to Heyman. Soriano was widely considered the best available talent remaining on the Hot Stove market.

The Yankees will lose their first-round pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft to the Tampa Bay Rays because of Soriano's Type A free-agent status.

It seems likely that the Yankees will gauge Soriano's performance in New York as the legendary career of Rivera, 41, winds down, with hopes of promoting Soriano to the closer's role when Rivera retires. Soriano figures to enter the Yankees' 2011 mix as the eighth-inning man while Rivera, with 559 career saves, goes after the recently retired Trevor Hoffman's all-time record of 601.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are getting a very talented closer-in-waiting. Soriano, 31, led the American League in saves with 45 last year while pitching for the Rays and posted a 1.73 ERA, an .802 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings.

Soriano became a full-time closer in 2009 while pitching for the Atlanta Braves. He came up in the Seattle Mariners system and broke into the Majors in 2002 as a starter before locking into a middle-relief and setup role. He has a career 2.73 ERA, 1.000 WHIP and 422 strikeouts in 395 innings.

Source: mlb.com

Excellent signing, I mentioned the Yankees should sign someone like this. And they went out and did it, great signing who can become a stop gap for when Rivera retires. Bullpen help is always a good way to go so that they can get some RP's out of the bullpen and possibly into starter roles.

 

[Big Bid'Ness]

Always liked Soriano and i'm glad he is in Pinstripes now.

 

[Lake Louise]

Good deal for the Yanks. Not that I like seeing them get him, but he'll obviously do great things for them, and it was clear he wasn't going to be coming back to Tampa. That and that Mo showed signs of age last year, and he's not going to be around for ever. Since he already has been around forever.

 

[snipezo]

11 mil a year for a set up man? A bullpen with Soriano and Mo is deadly though.

 

[Rios15]

11 mil a year for a set up man? A bullpen with Soriano and Mo is deadly though.

He is a crazy good reliever but I agree that 11 million a year is crazy for any reliever except for maybe Mo but still.

 

[A.E]

$11M for the set-up man is expensive...but $11M for the heir-apparent at closer is not. This is one toxic fucking close to games...probably the best 7,8,9 inning relief we've had since Joba's rookie season. I really like Soriano, he's nasty in the AL East, and I was beginning to sweat not addressing the fact that Mo could suddenly decide he's done after this season and we're totally screwed at the position.

 

[Rice18]

$11M for the set-up man is expensive...but $11M for the heir-apparent at closer is not. This is one toxic fucking close to games...probably the best 7,8,9 inning relief we've had since Joba's rookie season. I really like Soriano, he's nasty in the AL East, and I was beginning to sweat not addressing the fact that Mo could suddenly decide he's done after this season and we're totally screwed at the position.

He is now the key to our bullpen. He is worth 11M in my eyes. Great All-Star him and Mo will be exciting.

 

[Elite]

He is now the key to our bullpen. He is worth 11M in my eyes. Great All-Star him and Mo will be exciting.

Until Mo hangs em up, he will always be the key to our bullpen.

 

[Barcode]

Paraphrasing Brian Cashman about a week ago: "we don't want to lose our first round pick in the upcoming draft"

It should be the contract value ($35M) plus the luxury tax cost (40% of $35 million = $14M) plus the value of the lost first round draft pick (Victor Wang of the Hardball Times did some research on the matter and estimates it to be about $6M). Total that all up (35+14+6) and you get $55M, or $18.3M per season, which is a lot for a RP.

Even though Soriano has posted impressive stats when he’s on the mound, he has never stayed healthy for three consecutive seasons. In Soriano’s nine year career he’s thrown 60 or more innings four times.

 

[Yankees2772]

Barcode, you can do those calculations for every major (and minor) signing. You just chose to do so because it's something Yankee related.

11 mill is a lot for a setup man, yes. But the Yankees are 20-30 mill UNDER budget. Why let is sit around, and leave holes in our team? Soriano is going to make your bullpen one of the best in the league - certainly the best setup man in the league (as he was one of the better closers).

 

[The Guid]

IDK how anyone could hate on this signing really (unless you're a stickler for draft picks). An already good pen gets that much better and, should anything happen to Mo, there's a proven closer (in the AL East no less) that can step in to fill that role.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Call me crazy, but I would have Riveria as my setup man and Soriano as my closer.

 

[Elite]

Youre crazy. Mo is the greatest reliever of all-time and you don't take him out of that role, especially for a guy who has only closed for a few seasons.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Doesn't matter if Mo is one the best all time, currently Soriano is a better pitcher.

 

[bosoxlover12]

mariano is still the best closer in baseball. not soriano

 

[RipCity32]

http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_wiretap_archives/23254/20110115/cashman_vetoed_soriano_signing/

 

[Phil The Thrill]

mariano is still the best closer in baseball. not soriano

Brian Wilson says hello.

Also you were the one who said Jeter and Rivera blow. Plus I never said Soriano was the best in baseball.

 

[Elite]

Brian Wilson says hello.

Also you were the one who said Jeter and Rivera blow. Plus I never said Soriano was the best in baseball.

Brian Wilson is not the best closer in baseball, and Soriano is not better than Mariano. Mariano is still the best in baseball and the greatest of all-time.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Stats last year say differently.

I'm sorry to break it to you, Rivera is the best all time, not the best right now. Your man crush with Rivera is worse then my man crush on Kessel.

 

[Elite]

Lmao. You can ask almost anybody and they'll tell you that Mariano is still the best in baseball. You don't just look at stats from one year and decide who's good and who's not. Ben Zobrist had a great 2009, was probably the 2nd best or the 3rd best year by a 2B that season, would you have considered him anywhere near that?

You're one of the very few who don't think Mariano is the best closer in baseball.