As known from:
VA
Contains commercial content
US Gambling Sites / The 3 Reasons Why The $153 Million Dollar Deal For Jacoby Ellsbury Makes (Yankee) Sense

The 3 Reasons Why The $153 Million Dollar Deal For Jacoby Ellsbury Makes (Yankee) Sense

Publish Date: 03/12/2013
Fact checked by: Mark Lewis

Jacoby_Ellsbury

BetMGM Sportsbook
Sports Promo
4.5/5
up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
Risk-Free Bet
|
T&Cs apply, 21+
Copy
Go to BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook Highlights
  • Excellent range of sports markets
  • Plenty of betting options
  • Impressive odds

As they always tend to do, nobody quite makes waves like the Yankees in December, and they have decided to get this one started off in their traditional fashion. A week after making the first big splash of the free agent season by acquiring catcher Brian McCann for $85 million, the club handed out another big-money heavyweight deal to Jacoby Ellsbury tonight, and have made it clear that what happened last year will not go down quietly.

But there is always risk in handing anybody the type of guaranteed money that Ellsbury is now on the hook to receive. Over the next seven years, he will net $153 million, with an option for an extra year that could raise the total to $169 million. All for a player who has a checkered health history, and one reliable plus skill. So why would a deal like this make sense?

1. The Market Makes Its Own Rules

Remember that the value of a player is set by the commodity of that player, as well as the recent history of players like himself. Just last winter, the Braves made the first big impact of the season by handing B.J. Upton a $75 million deal over five years. He is for all intents and purposes the same type of player as Ellsbury: an elite speed threat who covers plenty of ground in the outfield and on the bases and has flashed some plus power as well.

However, Ellsbury surpasses Upton in literally every provable way. He has led the American League in stolen bases three times, with totals of 50, 70 and 52 in those respective years. For his career he’s a .297 hitter, with a seasonal high of .321 in 2011. Also in that season he hit 32 home runs, which he has never gotten close to reaching again, but bodes well with the short right field in Yankee Stadium. Add on top of that that he is a one-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champion, and the immediate value of the player is both reasonable and clear, regardless of potential decline.

Worth is often dependent on the angle it is seen from, as well as who is deciding it. With the Yankees' resources, $153 million is a reasonable expenditure.

Sports Promo
4.5/5
BetMGM Sportsbook
Sports Promo
4.5/5
up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
Risk-Free Bet
|
T&Cs apply, 21+
Copy
Claim Promo

 

2. Making A Splash

The Yankees have to come out swinging this winter, because that’s the Yankee way after a season like 2013. They struggled to remain relevant, often put out lineups that needed a sports encyclopedia to be familiar with and stumbled to a finish in third place that could be seen as overachieving. That doesn’t fly in the Bronx, and the declines in attendance and TV ratings showed it. Putting up a remarkable effort in the open market is not only expected, but needed, and landing not only another premier player, but a premier name as well, is needed on more level than one.

Plus, when was the last time the Yankees beating out the Red Sox (or vice versa) was not seen as a win for the prevailing side?

3. Thinking About The Future, Within Reason

No deal is about the last two or even three years, when Ellsbury will be 35-37 and likely resemble ‘Johnny Damon: The Later Years,’ but as they always do, they’ll have a contingency. This is about winning, and doing it now. The Yankees are a better team tonight than they were this morning, and with an annual cost of about $21 million, they’re paying top dollar for the best at what he does, today. And that is, and always will be, the Yankee way. Tomorrow never knows, but today (and next four years following it) looks much better.

Related: Andrew McCutchen Can Carry The World On His Shoulders

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 Reply to The 3 Reasons Why The $153 Million Dollar Deal For Jacoby Ellsbury Makes (Yankee) Sense

  1. E. Maisonet, III says:

    I always thought Jacoby would flourish in the national league, but the Yankees just really don't give a damn about life I see. Crazy thing is, I could see Jacoby evolving into Johnny Damon 2.0 for them at the end of the deal. Might be overly priced, but if anyone can afford it, it's them. Nice piece Matt.

Read Also
Finding a Price Range for George Kittle's Extension
Now that the San Francisco 49ers have announced an extension for head ...
TSFJ’s Official 2018 NFL Mock Draft That Will Surely Be Perfect
There’s a lot that goes into a good mock draft. For the ...
Western Conference: Where Is Kevin Durant Going In Free Agency?
By Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) [Editors Note: This is Part 2 of a ...
The 10 Best MLB Catchers Going Into 2016, Ranked
This article is used with permission from the author, as it was ...
30 Realistic MLB Winter Meetings Deals For Each Team
The MLB Winter Meetings are upon us, which means deals aplenty for ...
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Promos
Bet365
Bet365
Bet365 Review
4.6/5
FanDuel Sport
FanDuel Sport
FanDuel Sport Review
4.5/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Review
4.5/5
Caesars
Caesars
Caesars Review
4.5/5
DraftKings Sport
DraftKings Sport
DraftKings Sport Review
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365 Promo
$1000 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Place your first cash bet up to $1,000, and if the bet loses, you will have your wager refunded in Bonus Bets. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
FanDuel Sport
FanDuel Sport Promo
Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Caesars
Caesars Promo
100% up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
DraftKings Sport
DraftKings Sport Promo
Bet $5 Get $150 Instantly
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook Promo
up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Sportsbook of the month
PointsBet - Get your Bonus Bet now!
-
Our Team
The TSFJ FamMark LewisEddie Maisonet IIIJosh SchwartzDrew the DFS Guy
+2
The TSFJ Fam
The TSFJ Fam
TSFJ Contributor
Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis
Editor
Eddie Maisonet III
Eddie Maisonet III
Chief Editor TSFJ
Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
Editor
Drew the DFS Guy
Drew the DFS Guy
DFS Expert
Dan Holmes
Dan Holmes
Sports Writer
Mike Goodpaster
Mike Goodpaster
Editor
Get the latest updates in Sports and Casino via our Newsletter

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.

21+NCPG
Move to Top
Close
Players accepted in the US US Flag
Stake.us Exclusive Bonus
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Promo Code
Copy
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 18+
Payment Methods
Bitcoin
Litecoin
Ethereum
Dogecoin
Highlights
  • Exclusive Bonus Code: GBHSOCIAL
  • Redeem for Crypto
  • Earn Stake Cash for logging in!
Stake Originals
Dice
Crash
Plinko
Mines
×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site