Only those who know Robin Ventura truly will believe him when he says he isn’t affected by taking a $3.5 million paycut to stay with the Yankees.
“I am not disappointed in the least,” Ventura said about his salary going from $8.5 million last year to $5 million this season. “This year is different. I figured I would have to take a little bit of a cut. I am happy to get what I am getting.”
In a sports world dominated by “look-at-me” personalities who believe talent is measured by dollar signs, the 35-year-old Ventura is a throwback. Sure, he enjoys making millions. Who wouldn’t? However, the chance to stay in New York and chase a World Series ring in pinstripes was worth the cut. And it’s still $5 million.
“I would rather be here,” said Ventura, whose one-year, $5 million deal was announced by the Yankees yesterday shortly before Ventura hosted the third annual Robin Ventura Charity Bowling Tournament in Manhattan.
Despite a sluggish second half in which Ventura hit .227 with eight homers and 31 RBIs, the third baseman became an off-season priority for the Yankees because of Drew Henson’s struggles at Columbus (Triple-A).
Believed to be the heir apparent at third base when spring training ended, Henson’s baseball future is very cloudy after he hit .240 and fanned 151 times in 471 at-bats.
Thus it was important for the Yankees to bring back Ventura following an All-Star season in which he hit .247 with 27 homers and 93 RBIs. And while Ventura had drawn interest from other teams, nobody was as serious as the Yankees.
“It’s a weird year,” Ventura said. “Everybody wants you but they have to do something first.”
That’s the mode the Yankees are in, too. George Steinbrenner has instructed GM Brian Cashman to move outfielders Raul Mondesi ($7 million), Rondell White ($5 million) and pitcher Sterling Hitchcock ($6 million) before signing Japanese free agent Hideki Matsui or pursuing Montreal hurler Bartolo Colon in a trade.
Of course, with a huge hole at third that was filled with a $3.5 million reduction, Ventura fit first.
“Robin Ventura’s production and veteran leadership were invaluable to the Yankees in 2002,” Cashman said in a statement from Tampa. “We look forward to him being a key contributor in our quest for another World Championship in 2003.”
With Ventura signed, the Yankees can turn their immediate attention to free agents Roger Clemens, Mike Stanton and Ramiro Mendoza. They have to be offered salary arbitration before midnight tomorrow or the Yankees lose negotiating rights.
The Yankees are definitely going to offer arbitration to Stanton and it’s highly likely they will do the same with Clemens, who made $15 million last year and would garner a raise even if he lost at the arbitration table.
Mendoza appears to be a goner but the Yankees may offer him arbitration in order to extract a compensation draft pick from the team that signs him. The Red Sox are interested. The Yankees could sign backup catcher Chris Widger before the arbitration deadline.
The player has until Dec. 19 to accept or reject arbitration and, in the meantime, the sides can continue to negotiate.
