Derek Jeter's agent: Yankees 'baffling'

The New York Yankees' negotiating strategy with shortstop Derek Jeter is "baffling," his agent says.

"There's a reason the Yankees themselves have stated Derek Jeter is their modern-day Babe Ruth," said Jeter's agent, Casey Close, according to the New York Daily News.

"Derek's significance to the team is much more than just stats. And yet, the Yankees' negotiating strategy remains baffling."

Olney: Yanks Drive Talks

The Yankees' belief is that their current three-year, $45 million offer is fair, and that by offering arbitration to Jeter, they essentially would bail him out after a down year. Jeter might make between $22 million and $23 million through arbitration. The Yankees feel that in the past, Jeter has fairly negotiated from his standing in the marketplace -- when he went to arbitration in 1999, when he negotiated a 10-year, $189 million deal in 2001. And now the Yankees feel these talks should reflect Jeter's place in the market; they also believe that no other team would be willing to pay him what they have offered.

News - Yankees to Derek Jeter: Test the market

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday that the Yankees have made a "fair and appropriate" contract offer to Derek Jeter and suggested that if the 36-year-old shortstop thinks otherwise, he should shop himself around to find out.

"We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com. "We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."