Laura, it was Steve Fehr's brother, Donald, who was the head of the
Players Assn. Someone on one of the message boards posted something
about Donald privately castigating David when he signed the contract
before last year's because it was for too little money. This is new to
me. Has anyone else heard this story? 

I was really annoyed at a thread with some nasty comments about David
on Yankees.com, which I've responded to more than once. Someone posted
a topic, "Cone Balks at Contract Offer!! Give Me a Break!" in
reference to the account in the Bergen Record by Ken Davidoff, a Staff
Writer, who reported:

"The Bombers would like to bring him back for a base salary of
$500,000 with incentive clauses, but according to sources close to the
situation, the veteran right-hander has not been receptive to such an
offer." 

As I said in my response, David has been quoted as saying, "Just get
me into camp." He's working out in Tampa now per the Yankees'
suggestion. Does that sound like someone who doesn't want to re-sign
with the team?

This is the only account of him being dissatisfied with the Yankees'
offer. I've checked Sporting News, ESPN, AP, Reuters, etc., and no one
else has reported anything about him having a negative attitude.

Hopefully all this conjecture and waiting will be over by Thursday.
Let's hope we get a nice (early) Christmas present!
--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

Susan,

Yes, I've heard the story about Donald Fehr being very unhappy with Coney's
contract a couple years ago.  Fehr's objective is to maximize the earnings
of MLB players.  When Coney signed for less than what Fehr perceived to be
his free-market value, Fehr felt it depressed the potential earnings of
other free agents that year.

It's similar to the free agent market for middle relievers this year.  Ever
since John Franco re-signed with the Mets this year, every other middle
reliever eligible for free agency has cited Franco's deal when negotiating
with other teams.  Example: Jeff Nelson, who was able to reap big bucks from
Seattle by positioning himself as at least comparable to Franco.

When Coney signed that contract a couple years ago, other starting pitchers
in that free agency year weren't able to leverage off his deal.  Hence,
Donald Fehr's displeasure.

Gosh, I hope Coney signs this week -- the waiting is getting to me.

Sue (aka Chi Town Yank)

Hi KC & Everyone

Hope all is well. I have not been around much lately, been on da road . 
Anyway here is an article fron todays 12/5/00 paper on Sweet David.

http://www.bergen.com/yankees/yankspx5200012051.htm

My take on the subject, Kc I know you wo`nt be happy by me bringing up the 
subject but....Whenever the subject of the $12.000000 was brought up the 
additude of all loyal Coney fans was "get over it , thats baseball". 
Sometimes it works out for the team sometimes not. Even with that train of 
thought, you must agree that the Yanks did overpay by many mils. No matter 
what David did in the past a team signs a contract on what the player will 
do, not what he did. (Should we sign whitey Ford for 2001 based on his 
past?) With this in mind it is fair to say that $500.000 with incentives is 
fair & I think David (from a certain angle) owes it to the yanks to sign. 
Let`s face it David will not get more than a mill or 2 with another team. If 
he decides to sign with someone else I(to say the absolute least) would be 
very um um disappointed in him. Kc & all of us loyal Coney fans know 
everything thats been said about David in the early years "only cares about 
money" & the other crazy stories with fans etc etc. I for one can only 
believe what I`ve seen during his years in pinstripes a VERY Sweet, nice 
person who always has time for the press, fans or charity etc etc. Oh & btw 
one great pitcher with a borderline HOF career. Well I guess you get my 
point. Let us not forget that David said just get me to camp etc etc & being 
a man of his word that should be enough for him to sign. KC please do`nt be 
angry with my comments I was just writing my opinion & I hope as much as 
anyone that he will be with us next year.

Be well
Y.A

Hey All

I read the article from the Bergen Record... they seem to be the only paper
who is saying anything about Coney's hesitancy to sign... as Susan
mentioned, no one else has really reported anything... yet.

I just don't know anymore... my guess is that they will or will not sign him
by Thursday... just like the Mussina thing.  Georgie likes to be the
headliner on all the Friday's papers going into the weekend.. so maybe
that's why David is holding out.(at least I hope).

As far as what Y.A. mentioned... I understand how frustrating it is.. you
don't want to believe that Coney is just the 'hired gun' that everyone says
he is.  I too believe they gave him a fair offer, and it's now just up to
him.  I would like to know what these added 'incentives' are... maybe it is
the incentives that they are still negotiating on??  Or is it strictly the
salary??

Hmmm... well based on the article, it says David is working out in Tampa and
I am assuming he's using the Yankee facilities there to train.. so why would
he be there if he didn't want to come back :)   I don't know.. just a
thought.. I'm grasping at anything here!

It's only Tuesday... keep the faith!!

Have a great day!!
Laura

ps... did anyone see Coney on ESPN Classic last night???  (Blue Jays v.
Braves game 6 World Series '92)???  Coney was the starting pitcher and man
did he look cute!!  Dave Winfield scored the winning runs... for Toronto..
saw a young David Wells and... an even younger David Justice!! hehehe!

These clips don't say much, but at least they don't say David is not a
Met!...

From the NY Daily News:

Cone-versations: The Yankees continued talks with David Cone's agent,
Steve Fehr, yesterday, but two team officials reported little
progress. Fehr did not return calls to his office. The Yankees
already offered Cone an incentive-packed one-year contract for a base
salary of $500,000.

If they don't sign Cone by Thursday, the last day for teams to offer
salary arbitration to their free agents, he wouldn't be able to rejoin
the team until May 15.

Excerpt from the NY Times:

By JACK CURRY

In addition to Jeter, the Yankees are also planning to sign Mariano
Rivera to a multiyear contract and are talking to David Cone about a
one-year deal. Rivera was recently offered a three-year, $27 million
deal, but as the best closer in baseball, he would probably be seeking
more than $10 million a year.

The Yankees have until midnight Thursday to sign Cone, who has had
little contact with other teams. Cone, who turns 38 next month, was
4-14 and earned $12 million in 2000. He is already working out in
Tampa, Fla., and would be the fifth starter on the Yankees.
-------------

It's great to have you guys as a support group right now. Too much
David bashing going on in other places!



--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

YANKS ARE SET TO CUT CONE LOOSE 
Wednesday,December 6,2000 
 
By GEORGE KING 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--

There is a chance that by midnight tomorrow, the relationship between David 
Cone and the Yankees will be over. Outside of telling Cone the best they 
could do was a one-year deal with a low base and incentives that could 
possibly get him to $1.5 million, the Yankees have done nothing further to 
show Cone they believe he can rebound from the worst season of his borderline 
Hall of Fame career. 
Nor have they heard much from Cone. Consequently, the Yankees are making 
plans for Randy Keisler or Adrian "El Duquecito" Hernandez to fill the No. 5 
starter's role. 

Cone has until midnight tomorrow to accept the Yankees' meager offer, which 
is something the club isn't counting on. Since the Yankees won't offer Cone 
arbitration by tomorrow night's deadline, he can't rejoin the three-time 
defending World Champions until May 1. By then, Cone will be 38 and wearing 
another uniform after working in pinstripes since 1995. 

"Our people believe he has other offers," a Yankee source said yesterday of 
Cone, who is in Tampa but hasn't been spotted at the Yankees' complex, a 
facility he has used in the past for winter workouts. "We are tapped out." 

Having given Mike Mussina $88.5 million, in the process of preparing 
mega-dollar offers to All Stars Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera and knowing 
they may have to go to arbitration with All-Star catcher Jorge Posada, George 
Steinbrenner's vault is short. Especially for a 4-14 pitcher whose ERA was 
6.91 and against whom batters hit a fat .306. 

Cone recently told a club employee to "Get me into camp. If I can't do it, I 
will walk away." 

However, that doesn't appear like it will happen. In the past, Steinbrenner 
has been a huge Cone supporter. Yet, The Boss spent the summer reminding GM 
Brian Cashman that it was he who pushed to give Cone $12 million last season. 

In six seasons as a Yankee, Cone was much more than a 64-40 pitcher who threw 
a perfect game in 1999 and came back from a aneurysm in 1996. He was a 
clubhouse leader and a player who should get as much credit as anybody in 
leading the Yankees out of the wilderness in which they were lost during the 
early '90s. 

If his Yankee career is over, it ended on a contributing note since Cone was 
asked by Joe Torre to get Mike Piazza with two outs in the fifth inning of 
Game 4 of the World Series and the Yankees clinging to a 3-2 lead. Cone 
responded by getting Piazza on an infield pop and the Yankees won to take a 
3-1 Subway Series lead. 

-----------------------

Doesn't look promising; then again, the day before Bernie re-signed, 
newspapers reported him going to Boston.... I'm on nervous pins and needles 
for the next 37 hours.... (Please, do something!  Don't go Coney!! -- See, 
I'm so desperate I've been reduced to simple begging!!!)

~PEN~
T<:)

OH NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! It breaks my heart to even think about
Coney wearing another uniform. We NEED to re-sign him!!!
I think a contract for half a million w/ incentives is
fine. He has already made TONS of money. I think Coney
will sign it though. I hope he does....
~Eyde

Yes Penny, I too feel the same way!!!

I just wish he'd say something.. anything... they must really have him
protected from the press- or he must be in hiding somewhere.  I actually
thought he was working out at the Yankees trainig facility and it turns out
he hasn't even been going there!!!

When he said "just get me in camp" I wonder which one he meant???  Also,
this article claims the Yankees believe him to have other offers.. but from
where.. not the Mutts??  God I hope he goes to KC instead!! I really
couldn't take him being a Mutt.. why would he want to go there????

Gads more rambling on my part... one more day.. I am dreading listening to
S&K if he doesn't sign!!

still, still, keeping the faith
Laura

Laura,

I agree completely -- I just couldn't handle David as a Met.  If he doesn't
sign with the Yankees (but I hope he does!!), I'd hope his second choice
would be the Cubs.  Why?  Because he'd be reunited with Joe Girardi, which I
think would help him regain his old form, and also because Laura and Britt
and I could see him pitch more often.  OK, so I'm being a little selfish
here.  But don't worry -- since the Cubs are so busy pursuing Mike Hampton,
it won't happen anyway.  :) :)

I'll keep hoping til the last minute,
Sue, aka Chi-town Yank

C'mon, David.... please.... please?

:-( :-(

--Britt

Why haven't we heard a statement from David in all this time? Do you
think it's possible that he hasn't made up his mind yet?

I'm sure he's getting pressure from Steve Fehr. Steve can't be too
pleased at the prospect of losing a big commission, assuming another
team would make a better offer than the Yanks. Then as a union man
David must have misgivings of a player of his caliber taking such a
large pay cut. He seems to love living in the NY area, and I'm sure
he'd love to stay here. He's a Yankee at heart. David loves playing
for Joe Torre, Mel, Billy Connors, and even seems to have a good
relationship with The Boss. Can you imagine walking away from the
Yankees? Especially when we have such a great chance of winning
another WS? 

First we hear, "Just get me into camp." Then we read he's balked at
the Yankees offer. If this is so, realistically what did he think the
Yankees would offer him after last season?

Then we hear he's in Tampa working out. Now for the first time we hear
that he hasn't been seen in the Yankees' Tampa facilities, where he
usually works out. 

To add to the torture, Kay & Sterling haven't even been on all week.
They could have possibly shed some light on the situation.

There are so many contradictions, but the only one who can straighten
them all out has been silent. I guess tomorrow if he's still silent
he'll have said all too much. 

I'm still hopeful he'll be back!
--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

http://www.geocities.com/coney36_nyy/

Hi everyone...wow, what a dramatic week...:(  First of all, I apologize
for my seemed absence, I have been having computer troubles and haven't
had much time to web while at work.

Susan-- Yes, I remember the tales of Donald Fehr being less than pleased
with David's quick re-signing in '99 was it?  That was some of the reason
he held the Yankees to $12 million this past year, to keep the Union
guards at bay.  Also, he I believe really wanted 2 years $24 million, and
it was more about the 2 years than it was about the money, and when they
agreed on the one-year deal, it still wasn't about the money, but about
the fact that they really wanted him back. :)

YA-- Thank you for the article and it's always a pleasure to hear from
you, although as you properly assumed I don't agree with some of the stuff
you said regarding David. ;)  Yes, I can definitely be grouped in that
category of loyal Cone fans that snapped "Get over it" in response to all
the whining over his $12 mil. contract, but not for the reason so much of,
"that's just baseball."  I didn't like (and I still don't like) how people
made (and still make) these terrible accusations about Cone's character
and motives.  They saw his contract as all about money, and I really don't
think it was all about that, as I already stated above.  David has always
struck me as the kind of person that really tries to do the right thing.
When he signed "too quickly" the year before I bet he was just following
his heart...he wanted to stay with the Yankees and he didn't care
how...but being a union man and wanting to look out for his fellow peers,
and in seeing how disappointed the union was in his quick ink a year ago,
the next year he was probably trying to "right" his past "wrong."  And
maybe yes he did have some personal reasons for asking for such a deal,
but I don't believe they were financial.  Once you get over $4 or 5
million, isn't it pretty much redundant after that?  His whole career he
has felt like a hired gun, always longing for a team to be loyal to and
call home and team after team just traded him away.  So then he comes to
the Yankees and they become his home and the team he has always
wanted...but as the years went on and wear and tear cursed his sacred arm,
even his home began to question his worth.  David, a man who has gone
through his whole life trying (and succeeding time and time again) to
prove wrong his doubters, just wanted his home to show him some faith and
acceptance.  That is what I believe to be the reasonings behind his
contract last year....

But now we're awaiting what will pan out for next year.  I do believe that
the Yankees offered him a fair contract, and I must say it surprises me
that David hasn't been receptive as certain sources say.  I thought he
just wanted to pitch, and pitch with the Yankees, his home and family with
whom he planned on ending his career.  I thought that his resignation from
his Union duties was in part to free himself of the burden he had the last
couple of years, and he could accept a "lighter" contract without a
union-esque conscience floating around him.  And like Laura said, he just
said "get me into camp" but maybe he did just mean *any* camp, and not
specifically the Yankees', though I must say that too, surprises me if
that is in fact the case.

Penny-- Thank you too for posting that article as disappointing as it was
to read.  I have felt very optimistic about Cone re-signing with the
Yankees, but that article even ate away at my optimism.  I just don't
understand why the club doubts Cone will accept their offer...I mean why
would he want to go anywhere else?  He loves New York, so why would he
want to go to Kansas City?  And yes, there have been rumors of the Mets'
interest, and he has said himself "a part of me will always be a Met" but
DANG!  WHY would you want to leave the Yankees for the *gak* Mets?!
Though I must say, Chi-Town-- the *CUBS*?!  Double-gak...;)  I'd much
rather see him in KC, though I do share your personal interests in the
location factor...;)

Christina-- To answer your question about the waiting period arbitration
thing, (yea, that's it ;)) yes, there's always that long of a wait...I
think it's to give other teams outside of the home team a fair chance at
trying to sign a free agent...I'm not sure though.

<Sigh> So we have about a day left until we will know the truth...I am
with all of you in hoping fate will bring Cone back to the Yankees, but
above all I want him to be happy....but dangit, just think of how much
I'll have to redecorate the site if he goes to the Mets! Argh! ;)

Take care everyone, and don't lose hope yet!  I'll leave you with the
words Fox Mulder lives by-- "I want to believe." :) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                --KC <<<<:)

http://www.geocities.com/coney36_nyy/

Susan-- Dangit, good point.  I wonder IF the cursed agent has something to
do with this reluctance?  If so, this angers me greatly...if David wants
to play for 5 bucks, if it makes him happy, then he should be able to do
it without having to deal with some greedy agent concerned more about his
cut than his client's happiness....

Just my little opinion....;)
                             --KC <<<<:)

This doesn't say much, but it's worth a look...

By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer 
December 6, 2000 

NEW YORK (AP) -- A day before the deadline for David Cone to re-sign
with the New York Yankees, the pitcher's agent was unsure whether a
deal would be completed. 

``We talked today and we'll talk again tomorrow,'' Steve Fehr said.
``Obviously, he'll sign with the Yankees by tomorrow night or he
won't.'' 

The Yankees are expected to announce a $500,000, one-year contract
with infielder Luis Sojo on Thursday and possibly a minor league
contract with right-hander Dwight Gooden. 

Cone's status was more problematic. He earned $12 million this year,
when he went 4-14 with a 6.91 ERA. Manager Joe Torre thought Cone was
beginning to return to form when the pitcher dislocated his left
shoulder Sept. 5 at Kansas City. 

``I don't think there's any question we'd like to have Coney come
back,'' Torre said last week. ``We're definitely interested in that
because I think there are wins there.'' 

Cone will be 38 next season, and the Yankees would like him back at a
low guarantee, perhaps $500,000. Fehr has been talking with general
manager Brian Cashman about a deal. 

Because of Cone's high current salary, the Yankees can't afford to
offer salary arbitration, which would extend their negotiating period
with Cone through Jan. 8. 

Players not offered arbitration by their former teams who don't
re-sign by Thursday can't return to those clubs until May 1. 

New York's first four starters are set. Mike Mussina, signed last week
to an $88.5 million, six-year contract, joins Roger Clemens, Andy
Pettitte and Orlando Hernandez. 

Other possibilities for a fifth starter are Cuban defector Adrian
Hernandez -- who is not related to Orlando -- and Ramiro Mendoza.
Because he is returning from shoulder surgery, the Yankees don't want
to count on Mendoza. 


--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

Hey, guys.

Well, less than 21 hours from the time I write this, we'll know for sure, I 
guess.  I've dealt with this for several off-seasons in a row now, but I've 
never been as worried as I am tonight.

They're "talking".  I guess that's a good thing.  They haven't given up yet. 
  And we've still got a chance to get him back.

I took a long walk tonight in the snow (coming back from a review session; 
with 3 finals in the next two days, there's no chance of me taking long 
walks at my leisure!) and thought about David and how much I will miss him 
if he leaves the Yankees.  While I fretted last year, it never seemed like a 
real actual possibility he'd be gone.  Tonight, I know it may happen.  I'm 
not giving up hope yet, but I'm also preparing myself so that I can 
concentrate on what I need to tomorrow night if the sad news comes through.

Maybe I sound a little overdramatic.  I figured I could share my thoughts 
with you guys, 'cause you'll understand.  I've been a Yankee fan for 5 years 
now.  I've seen guys leave who I was sad about, but I've never experienced 
anything like I might experience in the next 24 hours and their aftermath.

I'm going to get to bed, get rested for my finals, and wish with every fibre 
of my being that tomorrow will be bring me, bring *us*, good news.

Please, Sweet David, come back to us.

Yours,
Britt

By ANTHONY McCARRON 
Daily News Sports Writer

The latest and perhaps last chapter in David Cone's Yankee saga will
be completed by tonight when the veteran righthander decides to either
accept an incentive-laden offer from the Yanks or to pursue other
opportunities.

Today is the last day for major league teams to offer salary
arbitration to their players who became free agents and the Yankees
have no intention of offering arbitration to Cone. If Cone doesn't
sign with the Yankees by midnight, they cannot negotiate with him
until May 1, meaning he likely will be on another team next season.

Last month, the Yankees offered Cone a contract with a base salary of
$500,000 weighted with performance incentives that would bring it up
to around $1.5 million.

Cone was unresponsive, leading some Yankee executives to doubt whether
he'll be back. But there are also indications the Yankees might nudge
their offer up slightly, a baseball source said, making the incentives
package perhaps worth between $2-3 million.

Still, the base salary represents an $11.5 million pay cut from Cone's
$12 million salary of last season.

Of course, when he signed that contract, Cone was coming off a
championship season in which he had pitched a perfect game. Cone's
2000 season came with a championship, but included many games that
were as imperfect as starts get.

Cone had the worst season of his career, going 4-14 with a 6.91 ERA,
and wondered at times if he'd ever throw another good game.

The fact that Cone's response was lukewarm to the Yanks' initial offer
might mean the pitcher and his agent, Steve Fehr, believe there are
teams out there willing to guarantee Cone more money than the Yankees
will.

Perhaps in this marketplace, where middle relievers are getting rich
almost every day, they're right.


--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

Finally David speaks! Read on...


By BUSTER OLNEY

There would seem to be every reason for the marriage
between David Cone and the Yankees to continue. They
need another starter to complete their five-man rotation, the
coaching staff knows him, and Cone has been a respected
member of the team for six years.

But the relationship will be severed today, unless Cone and the
Yankees work out a deal by midnight. The Yankees told Cone they
would like to re-sign him for a low base salary and some
incentives, a package that could be worth something in the
neighborhood of $3 million, if Cone stays healthy. But as of last
night, Cone was waiting for a firm offer.

If Cone and the Yankees do not negotiate a contract, then the
veteran will pitch for another team during the 2001 season, for the
Mets or the Boston Red Sox or some other club.

"I really don't know what I'm going to do at this point," Cone said
last night. "This is not going to come down to haggling over
dollars."

The Yankees are expected to complete the signing of Luis Sojo
today for $500,000 after the utility infielder underwent a physical
examination yesterday in Tampa, Fla. They also expect to hammer
out a minor league contract with pitcher Dwight Gooden.

Whether or not Cone signs will come down to how hard the two
sides work to make the deal. The Yankees would like Cone to be
their No. 5 starter, but apparently only at a small cost. Cone has
loved his time with the Yankees, and yet the right-hander �€” who
has spent most of his career as the ace �€” acknowledges that
pitching as a No. 5 starter could have some drawbacks, such as
being skipped because of days off or being dropped out of the
rotation in the postseason.

Cone's agent, Steve Fehr, spoke with Yankees General Manager
Brian Cashman yesterday, and was waiting for Cashman to
forward specifics of the Yankees' offer. To date, the two sides
have talked only about parameters.

"I really don't know what's going to happen," Cone said yesterday.
"I'd like to hear a firm offer."

Cone, 64-40 for the Yankees since he was acquired in a trade with
Toronto during the 1995 season, signed a three-year contract with
the Yankees before the 1996 season. Once that deal expired,
Cone bypassed the promise of longer offers from other teams to
sign a one-year extension with the Yankees for the 1999 season,
and he did so again for the 2000 season. With a salary of $12
million last season, Cone pitched poorly, going 4-14 with a 6.91
earned run average, allowing 192 hits and 82 walks in 155 innings.

But Manager Joe Torre kept him in the rotation throughout the
season, and in August, Cone pitched better and seemed to be
rounding into form with the postseason approaching. But he
separated his nonthrowing shoulder while making a diving catch
during a game in Kansas City, and was limited to only two relief
appearances in the postseason.

George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' owner, was said by others in
the organization to be unhappy with Cone's production in light of
his salary. But Torre and club officials have such regard for the
pitcher that they offered him a job for the 2001 season, albeit for
relatively small compensation: a base salary of $500,000, plus the
incentives that would likely be based on innings or starts.

"I understand I'm in this position because of the way I pitched,"
Cone said. "I'm kind of expendable, I guess."

There are a couple of factors that Cone will consider: if he signs
with the Yankees to be the No. 5 starter, then he will have no
pre-eminence. If Torre wants to skip a starter early in the season, it
would probably be Cone. If the other four starters pitch to
expectations and stay healthy, then Cone will probably work out of
the bullpen again during the postseason, an unfamiliar role for a
pitcher who has been a front-line starter most of his career.

Second, if Cone signs elsewhere, perhaps with the Mets or the
Red Sox, then he could have a more significant place in the
rotation. He also would probably be dealing with a coaching staff
that does not know him and does not have as much regard for him
as Torre and the pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. Pitching with the
Yankees provides a nice, cozy place for a pitcher who turns 38
next month and is only 16 victories shy of 200, and probably would
ensure Cone more time in the postseason.

Cone, incidentally, stepped down as the American League player
representative for the executive board of the players association.


       Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company 



--
susan peters ~ [email protected]

ok guys here we go...

it's down to the wire isn't it??  Based on Buster's article Susan, can't say
it looks good, as I said all along I really never thought it was a money
thing... more of a coney-pride thing.. as a 5th starter in such a dominant
rotation- coney might feel he won't get enough starts??

To me I think coming back to the Yankees would be the best thing in that
kind of situation.  There would be no pressure on him to perform and he's
with a coaching staff that would support him.

At least we know a little more... I have prepared myself for him not coming
back, and if he doesn't I just hope he goes to a team other than the Mutts
or yikes the Red Sox!!!!

hang in there all!!!

Laura

aww Britt... just read your post too... we all feel the same exact way.

the good news is that today.. we WILL have news weather it's good or bad we
will know!!

~L