Yankees only team not to sign free agent. History: Jackson, Winfield, Giambi, Matsui, Sheffield, Teixeira.

Late Yankee owner George Steinbrenner must be turning over in his grave.  Spinning.  Here are the big bopper free agents to sign with the Yankees over the years and their age in their first Yankees season, none younger than 29.  All did very well.

Reggie Jackson (31), Dave Winfield (29), Jason Giambi (31), Hideki Matsui (29), Gary Sheffield (35), Mark Teixeira (31).


Reggie Jackson
Born: May 18, 1946 in Abington, PA
Inducted into the Hall of Fame by BBWAA as Player in 1993 (396/423 ballots).

• November 29, 1976: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• November 13, 1981: Granted Free Agency.

1977	31	New York Yankees	$525,000	?	9/20/81 NY Times	$200K salary, $400K bonus, $660K def., PR job
1978	32	New York Yankees	$525,000	?	9/20/81 NY Times	$200K salary, $400K bonus, $660K def., PR job
1979	33	New York Yankees	$525,000	?	9/20/81 NY Times	$200K salary, $400K bonus, $660K def., PR job
1980	34	New York Yankees	$525,000	?	9/20/81 NY Times	$200K salary, $400K bonus, $660K def., PR job
1981	35	New York Yankees	$588,000*	?

WS MVP 1977
HR champ 1980
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Dave Winfield
Born: October 3, 1951 in St. Paul, MN
Inducted into the Hall of Fame by BBWAA as Player in 2001 (435/515 ballots).

• October 22, 1980: Granted Free Agency.
• December 15, 1980: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• May 11, 1990: Traded by the New York Yankees to the California Angels for Mike Witt.

1981	29	New York Yankees	$1,300,000	?	1981 TSN Guide	10 years, with cost of living increases
1983	31	New York Yankees	$1,661,040	?	1/15/84 NYT
1984	32	New York Yankees	$1,820,704	?	1/4/85 TSN
1985	33	New York Yankees	$1,795,704	?	3/3/86 TSN	1985 USA Today survey: $1,770,704
1986	34	New York Yankees	$1,886,714	?	1986 USA Today survey
1987	35	New York Yankees	$1,911,714	?	1987 USA Today survey
1988	36	New York Yankees	$1,958,652*	?
1989	37	New York Yankees	$1,958,652	?	1989 USA Today survey	Missed entire season with injury
1990	38	New York Yankees	$1,958,652	?	USA Today

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Jason Giambi
Born: January 8, 1971 in West Covina, CA

• November 5, 2001: Granted Free Agency.
• December 18, 2001: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• November 4, 2008: Granted Free Agency.

2002	31	New York Yankees	$10,428,571	?	4/3/02 AP
2003	32	New York Yankees	$11,428,571	?	4/3/03 AP
2004	33	New York Yankees	$12,428,571	?	4/7/04 AP
2005	34	New York Yankees	$13,428,571	?
2006	35	New York Yankees	$20,428,571	?
2007	36	New York Yankees	$23,428,571	?
2008	37	New York Yankees	$23,428,571	?

41 HR each of first two Yankee seasons; first Yankee since Mickey Mantle to hit at least 40 HR in consecutive seasons.
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Hideki Matsui
Born: June 12, 1974 in Neagari-cho, Ishikawa, Japan

• December 19, 2002: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• November 9, 2009: Granted Free Agency.

Year	Age	Team	Salary	ServTm(OpnDay)	Sources	Notes/Other Sources
2003	29	New York Yankees	$6,000,000	?	4/3/03 AP
2004	30	New York Yankees	$7,000,000	?	4/7/04 AP
2005	31	New York Yankees	$8,000,000	?
2006	32	New York Yankees	$13,000,000	?
2007	33	New York Yankees	$13,000,000	?
2008	34	New York Yankees	$13,000,000	?
2009	35	New York Yankees	$13,000,000	?

WS MVP 2009
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Gary Sheffield
Born: November 18, 1968 in Tampa, FL

• October 27, 2003: Granted Free Agency.
• December 19, 2003: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• November 10, 2006: Traded by the New York Yankees to the Detroit Tigers for Anthony Claggett, Humberto Sanchez and Kevin Whelan.

2004	35	New York Yankees	$13,000,000*	?
2005	36	New York Yankees	$13,000,000	?
2006	37	New York Yankees	$10,756,171	?

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Mark Teixeira
Born: April 11, 1980 in Annapolis, MD

• October 30, 2008: Granted Free Agency.
• January 6, 2009: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.

2011	31	New York Yankees	$23,125,000	8.000
2012	32	New York Yankees	$22,500,000	9.000	contracts
2013	33	New York Yankees	$22,500,000	10.000	contracts
2014	34	New York Yankees	$22,500,000	11.000	contracts
2015	35	New York Yankees	$23,125,000	12.000	contracts
2016	36	New York Yankees	$23,125,000	13.000

2009: led league in HR, RBI, TB
2010: led league in Runs
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