Alex Rodriguez

Today's baseball players simply have no idea the leverage and position they hold in negotiations thanks to sacrifices of some of the game's greatest players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

Before Curt Flood and the reserve clause, players either played or sat out.

Ownership held all the cards and ownership wasn't afraid to clench its teeth when it came to salary negotiations with some of the game's most loved and important icons.

MLB Rumors: 10 Reasons Derek Jeter Will Get His Way With Yankees

Derek Jeter is a free agent for the first time in his storied MLB career, and unless something changes, it seems like he will remain a free agent for a while.

Jeter is said to be seeking 4-6 years and $22-25 million a year. Steep numbers for someone who has showed a lot of decline over the past year.

However, this isn't a typical free agent. For Jeter to play anywhere but New York would be an indictment of the era that we live in, and both Jeter and the Yankees want to prevent that.

Black Friday has come and gone and the Yankees and Derek Jeter have yet to strike a deal. Everyone knows what has gone on thus far. The Yankees have offered a deal to make Jeter the highest paid middle infielder in the big leagues when he is not performing like one. Jeter wants the Yankees to give him an Alex Rodriguez type contract, with rumors floating around of six years at $22-25 million per.

Derek Jeter has been the subject of much debate in the off-season so far, ranging from his value as a fielder in the Gold Glove voting to his overall value as a player and icon to the New York Yankees.

Here's a debate that won't rage long with respect to Jeter: there can be no doubt that Derek Jeter is a no-brainer, first ballot Hall of Famer.

Now that the 2010 season, playoffs, post-season, and award season are all in the books, we have everything we need to take an extended team-by-team look at today's players and their Hall of Fame potential.

With each passing day, this seemingly solid and prosperous marriage between Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees seems to be on the verge of divorce.

No doubt the two are more perfect as a union, as I don’t know one baseball fan that can imagine either surviving without the other.

Captain Clutch is no more.

Derek Jeter entered this season an elite shortstop, but proved in the end why he is no longer worth the money. The former rookie of the year, two time Hank Aaron award recipient, four time Silver Slugger, six time Gold Glover, and once a World Series MVP had a dismal season. His batting average dropped to .270, and he hit just .231 in the ALCS.

       Will he’ll be the third best shortstop on the team in a couple years?  Sure.  Don’t his career numbers make him a rich man’s Craig Biggio?  Of course.  But the Yankees need Derek Jeter as much as the Yankee captain needs the pinstripes.  The Yankees are built on quiet professionalism and championship legacy, and no player, now or on the horizon (sorry, Robinson Cano), represents the Yankee brand like Derek Jeter.

As baseball's offseason heats up, one of the more intriguing names on the market is former No. 1 overall pick and current Arizona Diamondback outfielder, Justin Upton.

Numerous teams are interested in the very young and talented outfielder and, as usual, one of the teams to make an inquiry is the New York Yankees. Although the Yankees do not have Upton at the top of their wish list, he could certainly become an option.

The 27 New York Yankees World Series Championships span over 87 years, hitting every decade but the 1980's.

I scoured YouTube for the best video representation for each of the Yankee Championship years and this is what developed - everything from Ken Burns to old Newsreels to television and radio broadcasts to fan video.

Derek Jeter is still a free agent, much to the surprise of the entire baseball community.

Jeter's agent, Casey Close, has said that he is "baffled" by the way negotiations are proceeding and how little respect the Yankees organization is showing for their most iconic player.