Posted by: James
If you saw the $51.1 million posting for Matzuka and thought it was just a blip, get ready to be amazed. A Chicago-based radio station is reporting that the Cubs just signed Alfonso Soriano to an 8 year deal worth $136 million. That's $17 million per season for those playing along at home. $17 million for converted infielder who happens to turn 31 years old in a month. Yes, I know he went 40/40 last year but Soriano scares me on many levels. I mean, he was playing for a new contract last year, a good part of his game built on his speed and even in his best year (last year), his OBP was just .351. Honestly, if you look at his career stats, last year certainly looks like a outlier, doesn't it? Well, the Cubs will certainly find out over the next 8 years.
What does this mean for the Yankees? Well, remember a couple of years ago when a ton of teams were just throwing around money (and the Yanks picked up Pavano & Wright) - yeah, it looks like it's going to be one of those free-agent hauls this year. If you want to pick someone up, be prepared to pay through the nose for him because a lot of teams seem to have cash just burning a hole in their pocket. For example, look at Mark DeRosa. He's a utility infielder that I liked at the beginning of the offseason to fill Miggy Cairo's spot on the Yankees bench. He plays a lot of positions (all of them pretty well actually) and I figured he wouldn't command more than a couple million on the open market. I mean, DeRosa will turn 32 before the beginning of next year and prior to last year, really hadn't done too much. So what happened? Well, he was signed to a 3 year, 13 million dollar deal by (who else?) the Cubs. Wow. I can't wait to see what Boras is drumming up for Mr. Zito.
In hindsight, it looks like Detroit really did get a bargain on Sheffield at just $13 million. Who knew?
Update: Justin Speier, who Patrick had mentioned earlier as a player that the Yanks were looking at, just signed with LAnaheim to a 4 year, $18 million dollar deal. $4.5 million a year for a reliever who is pretty good and has been consistent the last few years but is also turning 33 before the start of next season. Interesting. Even with the minimal amount of actual talent out on the free agent market, it looks like big dollars and long-terms are back in vogue.
What does this mean for the Yankees? Well, remember a couple of years ago when a ton of teams were just throwing around money (and the Yanks picked up Pavano & Wright) - yeah, it looks like it's going to be one of those free-agent hauls this year. If you want to pick someone up, be prepared to pay through the nose for him because a lot of teams seem to have cash just burning a hole in their pocket. For example, look at Mark DeRosa. He's a utility infielder that I liked at the beginning of the offseason to fill Miggy Cairo's spot on the Yankees bench. He plays a lot of positions (all of them pretty well actually) and I figured he wouldn't command more than a couple million on the open market. I mean, DeRosa will turn 32 before the beginning of next year and prior to last year, really hadn't done too much. So what happened? Well, he was signed to a 3 year, 13 million dollar deal by (who else?) the Cubs. Wow. I can't wait to see what Boras is drumming up for Mr. Zito.
In hindsight, it looks like Detroit really did get a bargain on Sheffield at just $13 million. Who knew?
Update: Justin Speier, who Patrick had mentioned earlier as a player that the Yanks were looking at, just signed with LAnaheim to a 4 year, $18 million dollar deal. $4.5 million a year for a reliever who is pretty good and has been consistent the last few years but is also turning 33 before the start of next season. Interesting. Even with the minimal amount of actual talent out on the free agent market, it looks like big dollars and long-terms are back in vogue.
Posted by: Patrick
Ted Lilly:
Lilly will be 31 on opening day. For his career, he is 59-58 with a 4.60 ERA. During his time in New York, he was 8-12 in 205.1 IP over 49 games wth a 4.65 ERA. Last season with Toronto, he was 15-13 with a 4.31 ERA. He threw 181.7 innings in 32 games, meaning he pitched about 5 and 2/3 a start.
Rich Aurilla:
Aurilla is 35 years old. Last year, he played in 122 games for Cincinnati, getting 440 ABs. He hit .300 with a .349 OBA, 23 home runs and 70 RBI.
Justin Speier:
Speier is 33 years old. After a number of up and down/iffy years, he has been excellent in the past two seasons, posting ERAs of 2.56 and 2.98 in 65 and 58 games, respectively.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
"We have an interest but that is it, it's premature [at this point]," Cashman said of the 30-year-old Lilly, who was a Yankee from 2000-02 (8-12 in 49 games). He was sent away in the trade that brought Jeff Weaver to the Bronx.
Lilly will be 31 on opening day. For his career, he is 59-58 with a 4.60 ERA. During his time in New York, he was 8-12 in 205.1 IP over 49 games wth a 4.65 ERA. Last season with Toronto, he was 15-13 with a 4.31 ERA. He threw 181.7 innings in 32 games, meaning he pitched about 5 and 2/3 a start.
Rich Aurilla:
Rich Aurilia grew up in Brooklyn rooting for the Yankees and now may have a chance to wear the pinstripes. ...
"We've had conversations," Axelrod said of the Yankees, "and I would characterize it as sort of open-ended at this point."
"We've had conversations," Axelrod said of the Yankees, "and I would characterize it as sort of open-ended at this point."
Aurilla is 35 years old. Last year, he played in 122 games for Cincinnati, getting 440 ABs. He hit .300 with a .349 OBA, 23 home runs and 70 RBI.
Justin Speier:
Free-agent right-hander Justin Speier would like to sign a new contract soon and the Orioles are "right there in the mix," according to his agent, Chris Arnold.
The Orioles offered Speier a three-year deal worth about $12 million during last week's general managers meetings in Florida. They sweetened it Friday, Orioles vice president Jim Duquette confirmed. He would not reveal specifics of the new offer.
The Orioles offered Speier a three-year deal worth about $12 million during last week's general managers meetings in Florida. They sweetened it Friday, Orioles vice president Jim Duquette confirmed. He would not reveal specifics of the new offer.
Speier is 33 years old. After a number of up and down/iffy years, he has been excellent in the past two seasons, posting ERAs of 2.56 and 2.98 in 65 and 58 games, respectively.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
Posted by: Patrick
According to the Philadelphia Daily News:
Via Steve.
"It came down between the Yankees and the Phillies," Helms said, and then listed why he chose Philadelphia. "I definitely wanted to stay in the National League. I knew all the pitchers. I knew all the hitters. I know where to play them in the field. Everybody I know who has changed leagues, it's an adjustment period. ...
Apparently, he thinks he'll be happier, too, starting at least part of the time at third base - instead of getting consistent playing time at first base for baseball's most marquee team as the replacement for the departed Craig Wilson/Gary Sheffield experiment.
"The role was to play first base," Helms said. "They were going to DH [Jason] Giambi. On the guaranteed side, they were a little higher [in salary]. But that's just me. I'm going to go where I'm happy. I felt like this is where I needed to be."
Apparently, he thinks he'll be happier, too, starting at least part of the time at third base - instead of getting consistent playing time at first base for baseball's most marquee team as the replacement for the departed Craig Wilson/Gary Sheffield experiment.
"The role was to play first base," Helms said. "They were going to DH [Jason] Giambi. On the guaranteed side, they were a little higher [in salary]. But that's just me. I'm going to go where I'm happy. I felt like this is where I needed to be."
Via Steve.
Posted by: Patrick
As you may remember, from earlier in the year, we had a community projections project where we asked YanksBlog.com readers (as well as YanksBlog.com Bloggers, of course) to make statistical predictions for various players on the Yankees roster. With the season well over, it's time that we take a look back and find out how close or far away we were. Today, we'll take a look at the hitters. We'll have the pitchers in the next few days probably.
Before we get started, I just wanted to thank James for coming up with the idea and getting behind it, compiling the averages and more. Thanks James.
Before we get started, I just wanted to thank James for coming up with the idea and getting behind it, compiling the averages and more. Thanks James.
11/17: Chris Britton
Posted by: Patrick
I just wanted to mention that we are sponsoring his Baseball-Reference.com page. He'll probably get traded now...
Posted by: Patrick
George King:
Via Pro Sports Daily.
According to industry sources, the Yankees have Hillenbrand high on their list. Their plan is to use Jason Giambi as a DH, thus creating a need for a first baseman who isn't a left-handed hitter because the Yankees have lefty swingers Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano and Giambi in the lineup. ...
Dan Horwits, the agent for Octavio Dotel, said the Yankees have an interest in bringing the right-handed reliever back. "They want to re-sign him and we are working toward that." Danys Baez' agent, Greg Genske, said, "The Yankees have expressed interest in signing Danys" even though Baez wants to close.
Dan Horwits, the agent for Octavio Dotel, said the Yankees have an interest in bringing the right-handed reliever back. "They want to re-sign him and we are working toward that." Danys Baez' agent, Greg Genske, said, "The Yankees have expressed interest in signing Danys" even though Baez wants to close.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
11/17: SP Scott Proctor
Posted by: Patrick
From Newsday.com:
Sounds like a good idea. Not to start him in the rotation, necessary, but just to prepare him for it. Keeping options open isn't a bad thing. I'm sure some people would rather see Proctor make the rotation, than us give Barry Zito a huge, long term deal.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
"We'll probably have him proceed and prepare as a starter, because you can always go the other way, slide him down and reduce his workload. But it's hard to go the other way," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said yesterday as the general managers' meetings concluded. "But that's for another day."
Cashman soon will deliver these likely instructions to Proctor, as the righthander has to work out according to the Yankees' directives.
Cashman soon will deliver these likely instructions to Proctor, as the righthander has to work out according to the Yankees' directives.
Sounds like a good idea. Not to start him in the rotation, necessary, but just to prepare him for it. Keeping options open isn't a bad thing. I'm sure some people would rather see Proctor make the rotation, than us give Barry Zito a huge, long term deal.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
Posted by: Patrick
MLB.com reports that Johan Santana was unanimously voted as the 2006 AL Cy Young Award winner. That gave him 180 points. Wang managed to finish second, though, with 51 points, just ahead of Roy Halladay's 48. Wang received 15 second place votes and 6 third place votes, meaning that he was left off of 7 ballots.
Posted by: Patrick
According to MLB.com, Joe Torre finished 4th in the AL Manager of the Year voting. Only 4 managers received votes. Jim Leyland won with 114 points, followed by Ron Gardenhire who had 93. After that it was Ken Macha with 26 and Mr. Torre with 15 (1 2nd place vote and 12 3rd place votes).
11/15: The Red Sox Had To Do It
Posted by: Jason
If your team collapsed and finished 11 games behind your rival, wouldn't you do anything possible to prevent your rival from getting better, and quite possibly leaving you (even further back) in the dust for 2007?
The RS were forced to bid like a James Bond villain because it was their only option to try to maintain, as Henry Kissinger would say, a balance of power in the east.
Another benefit for Lucchino and friends: If the RS do sign DM for between $85-$100m (including the posting bid) that directly increases Zito's leverage and indirectly increases the leverage of any other FA starting pitcher on Cashman's board.
That is, if the Red Sox are actually serious about signing DM, IMO the probability of that is still roughly 0.5 a.k.a. a coin flip.
The RS were forced to bid like a James Bond villain because it was their only option to try to maintain, as Henry Kissinger would say, a balance of power in the east.
Another benefit for Lucchino and friends: If the RS do sign DM for between $85-$100m (including the posting bid) that directly increases Zito's leverage and indirectly increases the leverage of any other FA starting pitcher on Cashman's board.
That is, if the Red Sox are actually serious about signing DM, IMO the probability of that is still roughly 0.5 a.k.a. a coin flip.
