Posted by: Patrick
Bryan Hoch reports that the options on Carl Pavano ($13 million with a $1.95 million buyout) and Jason Giambi ($22 million with a $5 million buyout) have been declined. No surprises there. Cashman left the door open as far as either player returning to the club.
Related to Giambi, sort of, Brian Cashman told Peter Abraham that he wants to sign a first baseman, rather than trying to convert someone - like Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui - to the position.
Related to Giambi, sort of, Brian Cashman told Peter Abraham that he wants to sign a first baseman, rather than trying to convert someone - like Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui - to the position.
Posted by: Patrick
Peter Abraham has a list of things that Brian Cashman shared with the writers yesterday. The two most interesting:
I'm fine with the Yankees going with what they have in center. Especially given the folks that are out there.
Regarding the pitching, as Ben said, we need to make sure one of those two is CC Sabathia. We don't need some combination of everyone else (A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Derek Lowe, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Ben Sheets, etc.). We need CC and then 1-2 of those guys. For my money, I'll take Sabathia, Sheets and Pettitte/Moose (assuming one of them retires).
1. He does not consider center field a priority. With Brett Gardner, Johnny Damon and Melky Cabrera around and Austin Jackson on the way, the Yankees are deep there.
2. The Yankees are out to acquire two starters. “We won’t be one and done,” Cashman said. You can interpret that in a few ways. It could be one new player and Andy Pettitte, two new players or maybe two new players and Pettitte. ...
2. The Yankees are out to acquire two starters. “We won’t be one and done,” Cashman said. You can interpret that in a few ways. It could be one new player and Andy Pettitte, two new players or maybe two new players and Pettitte. ...
I'm fine with the Yankees going with what they have in center. Especially given the folks that are out there.
Regarding the pitching, as Ben said, we need to make sure one of those two is CC Sabathia. We don't need some combination of everyone else (A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Derek Lowe, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Ben Sheets, etc.). We need CC and then 1-2 of those guys. For my money, I'll take Sabathia, Sheets and Pettitte/Moose (assuming one of them retires).
Posted by: Patrick
From the Daily News' Mark Feinsand:
I have a hard time believing Cashman is a "big fan" of Mr. Pavano. Personally, I'd rather that they just let him walk, but if they want to sign him to a cheap minor league deal, it doesn't really matter.
Via Yahoo!
General manager Brian Cashman, who inked Pavano to a four-year, $39.95 million contract in December 2004, remains a big fan of the oft-injured righthander, according to a source, making a return to the Bronx a realistic possibility for the 32-year-old.
"Cashman has definitely not closed the door on Pavano at all," the source said.
Cashman himself acknowledged that he is open to any and all options this winter, though he wouldn't specifically address Pavano's situation.
"Cashman has definitely not closed the door on Pavano at all," the source said.
Cashman himself acknowledged that he is open to any and all options this winter, though he wouldn't specifically address Pavano's situation.
I have a hard time believing Cashman is a "big fan" of Mr. Pavano. Personally, I'd rather that they just let him walk, but if they want to sign him to a cheap minor league deal, it doesn't really matter.
Via Yahoo!
Posted by: Patrick
Bryan Hoch reports:
The deal is worth $1.25 million and it includes a team option for 2010. Mitre's career has been split between the Cubs and the Marlins. In 78 games (52 started), he is 10-23 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.55 WHIP.
Mitre, who turns 28 in February, is recovering from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in July and was a member of Girardi's stable in 2006, when both were in Florida Marlins uniforms.
"We've agreed in principle to a Minor League contract," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "He's rehabbing from Tommy John and he's on a Minor League contract, so it doesn't really affect anything on the Major League side. We hope someday it could."
"We've agreed in principle to a Minor League contract," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "He's rehabbing from Tommy John and he's on a Minor League contract, so it doesn't really affect anything on the Major League side. We hope someday it could."
The deal is worth $1.25 million and it includes a team option for 2010. Mitre's career has been split between the Cubs and the Marlins. In 78 games (52 started), he is 10-23 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.55 WHIP.
Posted by: Patrick
Updating a previous story, the Brewers have picked up Mike Cameron's option, electing to pay the center fielder $10 million dollars next year. This ends speculation that he could end up in the Bronx.
Posted by: Patrick
I'm not sure I put much stock into this article by George King of the Post where he states that the Yankees are not likely to pick up Damaso Marte's $6 million dollar option, with a $250,000 buyout. The style of the Post aside, it's unclear what the source of this speculation is. Usually, at least, there would be an "industry insider," or a "person close to negotiations." None of that here, so I'm not sure if it is Mr. King's opinion or intuition or something else.
Since Marte is a Type A free agent, if he goes to another team, he'll net us a 1st or 2nd round draft choice, as well as a pick in the sandwich round between the to rounds. You could certainly argue for the picks and if that happens, I'd be fine with it. But at the same time... it's been challenging for the Yankees to find a left handed reliever with a proven track record, forgetting his numbers last year once he was traded. I could go either way, but I think I'd rather see his option be picked up. I'm all for giving some of the younger arms an opportunity to nail down bullpen spots, but I'd like us to go into the season with one veteran, established reliever besides Mo.
Since Marte is a Type A free agent, if he goes to another team, he'll net us a 1st or 2nd round draft choice, as well as a pick in the sandwich round between the to rounds. You could certainly argue for the picks and if that happens, I'd be fine with it. But at the same time... it's been challenging for the Yankees to find a left handed reliever with a proven track record, forgetting his numbers last year once he was traded. I could go either way, but I think I'd rather see his option be picked up. I'm all for giving some of the younger arms an opportunity to nail down bullpen spots, but I'd like us to go into the season with one veteran, established reliever besides Mo.
Posted by: Patrick
From the Star-Ledger:
"Free spirit" is an awfully kind description, as far as I'm concerned. I want the Yankees to take a pass on Manny. I respect his offense abilities, but the rest of the baggage that comes with him just isn't worth it to me.
"There's nothing we are not looking at," the team's co-chairperson said Friday at the team's spring training complex. "And personally, I like Manny. He's one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game. He's a free spirit for sure, but he knows how to win. We like some of the other guys, too. We just don't know yet."
"Free spirit" is an awfully kind description, as far as I'm concerned. I want the Yankees to take a pass on Manny. I respect his offense abilities, but the rest of the baggage that comes with him just isn't worth it to me.
Posted by: Patrick
SI.com's Jon Heyman has obtained the 2008 Elias Rankings and reports that Bobby Abreu, Damaso Marte, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte are all Type A free agents while Ivan Rodriguez is a Type B. The rankings are based on statistics from the last seasons. To sign a Type A free agent away from his current team, you must surrender your top pick in the upcoming MLB draft (unless you were one of the 15 worst teams in the game, in which case it would be your second round choice). The former team also receives a supplemental pick. When a Type B player is lost, no draft pick is surrended, but the losing team still receives a supplemental pick.
To be eligible for compensatory picks, though, the player must have been offered arbitration and declined it - or must be signed by another team before December 1, the deadline for an arbitration offer. Joseph wrote a good primer.
To be eligible for compensatory picks, though, the player must have been offered arbitration and declined it - or must be signed by another team before December 1, the deadline for an arbitration offer. Joseph wrote a good primer.
Posted by: Patrick
In order to protect them from the upcoming rule 5 draft, the Yankees have added Minor League pitchers Wilkin De La Rosa and Eric Hacker to their 40 man roster.
Posted by: Seamus
From Pete Caldera:
Sounds like a pretty cool idea. It's kind of hard to believe that we're almost at the point where they're going to install home plate at the new Yankee Stadium.
That brings me to another note, which is that most (if not all by now) of the playing surface has been installed at the new ballpark. Pictures can be found at the Yankees' official website.
Plans are in the works to have Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte transfer home plate from the current ballpark into the new Yankee Stadium - perhaps on Nov. 8, according to a person familiar with the concept.
Sounds like a pretty cool idea. It's kind of hard to believe that we're almost at the point where they're going to install home plate at the new Yankee Stadium.
That brings me to another note, which is that most (if not all by now) of the playing surface has been installed at the new ballpark. Pictures can be found at the Yankees' official website.
