Hank Steinbrenner was asked about Manny Ramirez today, and here’s what he had to say.
“There’s nothing we are not looking at,” Steinbrenner said Friday at the Yankees’ 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.”
Ha! I guess this means Manny won’t be in pinstripes…
ESB’s official rankings are out. You can see them, here, courtesy of ESPN.
In Ken Rosenthal’s latest, he discusses Jake Peavy’s probable destinations, noting that the Cubs and Dodgers are ahead of the pack (for now), however, the Dodgers seem like the more realistic possibility as they have a bevy of young players (pitchers and position players) that they could potentially deal. Interestingly, Rosenthal closes the Peavy chatter by mentioning that the Padres could try and work out a deal with the Yankees if the Dodgers and Cubs don’t work (the Braves are apparently out of the picture and don’t want to trade Tommy Hansen). He does state that Peavy would ultimately require compensation, though.
I decided to post this info because it shows that the Padres really do like the Yankees’ young talent. For those who doubt Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy, it’s something to think about, especially since the Padres have actually considered trading their ace for a package which includes one or both of them (even after the two had a terrible 2008).
From Pete Caldera:
Yankee Stadium could host one final ceremony after all.
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.
The four veteran Yankees are scheduled to be in New York on Nov. 7, for the sixth annual dinner to benefit Joe Torre’s ‘Safe at Home Foundation,’ established to prevent the cycle of domestic violence.
At the dinner, the 1998 Yankees championship team will be honored.
Earlier this month, plans for a final Stadium ceremony and concert – tentatively slated for Nov. 9 – were scrapped, due to scheduling conflicts with performers among other reasons.
Instead, the Yankees donated $500,000 to the Baseball Alumni Team (BAT), which assists former players in need.
As for fans who still want to take one more stroll through the current Stadium, there’s still time. On Thursday, the Yankees announced that Yankee Stadium tours – which had been scheduled to end today – would be extended through Nov. 12, with certain restrictions.
To inquire about availability and full details, fans are urged to call 718-293-4300, and ask for the Tours Department.
The home plate idea, although a symbolic “ceremony”, sounds more like a photo opp to me. Either way, make sure to get in for a tour if you haven’t done so already. Now that I live in Seattle, I’ll always regret not going on one (dramatic, I know), so be sure to check it out if you’re in NY or NJ.
Boo! OK, let’s get into it.
BOBBY FILES HIS PAPERWORK
1. First up, Bobby Abreu has filed for free agency. This isn’t really news, in a sense, since all players that are able to file for free agency do so after the World Series (today was the first day after). So, Bobby’s filing doesn’t really mean that he won’t be back with the team, but the outlook isn’t looking too good for him. Basically, the Yankees will offer him arbitration (likely), he’ll begrudgingly decline and then the team will be provided with draft picks once he signs with another club (Mets or Cubs?). In addition, Sidney Ponson, Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller, who I found very likable for some reason (maybe it was his general, “I’m just happy to be here” persona), also filed.
FREE AGENTS GALORE
2. Mark Feinsand and Kat O’Brien offers their views (1, 2) on the current free agent crop, with Mark noting that the Yankees will open the vault if necessary (that’s a foregone conclusion), as starting pitching (e.g. CC Sabathia) is the primary need. Kat O’Brien rehashes a few rumors, informing us that Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira are both on the Yankees’ radar. One thing I enjoyed, in particular, from O’Brien’s piece, was her description of Manny Ramirez as a “free spirit”. That’s either too whimsical or too complimentary, right? I don’t know, yet it simultaneously fits, somehow. You know, in terms of pitching, while Ben Sheets scares me, his talent is too much to ignore. His injury history will cause his price and contract length to drop substantially, so why not give him a long look?
COMING TO AMERICA (THE TAZAWA VERSION)
3. Finally, Junichi Tazawa is hitting the free agent market. I wrote about him in September and Tazawa is a Japanese amateur who used a loophole to skip the Japanese draft. This allows him to pursue a career in America now, and it permits teams to bypass that dreadful posting fee if they choose to pursue him. The kid is 22 and throws heat (97 mph), so I expect everyone to fall over each other as they try to lock him up to a minor league deal. What’s interesting with Tazawa and the Yankees is that Brian Cashman may choose to honor the gentleman’s agreement had between Japan and America (which Tazawa bypassed). Then again, now that he’s definitely headed to a major league club, and with the Red Sox reportedly interested, I fully expect them to be big players for his services.
YANKS MAY TRADE FOR ROY HALLADAY?
4. Oh, and Happy Halloween (this was the trick).
From the Denver Post:
A trade that makes sense in the coming weeks: Rockies center fielder Willy Taveras for Yankees starter Ian Kennedy. It’s not a longshot
That would be a terrible trade for the Yankees, and is probably just unfounded speculation on the part of the writer. Willy Taveras IS Brett Gardner, although I think Gardner may be able to exhibit better OBP skills at a fraction of the cost. The only things Taveras has going for him is his unbelievable speed (which Gardner has), and the fact that he is a “proven” CF, in that he’s played there for a few years and has never been totally useless.
Cashman has to know that such a trade would be idiotic (it wouldn’t make sense, at all). Besides, why would the Rockies want Kennedy, anyway? A relatively soft-throwing, breaking ball pitcher like IPK wouldn’t fair well in Colorado. If the Yankees were going to deal IPK to the Rockies, I wouldn’t settle for anything less than a Ryan Spilborghs (hey, that’s not a bad idea…).
(Props to RAB).
Thanks to everyone that chooses to stop in and read whatever it is that I write on a given day. This blog has been up and running for a year now and it’s cool to know that there are so many intelligent and dedicated fans out there who share my enthusiasm for the Yankees. Props to all and, again, I can’t say it enough, thanks!
ESPN is reporting that A.J. Burnett will likely opt-out of his contract with Toronto and will do so, at the latest, by Monday. The opt-out will come just in time for the GM meetings in California and it’s not much of a surprise to anyone in baseball.
Testwell Laboratories, which is a pretty high-profile concrete testing agency, was indicted on corruption and fraud charges on Thursday. The company may have provided false test results, improperly billed state groups, or simply didn’t do the tests that they were supposed to do. I’m reporting on this because Testwell had originally tested the concrete at the new Yankee Stadium. Luckily, the stadium’s concrete was retested and was deemed “structurally sound”.
I mean, it did take them an entire Sunday to dig up some of the concrete in search of that David Ortiz jersey, so I guess we already knew everything was OK.
Light up that hot stove, boys.
DEREK TALKS IT UP
1. Before I get into any hot stove talk, though, Derek Jeter spoke with SI.com and, of course, the results were great. While the interview never really broke new ground, we did hear some interesting thoughts on his Xbox skills, his parents’ seats at Yankee Stadium, Texas football with Roger Clemens, and even his current flame, Minka Kelly. Well, we didn’t hear much about Kelly, which is fine, but SI’s attempts to pry relationship information from Jeter’s clutches was certainly worth a laugh.
As a quick side story, back in 2000, maybe, I was at the Garden State Mall (Jersey) and Jeter was there unveiling his new shoe in either Foot Locker or Finish Line. Anyway, before that, Jeter was reportedly linked to everyone’s favorite diva, Mariah Carey, and when I saw him giving a Q&A (a preplanned one) in the store, I kept yelling at him, antagonistically, asking him how she was doing (I was an obnoxious teen, but it was fun in retrospect). I was literally 10 feet away from him and, as he answered questions, he looked over at me and my friends and started laughing. It was subtle, but we loved it. Then again, maybe he was laughing at my mustache, which, I’m told, was terrible at that time.
MANNY IN THE BRONX?
2. Next up, the hot stove is beginning to burn, ever so slightly, as George King dove into the Manny Ramirez-Yankee rumors (yes, the WS is officially over). King notes that, despite Manny’s age, which is totally out-of-synch with Brian Cashman’s “younger and more athletic” mantra, “industry sources” believe that the Yankees will make a serious push for Manny to play RF. Obviously, this is nothing more than unreserved speculation, however, if the Yankees don’t sign Mark Teixeira, Manny would probably be the next best option, as it would allow the Yankees to slot Xavier Nady in at first base, a position he has a some history with (or, they could resign Giambi). This would mean, Brett Gardner, everyone’s favorite CF prospect (for now), would get the start in center.
Now, signing Manny Ramirez wouldn’t necessarily be the worst thing that could happen (many fans believe it would be a terrible idea). However, if the Yanks could pull Manny for 3-4 years at a decent price, it could work. Then again, after 2009, tremendously younger outfield options such as Matt Holliday, Carl Crawford, Jason Bay (potentially), Rick Ankiel and Austin Kearns, will be available via free agency. The Yankees have a lot to think about with their OF after this year, and, it’ll be interesting to see if Manny Ramirez factors into their plans. I don’t see the Steinbrenner brothers really pushing for Manny, but then again, they do have a new ball park to fill in 2009 and beyond.
Remember though, pitching is currently first and foremost.
THE TEIXEIRA SWEEPSTAKES
3. Now, with the WS over, the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes has now begun (unofficially). If Tex is really looking for $200 million over 10 years, Ken Davidoff notes that the Yankees will probably bow out of the chase. Nonetheless, Davidoff also reminds us that the Red Sox will be looking at Teixeira as well, especially with David Ortiz declining and Mike Lowell coming off of hip surgery (he’s an old man, what can I say). The Boston party could really kick the tires on the Teixeira playoff, and we can’t write off the Angels either, as they’ll try and lockup Tex after investing so much of their future in the trade for him (Casey Kotchman is a good player and without him or Teixeira, there’s a hole at first in LA). If the Yankees can’t nab Teixeira, they could try and trade for a first baseman like Adam LaRoche (ugh) or, again, they could resign Giambi (or move Nady to first).
Davidoff also lets us know that searching for a center fielder, is, in fact, on the Yankees’ to-do list this offseason. We’ve heard about this before and it seemed like a lot of unwarranted speculation, but I trust Davidoff’s reporting.
ESB UNOFFICIAL RANKINGS
4. Finally, MLBTR has a ranked list of free agents (Type A, Type B, etc.) using Eddie’s projections, from Detroit Tigers Thoughts.
The 2008 season is officially over and I’d like to congratulate the Phillies and their fans for a great season. They earned this WS title, and as an avid supporter of Cole Hamels, Brett Myers (wife beating aside), Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, I must say that I’m pretty pleased. Of course, the Rays gave it all they had, but as soon as Longoria’s bat died, their chances to win died, as well. They should still hold their heads high, because they had a remarkable season.
With that said, for Yankee fans, now the fun begins. Players can soon declare free agency and the hot stove will certainly heat up for New York. This winter should be one hell of a ride, as it will truly dictate the future of the ball club.
From the NY Post:
PHILADELPHIA – Arn Tellem will travel to Montoursville, Pa., shortly to find out what Mike Mussina’s future holds.
“I am going to see him at the end of the week,” Mussina’s agent said yesterday. “Nothing has been decided.”
While Mussina strongly hinted to Yankee staff members and friends he was going to retire, he hasn’t officially done that. And while that is the way to bet, several Yankee officials believe the 40-year-old righty will file for free agency following the World Series to keep his options open.
If Mussina does, indeed, return for 2009, you can expect him to play in 2010, and 2011, as he’ll attempt to conquer the 300-win milestone (assuming that he doesn’t just die out before then).
Brian Cashman spoke publicly on a variety of topics Tuesday night, commenting on Joba Chamberlain’s recent DUI, Chien-Ming Wang’s health, Mike Mussina, free agents, and on the vacancy at third base (the coaching position). Here’s what he had to say, starting with Joba’s situation.
“He’s part of our family,” Cashman said. “We’re going to support him, but at the same time, he knows that stuff like this can’t happen.”
Obviously, Cashman sees that the situation, albeit troubling, can be an insightful moment that may even serve as a learning experience. Of course, he also states that this type of behavior isn’t reasonable or tolerable, and therefore, Joba needs to make sure this is the last time it’ll happen (although he later noted that he couldn’t foresee the future, and wouldn’t commit to saying that such a situation will absolutely never happen again, as that is Joba’s job). Cashman also commended the police for making sure Joba didn’t hurt himself or anyone else in Nebraska that night.
Now, onto our buddy Chien-Ming Wang, who completed a bullpen session on Monday and reported no pain afterwards. When asked about Wang, Cashman said the following:
“He’s doing terrific,” Cashman said. “He had no pain, no problem.”
That better be the case, because, as we all know, the Yankees need Chien-Ming Wang to compete in the very tough AL East. Even if the Yankees sign CC Sabathia, it would be like having Chien-Ming Wang and no #2 (assuming CC wins as many games as Wang does, usually). A potential Sabathia-Wang duo could turn out to be one of the best pitching combinations in the majors, and may even rival the very talented Beckett-Matsuzaka combo in Boston (among others). Also, in addition to feeling pretty good, CMW, as well as 9 others, was actually recognized as one of Taiwan’s most outstanding people, which is a pretty tremendous award, to say the least.
Cashman continued with the info when asked about Mike Mussina.
“Moving forward, he’s not part of our rotation, because he’s a free agent,” Cashman said of Mussina. “We need to pursue starting pitching, and where that comes from, whether it’s the free-agent or trade market, remains to be seen. But obviously, I’m not counting on him right now, because he’s not signed, and I don’t know if he’s even interested in playing any more.”
Basically, we know as much as Brian Cashman does, at this point. Mike Mussina seems like he’s headed towards retirement, however, that could possibly change with a Cashman phone call. If Cash’s pitching plans buckle under the weight of grandeur, he’s a last resort, although I think the team will really try to get him to return and fill out the third spot in the rotation (with Pettitte and Joba filling out the end). The Yankees have options though, and, as Cashman stated Tuesday night, they will be very aggressive in their pursuit of viable and valid players (how that aggressive pursuit ultimately works out is another story for another day). These options will be discussed during the GM meetings, next week (in Cali.).
Finally, when asked about the third base coaching job, Cashman didn’t have any new information. He basically reiterated that it would either be someone from the organization (maybe Tony Pena to third) or, they could always look to an outside party. Currently, the outlook seems hazy. I don’t think the Yankees want to get burned by a new third base coach like they did last year, therefore I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tony Pena move to third and maybe an outsider like Dale Sveum move to first (or maybe another guy like Luis Sojo will return to the top of the organization).
In Jon Heyman’s latest, he notes that CC Sabathia’s chances of becoming a Yankee are increasing with each boring, offseason day. Basically, the consensus is that Sabathia will go for the money, despite his desire to play close to home, in California. Heyman even spoke with Jimmy Rollins, a good friend of CC’s, who also thought that the Yankees would nab the big left-hander. Obviously, there is still a real chance that he would leave some money on the table and end up in Dodger blue, or playing for the Angels, but, as P. Diddy once said, “it’s all about the Benjamin’s, baby.”
Heyman also talks a bit about the recent Matt Holliday rumors and states that the Yanks are somewhat “intrigued” by Holliday. If the team traded for Holliday, you’d see an OF with Holliday in left, Damon in center, and Nady in right (presumably). Of course, the package for Holliday would have to include a top young pitcher (Phil Hughes) and a few other talents, such as Austin Jackson. But, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense for the Yankees to trade for Holliday when he’s nearing free agency, unless, of course, he’d be willing to sign an extension. There’s an obvious parallel here with Johan Santana, except Holliday has no intention of signing an extension, even if he’s traded (Scott Boras client, remember?). And, if you were to trade for him, would you really want to throw bags of money at him, too? The Yankees would be better off waiting for Holliday to hit the free agent market after 2009.
While Heyman indicates actual Yankee-interest in Holliday, he simultaneously mentions that they’re apprehensive of dealing for him (or signing him when he hits the open market), specifically because of his home-road splits. While his career splits are “extreme”, if you look at the stats over the past few years, something I did back in July, the away numbers have gotten better and better. Basically, Matt Holliday has become an elite player and his road numbers are trending upward. At the end of the day, he’ll always be a better hitter at Coors (most people are), however, he’ll still be a fine addition to any team outside of Colorado (a Nick Markakis type). I think the Yankees will take this into account, not now, but next year, when they look at Holliday as an option for their 2010 outfield.
From the George King & Bart Hubbach (NY Post):
PHILADELPHIA – The Brewers have informed teams they are willing to listen to offers for first baseman Prince Fielder.
“They have put it out there they are will talk about him but it has to be a substantial package,” an industry source said.
The Yankees need a first baseman but aren’t likely to chase after Fielder for two reasons: He is a below average defender and they are going to need first base for Derek Jeter when he re-signs following the 2010 season.
OK, so the Fielder news is substantial, as the Yankees will likely think about him as an option, although Cashman will worry about Fielder’s fielding (17 errors last year) and his athleticism. Then again, he’s still very young (24) and if he was traded to NY, he would only be there for 3-years (his current contract runs through 2011), so the liability involved is somewhat diluted. Also, let’s not forget that Fielder can really hit (.276/.372/.507) despite a “down” year, plus he bats lefty.
Now, the Jeter to first base remark seems rather strange. I doubt the Yankees would move Jeter to first, since he’s not the prototypical corner infielder, and they’ll presumably have the DH slot available in 2011 (this is contingent upon the rest of the lineup, of course). Beyond that, I don’t think that a future position change for Derek Jeter is what really worries the Yankees right now, especially with Mark Teixeira available (multi-year deal), as well.
(Props to MLBTR).
From Bryan Hoch’s mailbag:
I know Jorge Posada says he is healthy, but is there any chance of bringing Pudge Rodriguez back as insurance in case he is not ready to catch? And if bringing Pudge back is out of the question, who will be splitting time with Posada?
– Corey E., Plymouth Meeting, Pa.For the moment, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that he is keeping his fingers crossed that Posada will make good on his promise to be wearing a chest protector behind the plate on Opening Day at the new Yankee Stadium. Certainly, that would be the organization’s preference, but though Posada can speak as optimistically as he likes, the Yankees won’t really know how to proceed until Posada’s throwing program begins on Dec. 1.
Cashman said that it is not on his agenda to pursue any free-agent catcher right now, which seems to seal Rodriguez’s time in New York as a two-month rental. That could change quickly if Posada experiences something of a setback from the arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder, but during the club’s last road trip of the regular season, Cashman pulled Posada aside and asked how realistic catching 120 games in 2009 can really be.
“He looked me in the eye and he swears that he’s going to be back, as good as ever,” Cashman said earlier this month. “It’s up to us to buy into that or not.”
Having Jose Molina on board for one more season as a more-than-capable backup catcher helps the situation some. Though he said the clubhouse thought is that Posada should be ready for a full workload, Molina said that he is going to alter his offseason training program to be ready just in case he is called upon to play in another 100 games in 2009, as he was last season.
“The preference for me would be if Jorge Posada can catch and return to norm,” Cashman said. “That’s where we’re strongest. He was a huge loss for us. He was a catcher that obviously provided defense. But his offense was so significant and was such a difference-maker for this franchise for so long that when we rolled the balls out there every day, we had a distinct advantage.”
I know some fans are worried about Jorge and wonder whether or not he’ll be able to play his normal position next year (effectively, too). Well, all the information we have seems to indicate that he will be ready for 2009 and won’t have to alternate between first and catcher. Of course, his shoulder surgery was fairly extensive and, until he begins his throwing program, we won’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t worry about it. Posada’s offense and leadership were truly missed in 2008 and the Yankees will do everything in their power to make sure that he’s a major part of the 2009 team.
Joe, over at RAB, has a solid writeup on Jake Peavy. Basically, Peavy’s agent is looking at potential trades as if Peavy was actually a free agent, a free agent who deserves CC like rewards. Therefore, money and incentives will ultimately play a big part in any trade for the Alabama native, and this will likely cause the Yankees to shy away from Peavy, entirely.
From Lyle Spencer (Angels’ website):
What is it going to take to sign Mark Teixeira? Imagine the numbers he can produce with a full season and multiple years for the club. This is the protection for Vladimir Guerrero they have been talking about the past few years.
– Trent C., Placentia, Calif.This is something — maybe the only thing — Angels loyalists can agree on: Tex is a perfect fit in an Angels uniform, batting third in front of Guerrero. They responded beautifully to each other in the 54 games (plus four postseason games) they were linked in manager Mike Scioscia’s lineup. Getting Teixeira back in No. 25, however, will not be easy.
The Angels will stretch the limits of their budget to bring him back. What those limits are, I don’t know. I can only guess that they’ll go as far as six years in the $120 million range. He’s 28, in his prime, playing a relatively low-risk position. He rarely misses a game, causes no problems and is about as upbeat as they come. This guy is as worthy of a megadeal as anybody.
The Red Sox, Orioles and Diamondbacks are among those presumably interested, but the wild card, as always, is the Yankees. With the deepest pockets in sports, they can offer Teixeira more than anybody else. Then it becomes his decision, if the Bronx is where he wants to be.
But the Yankees’ biggest need is on the mound. There are some starters — starting with CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett — who will command huge dollars on the open market. There’s also the gentleman with Bronx roots: Manny Ramirez. You have to believe he’d love to pull on pinstripes and torment his old club to the north in the brand new Yankee Stadium. It’s going to be fascinating watching all of this play out.
This is a good summary of the Yankees’ offseason, by Spencer. At this moment, Teixeira is a priority, but he is not the top priority, as pitching is certainly the primary need for the Yankees. With that said, Teixeira is no side story, and he is still, of course, a very valid option for the Yankees, and one that they will certainly consider (and that’s an understatement).
Spencer also notes two things that may be particularly interesting to those who have been following the always interesting Teixeira saga: 1) the Red Sox are still interested in him, meaning that they would have to move Mike Lowell, which is easier said than done, in order to sign Teixeira and 2) Manny Ramirez, a possible Teixeira consolation prize, would be one hell of a signing for the Yankees, huh?
Former Yankee, Luis Vizcaino, was arrested for suspicion of DUI in Tampa, “early” today. I hope when they say early, they’re referring to last night (after 12), rather than this morning. This is already a sad situation but that would make it look a lot worse.
The MLB needs to address its hazy yet very apparent alcohol problem. Players think that they’re invincible because they’re on TV and make millions of dollars. I don’t know the specific policy teams have with this type of thing, but I hope there are, at least, some stiff financial penalties served (by the teams) when these situations arise.
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