Based on CC’s contract, Tex was inevitable

If you haven’t done so already, check out Cot’s Baseball Contracts. It’s the best site out there when it comes to detailed contractual information for players and their teams. Anyway, I was looking through the Yankees’ payroll page and CC Sabathia’s 2009 salary stood out to me. Basically, this season he’ll make $14 million. After that, he’ll actually earn $23 million per year.

It looks like the Yankees crafted the deal in order to have added payroll flexibility this year. Money was obviously coming off the books, but they still wanted flexibility after signing CC to a mega-deal. His contract made it easy for Brian Cashman to add A.J. Burnett at $16.5 million per and, even at that point, there was still a lot of money left to spend on another elite player (or several second-tier players). That seemed to be the plan the entire time and then, infamously, the Yankees dropped major coin on Mark Teixeira to lure him to the Bronx.

It just seems like it was all planned. It was always going to be CC, Burnett (or Lowe) and Teixeira (or Manny). Based on the manner in which CC’s contract was crafted (the first signing of the 3), that appears to have been the plan all along.

Was the Smoltz signing really low-risk?

A few fans are wondering why the Yankees didn’t pull a Teixeira and outbid the Red Sox for John Smoltz. Well, to be perfectly honest, the Red Sox just had a better offer and were able to provide more money and presumably better incentives to Smoltz.

With CC ($14), Tex ($20), and A.J. ($16.5), in 2009 the Yankees will shell out $50.5 million on their newly acquired free agents. The incentive-laden deal Smoltz received from the Sox may start with a base salary of $5.5 million, but it could be brought up to $10 million if the former Brave is on the active roster at the beginning of June. The Yankees, due to their other expenditures, just could not match that contract.

At the end of the day, while many of us are saying that the Smoltz contract was low-risk, when you really think about it, it’s only low-risk if the guy doesn’t pitch at all. Once he is activated he starts making $35,000 a day (plus an extra $625,000 in other incentives). Let’s not forget that this is a 42-year old switching leagues (and he may not even be a starter). Also, he could potentially earn $10 million without having thrown a pitch in the first 2 months of the season. That’s real money right there, especially in the current market. Of course, it’s only a 1-year commitment, so that wins automatic low-risk points, but the Penny signing is probably a better example of a low-risk deal.

Cano working hard

Here’s some Cano-related stuff from Pete Caldera’s chat with Kevin Long:

So, too, is Cano, whose September benching for lax play might have kick-started something.

“There were a lot of changes that occurred in September, from the standpoint of how he played the game,” said Long, who felt the second baseman might have gone from “80 percent to maybe 100 percent” in his daily concentration level.

Late in the season, Cano finally decided to incorporate Long’s ideas about less movement in his stance, and, “I think he was amazed, and I was amazed, at how quick that transformation happened,” Long said.

Cano took those mechanics into winter ball, and also hired a personal strength and conditioning trainer. “That says a lot about where this kid wants to be.

“That [benching] was a stab to [his] ego a little bit, and he was able to come back from that – he made it a positive,” said Long, who made his first-ever trip to the Dominican Republic this winter to work on Cano’s hitting and his mental approach.

“Personally, our relationship is as strong as it’s ever been.”

I always attributed Cano’s poor 2008, not to his mechanics, necessarily, but to his conditioning regimen during the offseason. Over the course of 29 games in April, Cano hit .151/.211/.236. That’s abysmal, however, at the time he was reportedly looking “bigger” than he had in previous years, so to me, what I took from him being “bigger” was that he simply wasn’t in shape. He got better as the season went on but, again, he died out in the final month (Sept.). In fact, it was his second worst month (.707 OPS) next to his dreadful April, so he bookended his season with 2 bad months.

Whenever you’re terrible at the very beginning of the season (your body isn’t 100%) and at the very end (stamina, endurance), it shows that you probably didn’t take good care of yourself in the offseason. Furthermore, besides hurting his offensive numbers, his conditioning hurt him in the field, as well (I don’t buy the mental stuff too much). In 2008, Cano was bad in the field (-7.3 UZR) yet when you compare that to his 2007 season, he was actually very good (8.1 UZR). Cano hasn’t sold us on whether he’s a good or bad defender, and, although most fans think he’s pretty bad (historically that’s not true), he clearly has the tools to be above average (or, dare I say great?).

I expect good things from Robbie in 2009 (offensively, defensively), especially if he has hired a personal trainer to help him prepare physically. That’s really the key to jumpstarting his season.

A-Rod’s mental state

Pete Caldera spoke with Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long and Long had a few interesting things to say regarding the players he’s working with and has worked with, this offseason. While Long notes that he sees the best lineup featuring Tex in the 3-hole, A-Rod hitting 4th and Matsui hitting 5th (with a healthy Posada following him), he also had some interesting remarks about Alex Rodriguez.

Long’s first winter destination was Miami, where he spent another four-day stay with A-Rod. It was the third straight off-season session between Long and Rodriguez at A-Rod’s home, and Long intends to visit the slugger once more before spring training begins.

“It’s not so much mechanical anymore,” Long said of his visits. “It’s about him feeling good, making sure his mind’s right.”

In 2008, Long believes that A-Rod – who batted .271 with runners in scoring position, after batting .333 in that category in 2007 — went through a tough year mentally, starting with his marital problems.

“If I went through a divorce, I can tell you I wouldn’t be the same person at work,” Long said of Rodriguez, who also lost a month due to a quad injury. “I would have been heavily burdened.”

But now, as far as A-Rod’s mental state is concerned, “I think he’s in a much better place,” Long said. “He’s anxious, fired up – ready to go.”

It looks like Long’s job was focused on making sure Alex’s mind is  “right” for 2009. Of course he helped with his swing, but it seems as though the Yankees want to make sure that, after his divorce and the Madonna stuff, A-Rod is mentally prepared for another grueling season. A-Rod is one of those guys who sometimes brings his non-baseball stuff to the ballpark (and on bad days, to the plate), so if “he’s in a good place” for 2009, then we should all breathe easy.

Zimmer recovering from stroke

From Bill Chastain (MLB):

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays senior baseball advisor Don Zimmer suffered a stroke in December, but he doesn’t plan to let it keep him from his duties with the club.

Zimmer, 78, suffered his stroke on Dec. 23 during a family gathering, at which time he did not acknowledge anything was happening to him. Tests later revealed he had a stroke. Initially he had trouble speaking, but his condition has improved.

“I’ll be all right,” Zimmer told the Tampa Tribune. “I’ll whip this thing.”

Best of luck to Zim and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Recap: Manny, Hudson, Nady and Swisher

Quick recap:

• The Yankees aren’t totally out of the M-Ram sweepstakes, but it’s an unlikely marriage
• Orlando Hudson probably won’t be a Yankee and I expect Cano to be our starting 2B
• Brian Cashman will not move Nady or Swisher unless he gets an above average deal

Also, with regards to house news, I’ll be posting our contest on Sunday, so be prepared (you’ll want to be one of the first people to read the post).

Smart stuff, Brian

From Tyler Kepner (I’ve mised you):

“It depends on the trade talk,” Cashman said. “If we feel there’s a benefit, we’ll make a move. That’s basically it. We’re in a position where we don’t have to make a move, so that’s a strong position to be in. We could have them all year. We’re not going to do anything unless there’s a reason to do it.”

That’s Brian Cashman on Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher. Basically, he’ll move either if the package is right, but, as Kepner points out, it makes more sense to hold on to Swisher for now…

Orlando Hudson

From Ken Rosenthal (who is really earning his money lately):

The seeming lack of interest in free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson has been one of the biggest mysteries of the offseason, but it’s still too soon to jump to conclusions.

The Indians explored signing Hudson before trading for Mark DeRosa to play third base. The Nationals, White Sox and Giants all have needs at second base, whether they admit to them or not.

The Braves still could acquire a second baseman and move Kelly Johnson to left field, though they are unlikely to spend big on another free agent. The Mariners also could be in the market at second if they move Jose Lopez to first base.

Hudson, coming off surgery on his left wrist, has resumed all baseball-related activities. He continues to seek a contract of three or more years, executives say, but ultimately could settle for a shorter term with the right team — say, the Mets or Yankees.

Both of those clubs currently are set at second, the Mets with Luis Castillo, the Yankees with Robinson Cano. A trade of either appears unlikely, but Hudson could land with another team — most likely, the Nationals — if his market in New York fails to develop.

Trading Cano and signing Hudson would work for the Yankees financially — Cano is owed $25 million over the next three seasons, and the Yankees could pay Hudson a similar figure. But the Yankees, confident that Cano will rebound from an off year, only would trade him if they received a significant return.

Keep Cano. I wouldn’t mind a Kemp-Cano swap with the Dodgers (that’s pretty much the only deal I would even consider unless you could move Cano for a great young pitcher), but Austin Jackson has given Robinson Cano breathing room. As long as he is waiting to claim the CF job, Cano is likely safe (let’s not forget that Cano will earn $6 million in ‘09, which Hudson may not be able to get from another team). In the end, Hudson will sign with someone and it won’t be the Yankees.