315 replies to this topic

[Snodgrass'Muff]

I did say "could be" and "hopefully" with Pineda, but even without him, I like the rotation as is (CC/Pettitte/Kuroda/Hughes/Nova with Phelps and Warren waiting in the wings).

Yeah, even without Pineda giving them anything, if CC, Pettitte and Kuroda are anything like their 2012 selves, it's a very good rotation.

[terrynever]

Nix signed to big league contract, then waived off 40-man, with an assurance he can make the team out of spring training. Yanks claim Oakland RHP Jim Miller, who has good numbers against lefties:

http://yankees.lhblo...and-storey-dfa/

Edited by terrynever, 30 November 2012 - 09:28 PM.

[jon abbey]

Geovany Soto non-tendered by Texas. TEX is still hopeful they can bring him back, but NY can get involved there now if they want.

[Brickowski]

Soto seems to have fallen off a cliff in 2011. Does anyone know why?

[jon abbey]

TOR claims Eli Whiteside, fuckers.

[jon abbey]

A lot of talk about trading Granderson, I have no idea how NY could do that and still expect to have enough offense to compete this year.

[steveluck7]

And there's supposedly now some heat around Ibanez from SEA, TEX and CLE (I believe)

[jon abbey]

And if you're wondering why NY isn't making any offers as their potential targets continue to sign elsewhere...

Andrew Marchand ‏@AndrewMarchand

An agent said Cashman told him he can not spend money. Seems like he needs approval for any outlays.

[jon abbey]

I said it last offseason, but it's even more clear now: this is a stupid and misguided plan that will end up hurting the brand and possibly even costing the Steinbrenners more in the long term. I'm a little surprised they've stuck to it this long. It was maybe feasible when they initially came up with it, but with so many of their upper level prospects having a lost season in 2012, it became unworkable IMO. This should have been determined in the initial meetings in this year's offseason, the fact that it hasn't been yet is increasingly depressing.

[ThePrideofShiner]

Really? I'm not against it at all, at least not this offseason. Who is available that they are missing out on? Shane Victorino? Josh Hamilton? Mike Napoli? Zack Greinke?

I don't think the Yankees are very interested in any of those players. I think it sucks they can't sign Nick Swisher, but at the amount he is going to be due he isn't worth it anyways.

I have no problems at all with the Yankees refusing to sign anyone this offseason, in fact I think it is fantastic. They have so many contracts tied up the next few years, why add to that with subpar talent?

Edited by ThePrideofShiner, 06 December 2012 - 03:36 AM.

[Wingack]

I said it last offseason, but it's even more clear now: this is a stupid and misguided plan that will end up hurting the brand and possibly even costing the Steinbrenners more in the long term. I'm a little surprised they've stuck to it this long. It was maybe feasible when they initially came up with it, but with so many of their upper level prospects having a lost season in 2012, it became unworkable IMO. This should have been determined in the initial meetings in this year's offseason, the fact that it hasn't been yet is increasingly depressing.

But this has been coming for a long time, this offseason is a product of a decade of blunders and overpaid players.

[jon abbey]

Really? I'm not against it at all, at least not this offseason. Who is available that they are missing out on? Shane Victorino? Josh Hamilton? Mike Napoli? Zack Greinke?

I don't think the Yankees are very interested in any of those players. I think it sucks they can't sign Nick Swisher, but at the amount he is going to be due he isn't worth it anyways.

I have no problems at all with the Yankees refusing to sign anyone this offseason, in fact I think it is fantastic. They have so many contracts tied up the next few years, why add to that with subpar talent?

We'll see who is actually playing RF and C and 3B for them this year, and 2014 is going to be even worse.

I am all for rebuilding in general, but to do it in what will likely be the last year of Rivera's/Pettitte's (and maybe even Jeter's) career is a mistake, and to do it while still keeping the same obscene ticket prices may also be a mistake.

[soxhop411]

Andrew Marchand ‏@AndrewMarchand
Yankees are listening to offers on Granderson, Hughes and Nova

Which is more likely to be traded (if any at all?)

[Brickowski]

If they continue this austerity policy, their farm system is going to have to start producing. But except for Romine, it appears that all of their best prospects were in High-A last year and will need further seasoning.

Edited by Brickowski, 06 December 2012 - 11:16 AM.

[soxhop411]

RT: @DanBarbarisi: Source: Yankee GM Cashman came to winter meetings without the authority to make offershttp://on.wsj.com/YF1bXI via @WSJ

[terrynever]

If they continue this austerity policy, their farm system is going to have to start producing. But except for Romine, it appears that all of their best prospects were in High-A last year and will need further seasoning.

The only position player prospect who could get there in 2014 is Tyler Austin, who finished up at Trenton in 2012 and has shown a good bat at every level so far. But 2014 is pushing it. Mason Williams and Gary Sanchez are at least two years away after finishing in High A in 2012.
Outfielder Slade Heathcott is NY's answer to Ryan Kalish -- talented and injury-prone.
Among pitchers, Manny Banuelos coming off surgery misses all of 2013 and likely starts off 2014 in AAA ball.

For 2013, Mark Montgomery and Austin Romine are the only two rookies who could make the Yankees' roster out of spring training.

When Pettitte and Kuroda walk away after 2013, the starting rotation for 2014 could be: CC, Pineda (big if) and God only knows. Hughes and Nova are free agents. One of them could be traded this winter. Phelps is under control.

Yanks facing their own fiscal cliff, at least until they get under $178M for about five minutes in 2014.

[BellhornIsGod]

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors
Youkilis Has One-Year, $12MM Offer From Yanks http:

If true (and MLB TR has been pretty damn good this off-season), Youk should jump all over that. Tough to see him getting a better playing time situation (starting 3B till July, then plenty of action at 3B and DH if/when A-Rod is back), or more money.

Edit: Oops looks like this is already being discussed in the replacing Arod thread.

Edited by BellhornIsGod, 06 December 2012 - 12:51 PM.

[terrynever]

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors
Youkilis Has One-Year, $12MM Offer From Yanks http:

If true (and MLB TR has been pretty damn good this off-season), Youk should jump all over that. Tough to see him getting a better playing time situation (starting 3B till July, then plenty of action at 3B and DH if/when A-Rod is back), or more money.

Edit: Oops looks like this is already being discussed in the replacing Arod thread.

It's good here, too. Seems like Youk has to decide between Cleveland's two-year offer plus his loyalty to Francona vs. one year, $12M, from Yankees, along with awkwardness of wearing pinstripes.

[jon abbey]

I see how it's a good fit, but wow is Youkilis hated by the Yankee fan base. Part of it is because he was really good against them for a long time, but part of it is that much like Swisher and Joba, he's very hateable when he's not playing for your team (and even a little hateable when he is).

[InsideTheParker]

MLB trade rumors says Youks has offers of two years in the 16-18 million-dollar range. Is anyone else as dumbfounded as I am that the Sox gave him away for Stewart and Lillibridge and now this? Has he demonstrated some amazing recovery? I guess the Sox knew he wouldn't be happy as a back-up and preferred Middlebrooks that much. FWIW, on the way home from shopping, think I heard the guys on 'EEI say he had a $15 mil offer from the Yankees. This is crazy talk!

p.s., JA, as for Youkilis being hateable, I don't guess you saw the White Sox games at Fenway where he got more than one welcome-home standing O. Lots of Sox fans LOVE him.

Edited by InsideTheParker, 06 December 2012 - 04:07 PM.

[SoxLegacy]

I dunno if the money for Youks is a sign that the Sox simply gave him away and he's worth more than they got. Without going back over ground that has been replowed many times, the Sox dealt him because of a crappy situation with a crappy manager, and they had Middlebrooks coming along. Add in the moving part that was Gonzalez and it was a mess. I think the money is simply a reflection of there being slim pickings in the FA market. The Yanks need a 3B, so they can offer that $$. Cleveland (with Francona) apparently wants him too.

[mt8thsw9th]

p.s., JA, as for Youkilis being hateable, I don't guess you saw the White Sox games at Fenway where he got more than one welcome-home standing O. Lots of Sox fans LOVE him.

They also love the wave.

[crow216]

So Cashman can't make offers but he made Youk a $12m offer? What am I missing?

Whether he has the authority or not doesn't change that the players who went elsewhere are really not going to make a huge difference to this team in 2013. Martin's deal hurts the most but that was a shit contract.

Still early. I'm sure there's a trade brewing.

[gammoseditor]

MLB trade rumors says Youks has offers of two years in the 16-18 million-dollar range. Is anyone else as dumbfounded as I am that the Sox gave him away for Stewart and Lillibridge and now this? Has he demonstrated some amazing recovery? I guess the Sox knew he wouldn't be happy as a back-up and preferred Middlebrooks that much. FWIW, on the way home from shopping, think I heard the guys on 'EEI say he had a $15 mil offer from the Yankees. This is crazy talk!

p.s., JA, as for Youkilis being hateable, I don't guess you saw the White Sox games at Fenway where he got more than one welcome-home standing O. Lots of Sox fans LOVE him.

The market for 3B this winter has gone crazy. Jeff Keppinger got a three year deal, and someone signed Eric Chavez to play everyday. These teams weren't looking for 3B when we traded Youk.

[crow216]

Cashman on YES "This isn't a good free agent market, it's a pitiful one."

[Brianish]

So Cashman can't make offers but he made Youk a $12m offer? What am I missing?

I took it as he can't make offers without asking upstairs. Presumably he got approval for Youk.

[steveluck7]

Cashman on YES "This isn't a good free agent market, it's a pitiful one."

That'll surely make anyone whom they did offer a contract to JUMP at the opportunity to play for them!

[StuckOnYouk]

Watching Cashman be forced to curb the Yankees budget to a "low" 189 mark over the next couple years is really like a great reality show. And for him to be so honest the last few years, almost like he's drunk or has some kind of truth serum, I mean, it's high comedy.

Between that and him ruining his family with this hideous abortion mistress, he could be the center of a new Hard Knocks all by himself.

[nattysez]

I am all for rebuilding in general, but to do it in what will likely be the last year of Rivera's/Pettitte's (and maybe even Jeter's) career is a mistake, and to do it while still keeping the same obscene ticket prices may also be a mistake.

I'd guess the Yankees were hoping they could win the WS last year, then start disassembling the team this year. Unfortunately for them, Gardner, Jeter, ARod and Rivera were injured during the playoffs. They simply cannot avoid the $189mm ceiling next year, so they can't GFIN by signing guys to multi-year deals. I guess they could go nuts and offer Josh Hamilton and Grienke 1 yr/$30mm contracts just to see what would happen, but it sounds like ownership isn't that interested.

So Cashman can't make offers but he made Youk a $12m offer? What am I missing?

You're missing the line in the article linked above from the WSJ that says:

The Yankee general manager went back to ownership and made his case, and Cashman was allowed to move forward with offers – the Yankees made a one-year, $12 million offer to third baseman Kevin Youkilis Thursday morning.

MLB trade rumors says Youks has offers of two years in the 16-18 million-dollar range. Is anyone else as dumbfounded as I am that the Sox gave him away for Stewart and Lillibridge and now this? Has he demonstrated some amazing recovery? I guess the Sox knew he wouldn't be happy as a back-up and preferred Middlebrooks that much. FWIW, on the way home from shopping, think I heard the guys on 'EEI say he had a $15 mil offer from the Yankees. This is crazy talk!

I think this speaks more to (1) the pitiful market for 3b and (2) the Yankees' desperation to sign a 3b than it does to any kind of recovery from Youk. All indications are that he's cooked - we'll see what happens.

[jon abbey]

JA, as for Youkilis being hateable, I don't guess you saw the White Sox games at Fenway where he got more than one welcome-home standing O. Lots of Sox fans LOVE him.

Wasn't that in part a fuck you to Bobby V at that point, though? I never said there wasn't tons of love for him among Red Sox fans, but I also saw more people here recognizing his assholishness side than I think any other homegrown Sox player I can remember.

[terrynever]

Watching Cashman be forced to curb the Yankees budget to a "low" 189 mark over the next couple years is really like a great reality show. And for him to be so honest the last few years, almost like he's drunk or has some kind of truth serum, I mean, it's high comedy.

Between that and him ruining his family with this hideous abortion mistress, he could be the center of a new Hard Knocks all by himself.

Cashman is probably more boring than you think. Admittedly, he has been brutally frank in recent years. This is a man who began working for the Yankees as a college intern and is still with the same organization 25 years later. I'm kind of comfortable with his experience on the job and rue the day the Yankees have to replace him.
Cashman went from Boy Wonder GM living off Gene Michael's success to the guy who fought George Steinbrenner for more leverage, and now he's dealing with The Boss's sensible son Hal, who is a businessman at heart. How many GMs stay as long in one spot? This is his 16th season coming up. You look around at his contemporaries and most of them have moved on to other jobs by now.

[InsideTheParker]

Wasn't that in part a fuck you to Bobby V at that point, though? I never said there wasn't tons of love for him among Red Sox fans, but I also saw more people here recognizing his assholishness side than I think any other homegrown Sox player I can remember.

There are a lot of Soshers who took Manny's side when he went after Youkilis. We now know that was 'roid rage. Some people really dislike Youkilis' intensity about his at-bats.He seems to care too much, I guess. Others like me love it. As for the FU to Bobby V, it was early enough in the year that I think it was more Youks-love, but we'd have to interview those folks to know.

As for Youkilis being an ass-hole, what's the evidence? That he has a charity to help Boston area schools and kids, providing books for them, among other things? (http://www.youkskids.org/)
Perhaps someone could explain to me what they don't like about him. He and Curtis Granderson are the kinds of players I like: intelligent, well-spoken, and caring about others.

[Meff Nelton]

There are a lot of Soshers who took Manny's side when he went after Youkilis. We now know that was 'roid rage. Some people really dislike Youkilis' intensity about his at-bats.He seems to care too much, I guess. Others like me love it. As for the FU to Bobby V, it was early enough in the year that I think it was more Youks-love, but we'd have to interview those folks to know.

As for Youkilis being an ass-hole, what's the evidence? That he has a charity to help Boston area schools and kids, providing books for them, among other things? (http://www.youkskids.org/)
Perhaps someone could explain to me what they don't like about him. He and Curtis Granderson are the kinds of players I like: intelligent, well-spoken, and caring about others.

I love Paul O'Neill. You probably hate Paul O'Neill for the same reasons non-Sox fans dislike Youkillis. Both are whining, boorish jerks when they aren't playing on your side. But they're lovable fire-filled scrap dog know-how-to-winners when they're on your side.

Though I will give O'Neill a little more credit for seemingly not having gotten into any personality conflicts within the clubhouse while in NY, which is more than can be said for Youkillis.

[hbk72777]

I love Paul O'Neill. You probably hate Paul O'Neill for the same reasons non-Sox fans dislike Youkillis. Both are whining, boorish jerks when they aren't playing on your side. But they're lovable fire-filled scrap dog know-how-to-winners when they're on your side.

Though I will give O'Neill a little more credit for seemingly not having gotten into any personality conflicts within the clubhouse while in NY, which is more than can be said for Youkillis.

Though there are more than a few water coolers with restraining orders on him.

[EvilEmpire]

I've never liked Youkilis, but if they sign him, I'll fall in behind the laundry.

[InsideTheParker]

I love Paul O'Neill. You probably hate Paul O'Neill for the same reasons non-Sox fans dislike Youkillis. Both are whining, boorish jerks when they aren't playing on your side. But they're lovable fire-filled scrap dog know-how-to-winners when they're on your side.

Though I will give O'Neill a little more credit for seemingly not having gotten into any personality conflicts within the clubhouse while in NY, which is more than can be said for Youkillis.

I guess I don't fit into your paradigm, since I don't "hate" most players, except perhaps AJP. I've always liked Paul O'Neill. I want the Yankees to lose, always, but I admire some of them.

[Corsi]

Well, it won't include Andruw Jones. He's signed in Japan.

http://www.nikkanspo...08-1057044.html

[abty]

How the mighty have fallen. Should have been an immortal.

[jon abbey]

Even with Jones gone, NY has no shortage of faded legends on one year deals, looks like Ichiro is close now:

http://www.cbssports...chiro-deal-soon

[Brickowski]

The Globe is also reporting that Mark Reynolds may sign with Cleveland. So maybe Youkilis will be in NY after all.

[jon abbey]

Yeah, Reynolds to CLE is done, 1 year/$6M.

[Edelpeddle]

I'd be surprised if their rotation did not regress next year. Many of their starters last year significantly outperformed their FIP and/or saw a decrease in velocity. Sabathia's probably a lock for a good year but he did also saw his average fasball velocity drop 1.5 mph from the year before to 92.4 mph. That's the first time he's ever been under 93 mph. Kuroda outperformed his FIP by more than half a run and saw a decrease in velocity of 0.8 mph to 91.3 mph. That's the first time he's been below 92 mph in his career. Andy Pettitte outperformed his FIP by 0.61 runs and averaged 87.8 mph on his fastball (his first time below 88.9). Hughes outperformed his FIP by 0.33 runs. His velocity actually increased 0.7 mph to 92. Nova was pretty much the only guy who underperformed his FIP (by 0.42 runs). They may see more innings from their top five starters, then again they may not given the extensive injury history of Phil Hughes, the age and the year off from Pettitte, and the fact that Sabathia is coming off of surgery.

And last but not least, they'll be working with a new catcher who has yet to be determined.

Edited by Edelpeddle, 11 December 2012 - 01:00 AM.

[jon abbey]

On the flipside, Nova was terrible all year (he was the #2 starter the year before) and they got nothing from Pineda and will hopefully have him back for the second half this year, not to mention Pettitte only pitched for 1/3 of the season and Phelps is much more proven now. NY has plenty of issues, but I can't say I'm worried about the pitching staff.

[Wingack]

Any word on whether the Yankees would bring in Miguel Olivo for a veteran presence behind the plate with a little pop?

[jon abbey]

Cashman keeps saying that he expects to go with Stewart/Romine/Cervelli, and given the circumstances, I don't think this is Bubba Crosby redux and he really means it this time.

[Wingack]

Cashman keeps saying that he expects to go with Stewart/Romine/Cervelli, and given the circumstances, I don't think this is Bubba Crosby redux and he really means it this time.

Well its not exactly the same thing. I am sure they could bring in Olivo on a one year deal.

[The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa]

On the flipside, Nova was terrible all year (he was the #2 starter the year before) and they got nothing from Pineda and will hopefully have him back for the second half this year, not to mention Pettitte only pitched for 1/3 of the season and Phelps is much more proven now. NY has plenty of issues, but I can't say I'm worried about the pitching staff.

wow, I had completely forgotten about Pineda. But I'm sure Yankee fans haven't...

[jon abbey]

Still very happy with that deal, Montero did nothing to make us regret it last year.

[armyguy25]

I dunno....it's not like he had TJ which has a long history of guys coming back succesfully from. You can probably count on one hand the number of great pitchers who came back even close to their old selves after labrum surgery.

There isn't even uniform agreement on the best treatments/surgeries for it in the baseball medical community.

[derekson]

Cashman keeps saying that he expects to go with Stewart/Romine/Cervelli, and given the circumstances, I don't think this is Bubba Crosby redux and he really means it this time.

I will be surprised if the Yankees don't end up signing Pierzynski. I just don't buy the fact that they're going to run out a $200M team with those scrubs starting at C every night.