New Carmona deal significant to Yanks?
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- April
- 10
The Indians are set to announce a seven-year contract extension for Fausto Carmona today. His deal will extend to 2011 with club options through 2014.
This could be a signal that the Indians have given up on the idea of keeping C.C. Sabathia after the season. Not necessarily, of course. But do they have the resources to sign two starters to long-term deals?
If he gets on the market, the Yankees figure to be serious players for Sabathia. Don’t forget, the Yankees will be clearing a ton of salaries after the season including Jason Giambi and the $11 million wasted on Carl Pavano.
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on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 11:56 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
this is going to sounds nuts, but i am not completely sold on sabathia. i know he is a young lefty but….i always thought he was hittable. and, he is quite hefty (not that being overweight hurt david wells in his prime). but, the next sabathia contract will take him well past prime, i’m sure. that’ll be a lot of weight in 8 years.
This is the move that needs to be made in the offseason – this will secure Wang as your #2 and the three rookies at 3,4,5. Sabathia is the ultimate security blanket if Pettitte walks after this season…
i really like the idea of a Sabathia anchored rotation
CC
Wang
Phil
Pettitte/Kennedy?
Joba
when it comes to mike wallace, story ends with me putting him into the wall.
Just one thing about the posible Sabathia signing. While it would be good, with the aging lineup and loads of talented minor league pitchers, it seems to me that a bat is more important. Teixeira is probably the better pickup at this point. He could hit 3 or 5 depending on what they do with Abreu, he’s a switch hitter and from the left side he would bomb shots into the short porch. Besides, the Yankees don’t really have a sure thing prospect to play first down the line so he fills that hole as well. Just think that would be a better way to spend money if they go one or the other.
Sabathia is fat and sucks. Sheets is the man.
And 6 million on Farnsworth, 11 million on Moose and potentially another 30 mill on pettitte and abreu.
And another 26 mil in ‘09 on damon and matsui.
I can’t wait for that bust Giambi to be out of here next year.
Saying that $11 million was wasted on Pavano is a gross overstatement. I’ve quite enjoyed all the Carl jokes, that’s got to be worth something!
I agree with Mark. Prior to last season, Sabathia’s had good seasons but not great. Even in his first season, at 17-5, he had a bloated ERA.
The Cy Young award means a pitcher had a great season, not that the pitcher is great. Colon and Zito are prime examples. Getting out of one long, expensive contract (Giambi) isn’t a reason to enter into a new one.
Contracts off the 2009 books:
Giambi at $17 million after buyout
Abreu at $16 million
Pettite at $16 million
Mussina at $11 million
Pavano at $11 million after buyout
Farnsworth at $5.5 million
Hawkins $3.5 million
$80 million total
Figure it will be $70 million after options, arbitration and already calculated contracted salary increases
I wonder if Carmona was on the Yankees two years ago, how Yankee fans would have treated him?
In case some forgot, he was 1-10 and blew 4 saves against the Red Sox in which he melted down on the mound.
Given some Yankee fans, and some members of the media for that matter, impatience with young players, he would have been banned for life from Yankee Stadium.
The Indians were patient, got him back in the rotation where he belongs, and the rest is history. He is now one of the best young starters in the game.
The Yankees have talent like Carmona on their team right now. You just have to be patient as they go through the ups and downs of the game.
Sabathia on the Yankees? Ask me after this season. Too early to say if that would be a wise move or not.
The money will be there for him. Is he and can he stay fit and healthy? That’s the big question right now.
He wears a very baggy uniform but he is much fitter than he was a couple of years ago. The uniform makes him look bigger than he is.
My question is, after another 200+ innings logged this season, will he hold up? When you are going to spend in excess of 100 million dollars for a pitcher, that’s a legitimate question to ask.
Sabathia is a fat, pussey toad!
Pettitte may not walk, keep that in mind.
I really hope the Yankees use some prudence this off-season and don’t just go crazy because they’ve freed up a bunch of money. They really don’t need a bunch of bad contracts again. Cashman needs to get smarter with his free agent signings.
He could always sign me on the cheap.
CC Fatbastia
It is clear that growing pains is not something yankee fans are accustom to, or willing to deal with for that matter. And I will admit; as I watched the Yanks get embarrassed last night in KC, the one thing I loved, was watching the Royals play with enthusiasm even though they were standing in mud puddles, even though they were tied 0-0 in a game most thought was going to get PPD… I loved it. And now that we are a team with youth, I have to ask myself; “Do we just spoil these guys? Do we simply give them the impression that as soon as they put the pinstripes on (or if they have worn them for years) they are allowed to act over confident and play with no heart?” My point is, I just dont like the attitude. Hopefully Girardi can light a fire under thier backside (maybe instill a little Paul O’Neil in them).
PS. JOBA should NOT become a starter. He should remain in the bullpen as MO’s set up man for 2 years then take over the closing role. Thus we NEED CC Sabathia like the mets needed a new stadium…
all the Sabathia critics need to stay quiet that guy will probably command $19 mil IMO he is worth it next season, LHP SP averages 97 mpoh after 7 frames of work, good secondary pitch, good third pitch, still young. He is a perfect option to be the ace pitcher next season.
Ben Sheets is a disastor this guy keeps on getting hurt midseason that can’t be ignored because as everyone sees how cold the weather is in NY it always has an effect people who can’t stay healthy. This is the best news I heard so far because most likely CC is going FA w/ us being the potential buyer.
And Joba is a future starter, IDK why these people come on here and try to drive the point of him being the next MO, that is not in his future and never really was.
I know the simple answer is yes to this question but. Do the Yankees have the money to sign CC AND TEX. In addition if Bobby has another really good year like last one I think it might be wise to sign him again as well. He seems to fit perfectly with this lineup and loves NY.
With all the money coming off the books it will be very interesting how the Yankees spend the money, where they invest it etc
Contracts off the 2009 books:
Giambi at $17 million after buyout ( are you 100% sure ? )
Abreu at $16 million ( I don’t think so )
Pettite at $16 million ( I don’t think so )
Mussina at $11 million ( OK THIS one is 100% sure )
Pavano at $11 million after buyout ( Sah-weet ! )
Farnsworth at $5.5 million ( Yessssss ! )
Hawkins $3.5 million ( this MAY happen in 2008 ! )
Sabathia would be a diseaster. He didnt pitch good in the playoffs, hes off to a bad start this year. He’s too wild, and with his body type, hes going to breakdown.
In other words, a typical Yankee FA pitcher signing.
I don’t trust that CC would be healthy the entire length of his contract. Why give him a 6-7 year deal at 20 plus million. To me it isn’t worth it.
Sheets is more injured then Rich Harden. No thanks to him either.
“PS. JOBA should NOT become a starter. He should remain in the bullpen as MO’s set up man for 2 years then take over the closing role. Thus we NEED CC Sabathia like the mets needed a new stadium…”
You have to absolutely be kidding me. :rofl:
With Sabathia, I want some sort of guarantee that he’ll keep himself in shape. We don’t need a David Wells or Bartolo Colon who eats himself out of stardom.
And who’s saying Joba can’t be as good or better for a lot cheaper?
“Sabathia would be a diseaster. He didnt pitch good in the playoffs, hes off to a bad start this year. He’s too wild, and with his body type, hes going to breakdown.”
you start making decisions based on playoff performance and you’ll never get nowhere…CC Sabathia is a stud, he just wore down at the wrong time last season.
CC has been to the playoffs once. Now, he “can’t pitch in the playoffs”?
Newsflash, you have to GET to the playoffs in order to pitch well in them.
A guy with 3 or 4 post-season starts is not able to be labeling as anything in terms of his post-season ability.
The guy is a helluva pitcher. If he was on the Yankees right now, he would be the best pitcher on the staff.
The issue is, can you trust him, from a fitness and health standpoint, to hold up over 6 or 7 years?
His skill isn’t in question.
Ben Sheets? That’s too funny. A guy who is on the DL almost as much as Carl Pavano and fans clamor for him.
If the Yankees signed Sheets, THAT would be a typical, bad FA signing.
Just like trading good, young talent for Rich Harden. Another guy on the All-DL team.
Gayle,
They have the money to sign both CC and Tex if they want to. The money won’t be an issue on any moves they make next season.
No on C.C. too many years for a heavy weight. If Sheets has an injury free year. I say get him for less money and less years.
Sj- I read some of the posts from the last thread. I agree, its early. But isnt that what we have now been accustomed to say? When are we going to get over the April hole that we have put ourselelves in the last couple years? Could these slow starts be the reason we seem to be out of gas come post season? The first couple games this year it was blamed on weather and good pitchers. When does those excuses stop? Giambi IMO looks like all he wants to do is walk. Wheres that pop he once had? Cano needs to know the situation and mature at the plate. When is his first pitch swinging going to stop? We’re making every pitcher look like Bob Gibson out there.
All we here is that we have a mixture of young and old players. Besides the 3 amigos plus the 2 amigos that play the field. We’re not young. Thats the reason why i think we need to start off fast. So our veterans have something left come October. Again im not saying that im paniching here. But i dont like watching reruns every april.
For 20 million I want a proven playoff pitcher. We have enough “studs” that pitch well in the season , and bomb in the playoffs. (See Wang).
I’m telling you forget about Sheets he is Carl Pavano the 2nd
Matt–
We got a “proven”playoff pitcher a few years ago (see Randy Johnson) how did that move work out?
For Sabathia: 3yrs/$62mil
Long term contracts for pitchers–even thin ones–suck.
Hmm, awesome, just noticed that baseball reference keeps individual game logs
Keep an eye on how Sabathia does this season
Mar 31 vs White Sox: 5.3 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 HR for…5 earned runs (Thome hit 2-run homers off of him in innings 1 and 3; in the 6th inning, he got a flyout, walk, walk, and a single which drove in a baserunner before being pulled)
April 5 at Athletics: 5.3 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR for… 4 earned runs (3 runs in a shaky 1st, then solo HR in 5th; in the 6th, he got a walk, groundout, and a walk before being pulled)
4yrs/$82 MIL – CC Sabathia
“For 20 million I want a proven playoff pitcher. We have enough “studs†that pitch well in the season , and bomb in the playoffs. (See Wang).”
Ah, small sample size fans. :rofl:
Not only is CC a stud but he is a good guy. He isn’t turning himself into a fat slob: ala Schilling, Colon, Schilling… did I say Schilling yet?
Pitchers (rightfully so) want long-term deals to take them to retirement.
The question is, if a guy like CC wants 7 years at $20M per, how much extra do you have to pay him to sign him for, say, only 3 years with club options for a 4th and 5th? $25M per? $28M?
Do you overpay for fewer years?
Morning, all.
So, Carmona gets a deal and CC’s the topic?
Why get him? I heard there’s this kid from Taiwan who’s really good. Doesn’t strike out a lot, but he’s still developing. I don’t think he’ll cost as much as CC, but it’ll cost some b/c he’s had the most wins in the AL over the past 2 seasons.
Not a true ace according to many fans, but I think he’s pretty good. Before the season began this Taiwanese pitcher and Sabathia had almost identical career ERA’s.
Don’t think you need to commit 6-7 years to an “ace” when we could let this sinkerballer take the ball every 5 days. His BBBBAP (Broken Bat by Badass Pitcher) stat is off the charts. I think he’d be a great bridge until Joba or Hughes develops into a front line pitcher.
Just a thought…
Abreu ought to come back, depending on the kind of deal he wants. If Pettite proves valuable enough this year, bring him back to throw in the new stadium. But that seems to me to be unlikely.
Sabathia is the best pitcher in the American League, and any talk of playoff performance is based on incomplete data.
Sabathia-Wang-PhilFranchise-Kennedy-Joba sounds nice.
Next year, I predict Pavano signs with the Mets where Pedro can mentor him on the DL.
Trick answer: You wait and see how he does in his contract year before you settle on a base value for a new contract
see below. Just titles I know but things seem to be shaping up a bit more. (source Yankees press release)
Today the New York Yankees announced new titles for members of the Steinbrenner family.
George M. Steinbrenner, III Chairperson, Hal and Hank Steinbrenner Co-Chairpersons, Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal, Jessica Steinbrenner and Joan Steinbrenner Vice Chairpersons.
George M. Steinbrenner stated, “I am excited to announce these titles. I am pleased to work with my two sons, Hal and Hank. With me, they will jointly oversee the club on a day to day basis. I am also gratified to recognize the leadership of my daughter Jenny in the club’s charitable endeavors and her involvement with new stadium matters; as well as the contributions of my wife Joan and daughter Jessica in assisting me.
“Together with my executive team, the New York Yankees are prepared for the future and the exciting challenges the next several years will bring.”
CC is not a big game pitcher though.
C.C. Sabathia’s value is being lefthanded. If he shows a sincere effort to be more physically fit, the Yankees will have strong interest with the money coming off the books after this season. There are no lefthanders in the organzation ready anytime soon.
A lefthander will always be needed at Yankee Stadium to neutralize lineups with good lefthanded hitters.
“CC is not a big game pitcher though.”
oh hi I go onlt by playoffs appearance guy welcome to the blog
only*
I can’t see passing up the chance to get Santana (we can all agree that it was the money and not the prospects, right? Even our non-Big 3 prospects are better than what the Mets gave up) only to sign Santana type money to Sabathia.
I don’t understand if people make comments like this(”Sabathia is fat and sucks. Sheets is the man”) base on race or on performance, because if is on performance there is no way Sheets can sit next to C.C.
Someone please tell me racism is dead in 2008.
Joey, I do not know your nationality or race, nor do I want to know, but come stop saying stuff like that about a player.
Fat…….wow……..I use to say stuff like that back when I was in 5th grade.
mel,
Who has a higher bbbbap? Wang or Rivera?
I was listening to Dan Patrick yesterday and they were asking who has meant more to their sport?
Michael Jordan
Babe Ruth
Tiger Woods
Muhammed Ali
Tough call. I would have to go with Babe. Thoughts?
SOS,
They aren’t in any hole now. That’s the point.
Look at the AL. Everybody is struggling except for the O’s, Royals and White Sox.
Everybody is in the same boat as the Yankees. Some, like the Tigers, are in worse shape.
I have a friend of mine who plays for the Indians and I spoke to him yesterday. Guess what he is bemoaning? None of them are hitting. Sound familar.
Every team wants to get off to a “good start”. However, it doesn’t always happen. It doesn’t mean you blow up the roster. All it means is, you keep grinding.
The Yankees have played 9 games into the season and already some folks are in full panic mode.
Its comical to read some of the lunacy in the blog the last 24 hours.
DFA calls, trades, wholesale blowups of the roster. When, in fact, they are in the same boat as the Red Sox, Jays and plenty of other AL teams to start the season.
When it comes to free agency and pitchers NOBODY with the pedigree of CC and, to a smaller degree Sheets, are taking shorter deals.
The game is full of cash right now. Somebody will make these guys big offers.
There are no discounts in free agency.
Personally, I wouldn’t touch Ben Sheets. Way too many injuries.
CC? Have to see more this season.
Tex? No brainer. That’s a move they have to make, IMO.
I’d rather overpay for Tex than anybody else on the market because the chances are greater he will live up to the money over the period of years you invest in him.
Keep CC away from Aurthur Ave….too many good things to eat over there.
I’ll reserve judgment on whether the Yankees should go after CC Sabathia depending on the season he has, the season Pettitte has and the season Hughes/Kennedy have. At this point in time, you really don’t know what the need will be or if Sabathia will be capable of filling one if it exists.
It’s not easy to watch the Yankees get off to another slow-ish start, but where this season is a bit different is the only team they are trailing by any significant amount is the Orioles, and by all accounts, the Orioles will not be having long-term success this season. In other words, the Yankees are not playing themselves into a hole that they’ll have to work overtime to climb out of. So, perhaps that translates into not running out of gas at the end of the season.
I just would like to say in defense of some of the not-so-positive posts, at least speaking for myself, it’s not desperation, nor pessimism nor panic. It’s reasonable to discuss the outcome of a game on a blog that is set up to discuss the Yankees. If the game wasn’t good, the comments are not going to all be glowing. I try to balance the positives of a game (like Kennedy getting better last night, Bruney pitching very, very well, and Gonzalez doing a nice job AND getting a nice double) with the negatives (Farnsworth’s second inning, the GIDPs, first-pitch hitting). I don’t feel like some of us deserve criticism for that. Not everyone is saying people should be sold down the river because they’re 4-5 and not hitting, you know? I feel like I’ve made this plea before: legitimate criticism is a springboard for discussion.
another genius comment
ItalianGreco – the cannolis alone will ruin his season!
CC is a good pitcher but we must wait till the end of this year to conclude if the Yankees should sign him or not.
Remember A team doesn’t sign a player early in the year because they gave up on him. It might be that, that particular player wants to wait till the end of the year. So don’t be so quick to say Cleveland gave up on him yet.
SoS: I lean toward Jordan for his impact on the business side of the NBA
But I’m young and am not too familiar with the impact Ruth and Ali had
Every year the Yankees have been getting the big name free agent since 2000 and how many world series titles have they won? I don’t agree with buying every big name that’s on the market every year because the Yankees how shown that it doesn’t work and if you don’t believe it, see 2001 to 2007. The Yankees need to take a different path and the one they are on now looks good. They need to start looking to their home grown talent more.
“Even before his son’s birth and his father’s death, Sabathia had stopped going out after night games. He began working more diligently on his conditioning, on controlling his weight; he changed some of his eating habits, occasionally subbing salads for barbecue. “I don’t want to eat myself out of the game,” he says.”
Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3310783
I think the Yanks will try and resign Abreu if he has a good year. Its doubtful that Tabata or Austin Jackson will be ready next year since they are both in Double A. Could try and Bring Abreu back on a 2 year deal, and if Pettite has a good year and wants to play next year, I’m sure the Yanks will resign him too. Otherwise, the rest of the names on that list are gone for sure. I am not sold on Sabathia eithere and would wait to see how he does this year first. I would much rather go after Texiera first.
Agreed that CC is a health risk, which equals long term contract concerns. CC may be fitter than he was, but all that weight means back problems and knee strains down the road, low durability and/or skewed mechanics. Sure they could use a lefty, but he doesn’t have to be the best and most expensive one. After just getting some albatross-like contracts off the books Cashman, if he stays, won’t want to dive right back in, especially for a pitcher and even more especially for a pitcher who is a walking billboard for health problems.
Once again, consider who can afford a player price tag like the one CC will demand – probably the two usual suspects, NY and Boston. If Boston shows sincere interest in CC, as opposed to just driving up the price on him like they did with Santana, does that force the Yankees’ hand?
Ahhhh, the Cannolis are the best. I can’t wait to go to Mike’s deli, who are owned by Greco’s, but I’m not related. They still give me free stuff every time I go.
Nice post Doreen. I can feel rosey the day after we get blanked. It doesnt mean Im a sell out. Im very pationate about my Yankees and take it to heart when they lose. I wish i wasnt like that but some of us cant change. The Yankee world isnt ending after a game. But give credit where credit is due and blame as well. The great thing about this game is that you can be the goat one game and the hero the next. As for right now we have more goats than heros.
SJ,
I get what your saying. IMO other good teams starting slow is more of a reason to start fast. Look at the sox last year. They came out on fire, threw it on cruise control at the end and won it all. But yes. Id prefer to be in this situation than last years.
Cant we all just get along?
SJ, but the injuries Sheets has had, especially recently with the vertigo, are kind of freak injuries. to my knowledge and memory, i dont recall Sheets having any serious structural issues.
I like Sabathia, but not enough to make him the front of the roation like i would have with Johan. For my money, Id rather spend a little less, but take a chance on a guy with ace-quality stuff that Ben Sheets has.
Doreen,
Nothing wrong with legitmate criticism.
Some of the moronic stuff people have been posting the last 24 hours is just idiotic.
Acting like a moron is a springboard for nothing.
Legitimate criticisms? All for it. Acting suicidal over the first 9 games of the season? Well, hopefully some of these folks will just do it and get it over with so the blog can be fun again.
CC isn’t out of shape now. He wears his uniform in a baggy fashion. Mainly, to give the impression he isn’t fit. Just playing with hitters minds.
The last few years, his fitness level has increased greatly.
I just want to see if he can keep it up. If he can, he’s certainly a tempting guy.
Don’t have to give up any players, only money. Nothing wrong with that.
Guess what the weather is like for the game in KC tonight. Just guess.
completely off-topic, but i just finished reading the last thread:
is it just me, or is farnsworth even uglier this year than he was last year? the rec specs, the haircut, it’s just kind of too much for me. ladies, am i right?
SoS,
Rivera, he faces fewer batters!
The Babe is an icon, but baseball has survived wars, steroids, and Bud Selig.
Muhammed Ali is also an icon, but you had other great boxers and boxing’s not really a sport.
Jordan was revolutionary in that marketing made him even larger than he was in life. (a very flawed human made into a demi-god).
Tiger Woods is very now, very relevant. He’s a black man (of mixed race) playing a white sport and generating excitement in a game in which there is none. He’s dominated in every sense of the word. Marketing also helps Tiger, but he’s had so many magical moments, affected so many other golfers in a game in which you supposedly control your own destiny.
I’ll say Tiger Woods. Tons of kids are inspired by him to pick up the game. Kids of many races and backgrounds.
What did DP say?
There should be a rule on this website that you aren’t allowed to talk about Italian food because you’re making me very hungry!
Just a quick aside relative to the new titles the Yankees gave out – we haven’t heard from Hank yet. Isn’t getting time for a fire everyone rant?? Or maybe his big mouth was just a tool to make sure Santana didn’t end up on Yawkey way.
rain
I was listening to Dan Patrick yesterday and they were asking who has meant more to their sport?
Michael Jordan
Babe Ruth
Tiger Woods
Muhammed Ali
It pains me to say it but I would have to vote for Jordan. He ‘helped’ bring the NBA back into the spot light and gave it more notoriety internationally.
Turn Two,
Sheets has had elbow, finger and shoulder issues every year he has been in the game. Too much stuff for me to commit long term to him.
CC, on the other hand, has had zero elbow or shoulder problems. Plus, he is lefthanded. A big plus when you play half your games at Yankee Stadium.
To me, Phil Hughes is Ben Sheets without the injuries. They don’t have anybody on the roster or in the farm system who is like CC.
ALl the people who complain about spending the money on Santana will not spend the money on CC Sabathia, who is not even close to being as good as Santana.
Heh
So next year how much will it cost us for M Texiera and CC Sabathia?
I am not saying I won’t take either one of them, bring ‘em on. After this years let down, we are going to need to do a lot more than just qcquire these two.
Is it not time to bring up B Gardner yet to play centerfield??? No, I am not sending down Melky.. but moving him to left field. We can alternate DH between Damon/Matsui
sending down melky ( * joke )
Blargh,
Cant go wrong with Jordan. He did take the nba to another level with all the marketing and acrabatics. I just thought Babe was the main attraction when baseball was getting traction. The man hit more homeruns than most teams had all year. Ali was a show in itself. But not near the marketing as M.J. Woods followed Michaels blue prints. Cant go wrong with any of these guys.
I’m fine with letting Joba start, but there needs to be another anchor in that bullpen to take his place. Thus, I think the Yanks should go hard after K-Rod, whom I believe will be a FA after this season (as long as he doesn’t sign an extension, of course).
This may be blasphemy, but if K-Rod will only sign for the closer role, I say let him close and let Mariano return to the setup role. If I’m not mistaken, I could swear I heard that Mariano would be willing to setup in the future. Obviously if he doesn’t want setup, I wouldn’t force him, but if I could get K-Rod, I’d broach that topic with Mo. Top reliever money costs less than a starter anyway, and Pettitte has already said that he would like to pitch in the new stadium, as long as his arm holds up.
David Wells has never been in shape. In fact, CC is Chuck Norris from a fitness standpoint, in comparison to Wells.
Some guys just have great arms.
Not sure where CC falls in that catagory.
I do know, I’d like to see more before making a judgment on him.
I know the Yankees like CC. A LOT.
If he is out there in the off-season, and is healthy, its going to be an interesting call for the Yankees to make on him.
“Guess what the weather is like for the game in KC tonight. Just guess.”
Tornado’s?
Fatcessa and Pusso now clamoring about Girardi making a bad decision last night and now Fatcessa saids we’re off to a bad start so don’t bring up Girardi/Torre
“ItalianGreco
April 10th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Keep CC away from Aurthur Ave….too many good things to eat over there.’
too funny….yeah, CC might like Dominic’s for the entree, and Egidio’s for dessert.
The Yankees need another starter even if Pettitte comes back
Fleas – I am all for the Melky LF idea. Watching Matsui try to catch the ball over his head that was hit off Kennedy yesterday was not pleasant. I don’t think you can make that move with Posada and Jeter out of the lineup. But, the lack of defense in general will really hurt the Yankees this year.
They aren’t moving Mariano to a setup role for KRod. KRod isn’t as good a closer as Mariano and you don’t disrespect the greatest closer in history, who is still great, like that.
Fleas, as has been stated 1,000 times, it wasn’t money that stalled the Santana deal. It was the money AND the players you had to give up for him.
If CC is a FA, they have to give up a draft pick and money.
That’s the difference between the two transactions and its a big one.
SJ44,
“Everybody is in the same boat as the Yankees. Some, like the Tigers, are in worse shape”
Uhm, no exactly. The Yankees are the penultimate worst. Only the Tigers are worse then them. I don’t know if that is true after last night however… So, yes the Yankees are playing either next to the very worst in MLB or ARE the very worst.
just stating facts, not instigating.
“Is it not time to bring up B Gardner yet to play centerfield??? No, I am not sending down Melky.. but moving him to left field. We can alternate DH between Damon/Matsui”
I was thinking the same thing. Except maybe we could trade Damon or Matsui – they both have reasonable contracts for next year. I would get rid of Damon… Gardner is a leadoff hitter and a better fielder. Matsui for permanent DH is nice.
DP was stuck between the babe and mj. Leaning more towards the babe. Saying that he might have saved the sport.
last I checked
BOS 4 – 5
TOR 4 – 4
NYY 4 – 5
SAME BOAT
I’m assuming that Cashman is smart enough and committed enough to the new ‘younger & cheaper’ plan to realize that a 7 or 8 year deal for Sabathia would be a terrible investment. Forget lefty/righty and playoff history; we don’t know a) how his body will hold up, b) what kind of work ethic he’ll have (laziness is how he got into such bad shape in the first place), or c) how he can handle the spotlight of NY. Even if Sabathia has a great year, that will be a grand total of two good seasons and a lot more lousy ones. I’d thought that our fanbase had come to an agreement that these kinds of deals have to stop being given out? Everyone seems so glad that Giambi will be gone after this season. Will we feel the same way about Sabathia in 2015?
Yeah, I think Cashman is smart enough to avoid this one. But that brings us to the unfortunate thing. If the Yankees have a disappointing season, Hank lets Cashman go and starts bellowing about how they should have listened to him and gotten Santana. He orders Cashman’s replacement to give Sabathia whatever he wants. The Red Sox are smart enough to know this and get involved just to drive the price up to the moon (like they do with every free agent we sign). It’s the return of George at the peak of his impetuousness and we’re stuck with bad contract #783 and the only hope we had of things getting better gone forever.
So, yeah … there’s a bit of pressure on the team to turn the season around in a hurry …
SoS,
They played this during the Spurs/Suns game. Don’t know if you saw it. Excellent example of, “Can’t we all get along?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoQYgx7G-ug
BTW, Wha’ happened!?!?! You were supposed to help us win the Pacific division. Now we have to go earn it.
Ideally, I’d sign Sabathia and K-Rod (Damon and Matsui are coming off after next year anyway), let Posada move to 1B/DH for 3 years, and let Molina be the starting catcher. I know a lot of people want to spend big on Teixeira, but it’s all about the pitching.
SJ44 has a point Fleas… Santana wasn’t worth the huge contract and the players. Right now, Santana would be 0-2 with the way the Yankees are hitting.
Santana is better off in the NL anyway playing against inferior teams.
This CC talk is way premature. Lets see how the season plays out, how CC pitches, how Phil and Ian pitch, how Joba transitions to the rotation, if Horne, maybe Sanchez and maybe even Garcia can become legitimate options for ‘09. No need to make a decision after 2 starts roughly from all the starters around the league. Lots of very high quality pitchers, who were probably not on anyone’s radar to be moved, got moved this past offseason. Things will fall into place.
Who knows maybe Pavano hits the HGH and comes back for the Yankees and wins the CY Young next year.
Yes I grip about Kevin Long, but someone needs to tell him that he needs to put ego’s aside and start telling hitters to be more patient.
I for one prefer to see some get a called strike 3 because they are not being over-eager..
then watch another first pitch ground out/pop out.
Maybe Yankee ballplayers are not known for their math skills, but someone needs to tell them that if they all take the first pitch (one of the most fundamental baseball suggestions)
that over nine innings that is at a min. of 27 (if they were all 1.2.3 innings – which most are right now) extra pitches to make that opposing pitcher(s) work!
Don Vito A. Bellamo – Cot’s website said Giambi is $22 million with a $5 million buy out. $17 million.
If in June/July the Yankees season is lost with 2009 looking like a rebuilding mode – let Abreu walk. Being in Double A for Tabata & Jackson is nothing – most elite prospects make that jump. Who ever develops better gets the RF job in 2009, LF job in 2010 when Damon/Matsui depart. That is an all younger than 25 outfield.
For the comment – “for a $20 million, I want a proven playoff pitcher” – got to get there first.
You just never know what you’ll get with pitchers. Keep in mind that Pavano was hot-stuff as a free agent.
I would much rather take the chance rebuilding with you.
“The Yankees are the penultimate worst. Only the Tigers are worse then them. I don’t know if that is true after last night however… So, yes the Yankees are playing either next to the very worst in MLB or ARE the very worst.”
Please go take a bath in bug spray.
“To me, Phil Hughes is Ben Sheets without the injuries.”
sj-I might be wrong on this but didnt Hughes have an injury in the minors? I believe his first year. Plus the leg injury last year which supposidly has made him lose something on his fastball. I hope that Phil could perform on the mound like Sheets. Not the injury side offcoarse.
I do think that his nickname of Phil Phranchise is a bit much and premature to take on as a young pitcher. HUGHES YOUR DADDY is better.
And the Carmona contract is only 43 million over 7? That hardly excludes the possibility of signing Sabathia … but I still don’t think it will happen. Sabathia senses the big free agent contract; he’ll just stonewall the Indians.
ray,
C’mon. You’re better than that. Just let it go.
“Guess what the weather is like for the game in KC tonight. Just guess.â€
Sunny. With a rainbow over the stadium?
I thought using CC Sabathia and “a ton of money” in the same thought must have been a freudian slip.
My jaw kind of dropped when SJ compared him to Chuck Norris, but I do have to concede that the “hefty lefty” has taken the ball at least 28 times every year of his career. (This is why Sheets would be Pavano II and is not an option) He also seems like he has the kind of personality that would stand up in NYC.
Bottom line for me – a power lefty in the rotation would be an excellent addition and with the revenues booming next year and payroll dropping it seems like a natural move.
Russell NY
My point was that some people here say he was not worth the money even if there were no players involved in the trade. Some here think he is actually *washed up* really funny. I would bet that he wins another CY very soon.
If all Santana cost was money, he’d have been a Yankee. It was all about not giving up the talent. But Santana didn’t get to free agency. If Sabathia does well, is healthy, AND Cleveland decides it’s too rich for their blood, then I’m sure the Yankees will be in the mix and willing to spend the money. The same with Teixeira. Cashman has been saying, in a sense, that it’s about balance. You develop your own, but if the perfect opportunity presents itself, you dip into the free agent market. One does not preclude the other. It’s about getting the right free agent(s) and doing accurate assessments of the homegrown talent.
SJ44 -
I know there are a lot of posts that drive people crazy. I just want to make sure we don’t lump everyone together and inhibit the good discussions that can take place.
raymagnetic -
Sure, now I’ve read that very, very nice and favorable article about CC and he sounds like a great guy with a great mom and so now, I have to remind myself that one of the purposes of such an article is to “sell” CC, and not automatically go with, “gee, the Yankees need such a guy on their team,” because he’s got a great mom. You see what I’m saying?????
BUT, if the Yankees do end up getting him, it will be nice to know that he had a very good upbringing, and he has a great mom!
Wiggum Fan
.
OK…don’t laugh too hard, but I was not commenting on the actual dollar amount,,,simply whether or not the player WAS actually going to come off the books.
.,
OK…FIRE AWAY !!!
Fleas,
Really, take a deep breath and think. The Yankees and the Red Sox have the same record. How are the Yankees “worse” than anybody but the Tigers in the AL when the Red Sox have the same record and the Jays are a 1/2 game better/
Really, give it a rest. Passion is one thing. Foolishness is another.
“BTW, Wha’ happened!?!?! You were supposed to help us win the Pacific division. Now we have to go earn it.”
Didnt see it. I turned it on with a few minutes left and changed it real quick. I already told you. We dont want the first or second seed. We are losing on purpose. How else can you explain us not scoring at least 80 points in 3 straight games.
TK,
As several people have pointed out, having the money to spend is no reason to spend it. If you win a $100,000 jackpot, are you going to go right out and spend it all on a sports car and a bunch of expensive clothes? Or are you going to save it up for a time when it might be needed more?
‘We have the money, let’s spend it’ is how we got stuck with a limiting payroll in the first place.
“My point was that some people here say he was not worth the money even if there were no players involved in the trade. Some here think he is actually *washed up* really funny. I would bet that he wins another CY very soon.”
you waste of sperm
Ooh, two rivals playing right now, who do we cheer for?
Edwin Jackson sporting a teeny, tiny 1.00 ERA throwing a no-hitter with 5 K’s. Well, to be fair, so is Batista. Players must be sleeping still.
SJ44, why can’t I move Mariano to the setup? If the only thing standing in the way of signing K-Rod is he wants to be the closer, why not do it as long as Mo is ok with setting up? All it means is he will have holds instead of saves, which are meaningless stats. As great as Mo is, K-Rod has also been an excellent reliever and he is young.
Hoffman has a boat load of saves over his career, but it doesn’t mean much if you ask me. Watch him get “disrespected” as he loses the closer role to Heath Bell.
“Please go take a bath in bug spray.”
ray-Isnt that a bit dangerous? That cant be good.
Wait a second here. The Carmona deal is 4 yrs plus 3 option yrs according to reports. If it goes 7 yrs it will be a total of about $48M. How is that not affordable?
It is a bargain, and they only had to commit to 4 yrs. Great deal for the Indians. If anything I think they are showing Sabathia that he won’t be the only quality pitcher on the staff. They might not be the richest club in the league but this is not a big contract. They should still have room to sign Sabathia.
Bird, Blake and Borowski all come off the books this summer and by the time Carmona reaches his option yrs (and starts to make some big bucks) Byrd and Hafner’s contracts will have expired. Until then his contract is very, very affordable.
This deal is about making sure they can afford Sabathia, not about turning their back on him.
If we do sign C.C. I think there should be a “no baggy clothes” clause and a “Wear your cap straight” clause. Who’s with me?
bigjf,
Hoffman might make the move if he wants to win a ring (he hasn’t won one, right?).
Rivera would hang up the cleats if he couldn’t be a dominant closer. IMO.
Mel,
You’re right I am better than that but Fleas is like an annoying little brother.
Doreen,
He did have a good upbringing. But he’s been dedicated to taking care of himself for a few years now so if he did come to NY I don’t think his weight would be that much of an issue.
DJ -
Fair point – I would counter that we have a bunch of question marks in the rotation (which is fun, but not as much fun as winning). With Pettitte year to year, Moose on his last year under contract and the rest of the rotation in diapers only CMW is consistent and reliable.
CC would give you an innings eater and a power lefty who is in his prime and a proven commodity.
Are the people out there advocating dumping Damon after nine games in favor of Gardner aware that Gardner hasn’t played the last four or five games because of an ankle problem?
As for the 11 million dollars “wasted” on Pavano, don’t you think you’ve gotten 40 million worth of jokes bashing him, Pete? If they keep Igawa at AAA and Farnsworth is gone, you’re going to wish they had Pavano back next year. Here’s hoping they sign Sheets or another Japanese pitcher, just so you have someone to make fun of.
S.o.S.27 -
1000% agree! The sideways turned cap is not pinstripe ready.
Great point.
Brian M,
If other clubs (i.e. the Yankees) don’t put up huge offers, you might see Sabathia go back to the Indians. But I think he wants a big contract and he’s willing to leave the Indians if that’s what it takes. He’s looking at Zito & Santana.
Does anyone else think that we have pitchers in the minors that could do as good if not a better job than K rod?
Don Vito A. Bellamo -
The are “coming off the books.” Pavano’s book is “Injuries and their cures for dummies.”
Pettite and Giambi will be using nursing textbooks as they have practical experience giving shots.
Mussina’s book is an original draft of “A Christmas Carol” so he can learn to play Scrooge his town’s Christmas play.
I’m okay with the hat.
Clippard, and, to a lesser degree, Hughes both wore their caps tilted.
Um Don Vito, I am pretty sure we have seen the last of the Giambino after this year. Unless he wants to sign for the veteran minimum, Big G will be playing somewhere else in 2009.
All you guys are panic stricken after 9 games of light hitting yet you think Texiera is the answer?
Tex is the worst 1st half hitter in baseball! He never gets going until June. When he’s hitting .180 for the Pinstripes in May, all you patient fans will want him sent to Scranton and Cash fired.
In other news. Joe Torre’s Dodgers are 4-5.
TK,
He’s had one good (admittedly great) year. Even assuming another one this year, he’s as much a proven commodity as Pavano was.
If the only argument for signing him is that we need reliability, there are alternatives on the market. Alternatives that wouldn’t cost as much money *or* as many years and would, arguably, be more reliable if not more talented. How about Brad Penny for a low-cost option?
I am definitely NOT with SOS on the mandated uniform conformity rules.
Should Joba be forced to put a big frat boy curve in his brim like the old-timers?
Please.
Brad Penny will not be a low-cost option…
rbizzler,
Even if Giambi played for free, you won’t see in ’stripes next year. Old, injured, and ineffective. And I like Giambi, but it’s a youth movement and he’s clogging the roster.
Pete,
Many of us have asked you several times to refrain from posting “Sabathia to the Yankees” rumors. It makes absolutely no sense to pay Sabathia 150 million dollars for what he did in Cleveland.
The Yankees have the deepest pool of pitching prospects in baseball, rivaled only by the Dodgers. If the Yankees spend money in the free agent market in the near future it should be for every-day players, particularly positions where there is nothing in the immediate pipeline. In fact, the only players I’d like to see the Yankees sign in the near future are Teixeira and Carl Crawford (if Tampa doesn’t lock him up before 2009).
Here are a few reasons why Sabathia makes no sense:
1. Dellin Betances: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZFm1QBzcw
2. Andrew Brackman. When asked about Brackman, Virginia Tech coach Pete Hughes had this to say: “What a talent,” Hughes said. “I mean, he’s 6-11, you don’t see the arm slot, he had great velocity and can throw the slider for a strike. Amazing.”
Even Peter Gammons is nervous about Brackman’s ceiling.
3. Chamberlain, Wang, Hughes, Kennedy, Marquez, Horne, et. al. Oh by the way Humberto Sanchez, and if you saw what he did in the Future’s Game 3 years ago you know what he’s capable of doing (probably at the back end of the bullpen with Melancon). There are only 5 spots people.
The only legit argument in favor of signing Sabathia that holds water is these young guys are all p-r-o-s-p-e-c-t-s. The Mets had 3 prospects who didn’t work out. I’ve listed 10 names. I’ll take my chances with these 10 and whoever else we have in the system rather than fork over 150 million because Sabathia won the Cy Young for the Indians in 2007.
Some folks have mentioned the idea of getting rid of Damon or Matsui.
I can’t see getting rid of Matsui. The guy is a proven RBI machine.
Damon, on the other hand, should go.
What team(s) would want him? What might a reasonable deal look like?
But Melky/Gardner/Abreu in the OF? I don’t think so. Matsui’s got to play. He can’t DH while Giambi’s still lurking about.
Trade Damon, get a good left-handed pitcher back in the deal.
Keep Matsui in LF, bring up Justin Christian as a back-up. He’d be the perfect guy for the role.
There’s no place for a full-timer like Gardner on the Yanks. He’s great trade bait.
Jeter should lead-off.
TurnTwo,
We’d have to overpay him. But all free agent pitchers are overpayed these days. He wouldn’t cost what Sabathia will be asking, though.
Mel,
You are right, he might end up getting priced out of the Indians range. But it won’t be because of this deal. The are paying Carmona $15M total of the next 4 yrs. A no 2 starter at less than $4M per season, I think that is pretty affordable.
Pete is asking if the Indians have the resources to sign two top starters. All I am saying is that this deal only ensures they won’t end up paying him $10M in arbitration. It gives them certainty and structure to their future and makes resigning Sabathia more likely, not less likely.
Of course if he gets an offer of $25M per from somewhere else this is all academic.
The only big FA player I see Cashman signing is Texiera. I don’t see Sabaithia here, too many questions marks with him.
Cashmen is not going to go crazy in FA. Not after preaching building from within, having a flexible roster, and getting younger.
Mariano Rivera is not moving to a setup man for ANYBODY.
Just because somebody is younger, doesn’t mean he is better.
Its amazing. You want to ask Mariano to move over for KRod.
What exactly is wrong with the 8th and 9th innings this year? Nothing.
They don’t need KRod. That would be a waste of money.
Guys like Mariano don’t have to move for anybody.
Mel, I agree that the Giambino is more than likely gone. The only way that he stays is as an extremely low cost DH/Ph option. He wants to play so he will head elsewhere.
Martin,
Betances and Brackman are at least three years away (counting this one). A pitcher who has yet to complete a full season of minor league ball and another one who is recovering from TJS (and yet to throw a pro inning) will have little impact on whether or not the Yanks sign CC.
rbizzler,
O.k. no curve on his brim. Its the new age in thing. I know. But can we have the bill face forward and not towards his ears?
DJ -
A durable power lefty with a sub 4 ERA for his career with 100 wins at age 28 and you make him sound like a old pickup truck!
Just kidding – we’ll see what happens.
Why would Cash dump $150M on the morbidly obese second best lefty in the league when he wouldn’t give it to the slim, trim best lefty in the league?
Santana’s in Flushing because Cash did not want to commit the long-term money to a pitcher. Period. He convinced Hank to withdraw the Hughes offer and he never tried to seriously engage when Smith came back to him before accepting a bag of rocks from the Mets. He keeps repeating through his proxies in the press that Smith asked for Kennedy and Wang, but you never hear him say “we offered a better deal but Smith took less from the Mets.” Don’t you think if that happened Fatmouth Hank would be braying from a height?
Maybe Santana’s arm will fall off this August and Cash will turn out to be right. Stranger things have happened. But however it plays out, it was about money. And it was Cash’s decision.
Sabathia has actually strung together 2 good years (although his years before 2006 were indeed either just average or above average)
His 2006 season was 3.22 ERA (140 ERA+…his era last year was 3.21 for 143 ERA+) with 1.173 WHIP (compared to 1.141 WHIP last year). To put in the context of the AL of 2006, that ERA was 3rd while that WHIP was 4th. His ERA and WHIP were both 5th last year. Although, his K:BB ratio was ‘only’ 4th in the AL in 2006, compared to 1st in AL last year.
So if the guy does great this year, it’ll be a string of 3 good years.
“Are the people out there advocating dumping Damon after nine games in favor of Gardner aware that Gardner hasn’t played the last four or five games because of an ankle problem?”
Why would they be aware of things like that DLev? Doesn’t it sound much better to say bring up Gardner and dump Damon? Cmon try saying it and see how much fun it is to say.
Ghost,
I do agree that Tex seems to get hott later rather than sooner. I think first base is going to be needed for the older guys trasitioning in the backend of their contracts. Possibly Posada, Arod, and Jeter. But if the money is burning a hole in Yankee pockets. I would prefer him over C.C.
rbizzler,
I think you are wrong sir. When you sign someone to a 7+ year deal, you don’t think Cashman is thinking about what he has at his disposal in 2010? In other words, why spend 7 and 150 because you need a stop gap for 2009 and 2010? Is this being fiscally responsible?? Cashman has clearly showed the patience to wait. That is precisely why he did not trade for Gagne last year.
You think he has the patience to wait for the host of blue-chip pitching prospects that he has been amassing since 2004, or do you think he’s going to drop 150 on Sabathia? He didn’t trade for Santana when Santana was 28 years old; you think he’s signing Sabathia next year at 28 for 7 years?
“Some folks have mentioned the idea of getting rid of Damon or Matsui.
I can’t see getting rid of Matsui. The guy is a proven RBI machine.
Damon, on the other hand, should go.”
no one wants to get rid of them but if an oppurtunity comes this is where the Yankees will make the decision into what team they want to become between Damon and Matsui the most useful guy is Damon because he can still run and field and is a high OBP % guy when he’s on, the Yankees can not and I repeat can not continue to be a base to base stagnent team in the future. People need to think what do you really prefer young athletic and versatile or stick w/ what you know, in a perfect world young athletic and high OBP % is what we’re looking for and the only team I saw that did that last season in the ML was the Colorado Rockies.
Fleas,
“My point was that some people here say he was not worth the money even if there were no players involved in the trade. Some here think he is actually *washed up* really funny. I would bet that he wins another CY very soon.”
I would make the deal if it was just the money but that was not the situation. Whoever here said he wasn’t worth the money has some validity. Don’t forget that the Yankees pay a ridiculous luxury tax that would have run them up to like 27-28 million a year for the guy. That is nothing to push aside.
Whoever said he was *washed up* must have been nuts but it certainly was alarming that his homerun rate is going up, he went away from his slider for the 2nd half of the season, and all the innings he has pitched.
For the Yanks to tie up 27-28 million on those gambles isn’t worth it. Santana is in the NL now where teams are weak enough (ala Marlins, Nationals) that he could survive with less than his best stuff.
meant to say “may not”, not “isnt”
I’m never a fan of giving pitchers long-term deals. In the past, it hasn’t worked. If we can get CC for 4-5 years, then I don’t see much of a problem if we’re paying him 17-18 mil. But if he wants 20×7, forget it. 80 mil for 4 years wouldn’t be bad, or 90 for 5.
Zito hasn’t worked out for the Giants, Santana may not work out for the Mets, and look at all the money we’ve wasted on the Pavano, Weaver, Vazquez, Contreras types. Young pitching is the way to go, and we’ve got plenty of it. I’d be more for unloading our aging vets for younger minor league pitchers that have potential.
Wang is a proven ace, and if we get CC, I think Wang will out-pitch him. He is, afterall, the winningest pitcher in baseball in the last 2 years. That has to count for something, especially when you keep your ERA under 4 in the AL East.
Wang
CC
Hughes
Chamberlain
Pettitte
That would be a good rotation. By then, Pettitte will be Mussina-like with his velocity but will still be deadly to lefties.
Also, Burnett will be a FA after this year if he opts out, why not try and sign him? He won’t command the salary that CC will but you will get the production.
STEPHEN A. SMITH’S SENDOFF SHOW !!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !
myrtlebeachfan,
Burnett? Maybe if we can pay him only for the time he won’t be on the DL. Something tells me he won’t be willing to exclude that time from his contract.
O/T, but I saw a wine bottle last night. Labeled “Fat Bastard Wine” with a hippo on it. Hilarious. Actually, according to Wikipedia, Business Week has called it a “marketing phenomenon.”
With all the money coming off the books this year and the next. Would the Yanks have enough money for CC and Big Tex?
Brandon it is about time!! Who is taking over for him?
By the end of the season the yankee’s most pressing problem may be the accumulated age of the position players.
They don’t have younger position player’s who’ll be ready in 2009 to replace the veterans that they have right now.
They also don’t have a lot of contract flexibility with the position players – only Abreu’s deal i sup.
At the same time it’s always pitching that wins.
They are finally starting to emerge from the spiral of bad long term contracts that have been an albatross around their necks for the past 7 years.
To turn around and start handing out long term contracts again this winter is a major commitment that risks the possibility of the team placing itself back in the same position it’s been in 5 years from now.
There’s no easy answers to retooling a team while trying to win the world series at the same time.
I think the pitching going forward is going to be strong – stronger with Sabbahia in the short term if they signed him – but strong even without him.
The line up is aging and ARod, Jeter and Posada are going to be here a while (Jeter will be resigned after 2010 – count on it. He’s not going anywhere).
How does Texeira fit into that mix? If committing to him until the age of 35-36 the right move when you already have commitments three players at that time who’ll be close to 40?
Given the age of the current infield they will probably need to get drastically younger in the outfield and the other available position slots – that’ll depend on whether Jeter moves and when.
A lot of uncertainty. Is committing to additional long terms contracts the right move in the face of that uncertainty?
What’s the opportunity cost of those long term contracts over and above their dollar value in terms of lost flexibility?
Those are the issues they’re going to have to address. It’ll be interesting moving forward.
Flemming (Copenhagen, Denmark): Joba has given up a hit this year. Do you think there’s anything wrong with him?
Keith Law: (2:13 PM ET ) I hear his velocity’s down. I’m going to go find someone who knows nothing about pitching mechanics to tell me what’s wrong with him.
Martin,
That is not the point. Betances has thrown 60 pro innings (none above low A) and had to be shut down because of elbow troubles last year. Brackman threw 150 college innings over three seasons at NC State and is out all of 2008 because of surgery.
I have as high of hopes for both of these guys as anyone but counting on them to contribute is foolish. Cash has no idea what he has in those two (outside) and shouldn’t make moves thinking that they will be slotted in to the mix whenever.
Hope is one thing, but counting on them is another. Cash passed on Santana because Hughes, IPK and Joba were perceived to be ML ready not some kids who have yet to put it together but light up the radar guns.
Jennifer I don’t know but he’s trying to get emotional and I just want him off the air already
Wow it was not all about money!! It was about PROSPECTS & MONEY! If they could have signed Santana as a free agent it would have happened.
Rishi,
That’s hilarious! From Keith Law (notorious Yankee detractor), too!
Kj,
I think they’ll always have the money, but the question is should they? They’ve spent upwards of $1B since their last ring and have nothing to show for it. Cashman (and Hal) have them on the road to fiscal responsibility. The amazing thing is that the fans see it as the right thing to do, too. That’s why I want to win the WS this year. Then, I think they can go into true rebuilding mode (with grandfathered contracts) and get it fiscally sane again.
However, I am not opposed (nor I think many will be) to getting Tex to come play 1B for the New York Yankees. If he wants to. That’s been a gaping hole that’s been there for years. If we can solve that problem, then we can get bench players who can fulfill other needs rather than build our bench to solve the 1B problem.
they NEED sabathia! we dont have any good lefties in the farm and pettitte has become injury prone (HGH related?)
CC
Wang
Hughes
Chamberlain
Kennedy
this is the best rotation!
Keith Law is really funny.
He was an acquired taste for me. Over the last two years though, I have really gotten to like what he writes.
He isn’t afraid to embarrass some of the morons in the media who talk nonsense. Such as those who are looking to find fault with Joba and/or Hughes for example.
He also isn’t part of the ESPN Red Sox infomerical brigade. When they do something he agrees with, he says so. When they do, he has no problem speaking up.
For pure prospect knowledge, I don’t think there is anybody at ESPN who can match him.
He isn’t a kiss ass so he is probably destined for .com work instead of being on Baseball Tonight, where he belongs.
His chats and blog though are always fun reads.
I agree with CB. Its why I would put the bulk of my FA money toward Tex in the off-season.
Gotta get younger with position players. Tex, Cano, Melky, with Arod and Jeter on the fringe (age-wise) is a good place to start.
oh btw Christian Garcia has begun throwing side sessions he was stopped earlier last month because of shoulder pain a common thing for pitchers after TJS to get shutdown again as soon as they warmup the muscles, his 2008 minor league season debut shouldn’t be too far away.
This is Keith Law you’re talking about?
Yea I mean Betances is like what 12…He is a long ways away even if he doesnt get hurt. Brackman is someone that you wont even see till 2010 at the earliest.
HGH doesn’t cause injuries. Where is he “injury prone”?
Didn’t Pettitte make 30 starts last year?
Back spasms doesn’t make somebody injury prone.
CC reminds me of bartolo colon. I don’t really think he is as great as they are making him out to be, and beckett should of definitely won the cy young last year.
p.s. If your down on Wang because of his post season, you shouldn’t let CC off the hook for his bad performance either.
Keith Law isn’t a Yankee hater. He is a moron hater.
Regardless of your team affiliation, if you ask moronic questions, he will embarrass you.
You doesn’t look to kiss any fans butt. That’s why he is entertaining.
He also is quite knowledgeable on prospects and the college game. Moreso than anybody at ESPN.
I read all those chats – but think Keith is the most rational (along with Buster – love Buster, his blog is a daily must read, but he doesn’t chat that often).
It’s great when someone asks a question totally expecting him to agree and he blatantly disagrees.
even if pettitte isn’t injury prone sabathia is still so much better than pettitte! andy is a good #3 right now while sabathia is an ACE.
Wow. Augusta’s playing tough. 2-under is that top score.
Check out the Yankee giveaways. Funny stuff:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/080409&sportCat=mlb&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos1
Also a great quote from Law:
Kevin (The DISTRICT of): KLAW, settle this ridiculous Phil Hughes velocity debate. What’s the real story? Did he really throw in the mid 90s in the minors?
SportsNation Keith Law: (1:04 PM ET ) Yes, that’s definitely the stupid Internet story of the week. Hughes was 90-94 coming up through the minors – saw it with my own eyes, more than once – and he’s pitching in the lower end of that range right now. It’s a controversy borne of the cockeyed optimism of fans who latch on to a pitcher’s highest-ever reported velocity and then act shocked – SHOCKED! – when he doesn’t actually throw that hard.
Wang must feel good to see small market Cleveland sign Carmona to long term deal prior to arbitration eligibility. Let’s compare their last 3 years side by side – no comparison Wang has done much better. And before we bring up last year’s playoffs, let’s also remember that the year before Wang got the Yanks only playoff win. I’m a Wang and Yankees fan, but I hope he gets a couple of CY awards and then takes off for LA or SF where he may be more appreciated. Then is back to the 80’s Yanks!
what makes CC an ace and wang not an ace? CC was also terrible in the playoffs last year, since that the key criteria that everyone is using to criticize wang.
If Carmona got 4 years plus 3 team option years (basically, almost half the contract would be option years) maybe that’s the key to making sure CC’s worth the investment. Give him the same kind of deal, and let him prove whether he can hold up for 6 or 7 years. If not, the potential for Pavano years later on is greatly reduced.
If he wants more guaranteed years, I’d just offer him higher $$ for the option years.
Hm … ‘Pavano years’ …. that sounds sort of like ‘dog years’. If you add up the innings he pitched for NY, the fictitious 7:1 dog/human year conversion ratio is about the same as what one would expect from a 4 year contract.
Actually it’s closer to 8:1 but you get the point. Woof.
Mel
I know they will always have the money and I agree with the others in saying they sould go hard after Tex and leave CC alone. But with Pettite and Moose looking like this will be their last seasons with the club who fills in the rest of the rotation. I dont want to hear Joba as one of those guys. He needs to stay in the pen and become the future closer. So yea the Yanks have alot of money but you figure they will give Abreu a deal. And they on top of that they need a 1st baseman and 2 starters.
Wang Sabathia Hughes Kennedy Joba?
The Yankees are always wrong on the weather..who are they listening to?? What a joke to not start Kennedy and then burn out the pen thinking the game would get called….Farnsworth is a joke and needs to go now, he is a waste and we need a long man in his place….the Yankees are looking sooo stupid for still trusting him, trying to prove they made a good move in getting him, release him and bring up a long man Rasner now…..if they send down someone like Ohlendorf instead to bring up a long man Rasner they are not putting the success of the team 1st no matter what they say!!!
Looks like another monsoon night in KC. Raining now, expected to be heavier the rest of the day and a 60% chance of rain tonight. Maybe some hail.
Sounds like baseball weather to me.
what makes CC an ace and wang not an ace? CC was also terrible in the playoffs last year, since that the key criteria that everyone is using to criticize wang.
———
Why not have 2 aces? or 5?
CC – ace
Wang – ace
Hughes – ace
Chamberlain – ace
Kennedy – ace(maybe)
Well said, Jt. Yankees are doing the ol’ double standard. What’s next? Long term deal for Kennedy or Hughes before they even get double digit wins in a year, while Wang is still going year to year to the arbitration table? It’s shameful.
JT:
CC had Beckett in ERA & IP, not sure why you think Beckett should have won it over CC. They were basically identical pitchers except CC pitched a ton more innings, thus making him more valuable and awesome.
thers a 162 games in a season, let’s at least wait until may until we start being irrational.
And joba to the rotation!!! We have plenty of youngsters that can potentially fill in joba’s shoes, but not many that can fill in the rotation.
Ben,
Carmona’s making less than $4 million a year for the next four years. And the rest of the years are club options. Wang’s already making more this year and stands to make a *lot* more if he continues performing well.
How is Andy a “good #3 now”? Based on what, one start this season?
He was a solid #2 last year and, if he had any runs support early in the season, he could have won 18-20 games.
Andy is what he has been for the last 10-11 years. A solid #2 guy in any rotation.
I don’t see CC getting more years than Santana. Santana got 6 years. You are probably looking at a 5 year with an option or a 6 year deal for CC.
Question is, do you go for it or not?
Jerkface. Agree, but Yanks need to be careful signing pitchers to long term deals who just had a “one-shot” wonder year … ie, Pavano, Rogers, Whitson, etc. history goes on and on. CC would be settling … not a Beckett type of pitcher.
DJ … your’re right on that, but with pitchers its always the risk of injury. i’d bet wang would take 3-4 years guaranteed at $4 mil per, especially the way Girardi works pitchers.
Wang’s new contract will exceed Carmona’s. By a lot.
He got more money than any starting pitcher with his service time in Yankee history.
He isn’t being shortchanged. Another good year, and his multi-year deal will top 8 million per year.
Kj,
I definitely think they should bring Abreu back for 2. Whatever makes Alex comfortable.
You won’t see Joba as a closer, that’s easy to fill. But finding a true ace isn’t.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if Mo was pitching like this for the next 3 years? Unlikely, but he shows no sign of slowing down.
Don’t know if anyone has posted this yet; don’t know if anyone cares. (Why did I check, though?)
Here’s the YouTube of David Cone last night. Yup, he says it. Yeah, I felt the urge to yawn.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RMUj9topaWU
SJ44 April 10th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
How is Andy a “good #3 now� Based on what, one start this season?
He was a solid #2 last year and, if he had any runs support early in the season, he could have won 18-20 games.
Andy is what he has been for the last 10-11 years. A solid #2 guy in any rotation.
—————–
He can be a #2 but I think he’s developed some serious back problems! Too bad for Mr. Backstabber.
“what makes CC an ace and wang not an ace? CC was also terrible in the playoffs last year, since that the key criteria that everyone is using to criticize wang.”
you can’t be serious ? did you watch CC last season at all ? even at his worse in the playoffs which can be fixed he got to 5 inning and 6 inning vs Boston w/ a 2 – 1 game, he just walked the park and was fatigued.
P.S. CC Sabathia was more valueable to the Indians because the Indians offense was nearly pathetic until late in the season when it finally clicked.
“I don’t see CC getting more years than Santana.”
Why not? The same argument that this is a better value because you’re only giving up money, not prospects, applies here. If we have to fight the Sox and possibly even the Mets for him, it will just keep pushing the price up. He could get a bigger contract than Santana easily.
ANSKY,
No offense to CC, but he’s not significantly better than Wang is now, or Joba will be in the future.
He is an ace, so he won’t come to the Yankees to be a number 2 or number 3.
Wang
Joba
Hughes
???
Kennedy
That’s your future rotation. That’s what Cashman has visions of. Put Brackman in there and that’s positively sick.
Joba
Wang
Hughes
Brackman
Kennedy
or (we hope, cuz that would mean that Hughes is really good):
Joba
Hughes
Wang
Brackman
Kennedy
i dont think he cares whether he is #1 or #5 as long as he gets his money……..
why do you insert brackman? he’s going to be a project like betances… probably wont see him until 2011.
Don’t forget the $16 million from Andy Pettitte.
Aunty,
That’s a projected rotation for the future. Cashman’s not going to pay someone $25M to be anything less than a number 1.
If Joba because a true starter with a Santana-like ERA, then with the way Wang’s been pitching, CC would be the 3rd best pitcher. If CC had 2 or 3 years of what he did last year, then maybe we can talk, but in my eyes he and Wang are essentially the same. The only difference is that Wang’s cheaper and proven he can pitch in New York. Dude’s got like 5 losses in Yankee Stadium.
Serious back problems? Your proof is what exactly?
Back spasms are not “serious back problems”.
If he had “serious back problems”, he wouldn’t be pitching tonight.
I do know you post this gibberish to get attention.
But, how about trying to make some sense for one day.
Then you can go back to posting nonsense.
There is no comparison between Carmona and Sabathia.
Carmona has had one good year (1-10 the before) and the Indians were looking for ways to get him out of the rotation early last year.
I don’t know the specifics, but I would imagine a bunch of the position players the Tribe has on the cheap now are going to get paid soon. Their window might be this year alone before they have to make a lot of tough decisions.
Best lines from today’s chat:
Flemming (Copenhagen, Denmark): Joba has given up a hit this year. Do you think there’s anything wrong with him?
Keith Law: I hear his velocity’s down. I’m going to go find someone who knows nothing about pitching mechanics to tell me what’s wrong with him.
Ooohh. A Miggy sighting. Pinch hit for Yuniesky (such a cool name) Betancourt.
Sorry, I missed that quote when it was posted earlier.
Brandon – Thanks for the Garcia info. I have been trying to get some news for a few days. This is a big year for him. If he can stay healthy, as I said in an earlier post, he may make the CC question moot. All reports are he now has 3 ++ pitches. Never a question of talent only health.
It seems to be consensus that the hitters aren’t hitting because of the cold weather, but I would imagine it has a very similar dampening effect on pitchers. Let’s see where we are in two months.
Why so much noise about Sabathia’s playoff record ? Santana doesn’t exactly have lights out numbers himself. In either case, they’re small sample sizes compared to pitchers with multiple postseason appearances.
If Sabathia were righthanded he might get a token look from the Yankees because of all the righthanded prospects in the system but his drawing power is his being a portsider.
Damon Oppenheimer’s emphasis in the next 2 drafts will be lefthanded pitching and infielders / outfielders. The future catching and righthanded pitching are considered a strength.
NO WAY JOSE…
I would rather sign the switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixiera. CC Sabathia has LOUSY numbers against BOSTON. NO reason to give that guy 100+ million…
Yanks have Andrew Brackman, Humberto Sanchez, Alan Horne… PLENTY OF KIDS… Maybe try to swing a deal to get Harden or Kazmir… MAYBE sign AJ Burnett for 1/3 the price of CC.
Move Joba into the rotation… Wang-Joba-Hughes-Kennedy should be good enough.
108 -
“Why so much noise about Sabathia’s playoff record ?”
Two words – Josh F’ing Beckett
that’s 3
“If we have to fight the Sox and possibly even the Mets for him, it will just keep pushing the price up. He could get a bigger contract than Santana easily.”
I disagree. First, I think the Mets are out of the question for any more big bucks into their pitching staff. They will pay Oliver Perez then Maine will be due a few years down the line. They have handcuffed themselves with Santana – plus Citi Field is NOT a money printing machine like Yankee Stadium.
#2 – his contract will be compared to Santana’s but he hasn’t put up Santana’s numbers so he wont make more. Guarantee it.
The Sox have heavy money invested in dice-k, heavy in Beckett, a good amount in Timlin. They might be going for him but just to drive up the price… Lester and Buckholz suck. Just thought i’d throw that in there
Meant to say Wakefield, not Timlin. Why isnt the edit button working?
OH CONEY
Jason –
Please rent “Midnight Run” with Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin, then we’ll talk.
I have seen it and was just kidding.
Clare -
“They might be going for him but just to drive up the price”
Which is the only reason I think the Sox *would* be in it. Their management is a) very smart and b) allergic to big contracts. They want nothing to do with Sabathia.
But … that hasn’t prevented the Yanks (under George, at least) from being terrified by their involvement in any free agent or trade dealings. We almost saw it happen again with the Santana talks. Cashman cooled Hank down and convinced him not to give up the farm … and sure enough Boston’s involvement was revealed as a bluff. My worry is that Cashman won’t be around to cool Hank down this winter and Boston will once again scare us into paying way too much.
Remember in 2006 when the Indians had to use Carmona as their closer? He blew 3 consecutive save opportunities badly. There was a memorable one in Boston where I dont think he got any one out before being lifed. Afterwards, the talk was that this kid had great stuff, but had absolutely no control.
2 years later, he’s still has control issues but he’s still one of the best young starters in the American League. It just shows, you have to show patience with young pitchers. IMO his upside is similar to Phil Hughes and much higher than Ian Kennedy. It’s a good move by the Indians.
Drive 4 -5 I remember they showcased it on ESPN BT on back to back nights my friend is a Tribe fan and I told him relax they are rushing that kid I mean 21 yrs. old and closing the game w/o no college experience only having experience vs free swingers and then there was juiced up Big Papi and Mike Lowell going walkoff on him, he had braids on that year and his ERA went to 21.– something
I remember being impressed w/ Carmona’s stufff but asking myself this is really bad that they are forcing him to close this game, I guess it made him stronger.
There is one 2009 free agent that no one has mentioned – Cashman. Remember, he doesn’t have a contract for next year.
Also, I’m comparing this mostly to the Santana trade where the suitors were limited by his no-trade clause and the prospects teams could offer. A free agent situation is very different. Tom Hicks could come out of Texas with a big offer (it’s rumored that they would have paid Santana, but Johan didn’t want to go to Texas). The Braves also have a lot of money coming off their payroll this winter, including Hampton’s suffocating contract. Expect both of them to be involved big.
Mel – By typing the names in that order I didn’t mean to imply who’d be better than who in a year, or who could be considered an ace or not. That’s just the way they came out. It’s too hard to tell a hypothetical 1-5 order from this point. The five of those guys together (if it were to be those 5) could just be a pretty solid rotation.
Oh BTW I agree with SJ on the difference between constructive negativity and moronic thinking. My way of saying it last night was sarcastic – I’m sure some of you can come up with other adjectives too – but some (not all) of the stuff I’ve been reading since the first pitch of spring training has been very much the opposite of fun, enthusiastic, interesting and/or insightful. Negatives are part of the game and yes they can be part of (or lead to) intriguing discussions. But that’s no reason to go to embittered extremes or digress to being be nothing more than a stupid punk.
It’s just a very good thing several of the posters are not in either Cashman’s or Girardi’s position. It’s also a very good thing the rest of the posters post on the blog.
ANSKY,
You’re right. That would be solid. I just don’t see Sabathia on the Yankees. We wouldn’t pay for Johan-Freaking-Santana, so it’s a stretch to say we’d pay for a lesser commodity. If it happens, then so much the better and I’ll be CC’s #1 fan.
Despite the weak offense so far this season, the weakness of this team is not offense. How can you prioritize 1b over a stud pitcher? Even if Sabathia isn’t an ace (which he is)he is a front of rotation guy and that has to trump first base. Tex is awesome no doubt and I would be stoked if he was in pinstripes, but not at the expense of a solid 1-2, or 1-2-3 with very 4-5. That’s the better option. Look at what that has done for Arizona over the years.
Who cares what they spend? It isn’t my money. The whole game is getting nuts with respect to money. As a fan I want the best team possible out there. It Cashman’s job to worry about the money. I like the youth movement because its more fun to watch, leaving the team in a better position financially is gravy.
Who was the last free agent starter the Yankees signed that proved to be worth the contract? Pettitte doesn’t count.
I thought the point of drafting high upside pitching prospects and taking the strength in numbers approach that Cashman has been doing with pitchers is to avoid the temptation of signing a free agent pitcher to an insane contract only to have him fizzle under the bright lights of NY.
I haven’t read all the comments on this thread, but if Sabathia is available for 5-6 years of money and a draft pick – I’d take him. Yes, there are questions about his weight and, ultimately, his long term health. But the guy has been a workhorse for 7 years, without major physical problems, and he’s only 28! He comes from a family of large, heavy, durable individuals. He would not be the first professional athlete with his body type to perform at a consistently high level for a long duration. (Charles Barkley and , Willie Stargell come to mind.)
Besides, NY needs a lefty stalwart to compliment its righty prospects.
and…wasn’t Joba Chamberlain questionable to some MLB organizations because of HIS weight?
Mel – The diff between Santana and CC (as already posted in various places) is:
Santana could have been had for a huge contract, plus either Hughes or Kennedy, plus Melky, plus a top OF prospect and maybe even Wang.
CC could be had for a huge contract (maybe not as huge as Santana’s but thats not the point) and only one draft pick. Nothing else.
If Santana wins 2 more games a year than CC this year, I’d take the second deal. If he wins 10 more (actually if CC wins 10 less) I’m happy with where we are right now.
“There is one 2009 free agent that no one has mentioned – Cashman. Remember, he doesn’t have a contract for next year.”
Damn i almost forgot about Clemens.
I’m not sold on Sabathia, especially not to the point of giving him a 5 or 6 year deal. If Joba ends up in the rotation where he belongs (sorry, folks, but a pitcher with 4 ML pitches and that kind of upside is not like Mariano Rivera – the ultimate one-trick pony to stunning effect – and is wasting away in the pen) and Hughes develops into a 2 or 1 starter, Wang and Kennedy will round out the makings of a nice rotation. Throw in Pettitte, or another FA starter, or Horne or a quickly develpoing youngster on the farm, and that’s a nice 5. I’d rather they spend the money bringing in Textiera (if he’d come here) and some speed.
nine games in and apparently 2/3 of the team should be traded or bought out immediately if not sooner. does anyone feel that picking players this time of the year is silly. the water hasn’t even risen yet, let alone gone under the bridge.
I can’t stand Keith Law. He’s arrogant and thinks Phil Hughes is a #3 starter………..bah.
Sabathia ? Sold !
(Just keep him away from Mulberry street and Vaccarro’s Cannolis!)
In my perfect world, once the Mussina’s, Giambis, Farnsworths, are gone from this team, the NYY make two BIG splashes in Free Agency:
Big Mark Teixeira — 6 years, $150M ($25 a year)
Ol’ CC Sabathia — 5 years, $145 (with a sixth year vesting option for $30M should he pitch over 200 innings in year five)
I hope they keep Pettitte for another year, and I’d love to see Abreu stay on a two year deal. (though part of me thinks he’ll want a final, big, career ending deal that will carry him, say four or five years, such as the one Carlos Lee got from HOU a few years back…)
A rotation of:
CC, Wang, Pettitte, Phil, Ian
(Joba stays in the pen, unless Andy doesn’t return OR the fairy dust disappears from Hughes or Kennedy)
And an infield of Po@ Catcher, Tex @ 1B, Cano @ 2B, A-Rod @ 3B and Jeter @ SS.
OF is Damon, Melkman and Abreu (if he stays, if not, Vlad is a free agent after this year, as is Adam Dunn, I believe. I know Vlad is getting old, but after this season, its one more full year (barring a trade) of the Dmaon/Matsui show before they are gone as free agents/retired. Then hopefully one of the kids works out, ie Gardner, Tabata, Duncan, et al.
The next few years of transition will be fun to watch.
GREAT POST PETE ! Way to stir the pot…
I THINK THE YANKEES SHOULD BREAK OUT THIS YEAR AND SIGN SABATIA TEXIERA AND ANOTHER STARTING PICHER MAYBE OLIVER PEREZ OR BEN SHEETS OR AJ BURNETT I THINK TEXIERA WILL FIT IN PERFECTLY IN THE YANKEES BATTING 5TH THAT GIVES A-ROD MORE PROTECTION AND THEY NEED ANOTHER TWO STARTERS BECUASE JOBA IS GOING TO TAKE TWO MORE YEARS TO BECOME A FULL STARTER AND IAN KENNEDY TO BE HONEST IAN IS GOING TO GET SENT TO AAA BACK THIS YEAR HE NEEDS MORE WORK AND I THINK THE PICHING ROTACION WILL LOOK LIKE THIS AFTER THIS YEAR CC SABATIA 1RST WANG SECOUND PEREZ/BURNETT OR SHEETS 3RD AND PHIL HUGHES 4TH OR IAN OR JOBA 5TH I THINK THAT ROTACTION WILL TAKE THE YANKEES THOUGH THE SEASON CLEANLY AND ADD SOME DETH IN THE BULLPEN ITS TERRIBLE BYE BYE FRANWORTH!.
although it is not out of cashman’s plans to sign a free agent pitcher next yr, it is definitely out of the question to sign three^. and Vlad has a club option after this yr (we should have signed him when we had a chance, as with beltran)^^
Back to CC, you all act like signing him would be would ruin all the work our farm system has been doing the past three yrs. We will still have Horne, Sanchez, Garcia, Betances, Heredia, Brackman, Melancon, De La Rosa, ortiz et al; they can try to unseat one of the musketeers because it is a fact that not every prospect becomes a regular. All we would lose is a first rnd draft pick, but we sign all of the high risk/high reward/Over-slot picks anyway so it is moot. And we gain sooo much; 240 innings, 3.6era 1.2whip 8k/9 and a southpaw. sign me up:
CC
CMW
Hughes
Chamberlain
IPK/Pettitte?
Cabrera LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Alejandro 3B
Teixeira 1B why not?
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Posada C
Gardner/Ajax CF
sign CC 6 yrs guaranteed @ 118mm, tex 5 yrs @ 112mm, Rico 2 yrs @ 25 mm, sign fuentes/romero/marte/rhrp to replace farns,hawk, pettitte – ?long relief lol?
mo
ohlendorf
bruney
fuentes
melancon
sanchez
bring it home; number 28 in 09!
I completely agree with posters who say to grab both Tex and CC. Solid signings. Tex is in great shape and a great firstbaseman, that move is a no-doubter to me. CC I understand the weight and injury concerns, but we’ll have the money and I think he’s a good bet. A big lefty like him in Yankee Stadium? Definitely. And I think Pettitte will be back, as well as Abreu. If Austin Jackson reaches star level anytime soon, I think we’re looking at moving Damon and Matsui. Although if Matsui continues to do well in a DH role, trade Damon first. Matsui still has a knack for knocking in runs at important times. Damon hasn’t really done much to justify keeping him over the past year.
Also, I think IPK gets traded if we bring in CC. That is, if he ever shows anything that anyone would want this year.