Report: Martin signs with Yankees
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 14, 2010 
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MLB.com is reporting that Russell Martin has agreed to terms with the Yankees. The deal is pending a physical, which isn’t quite a formality given Martin’s history. MLB.com reports that the deal could be announced at some point today.
The deal would give the Yankees another option at catcher, and — in theory — make it easier to trade Jesus Montero for a front-line starter.
I don’t think signing Martin makes it inevitable that Montero will be traded. Martin isn’t a sure thing as an everyday catcher, and there’s still a solid chance Montero could outplay him for the job. That said, Montero is clearly the Yankees top trade chip, and if they’re going to try to find a top-of-the-rotation starter on the trade market, trading Montero might be essential.
At the very least, Martin solidifies the situation behind the plate and makes it easier to deal Montero for a pitcher.
Start chilling the champagne!
Chip December 14th, 2010 at 11:35 am
As for my Hudson proposal – I see half the people think I’m giving up too much and the other half not enough so it must be a fair deal…
As for McLouth – I know he stunk last year to the point that he was sent to the minors, but the only way you get Hudson (I believe) is if you are willing to take back a bad salary like McLouth’s.
Frankly I think that if you stick him in the bottom of the Yankee lineup he’ll be fine – probably hit his fair share of homers out to RF and give you a fairly solid LF.
I wonder what Rothschild thinks of Carlos Zambrano.
2 years at Lackey money isn’t horrible and would protect Yankees prospects in a deal for a starter.
We might even be able to get Marmol in the deal.
Bret -
You are concerned about Greinke being a headcase but want Carlos Zambrano on this club?
I dont care one way or the other about Burnett-Zambrano. It doesnt solve the problem though. Still need more pitching.
I like the Martin signing, there is good insurance here for Montero/Romine and their rookie struggles.
Zambrano is an interesting guy, but only if Chicago pays about $5M of his salary.
http://sportsthunderdome.blogspot.com/
III – Improve your bullpen to hold the lead you have.
Soriano, Fuentes, Feliciano, Choate, Wood, Tankersly, Rauch, Gregg, Ohman and others are still out there.
Cashman will pick 2 lefties and 1 righty.
Carlo- my comment was more of a shot at Heyman than Lee. I know I’m reading too much into it, but it just rubs the wrong way. I understand it’s a classy move but it’s not like Lee was there for 5 years before leaving. And I’m not mad at Lee choosing Philly (see my previous comments).
You have to give to recieve !
Montero. Nunez , one of the killer b’s plus Gardner For King Felix. . . if they want Hughes in some sort of alternative package . fine . .. take him as well
Wow, let’s relax on Carlos Zambrano. If we’re turned off by how Greinke may react to the glare of the spotlight, how much sense does it make to consider a guy who melts down with regularity in the friendly confines?
Chip,
I’m pro-Greinke.
Ace,
I wouldn’t move AJ for Zambrano. I’d also want Marmol back in the deal.
“Web – Lee did nothing wrong. There is no reason to be mad at him for not wanting to be in New York. Its not for everyone. I live in Manhattan and sometimes I absolutely hate it here. I cant fault him for that at all. ”
But he wouldn’t be living like an average NY’er and having to deal with the stress. He would be making $150 million dollars and living in a secluded mansion in NJ somewhere. He never has to take a subway, sit in rush hour traffic, navigate his way through crowded streets, or pay $2,000 a month for a tiny apartment. He will be living much differently than a working class citizen.
Not to mention, Philly ain’t exactly paradise either. As others have mentioned, he was pumped to come here at the deadline. What changed?
I hope the Yankees aren’t signing Martin with an eye on trading Montero. I believe Montero is a future hitting star (even if he doesn’t become a great catcher) and would hate to spend the next decade watching him really rake in the Major League.
IIRC, Brian Cashman has said that whenever he talks trade with other teams, the player that is most inquired about is Francisco Cervelli. It makes me wonder if he might be traded this offseason. There are a lot of small market teams that wouldn’t mind turning over their starting catching job to the 25 year old Cervelli.
Zambrano also has a full NTC. AJ can name 10 teams each year he can’t be traded to, plus his wife loves the close proximity to Baltimore. She won’t fly.
CB-If the Yankees did have a sense that Lee would not come to NY, i think the Plan B is already in place and will be acted upon shortly.
Lefty Sean Marshall of the Cubs might be a good option for the bullpen or possibly as a starter.
FA Chris Young came back strong in September from an injury and might be worth a gamble.
Thoughts?
As for Martin:
1. He does not mean that Montero’s going anywhere or being farmed out – Montero will start 60 – 70 games; Martin will start probably around 90 and Jorge will get the scraps.
2. Francisco Cervelli is not getting anything in a trade package – the Yankees will probably stash him at AAA as insurance like they did last year with Chad Moeller. Cervelli goes from backing up Posada to backing up Romine.
Brett-
Thanks for the Zambrano option information. For some reason I thought the option vested much more easily.
He is still owed a ton of money though and is obviously very risky.
The Yankees just need a middle of the rotation guy now who they can depend on more than a gamble on upside given Zambrano’s strange behavior.
DaSaint007 December 14th, 2010 at 11:39 am
III – Improve your bullpen to hold the lead you have.
Soriano, Fuentes, Feliciano, Choate, Wood, Tankersly, Rauch, Gregg, Ohman and others are still out there.
Cashman will pick 2 lefties and 1 righty.
—————-
Agreed –
with no Lee to pay there shouldn’t be a single weak link in the pen or on the bench.
Let Montero catch 75 games and DH against lefties another 40 games or so. Posada should be the one taking the hit here not Montero. Not much of a fan of Jorge batting RH anyway.
If trading Montero can get you an absolute stud then I guess it’s ok especially if we don’t feel he can be a full time catcher as he progresses. But if we feel he can catch then Martin is a good get to help bring Jesus along and if he hits let him DH also. Jorge is done and he just clogs the bases anyway.
If you want someone to hate more than Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Lee this morning I give you this as a public service.
http://www.funnyordie.com/vide.....rst?ref=nf
I would rather watch the kids develop and lose than reach for Vets that won’t guarantee anything….That’s just my opinion. Would be so much more rewarding if the kids DID win….If Jesus goes that would be so disappointing.
Zambrano is crazy ! The guy is not the solution to the problem. If you want pitching performances worse than Burnett, UFC like fights, and smashed clubhouse equipment than Zambrano is your man.
The guy can’t hack it in the NL Central but some of you want him to pitch in the AL East. LOL !
Getting this guy would be worse than bringing back Javy and Kevin Brown.
It’s good to know a free agent will still take our money!
This is going to be an interesting week because I think the pressure will be on Cashman to boost the rotation.
Right now my goals, if I were him, would be to;
Re-sign Andy
Re-sign Wood
See if Soriano would be open to setting up Mo for a couple of years
Sign either Brandon Webb or Harden as a wild card reclammation for the rotation
Make a trade for a starter that doesn’t hurt. We need to save our best trade chips for the season if Josh Johnson or Felix hits the market. I really have a feeling Derek Lowe is going to be in pinstripes shortly. Not that he’s who I want. Just makes sense in what Cashman can get without giving up the farm.
At that point, go to Spring Training as underdogs and use that to motivate some of the guys who rested on their laurels last year.
Not getting Lee stinks, but it’s over with and we have to move on to making the team strong. It starts in the rotation and ends in the pen.
repost-
“To not take the homegrown route is more fatal than to take it. The approach that will fail going forward is to rely on too many FA’s as the core of our team.”
I agree with this observation but with a huge reservation.
A huge part of the phenomenal success the Yanks have enjoyed since 1996 was the marriage of a bumper crop of fantastically talented young players with the financial clout to land whatever pieces were necessary to complement them.
The Lee saga shows that the financial clout, while still significant, is relatively less of a game-changer than it was, while the jury is still out on how good the current farm crop actually is.
That puts the Yanks in a boat that is not much bigger than that of a number of teams. Overall, I see more competition than there was and a corresponding drop in the likelihood of success.
Not for nothing but AJ Burnett talks about how Cervelli has a knack for cracking jokes and saying crazy stuff to help break tension on the mound.
Francisco Cervelli and Carlos Zambrano are fellow countrymen from Venezuela. It might help that Cervelli can diffuse situations and speak with Carlos in his native tongue.
I wonder what Rothschild thinks.
Chip-
Although Tim Hudson doesn’t have a NTC. He took less to stay in Atlanta and loves it there. Plus the Braves are serious contenders for a playoff position. I don’t think they would even part with Derek Lowe.
Dislike.
trade montero for a pitcher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Why? a 20 year old hitting stud.. Martin sucks I live in LA he has been horrible for 2 years einsteins…….
trade romine or someone else but Montero…NO FIRGGIN WAY
Time to beef up the pen.
Soriano is interesting… wonder what his market is like. Could see Texas if they move Feliz to the rotation. Now that the Angels are out of it and most big-spending teams have closers and/or closing options already (NYY, NYM, DET, BOS, PHI, CHW, CHC, SF, LAD), will be interesting to see how his market shapes up.
Wood is probably ours if we want him.
A lefty is a must as well… Fuentes, Feliciano, someone.
CB got it right – the Yankees don’t “need” another ace – they need a solid mid rotation guy.
My picks (via trade) would be Hudson, Carmona, Randy Wolf – just off the top of my head. I think they’re gettable and wouldn’t cost a ton of talent in return given their contracts.
I think if you want to look at a dream scenario it would be something along the lines of:
Gardner, Nunez, Romine, and a guy like Warren or Phelps to the Dodgers for Billingsly and another player (not Kemp)
Trading Montero for a starter that isn’t Josh Johnson or King Felix would be moronic.
Good thing about Lee signing is, I can stop following these idiot beat writers on twitter.
Yankee Trader December 14th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Chip-
Although Tim Hudson doesn’t have a NTC. He took less to stay in Atlanta and loves it there. Plus the Braves are serious contenders for a playoff position. I don’t think they would even part with Derek Lowe.
—————————–
I think the signing of Lee put a serious crimp in Atlanta’s playoff plans. It’s certainly worth exploring no?
Love that Mrs. Lee is taking the heat. Maybe she had a conversation with Mrs. Pettitte.
Anyway, why isnt the PED thing being discussed more? I’m assuming its because no one thinks Lee was actually on them, but I’m surprised it hasn’t gotten a lot of play in the media..
I think Martin is an insurance policy for the C position. They still want Montero to win the job, but even if he does relatively well, they will still need someone else. The one thing that is definite, is that they do not feel Posada is anything other than an emergency option, and they don’t trust Cervelli to be that insurance.
“Let Montero catch 75 games and DH against lefties another 40 games or so. Posada should be the one taking the hit here not Montero. Not much of a fan of Jorge batting RH anyway.”
Posada was a better hitting as a RH than LH. And Career wise he is a MUCH better hitter as a righty.
“Jorge is done and he just clogs the bases anyway.”
This makes no sense
People, get your facts straights.
Let Montero catch 75 games and DH against lefties another 40 games or so. Posada should be the one taking the hit here not Montero.
====================
Exactly. They got Martin because they are keeping Montero.
Derek Lowe? Where do people come up with this stuff.
G. Love-
Webb was hitting low 80′s on the radar gun, however Harden might be a worthwhile gamble for the bullpen. Still think they should look at Chris Young.
Montero. Nunez , one of the killer b’s plus Gardner For King Felix. . . if they want Hughes in some sort of alternative package . fine . .. take him as well
__
Makes ZERO sense. Giving up Hughes, Montero, Gardner and one of the Bs may not even get it done, however, even if it did, makes no sense. Hughes is a huge part of our future. And we need MORE pitching, not to give away pitching to get Felix.
Bret The Hitman December 14th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Not for nothing but AJ Burnett talks about how Cervelli has a knack for cracking jokes and saying crazy stuff to help break tension on the mound.
Francisco Cervelli and Carlos Zambrano are fellow countrymen from Venezuela. It might help that Cervelli can diffuse situations and speak with Carlos in his native tongue.
I wonder what Rothschild thinks.
—————————–
If the Yankees got Zambrano the only way he would be talking with Cervelli is if he was pitching for Scranton.
The Martin signing pretty much ends Cervelli’s time in the Bronx.
Shame Spencer December 14th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Love that Mrs. Lee is taking the heat. Maybe she had a conversation with Mrs. Pettitte.
========================================
I think the whole spitting thing was a conspiracy theory created by Mrs. Lee.
Is Harden recovered from his latest injury?
“He’s an enigma. He does not have a good approach at the plate. But he is a good catcher in a lot of ways, but not on the mental side. He is not a high-end game caller. But he is very tough. He is the type of player you think should be better. He is a good thrower with a strong arm. He really quickened his feet in the last year or two and just has a lot better mechanics. His blocking is good, but could be better. I think he became someone important too quickly in LA. I think he got comfortable. I think the Yankees would be great for him because it will hit his ego that he is not a star. I think being surrounded by stars and being shown his level will help. He is a very hard worker and I think Yankee Stadium would help because he is best when hitting to right-center field. He is at his worst when he is trying to pull to left for homers and he really would have to watch that at Yankee Stadium. He has a funky swing and I don’t know if even a really good hitting coach would make a difference.”
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/.....2AEeNfvL0J
ac1 December 14th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Montero. Nunez , one of the killer b’s plus Gardner For King Felix. . . if they want Hughes in some sort of alternative package . fine . .. take him as well
__
Makes ZERO sense. Giving up Hughes, Montero, Gardner and one of the Bs may not even get it done, however, even if it did, makes no sense. Hughes is a huge part of our future. And we need MORE pitching, not to give away pitching to get Felix.
—————–
I saw your thing about Carpenter – I wouldn’t mind dealing for him but I don’t see why St. Louis would move him. They need to win this year before dealing with Phat Albert.
“you called it the other day.”
joe in long island-
it’s not so much calling it as having a part of me i call my”healthy bad attitude” kicking in.
healthy bad attitudes are very valuable when other people start acting up.
lee was getting even more annoying than he always was.
i basically said screw him. he’s no yankee.
and now i’m looking forward to martin and montero providing the yankees with some very interesting catching potential this coming summer( with posada there to help out when necessary) .
and seriously, burnett seems like he came to depend on eiland and let’s face eiland wasn’t 100 % into his job last summer. aj could benefit from rothschild immensely.
as a matter of fact, without know rothschild but hearing a lot about him in the last month, i expect burnett will be closer to the 4.00 era guy than the 5.50 era guy last summer.
the yankees are in perfect shape to come out and surprise other teams.
Chip,
Cervelli stays IMHO. He has more value to the Yankees as a backup to Martin in case of injury and Montero in case he’s not ready or gets traded.
Cervelli has experience with the staff.
I would rather watch the kids develop and lose than reach for Vets that won’t guarantee anything….That’s just my opinion. Would be so much more rewarding if the kids DID win….If Jesus goes that would be so disappointing.
————————————————————————————
JWeav, I totally agree. The last Yankee dynasty was built around players from within the organization. I think its time to start building the next Yankee dynasty by giving youngsters a shot. For the short term it might mean not being a playoff team , but for the long term it will work out better. We’ve had a nice run with the Jeter/Rivera/Posada/Pettitte cabal but that time is over. Its time to rebuild. We can add top free agents when the youngster are ready to win.
ac1 December 14th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Is Harden recovered from his latest injury?
——————
No clue – but if he is, a low base with incentives would be a great move there.
BTX said….Not to mention, Philly ain’t exactly paradise either. As others have mentioned, he was pumped to come here at the deadline. What changed?
Nothing changed. He would have went to the Yanks in order to get a chance for the WS and then turned around and did the same thing except we would have lost a Montero in the process. I think he wanted Philly all along. Never wanted to leave there.
Bret
Zambrano like Burnett will never change. They are too old and stupid to change at this point.
Both are not the solution to anything. They actually cause problems.
Disclaimer: I don’t want to trade Montero.
That said, the minute he displays sub-par catching or hitting abilities, his maximum trade value will diminish.
To date, today, he’s at his highest value thus far. It can go up if he displays above average catching and the hitting he’s proclaimed to have, but it’s a risk.
It’s like most cars. The day you drive it off the lot, it’s value decreases.
Except Bentleys. Is Montero a Bentley? TBD.
Johnson’ s salary jumps to nearly 14 million in 2012 so he could be available next winter if the Marlins aren’t competitive. Would be tough to get him now though.
Gavin Floyd, Fausto Carmona, and Jair Jurrjens.
Those 3 would be at the top of my list of “realistic” targets.
Bret The Hitman December 14th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Chip,
Cervelli stays IMHO. He has more value to the Yankees as a backup to Martin in case of injury and Montero in case he’s not ready or gets traded.
Cervelli has experience with the staff.
————————
So you’re carrying four catchers? (Martin, Cervelli, Posada and Montero)
I’m not saying they’re going to cut Cervelli – but most likely he’s going to go to Scranton and back up Austin Romine and serve as insurance in case someone gets hurt – much like they did with Chad Moeller last year.
Unless of course they DFA him to make room on the 40 man for Martin
The benefit of Carmona is that he is essentially only under contract for 2011.
2012-2014 are all club options with no buyouts.
jpb173
Thank you !
Now try to explain that to some people who want to continue to spend on old veterans and trade the farm away.
Matin was athletic enough to play 16 games at 3rd a few years ago, so barring a failed physical exam he could have some value as a backup at 3rd when A-Rod needs rest. Agreed that Montero will get a chance. There are only 3 young pitchers that I would consider putting him in a package for, and that’s Hernandez, Kershaw, and josh Johnson-none who are going to be shopped anytime soon.
Chip- Can explore a trade for Tim Hudson but don’t get your hopes up.
I do agree that this is Cashman’s time to shine, and come up with a creative move to strengthen the rotation without selling the farm.
Makes ZERO sense. Giving up Hughes, Montero, Gardner and one of the Bs may not even get it done, however, even if it did, makes no sense. Hughes is a huge part of our future. And we need MORE pitching, not to give away pitching to get Felix.
–Ac1 –
I’m offering two packages . .one centered around Montero . .and one centered around Hughes
CC -
king Felix
AJ
Hopefully Pettite
Nova
I would target Oakland as a candidate for pitching.
Gavid Floyd of the Chi Sox would be intriguing as well. Billingsly, perhaps? Nolasco? Brett Myers? Garza, IF they are willing to trade him within the division?
Johan Santana if his medicals are clear? Chris Carpenter if STL needs cash for Albert?
There are options out there…. Cash just has to get creative.
Jeremy,
Zambrano is 29. He still has K stuff.
Is he the best option out there? No.
But getting him guarantees Jesus Montero remains a Yankee, not to mention, the Yankees could pry Marmol away from the Cubs for taking on that salary.
“At the very least, Martin solidifies the situation behind the plate and makes it easier to deal Montero for a pitcher.”
what?
trade montero?
chad , you are doing a great job in your new job as a yankee sportswriter and blogmeister , but the one downfall of not having grown up with the team , you don’t have that special instinct that recognizes a yankee star when you see one.
montero as a yankee will be a great player.
Yankee Trader,
Chris Young fits my sign one reclammation project for the rotation. I like him too.
If Webb has no velocity than that explains why he’s still out there looking for a deal.
I think signing one of those guys as our 6th starter on paper can reap dividends if they rebound. Of course it’s a long shot but there’s nothing to lose buy money at this point.
At least the Yanks get to keep their 1st rounder in the draft…..that’s something right :/
ac1 December 14th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Is Harden recovered from his latest injury?
———————————————————————————————————————-
The biggest injury Harden has is the damage to his control guidance system.
Are we really talking about spitting? First of all how many games would she attend. Second the whole supposed draw to the Rangers is being close to home…. in Arkansas. All these great opinions of wanting to play in Texas and loving his time down there was a joke too. Good for the Phillies that they apparently are doing something right that the guy wanted to sign for a discount. What can you do. If we were only so lucky. End of day we just move on and see what the next step will be. There was a point where Santana was the end all. Now very glad he isn’t here. He was supposed to have at least a few great years before the decline. His decline came much quicker. The same could be set for Lee. You never know. I can only hope that if the Yankees go after pitching that they concentrate on making this team younger. Go ultra aggressive on the young guys or sign the risks. Please no talent for aging pitching.
LGY December 14th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Gavin Floyd, Fausto Carmona, and Jair Jurrjens.
Those 3 would be at the top of my list of “realistic” targets.
————————
I don’t particularly like Fausto but I do agree he’s a realistic target.
I don’t see why Atlanta would move Jurrjens – he makes no money and is a solid mid rotation guy.
I also don’t know why the White Sox, who are trying to compete with the Twins and Tigers would move Floyd.
The guy they might move is Peavy – he’s a major gamble given his contract and health but if you could get him for a package of Gardner and a lower prospect I would probably be all for it.
Who’s ready for the 2011 season? I sure am.
Now that lee has chosen another team to play for, Cashman can now go to Plan’s B & C to help this team win more games next season.
Signing Martin is step #1. I’m not convinced the signing will make a huge impact, but you never know. If the guy is healthy, he’s probably a better hitter than Cervelli and might be slightly better on defense???
Paging Andy Pettitte: Please answer your phone as your left arm is needed for another 200 innings and a run at the WS. Thank you!!
I am not so concerned about the possibility of trading away Montero as I have seen Romine play a number of times in person and I feel that barring some unanticipated improvement (i.e. beyond just hard work) from Montero behind the plate, Romine eventually will be the better all-around starting catcher.
Jake Peavy anyone?
Chip,
I’m not carrying 4 catchers. I’m giving Jesus Montero more time to develop in AAA and Austin Romine more time in AA. If Martin gets injured which is a distinct possibility, I’m loaded and covered and can easily call up a more polished Montero or even a more seasoned Romine.
I’d explore Peavy
I saw your thing about Carpenter – I wouldn’t mind dealing for him but I don’t see why St. Louis would move him. They need to win this year before dealing with Phat Albert.
__
Yes in theory, but they are going to need to free up bank to pay Mr. Pujols. Carpenter is expensive and they have pitching. May want to offer a hitter or two back, as they had offensive issues this year.
I guess I was always in the camp that Andy would more likely come back if we got Lee. Better chance for a trip back to the W.S.
On the flip side there is more money now for another one year deal that Andy can cash in on.
Should be interesting. If he does come back I really hope he can stay healthy or its pointless for him to comeback anyways.
Bret
I get what you are saying. And I don’t want to lose Montero especially for middle of the road talent. But seeing Zambrano pitch will be even worse than Burnett. Not to mention his violent nature.
Sherman on Martin:
Here’s the take from his former teammate:
“He’s an enigma. He does not have a good approach at the plate. But he is a good catcher in a lot of ways, but not on the mental side. He is not a high-end game caller. But he is very tough. He is the type of player you think should be better. He is a good thrower with a strong arm. He really quickened his feet in the last year or two and just has a lot better mechanics. His blocking is good, but could be better. I think he became someone important too quickly in LA. I think he got comfortable. I think the Yankees would be great for him because it will hit his ego that he is not a star. I think being surrounded by stars and being shown his level will help. He is a very hard worker and I think Yankee Stadium would help because he is best when hitting to right-center field. He is at his worst when he is trying to pull to left for homers and he really would have to watch that at Yankee Stadium. He has a funky swing and I don’t know if even a really good hitting coach would make a difference.”
Zambrano is a head hunter. I’d love to see him face the Sox. He’s wild but I’m fairly confident he could bonk Youkilis in the head without much effort.
No to Peavy.
Peavy-Bad Mechanics & injury prone.
Bret- Marmol is one of the best closers in the game. Sean Marshall, a lefty might be a more obtainable target for bullpen or rotation.
I guess Russell Martin’s parents couldn’t decide on a middle name, so they just chose their favorite three:
Russell Nathan Jeanson Coltrane Martin Jr.
Sign Webb, Wang, Young, Harden, Prior and stash them all in the minors and hope one of them pans out and is ready by the ASB
It really is amazing when you think that unless the Yankees blow an A level free agent out of the water they won’t get him. It used to be something special to play for the Yankees. If the Angels had offered CC the same money that the Yanks did he would have picked them. If Luccino didn’t piss off Tex he would have signed with them.
Halladay gives a hometown discount to Philly. Lee leaves more money on the table to sign with them after they traded him.
Although they overpaid for Crawford players give Boston hometown discounts all the time only to be treated like garbage.
and even when we resign our own they milk us for much more then they would get on the open market
I do find it interesting that Russell Martin only follows 1 person on Twitter.
Who you ask?
CC Sabathia
ET that is an interesting read.of course,that’s the ex-teammate’s take,so we can see if it bears out for ourselves.
CB, Randy, G Love or SJ
There are realistically 3-4 players (tops) that are considered untouchable for the Yankees on the farm; excluding a deal for one of the top pitchers in baseball (re: felix, lee, halladay).
Who do you think they are?
My guess: Montero, Banuelos, Sanchez and Betances/Brackman (part of me says Brackman over Betances)
i don’t know about anyone else, but i don’t care how many times the arkansas tourist chamber of commerce contacts me, i’m not visiting there.
i’ve heard enough about arkansas to last a lifetime.
Does Cervelli have any more minor league options left??
“I don’t see why Atlanta would move Jurrjens – he makes no money and is a solid mid rotation guy.”
—————–
He is Arb1.
He is about to get expensive.
Christmas came early for us Sox fans.
That clap sound you hear is collective sound of NY being slapped in the face by Cliff Lee.
# BTX December 14th, 2010 at 11:40 am
“Web – Lee did nothing wrong. There is no reason to be mad at him for not wanting to be in New York. Its not for everyone. I live in Manhattan and sometimes I absolutely hate it here. I cant fault him for that at all. ”
But he wouldn’t be living like an average NY’er and having to deal with the stress. He would be making $150 million dollars and living in a secluded mansion in NJ somewhere. He never has to take a subway, sit in rush hour traffic, navigate his way through crowded streets, or pay $2,000 a month for a tiny apartment. He will be living much differently than a working class citizen.
Not to mention, Philly ain’t exactly paradise either. As others have mentioned, he was pumped to come here at the deadline. What changed?
—————————————————————–
it doesnt matter what changed now…..there is nothing we can do. i was headed to the airport this morning and my livery driver mentioned that he took Casey Close’s wife to work this AM….and that she said Cliff didnt come because of how the yanks treated jeter. there will be a million theories, none will be 100% accurater and more improtantly, none will change what has happened.
Tough day for New York sports fans… heh heh heh.
jpb173
Thank you !
Now try to explain that to some people who want to continue to spend on old veterans and trade the farm away.
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Jeremy, over 30 years of George Steinbrenner as principle owner of the Yankees has turned many Yankee fans into ‘Mini-Steinbrenners’. The see how GMS directed the team and they want it directed in the same manner. But, the onset of the luxury tax has changed the game. The Yankees still can afford to pay some luxury tax, but they can’t be as wastefull as they have been. Also, there are a lot of older players out there who’s best years are behind them. Adding a proven older player doesn’t always work out because some of those guys are in decline and are a shadow of what they used to be. I wonder what Cliff Lee performance level will be like in 3 years.
Its time to start rebuilding from within for a few years. If it means being mediocre for 2-3 years then thats OK. Let someone else be the source of luxury tax money and revenue sharing money for a while.
“I also don’t know why the White Sox, who are trying to compete with the Twins and Tigers would move Floyd.”
——————-
Kenny Williams said he would be willing to move Floyd and/or Buerhle.
Would Orlando Hudson consider signing here as a utility player?
While teams will look to punish the Yankees with the infamous Yankees tax, the Cubs are not in a position to do that as they struggle to dump the last 2 years on Zambrano’s deal at Lackey money.
My untouchables are: Montero, Sanchez, Banuelos.
I’d move others for the right player (not Zambrano of course)
Brackman, Betances, Romine, Nunez, Nova, Joba, Gardner.
Wow, the Yankees just got Leigh Teixeira-ed by Mrs. Lee! Sweet!
“There are realistically 3-4 players (tops) that are considered untouchable for the Yankees on the farm; excluding a deal for one of the top pitchers in baseball (re: felix, lee, hallway).
Who do you think they are?”
MConti-
i watched one swing by montero on tv last spring training and saw all i needed to see. he stays.
for everyone else i defer to the guys like gb7,cb, sj44, pat m and even to the stat sluts lgy , rich in nj, and jerkface
Hey 100RIX is Pete Abe’s blog down this morning or something?
Of course it makes perfect sense you Sux fans are all rested up from PapelPuke throwing up all over himself in 2009 of the ALDS and last year not even making the postseason. Meanwhile us Yankee fans are still trying to get that World Championship champagne smell out of the carpets.
Talk is cheap buddy lets see what happens in when the season starts.
Chip,
You are trading Gardner to pay Peavy $37 million over the next 2 years?
If the Yankees are willing to take on that huge contract why would they trade a valuable commodity?
randy – the same sj44 who in my time on this site has yet to get one thing right? best of luck to you.
“UnKnown December 14th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Hey 100RIX is Pete Abe’s blog down this morning or something?”
——————————-
Yes, its down, it got 5 comments in the span of an hour and the site crashed. couldnt handle the volume.
Do we have to take mystery teams seriously now?
Lot of time left for Cashman to do things to improve the team.
Gullible Tweeter of the year award goes to Kim Jones of YES network who retweeted a fake tweet from a Ken Rosenthal impostor clone. She quickly apologized for falling for it.
I teased her with this tweet
http://twitter.com/NYYrumors/s.....6397465600
…and then she blocked me.
Ledger_Yankees Somewhere in Deer Park, I imagine a man driving a Brinks truck with a Yankees logo on the side of it, is looking for the Pettitte residence.
After all the energy Cashman put into the Lee negotiations, I would think he’s pretty pissed right now with money and certain players to use.
At the same time, no GM better think that the Yankees are in a desperation mode and ripe to be fleeced.
Cashman has been in constant contact with Billy Eppler, Mark Newman, and Stick Michael for their opinions on players they like and players that could figure in deals.
ed_price MLB source said #Rangers pushed last night for Matt Garza but deal with #Rays fell through.
Lee just can’t stop screwing with the Yankees. Awesome.
The AL West looks atrocious right now.
jpb173
Great post.
I agree with stocking up in the bullpen. I’d love Soriano, Wood and Choate, although I doubt we’d get both would be closers. But what shoring up the bullpen does is free Joba to be dealt. The Yankees aren’t prepared to give Joba the chance to start again, but I think it would be a good bet for a rebuilding franchise. What could Joba, Montero, and one or two of the B’s bring back?
As a Sox fan in NYC, it is so sweet that a typically idiotic behaved Yankee fan may have actually cost them Cliff Lee.
100RIX —
Get a life !
Don’t want to waste any real chips on Marmol when we can just sign Wood/Soriano/Fuentes/Feliciano to boost the pen
Would rather save those chips for Upton, Greinke, or another stud P that becomes available at the deadline.
And to the Red Sox troll. I wouldn’t be laughing so much. Yeah the Sox have had a great offseason so far. But the Sox just replaced Beltre and V-Mart. Their pitching rotation is still overrated (Beckett, Lackey, and Dice-k) and the bullpen is a joke.
The Phillies most likely will win it all next year. Because they look better than the Sox.
100RIX,
Yes because fans influence free agent decisions all the time. About the only time I can remember that being true is Wells with Cleveland.
100 rix – you dont live in new york city.
Bret The Hitman December 14th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
While teams will look to punish the Yankees with the infamous Yankees tax, the Cubs are not in a position to do that as they struggle to dump the last 2 years on Zambrano’s deal at Lackey money.
My untouchables are: Montero, Sanchez, Banuelos.
I’d move others for the right player (not Zambrano of course)
Brackman, Betances, Romine, Nunez, Nova, Joba, Gardner.
///I’m not sure Cashman views anyone as ‘untouchable,’ but you clearly aren’t familiar w-Betances.His name is tossed around on here like he’s Alan Horne or someone. This kid pitches downhill and stands around 6-8 or so and weighs 200-plus pounds. His talent screams top of rotation.He’s healthy,has command of all his pitches, and is probably two years away from the majors.not a guy whose name you carelessly throw around in foolish trade ideas.you guys also like players who want to be yanks?Betances told teams ‘don’t bother drafting me,I want to be a yankee.’ he’s as Real Deal as it gets.
We *really* do not want to trade Betances either. People are vastly underrating him. He had a breakout year, and will only get better. He has a power FB, and an unbelievable change up, as well as a curveball. He is repeating his delivery. He is 6’9 and a force on the mound. He averaged over 11K/9IP last season. He has front-end of rotation ability. Let him pitch in AA for a year. I expect he will continue to dominate. He just needs to work on pitching from the stretch and keeping runners close/throwing to second. No way we move the A specs like Montero, Killer B’s, Sanchez unless we are getting something back that is equivalently talented. These pitchers aren’t the dregs of yesteryear that we had in our system. You just don’t trade them!
People in the NY metro area should do themselves a favor and go see some of this pitchers pitch.
When did Joel Sherman became the new Mike(joke) Lupica???????????????
Lets face it, the biggest thing to happen to the sox this offseason was lee going to philly. everything else they did, if lee came to new york, would have put them exactly where they were last year, in our rear view mirror. now they have pulled up alongside us.
LGY -
It was with the assumption that the White Sox would eat some of the money.
Quite frankly I would prefer Buherle but I just don’t see them moving him (regardless of what Kenny Williams says)
#100RIX December 14th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
As a Sox fan in NYC, it is so sweet that a typically idiotic behaved Yankee fan may have actually cost them Cliff Lee.
_______________________
As someone who once had most of a cup of beer dumped on me at Fenway for the sin of wearing my Yankee hat there, I find this comment somewhat amusing.
Sour grapes, Yankees fans.
It’s always fun watching a Red Sox fan’s insecurity complex play itself out.
The Rangers could move Feliz into the rotation and try to sign Soriano.
Rangers were shopping Michael Young, the consumate team player, who moved twice to accomodate the Rangers needs. Way to dis one of your franchise players.
Lee wanted to go back to the NL.
The Yankees, after all is said and done, will still be playoff contenders.
*these* not this
I could get on board the Zambrano wagon. It shouldn’t take nearly as much to get him as it would other pitchers and if Joba really did re-enter the rotation we’d have the basis for one of those “Biggest Loser” reality shows…
You trade a guy like Montero for a guy like Lee. Since no one else out there is Lee at this point, just give away the spare parts you weren’t gonna keep anyway to keep us in it until July. My guess is that a LOT of guys will become available by then. Especially for any team in the NL East and possibly the AL West.
J. Alfred Prufrock,
I hope you are right. I will believe it when I see it. It would be nice if Hughes develops into a number 2
Mitch Williams head must still be buzzing from Joe’s walk off shot on him more than 15 years ago.
He says the reason Lee is not a Yankee is cause of the fan incident with his wife.
Will people please drop that insane belief. It is the most ridiculous thing ever.
Besides how does that explain him not going to Texas. Did some claw or antler fan there give her a Wet Willy or something.
i’ve always been a Zambrano fan, but not sure he’s really a fit for the Yanks.
I do, however, hope we keep Montero!
” the same sj44 who in my time on this site has yet to get one thing right? best of luck to you.”
carlo-
no one who says what they think is right all the time.
i don’t think there’s anyone on the blog who’s had his foot behind the door of professional baseball more than sj44.
he’s helped develop one of the best pro catching prospects in the country and has put in the time watching up close yankee prospects and the mlb team.
from my own dabble behind the scenes in pro baseball i have no doubt sj44 is the real mc coy.
this doesn’t mean we don’t butt heads sometimes. we just did recently with differing jeter positions, but sj44 is one of the major reasons i check out this blog.
i don’t think anyone has contributed to the blog more than he has.
yankeefeminista December 14th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
We *really* do not want to trade Betances either. People are vastly underrating him. He had a breakout year, and will only get better. He has a power FB, and an unbelievable change up, as well as a curveball. He is repeating his delivery. He is 6?9 and a force on the mound. He averaged over 11K/9IP last season. He has front-end of rotation ability. Let him pitch in AA for a year. I expect he will continue to dominate. He just needs to work on pitching from the stretch and keeping runners close/throwing to second. No way we move the A specs like Montero, Killer B’s, Sanchez unless we are getting something back that is equivalently talented. These pitchers aren’t the dregs of yesteryear that we had in our system. You just don’t trade them!
People in the NY metro area should do themselves a favor and go see some of this pitchers pitch.
///here,here.ALL TRUE! Real Deal Dellin! Who can REALLY Deal! Dealin’ Dellin!
TylerKepner Rangers believe they’d have Lee if they’d given him yrs he wanted. Greenberg: “Those terms went beyond parameters we were comfortable with.”
JM December 14th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
#100RIX December 14th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
As a Sox fan in NYC, it is so sweet that a typically idiotic behaved Yankee fan may have actually cost them Cliff Lee.
_______________________
As someone who once had most of a cup of beer dumped on me at Fenway for the sin of wearing my Yankee hat there, I find this comment somewhat amusing.
________
QFT. I have been chased, shoved, mooned, and punched at in Philly merely for wearing an opposition jersey. Those fans are mongrels. I am sure the visitors’ wives would have many stories to tell.
At least, we don’t have to seriously worry about Lee and Halladay until October each year for the next few years. Whew, the Phillies have done to NYY what the NYY have been in a habit of doing to the Redsox!
Not exactly a glowing scouting report on Martin from his former teammate. I’ve read of the game calling issue before. Stats back up the improved throwing though.
“Lets face it, the biggest thing to happen to the sox this offseason was lee going to philly. everything else they did, if lee came to new york, would have put them exactly where they were last year, in our rear view mirror. now they have pulled up alongside us.”
Couldn’t agree more. If we signed Lee and Andy came back, we would have taken the lead over them again.
Lee going to Philly was even more important than their acquisitions. It ensures we wouldn’t be able to roll into Fenway with 3 stud lefties and have 2 aces at the top of our rotation, pushing everyone back a spot. Imagine a developing Hughes as our #4? Now, he’s probably our #2.
“everything else they did, if lee came to new york, would have put them exactly where they were last year, in our rear view mirror. now they have pulled up alongside us.”
…a lot easy to get off a shot.
Speaking of whom, where is SJ44? We need a dose of reality and clarity on this self-cannibalizing blog at this point in the juncture…
# randy l. December 14th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
” the same sj44 who in my time on this site has yet to get one thing right? best of luck to you.”
carlo-
no one who says what they think is right all the time.
i don’t think there’s anyone on the blog who’s had his foot behind the door of professional baseball more than sj44. he’s helped develop one of the best pro catching prospects in the country and has put in the time watching up close yankee prospects and the mlb team.
from my own dabble behind the scenes in pro baseball i have no doubt sj44 is the real mc coy. this doesn’t mean we don’t butt heads sometimes. we just did recently with differing jeter positions, but sj44 is one of the major reasons i check out this blog. i don’t think anyone has contributed to the blog more than he has.
————————————————-
Then maybe I have him confused…..and for that I am sorry…..i didnt think sj44 was affiliated with baseball in any way. would you mind telling me more about some of the guys who actually have affiliations with the yankees? its seems like Pat M has some baseball history, sj44, and Lost seems to be behind the scenes a bit as well. Am I mistaken?
It wouldn’t be a surprise if signing Pedro Feliciano is the next move while Cashman continues to pursue the other needs.
The Red Sox and Phillies are closing the gap on the Yankees……..in payroll
.
baseball guy….look no further
Trade Swisher to a team such as the Braves for their top propect or their second best prospect. Swisher’s value will never be higher. Flip that Braves prospect along with Romine, Nova and Laird for Upton. Arizona loves Nova.
Trade Brackman, Gary Sanchez, dave adams & eduardo nunez for Greinke.
We still get to keep Montero, Banuelos and Betances.
If Montero tears up AAA then the Yankees can trade Russell Martin as he might be in demand at the trade deadline.
Rotation: CC, Greinke, Hughes, Pettitte and Burnett
Lineup: Gardner, Jeter, Cano, Arod, Tex, Upton, Granderson, Posada, Martin
It is extremely disappointing to read the article posted at the top of the thread. What happened to giving Montero the chance to win the starting job in ST ? A trade chip for a SP ? It will take 4 to 5 players to get a SP now that the other clubs know tha Yanks are even more desparate by not signing Lee. I hope Martin is not handed the catchers job.
SJ44 is legit, but he speaks in absolutes and talks down to posters and suppresses opinion. It’s a volatile combination and the source of his interpersonal conflicts.
I like reading him but he can come across as unpleasant when he stomps on your ideas.
He is an insider though. There’s no question about that.
New Post: Brian Cashman conference call
100RIX
What are you going to say after the Red Sox fail to win the World Series this year ?
It’s either boom or bust for the Sox this year. No injury excuses, no more excuses for “big baby Beckett”, and the king of excuses John Lackluster and Fat Papi.
Either you win it all or the Sox are a complete failure.
Cash is going to come up with something huge……and it may not be just a SP.
Carlo,
I don’t know Lost very well but SJ knows his stuff. Has been an insider in sports for quite a while. We don’t always agree but he knows what he is talking about. Pat M played pro ball and SJ behind the scenes.
Triple Short of a Cycle December 14th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
J. Alfred Prufrock,
I hope you are right. I will believe it when I see it. It would be nice if Hughes develops into a number 2
///Triple,I live in Princeton, about 20 minutes from Waterfront Park.Great place to take in a game,affordable for families,great time for the kids.if you live in driving distance,get out there.I’ve seen Betances a lot,there’s no fluff here,he’s dead serious good.but why take my word for it if you can get yourself there?it’s worth the drive. he was a scrawny kid that just blossomed,he’s a moose. yet he’s got the smoothest delivery and doesn’t give away his weight on his follow thru.I thought when I saw him first time i’d see the rail i saw on videos and a raw one at that that was all arms and legs.not so. his legs are under him and he just bears down on batters.i don’t feel the least bit extravagant or prospect dizzy when I tell you he’s really something,but like I said,go and see for yourself.
108 stitches – I’ve wondered about Feliciano since this past summer. I’d look at him, and Wood if Wood doesn’t land a closer’s gig. A bat for the bench. I’d work at getting Andy back, of course. If they do, then I’d feel better about Nova holding down the 5th spot, unless and until they find a better #5 option or a Brackman or Phelps is ready, hopefully mid-season.
As randy said before, gotta think that if AJ gets his personal issues squared away, with a pitching coach that also is not distracted, that he comes back to his usual performance.
NEW THREAD —–>
carlo-
it’s not necessary to have some behind the scenes experience to have great baseball insights. look at cb. his are as good as it gets and there are lots of other smart people on the blog.
if you are new to the blog , there is one guy to watch out for though.
that would be gb7.
for years , he touted livan hernandez and we all know how dumb that would be.
#yankeefeminista
Grew up right outside Philly as a Yankees fan (my family was originally from NYC). I know exactly what you’re talking about.
Also a very good friend of mine was stalked in Philly after Game 4 of the World Series…Had to get a security guy to follow him out to his car as he and his gf were both being harassed and had stuff thrown at them. Classy fans down there. LOL
Thanks Bronx…..some guys talk like they have all sorts of contacts and resources……i never pay attention to who says what so i am bad at connecting names to quality foresight…..as such, i am never able to understand who is actually in the know and who is an imposter.
Jesus will start the year in AAA; he not getting traded for anyone less than a #1 or #2 starter. He will be called up when someone gets hurt or if Cervelli or Martin play themselves out of the possition. Remember Jesus started slowly last year. I could see Cervelli getting traded. This is a good move by the Yankees.
Now cash will spend some $$ on Wood and beg Andy to come back…
I did not want Lee, I wanted to beat Lee. Let some of the young guys shake things up.
I’m sure glad we didn’t trade Montero for what would have been a rental of Cliff Lee! If Sherman is right about Martin’s game calling, I wouldn’t consider him a long-term solution, especially if Girardi is the manager. I’m also not sure that, if Montero’s defense proves to be lacking, his value will go down, since plenty of baseball people already discount his defense. What strikes me about Montero is that he has shown the ability to advance level by level and, once he gets his bearings, hit like a total monster.
What I hope Cashman does is keep his cool and wait until he can find real value before trading anybody of value in the Yankee system. Cash is at his best when he plays a patient game, and he’s done really well by it. And who knows, maybe we’ll see the “good” AJ Burnett this year and a stronger Hughes. We can only hope.
Would love to have Garza next year… wonder what he would cost… Romine/Adams/ one of the killer B’s???