The mystery team
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 14, 2010 
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Whatever tricks Brian Cashman has up his sleeve, he might need all of them in the next month or so. Here’s the latest from The Associated Press. As an aside, just when you think it’s safe to get away from a computer for a few hours to see your friend’s newborn baby girl, something like this happens. Thank you to Sam for jumping in and getting an update posted while I was gone.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cliff Lee is returning to the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that traded him nearly one year ago.
The free-agent pitcher reached a preliminary agreement on a contract with the Phillies on Monday night, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
The deal is subject to the 32-year-old left-hander passing a physical, the person said on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not final.
The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers received telephone calls Monday night telling them they were out of the running, two separate people familiar with those team’s negotiations said, also on condition of anonymity.
Lee 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner turned down longer and more lucrative offers to return to the team he helped reach the 2009 World Series after a midseason trade from Cleveland.
New York had started with a $138 million, six-year offer to Lee, the person familiar with the Yankees’ negotiations said. After outfielder Carl Crawford agreed to a seven-year, $142 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, New York immediately increased its offer to Lee to $150 million over seven seasons, the person said.
Philadelphia dealt Lee to Seattle as part of a four-team, nine-player swap after the 2009 season while simultaneously acquiring Roy Halladay from Toronto and signing him to a new contract that added $60 million over three seasons. When the Phillies sign Lee, he will join Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels to form what would be considered the top rotation in the major leagues.
The Phillies have been considering trading pitcher Joe Blanton and/or outfielder Raul Ibanez to clear payroll space, a person familiar with Philadelphia’s deliberations. said. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because those talks were ongoing.
Lee had a good time during his stay with the Phillies, who acquired him from Cleveland in July 2009.
“At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought we were working out an extension with the Phillies,” Lee said the day after the trade. “I thought I’d be spending the rest of my career there. … I was under the impression they wanted to keep me there for a long time. In my mind, it was going to happen.”
Associated Press photo
NYYrumors
Lee camp balked at PED provision in NYY contract. Yankee front office didn’t want repeat of Arod debacle #CliffLee #Steroids #Yankees
http://twitter.com/NYYrumors/s.....0299984896
Time to call up Kenny Williams and see if you can trade for A. Gavin Floyd and if not B. Mark Buerhle.
Forget Greinke. The Royals want a King’s Ransom, and he ain’t da King.
I wonder if Clemens is available?
TBrownYahoo With vesting option, Lee could have made $161 mil from Rangers. They were the high bidders.
Unreal. I wish him and his smug face the worst. He never gave me a warm fuzzy. And now I have to watch him pitch in the local Philly market every 5th day. ugh.
Call Moose right now and tell him to drop the ice cream sandwiches.
After all the talk about Lee preferring Texas they actually had a huge offer and he STILL turned it down.
I feel bad for Rangers fans.
Talk about being misled.
So money and proximity to Arkansas were both better than NY offer and he still didn’t sign there. Big fan of cheesesteaks?
Boomer Wells in 2011.
How about Blanton!
OK, I was wrong.
LGY really. We need to get off our high horses, those of us who are up there. The ones who really should feel let down right now are the Ranger fans. We never had the guy.
Again, I say THANK GOD HE DIDN’T TAKE THE YANKEES OFFER.
Night all. I’m a happy camper. ONWARD AND UPWARD!
I know how to get back at the Phillies!
We’ll take Moyer from them!
There are no impact players on the free agent market for years to come. We had our opportunity to sign impact players. The well has run dry.
Pujols aint going anywhere.
Joba is a waste. He’s not trade bait. He’s a nothing.
The following things will happen this week:
Yanks resign Kerry Wood.
Yanks sign Rusell Martin
Yanks trade a package with Romine in it for mid rotation guy such as Floyd, Nolasco, etc.
Wooing of Pettitte begins.
TBrownYahoo With vesting option, Lee could have made $161 mil from Rangers. They were the high bidders.
——–
This is funny the Yanks didn’t even have the highest bid. If the Phillies didn’t get involved they would of been beat anyway.
Per Crasnick, Lee called Daniels personally to say he was going in another direction. He had Braunecker call Cashman.
Bronx Jeers,
But the abuse to the Captain, legend, icon from the front office coupled with the abuse the Lee family got from the fans seems like Lee would be walking into a hornets nest and getting attacked from all angles.
Maybe not the best place to spend 7 years of your life.
I stil dont get this. Maybe he wanted to pitch with DOC instead of CC?? am I reaching?
You all know Derek Lowe will be a Yankee by the end of the week, don’t you?
Yahoo reporting Rangers bid was actually higher than Yankees. Maybe Cash didn’t want Cliff as much as we think he did.
“Lee could have made $161 mil from Rangers. They were the high bidders.”
Absolutely stunning.
The Rangers are unbelievably fortunate that Lee didn’t take that contract.
Evan Grant was right when he said that Greenberg getting involved directly could turn out to be Hicks part II.
That contract would have crippled that club.
LGY-
Agreed on getting Floyd
I still think that the Yanks deal with the Marlins for one of their pitchers and it won;t be Johnson or Volstad.
The Yankees have the prospects to trade for any starting pitching that they want but unfortunately there isn’t any good pitchers available. I don’t consider Greinke an option. Too bad Cashman passed on Haren and assumed that he would sign Lee.
The only thing left is to pray that Pettitte comes back and that everyone has a career year next season. If Andy does retire, we have serious problems with our rotation.. This could be another 2008 or worse.
Keep Montero, go loud on offense, sign Pavano to a reasonable 2 year deal or trade for a mid-level starter.
Go in with CC, Hughes, AJ, Mid-tier starter, Pettitte/Nova
Make a midseason acquisition
Derek Lowe and Kevin Millwood should be rounding out the rotation shortly.
Search your feelings.
You know it to be true.
Well Lee had a relationship with Daniels…………..I’m glad it’s over and now I’m glad we don’t have Lee.
(repost)
Cashman didn’t fail.
Gave best package of any team.
Can’t force someone to sign.
Better pitching move for Lee – NL batters.
Philly lifestyle ??? Sheeesh.
With some of our ‘fringe fans’ out there…there may be alot of “lunger” out there if Mrs. Lee graces the Stadium at any point…..lotta “lunger”.
You can now buy Texas Rangers tickets on sale at Wal-Mart for $4.00 per seat.
Hope they enjoyed their ride.
My guess – Mr. Cashman has a few other folders in his briefcase….they should be interesting reading !!!
More fun ahead, Yankee Fans, more fun ahead !!!
I’m following this chat and some of the readers, straight up, are absolute re—tards.
How can you write a team off when the season doesn’t start for 4 months?!
At point did everyone decide we need an Ace…we HAVE AN ACE.
Crybabies…have some faith in your team.
Floyd would be a perfect dependable middle of the rotation guy for the Yankees.
Only owed $12 million over the next 2 years with a $9.5 club option for 2013.
I have no idea what Kenny Williams would want for him though and he is not worth blue chippers like Montero.
In all seriousness, Nolasco is a good get from the Marlins.
I’d also go try to get Wandy Rodriguez from Houston.
Maybe this was a good thing…was the guy really going to be great for 7 years? Only time will tell but the odds were against us. Look at AJ.
Not trolling, GB.
Banuelos is no Casey Kelly. He’s not even Stolmy Pimentel.
These guys you rave about on a daily basis will never be anything. They are all prospects on this blog on this blog only.
Maybe we should all focus on the championships that Scranton Wilkes Barre will win.
Do the Dodgers still need Cervelli? How about a package for Ted Lilly?
yea bret hitman. after all the yanks wwere so mean to jeter, they only overpaid him about $8 mill a year.
and this supposed mistreatment of lee’s wife be real, are you eleven years old…
lee liked philly and wanted t ogo back, not that complicated. $150 mill or $162 who the hell cares, you really think $11 million bucks will affect his life 1 bit????????
the guy is getting $150 mill………….
G. Love,
Those are two more names that could make perfect sense for the start of 2011.
BACK of the rotation starters. We have 1 thru 3 sorted out. If Pettitte comes back (75/25 says he does come back) then we need a 5th starter.
Someone tell Joba to drop the Crown Royal and start stretching it out.
We need to turn our own Kenny Powers back into a starter. If we have to send him a vision quest to Mexico first to do it, then book him a round trip flight to Cabo.
We’re content to sign the Dustin Moseleys of the world; the Sidney Ponsons of the world.
Instead of giving guys like Banuelos a shot.
no on marl b
G.Love-
I don’t think they are just going to revert back to 1986.
I really don’t think that’s going to happen (well at least I hope…).
You never know, but I don’t think so.
The leaks about Greinke point to that. Those may have been sent out to reset expectations of yankee fans.
I think the organization really did have a sense Lee wasn’t going to sign due to the delay and they were letting fans know what to look for and Greinke likely isn’t it.
I think we might see some generic veteran type guy acquired and take their chances in 2011.
Mad Prince is right. No crying. I only hope we can see the Phillies in the World Series. Forget the Red Sox, I’ll be rooting for the Philiies in the World Series so the squad can whip them again.
Buehrle is planning on retiring at the end of 2011. How much do you plan on giving up on a one year rental. Forget him.
next year this will hurt but over the years it will be a blessing. this will force the yanks to pus hthere own arms and get away from the over the top long term deals for pitchers that are to old to deserve it………
Lee is chicken s * * t doesn’t want AL East to get too familiar with him.
Mad Prince,
I’d take a chance on Wandy Rodriguez because he’s left handed and doesn’t walk the ball park. I don’t think he’d cost what a Nolasco would cost.
And let’s not forget that we can also be creative at the trade deadline.
I’m excited…no fear about some massive 7 year contract that would have been a nightmare by the 5th year.
This will be a very interesting season. Low expectations mean low pressure. Unfamiliar territory. I’m glad we got the title in ’09, cause it might be a while.
Lee signs with the team that dumps you in the middle of talking about a contract extension and so he sign with them for a ton of less money!!???? Doesn’t make sense.
Hope all those idiots who bad mouth the yanks for trying to get Lee in the trade last time because the yankee pitching was loaded already will now start up saying the same thing about the Phils.. So how I doubt it. Tell that fat man on talk radio to say something now
lilly is 34 + and the dodgetrs signed him to a 3 year deal, and he is avg. PASSSSSSSSSSS
Bright side: Andy just can’t back out now.
G. Love,
I was talking about Lowe and Millwood, actually.
I’d avoid Wandy like the plague, but Nolasco I’d be down with….Marlins have a knack for developing quality pitching.
We need better than a 5th starter.. we need a 3 or a 4.. AJ burnett pitches like a #5.. Hughes is still young.. Pettitte can hold his own most of the season as a #2.. We need someone that gives us innings…not another 6 inning pitcher.
I think we might see some generic veteran type guy acquired and take their chances in 2011.
///I sure would like to think so. Unsexy and smart is the way to go i would say.
hey it is worst for Rangers fans considering how much he publicly complimented them, at least he didn’t say anything about new york
Mad Prince,
Are you really surprised that people have written off the Yankees already?
Yesterday (the 13th) was my birthday. I’m elated that the announcement about Lee not coming to the Yanks happened on my birthday. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer present.
Thank you baseball gods!
Losing Aceves to injury really hurts now. He could have slotted into the back of the rotation…
Maybe Cliff Lee didnt come to us because we just got a pitching coach that specializes in injuring his pitchers.
Hip Hip Hooray!
CB,
I think we’re going to get Derek Lowe. Cash makes trades with Atlanta. It’s a salary dump and it won’t hurt as bad as Greinke prospect wise.
Then he’ll try to bring back Andy and call it a day.
If the PED clause in the contract rumor is true, we have our reason why he didn’t sign in NY.
Holy crap. This story gets a lot more serious if that rumor is true.
start_wearing_pink December 14th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Not trolling, GB.
Banuelos is no Casey Kelly. He’s not even Stolmy Pimentel.
These guys you rave about on a daily basis will never be anything. They are all prospects on this blog on this blog only.
Maybe we should all focus on the championships that Scranton Wilkes Barre will win.
———————————————————————————————————————-
How would you know what he is at the age of 19? You’ve never seen him and most likely not the other 2. Stick to what you know. That should waste about 5 seconds.
I’d like to get Greinke and Kemp.
Also have a feeling that this may spell the end of GGBG’ s time in pinstripes.
Obviously Cashman wasn’t 100% sold on offering Lee 7 years…rightfully so. Everyone in the media thought that their offer was much higher than it actually was. Heyman was given everything from his agent and 2 days ago instead of writting the usual Yanks offer was 7/$161 he started writting we don’t know the exact amounts. The fact that Cashman didn’t offer more just tells you he knew it wasn’t a smart idea for the future.
s in la December 14th, 2010 at 12:56 am
Bright side: Andy just can’t back out now.
//SHOW ANDY THE $$$. He’s a better postseason pitcher than Lee is.show him some appreciation and he’ll be back.
Pittsburgh, that was Brett with another one of his rumors
“Buehrle is planning on retiring at the end of 2011. How much do you plan on giving up on a one year rental. Forget him.”
——————
The Yankees just did the same thing one year ago with Vazquez.
If they can’t get Floyd I would go the same route with Buerhle.
Lee took the easy way out by pitching in the NL for less money.
Maybe Brian Cashman can dig once more into the vault known as the “Brian Cashman All-Stars” and get Pavano! Pavano!
Cash better have a viable trade option before ST if he isn’t even going to be the high bidder on our prized offseason target!
Honestly, I have all the faith in the world in Cash, but we were outbid by the Rangers.
If we go into the season without a 2 or 3 pitcher NOT currently in our organization, whose name isn’t Pettitte, I’ll be very confused as to the Yankees line of thinking.
And before people start with the, “bad contract, would hurt us in the long run financially” BS– this team is built to win now. we can’t worry about how
a guy like Cliff Lee is going to affect us in 4 or 5 years.
start wearing pink,
I don’t think its a case of giving guys like Banuelos a chance. He’ll get a chance when he’s ready. Maybe thats this year at some point, I don’t know, but you can’t really argue that the Yankees aren’t giving their farmhands the chance to pitch in NY.
Hughes
Joba
Nova
Kennedy
Robertson
Aceves
I’m sure there is more.
You have to trust the organization’s evaluation of player development.
PittsburghYankeeFan December 14th, 2010 at 12:57 am
If the PED clause in the contract rumor is true, we have our reason why he didn’t sign in NY.
Holy crap. This story gets a lot more serious if that rumor is true.
*******
It’s just a rumor I floated on my pro-Yankees anti-everyone else Twitter.
Wow……Texas got lucky there. That contract would have been AROD part 2.
A player option for Lee is basically a guarantee.
The only reason he wouldn’t exercise it is if he thought he was actually worth more than that option on the market.
“# Bret The Hitman December 14th, 2010 at 12:42 am
NYYrumors
Lee camp balked at PED provision in NYY contract. Yankee front office didn’t want repeat of Arod debacle #CliffLee #Steroids #Yankees
http://twitter.com/NYYrumors/s…..0299984896
”
sounds like a false smear out of anger
Cashman will hit the four-spot.
He hit the trifecta last year with Nicky Johnson, Vazquez, and Thames.
This year, we can go back to old reliable Carl Pavano!
Montero for Floyd is a deal breaker, he would be a great addition to the Yanks
Smear? Anger? Me? NOOOOOO!
joelsherman1 Halladay and Lee will receive from #Phillies together roughly what Sabathia alone got from #Yankees #2horsesfor1 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck
Andy can’t back out now?? Why, because he’s not in it for the titles? You people are amazing.
What a disgusting individual Lee is.
raymagnetic,
Of course I’m not surprised. I’m merely reminding those folks how pathetic they are.
Its just kinda wild how people just throw in the towel on the team before the season even starts.
Maybe Cashman can reacquire Ponson.
Or lure Moose or the Boomer out of retirement.
Or bring back Roger. The only box i want to see Roger in is a wooden one.
Gonna be a fun year, folks.
Glove – jeez, I hope Cash has something else up his sleeve. The rotation is a disaster, Lowe does nothing to change that. Lol… Now Burnett is a big key… Not a good night, worse than people want to admit. We can spin it now like it is for the best but it puts a huge dent in the rotation.
joelsherman1 # Of course, if CC opts out, I full now expect #Phillies to sign him to be NO. 5 starter less than a minute ago via TweetDeck
start_wearing_pink December 14th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Not trolling, GB.
Banuelos is no Casey Kelly. He’s not even Stolmy Pimentel.
These guys you rave about on a daily basis will never be anything. They are all prospects on this blog on this blog only.
Maybe we should all focus on the championships that Scranton Wilkes Barre will win.
///UR nuts.Banuelos isn’t Jeff Marquez.He’s not a Scranton WB lifer.you might do some research before going out on a limb there.banuelos is unanimously regarded by all major outlets,noone quibbles with his upside.learn a thing or two will ya. ur impressing no one here,especially not me who has attended his starts.he was in the futures game for a reason genius.
joelsherman1 Halladay and Lee will receive from #Phillies together roughly what Sabathia alone got from #Yankees #2horsesfor1 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck
\
–
I guess…if you mash both their contracts together but they make double what CC makes in AAV
Hey everybody, we’ve still got Vajayjay Burnett!
Anybody who thinks the Yankees cant win without Lee must have been in a coma in 2009.
Pettitte comes back and the rotation is as good as anyone’s. Sign Pettitte, sign Pavano, sign Soriano, trade for Choo and call it an offseason.
@YankFan: No. Because he’d be screwing the Yankees if he left. He wont do it.
there was something i never liked about cliff lee. he never seemed like a yankee to me
the yankees are the yankees.
there is plenty of time to put a team together that will beat the phillies in the world series.
G. Love-
I think trying to take on money would be a good strategy. Trading talented young chips for veteran mediocrity is not going to win them the world series.
They just need to figure out how to make ends meet this season. And hope that Banuelos and Betances continue their upwards trajectories.
The franchise can go in a couple of directions now. To me, the lesson of losing Lee is to not put yourself in the position where so much depends on a free agent.
In the wake of losing Lee, I think the franchise should move faster in the direction of getting younger rather than giving chips away for middling talent.
Russell Martin
Zack Greinke
Matt Kemp
Rafael Soriano
done
Sign Pavano? You must be joking.
Casey Kelly is no Casey Kelly…except in the eyes of Boston fans.
Tank,
You are wrong. For a number of reasons.
I’ll leave it at that.
We still have a good team & i will enjoy watching yankee baseball just the same.
Something will break for us going forward & cash will jump on it.
Cash is always organized and well-prepared. He may make a mistake, but I would be surprised if a move isn’t made fairly quickly.
For those of you who haven’t seen or don’t follow the prospects:
*The minor league season is over, so it’s time to step back and measure talent. Every organization fell somewhere on the arc from good farm systems to bad, but one clearly stands out when it comes to organizational pitching talent: the New York Yankees.* …
*Manny Banuelos.* He’s 19, and, at Double-A this year, he had a 2.51 ERA and struck out 85 in 64.2 IP. Every pitch in Banuelos’ already-impressive arsenal improved this summer, as his velocity went from the low 90s to consistently sitting at 92-95 mph, although his curveball became a more consistent offering with sharp break — and his changeup remained the plus pitch it always was. *Among undersize lefties with power stuff, some scouts think Banuelos is now every bit as good as, if not better than, coveted Texas Rangers prospect Martin Perez.*
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb.....id=5572351
The rotation is a disaster
WHAT?? it’s gone from bidding on lee and not getting him to the rotation ‘is a disaster?’ IT’S THE SAME ROTATION THAT WON THE WORLD F***KING SERIES JUST OVER A YEAR AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Repeat: IT’S THE SAME ROTATION THAT WON THE WORLD SERIES JUST OVER A YEAR AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You want a reality check? Go look at the starting pitching depth charts around the league and tell me who you think is really available.
I would not be stunned to see Lowe on this roster by the end of the week.
Do I want him? No. But our rotation is in shambles right now and Cashman has to plug some holes quick.
If he actually makes the Greinke deal you can kiss the top 4 prospects goodbye.
Sign Carl Pavano??? Are people serious?? lol
This played out almost identically to LeBron-mania this summer… tedious drama, a team coming out of nowhere to snag him, took a big discount to go there, is teaming up with other elite talents to create what people consider historic and potentially unbeatable….
CC-Greinke 1-2 is AWESOME!!!
CB,
I agree re: taking on salary in any trade, but the one thing they must do is remind each and every GM they talk to that they don’t have extra leverage just because we missed out on Lee. Because they don’t.
Its not some disaster like a lot of people think. It’d have been nice to get him on a 5 year, $100 contract but that was never an option for NYY. We’d be paying thru the roof until this clown was 39.
GreenBeret7 December 14th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Casey Kelly is no Casey Kelly…except in the eyes of Boston fans.
//that’s verging on a Yogi-ism.
The free agent pitching market is scary bad next year.
Cole Hamels, Liriano, and Jered Weaver there the year after though.
I can get on board with that.
Sign Pavano, Pettitte, Soriano, get Choo, sign Wood or a lefty reliever.
We can shoot for the wild card and make a run in the playoffs.
Trisha,
Belated Happy Birthday. As we often do we agree, but then we are both Sagg’s. My birthday was the 9th, my husband’s the 8th.
“Lee took the easy way out by pitching in the NL for less money.”
Absolutely.
MoRings42 December 14th, 2010 at 1:07 am
Sign Carl Pavano??? Are people serious?? lol
///that’s not a bad idea at all.we already have an ace and fine 2,3 guys if Andy comes back.Pavano can pitch.
Dont ever mention Carl Pavano in here again.
Liriano and Hamels would be entering their age 29 season like CC
Weaver his age 30 season.
CB,
Betances and Banuelos, if they’re affective should reach Scranton by mid-summer. By that time, if not sooner, both Mitchell and Phelps should be ready. The only thing with Mitchell is that he’s not really a strikeout type pitcher, though his stuff is good enough.
CB,
I tend to agree with you. If a trade is all about taking on money and not trading top talent then you do it to plug a hole.
I would not deplete the farm system unless Josh Johnson, Felix Hernandez or Matt Cain hit the trade wire.
I also wouldn’t be stunned to see us take on Zambrano from the Cubs (with Cubs eating some salary) if Rothschild thinks he can fix him.
I wonder what Carmona would cost from Cleveland?
yea bret hitman. mat kemp can pitch? the dodgers aqre trading him and you are an idiot…..
russell martin stinks and had to be on the juice big time, it is impossable to drop that fast at such a young age…..
I love cc more than ever now!! Not only do I wish he out pitches lee if they go head to head. But I now believe yankee hitters will absolutely crush him the next time he pitches against us…
Any way we can convince Swisher to start?
Rich in NJ,
Only Cashman didn’t make a mistake here.
The target signed with someone else for a ton less money. That’s just a choice that didn’t involve playing for the Yankees.
Was not signing Crawford or Werth a mistake? I think not.
BREAKING NEWS: Lee took a pay cut to return to the NL because he missed hitting.
The Yankees were trying to go younger, but only Phil has so far worked out. Joba, in their eyes, is a reliever now……..and IPK is gone (though I really think he was no more than a #4 or 5 in the AL). Cash was trying not to depend on FAs, but he’s not had much luck.
Paving threw over 200 innings and led the league in complete games IIRC, I’d sign him in a heartbeat. You need pitchers who can pitch 200 quality innings and Pavano fits that mold well.
We should hopefully also have one of the Killer B’s in the lineup in two years.
Matt Cain, Greinke, and Garza there in 2 years also.
Pavano can pitch.. when he’s not with the Yankees. I think he’s had more than enough time with us to prove what kind of person he really he is… Pass.
No one likes the guy either.
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb…..id=5572351
///right, and we know how much BP just loves them Yankee prospects,so they are of course slanted in the Yankees’ favor.
Paving =Pavano. Stupid phone
GB7-
They just need to stick with the current direction in terms of player development.
Don’t put yourself in this position again.
Trade the Warren’s, Noesi’s, etc to patch things together now. But keep the big picture in mind.
They need to recommit to young players now and accelerate the process.
Oh lord, please not Zambrano. I don’t see the Yankees going in that direction at all.
“Belated Happy Birthday. As we often do we agree, but then we are both Sagg’s. My birthday was the 9th, my husband’s the 8th.”
Thanks SAS.
You have to admit we Saggs are a happy and optimistic lot. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t imagine how awful it has to be going through life whimpering and complaining because things don’t go the way we think they should. Talk about major DUH and boring!
Stuart,
I’m so glad you think differently than me…
You have no idea.
Let’s see what the plan is. The Yankees will be alright.
I’m having a hard time believing Tim Brown. Everyone thought the Yankees had the high offer, and if they didn’t they would have.
The issue is why Cliff Lee would leave so much money on the table, and use the Yankees the way he did, especially with CC here. I’m sure Cashman talked to CC and AJ about Lee. This has surprised everyone. CC’s comments will be interesting.
Scratch Garza. My mistake.
CB,
Do you think Floyd is attainable and have any idea what would take to get him?
Create a power pen… Soriano, Feliciano, Wood. Trade a 3-way for Matt Garza. Coordinate it with the Cubs. Trade for Kemp or CarGo
No one likes the guy either.
///you know i think players like pitchers who can go out and help them get wins.this clubhouse stuff may have been a factor in pavano’s case but it can be overcome.this kind of stuff is over rated I would say.
Maybe they could trade Pat Venditte and market him as some kind of part-time circus act to up his trade value. Kind of like a two for one…you get a pitcher and a clown with insane juggling talents.
Remember Cashman considered picking up Pavano’s option a couple of years ago. If Sidney Ponson can pitch for the Yankees twice then so can Pavano.
i really lost respect for this guy….not because he didn’tsign with us but because he went back to the team that TRADED you just a year ago because they though you were not as good as DOc….betterfor us that is not in the AL but Texas didnt desrve this…
Any of the White Sox pitchers will cost a fortune and not be worth the price.
Either set your sights sky high and empty the farm or set them lower.
Hey all: Just wanted to say thanks for jumping in on the impromptu live chat. It was fun and always nice to see the community here getting together, even if it’s over a development that I’m sure was frustrating for a lot of you.
LeTHuL27 December 14th, 2010 at 1:10 am
Any way we can convince Swisher to start?
///very funny it’s not so dire maybe the yanks can come to the conclusion they should restart joba’s starter.that would be interesting.
CB, just my opinion, but Noesi is the keeper among him and Nova. The really good thing about these kids is that with the exception of Banuelos and Marshall, none have innings limitations on them next year until the get into the 195 range.
Tell you something funny. Today I was walking with Brian (Red Sox fan) and we were talking about Lee. I told him that on my parents’ souls I did not want Lee. He said that he had actually come full circle with the whole thing. He said at the beginning, the last thing he wanted was for the Yankees to get Lee. But he said that as time went on he actually hoped the Yankees would get him because he thought it was going to be a riot watching the Yankees get stuck with Lee in a few years and keep trotting him out there well after his effectiveness worse off. So despite what Sux fans might say to the contrary, there were also some out there who thought the Yankees were potentially getting stuck with a dud when they were in it for a 7-year stint.
I think Brian is actually going to be disappointed we didn’t end up with Lee!
The Pavano idea is a joke, obviously.
If Cashman signed The Idle and he busted again, Cashman would be fired. No question. Its really not even worth talking about because I’m fairly certain Cashman values his job.
Why are you asking CB who is attainable and what the price is?
As if CB knows his ass from a hole in the wall.
Nearly everyone is attainable at the right price. For Floyd, it’s major league ready talent. We are not getting gifted Floyd for Casey Kelly a.k.a. peanuts and crackerjacks
Wow the Rangers really lost there freaking mind in this whole mess. They acted like a crazed person at an auction event. They would’ve been completely screwed if Lee would’ve accepted that offer. Ownership and GM there need to just take a week off and regain some kind of composure.
If the Yanks were trading for a Cubs pitcher, I’d prefer Dempster over Zambrano.
raymagnetic December 14th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Remember Cashman considered picking up Pavano’s option a couple of years ago. If Sidney Ponson can pitch for the Yankees twice then so can Pavano.
///boy do I ever agree with that.bitterness is misplaced if a guy can actually help.
wow, trisha, you hang around a Red Sox fan. good for you. cant wait to see you pom-pom waving during 2011′s bridge year.
G. Love,
Even if it were possible, I don’t think the yankees would have thrown 150M at carl crawford tomorrow in the wake of missing out on Lee.
I don’t think they are going to do something stupid (though I am concerned of course that something might happen given the uncertainty).
I don’t think Zambrano will work because he has a vesting option after the next two seasons that I believe is easily attainable. That means he would be due 3 years at close to 60M. The Cubs would have to toss in at least 20-25M to make that work.
I think Lowe is the kind of guy we might see. He’d cost little to get given how much he’s owed.
I don’t think this is a disaster though. They aren’t likely going to be able to build a team that will be favored to win, but that doesn’t mean they won’t compete.
I am sure I am missing someone but as of now the winter following the 2012 season is loaded with SP.
Hamels
Danks
Liriano
Cain
Greinke
Weaver
Anibal Sanchez
The Yankees just need to not do something rash or dumb like give CJ Wilson a big contract next year. Make some smart trades, keep developing those pitching prospects, and score big again like you did with CC 2 winters from now.
I can’t take this anymore. I’m going to bed people.
For all you people on the cliff, take a bo_ng load and relax.
I can’t believe Pavano is being mentioned here. Bringing back Javy was bad enough. Who’s next? Ed Whitson?
I will say though… It is hilarious that Heyman had this right all along and he can shove it right back in the faces of Olney, Gammons, etc. who mocked him.
Cashman I really think was using his head in this one. He offered plenty but didn’t complete break the bank. Lets just see what he can come up with here. He was an elf for Christmas and I really think that he will be bringing gifts this holiday season to Yankee fans.
Don’t Touch Montero and don’t deal for that head case Grienke. The rest is fair game.
LGY-
They could get Floyd. I think Williams would probably want Banuelos or Betances. Someone of that caliber to anchor the deal.
yankeefeminista December 14th, 2010 at 1:11 am
We should hopefully also have one of the Killer B’s in the lineup in two years.
//maybe both altho they’ll probably not want two guys at once coming in green.but in terms of development,i could see both Manny and Dellin ready to roll.
Greinke is not a head case on the mound. He’s a command/control guy with plus stuff.
You’re kidding yourself, fruitcake, if you think Banuelos anchors a deal for Floyd. Major league ready talent, sweetie. Montero at the least.
You remember Cano and Wang for Jason Michaels, right?
Or did you just become a fan of the Yankees in 2009?
Pavano is not happening. Cash thought about it a couple of years ago, then forgot it given how the clubhouse and fan reaction would be.
No way I’m giving up Banuelos or Betances. Forget making any trades as teams will try to hold the Yanks for ransom
The Rangers are really lucky that the Phillies got involved. If the Phillies told Lee’s agent that they didn’t have the money to sign him the Rangers would be stuck with a terrible contract. I really can’t believe that they actually offered Lee that much money. Ryan is a nut job and almost killed that franchise.
Sam, thanks! It doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would……..it helps to vent, lol
“wow, trisha, you hang around a Red Sox fan. good for you. cant wait to see you pom-pom waving during 2011’s bridge year.”
I don’t know who you are but I do know that I find your comments purile, neurotic, and generally whacked out. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course.
Yes it happens that I am very good friends with many Sux fans since in my neck of the woods, that’s the majority. In fact I had the option of killing every member of my family since they are all Sux fans or trying to get past that and interact with them anyway. While it was an agonizing choice, I thought it would be more fun to be a Yankee fan away from prison walls. So I let them live.
Glad I have something to fret over while im not sleeping tonight while I keep an eye on my bird. Thanks Cliff Lee. Its nice he waited til midnight to make his announcement, that way he can have the front page to himself on Wednesday since Favre is taking up the paper tomorrow.
Anyone have the Yankee payroll?
Hamels will resign with PHI at a 50% discount like all studs apparantly do with them.
LAA is a big market team. They can afford Weaver.
Danks is ok….not an ace
Greinke is not built for NYY
Liriano? CAnibal Sanchez? Ehhh
Have to hope someone better becomes available via trade. But we may be waiting a while…
GB7-
I also lean that way regarding Noesi vs. Nova.
First order of business is making Pettitte an offer he can’t refuse.
It is just one year and without $20+ million on the payroll for Lee the Yankees can afford to give him a raise.
“cant wait to see you pom-pom waving during 2011’s bridge year.”
Since it’s going to be a bridge year, why don’t you and your diapers and head over to SOSH. That’s where Yankee fans who can’t take the heat end up going.
Is it easy to walk without a backbone? Just curious.
Greinke is not the answer. As others have posted I hope Cashman doesn’t give in to all this media mess and demands from Yankee fans about having to make moves. Don’t do anything silly. As long as you are holding that big of a checkbook you are always in control.
Of course minus this Lee situation. That knucklehead
@trisha
it’s easier to walk in reality with a backbone. i’ll be watching all 162 games, win or lose….while you’re watching your beloved Reds and quitting on the Yankees again as you did last season.
Danks is only 25. He is still developing.
Liriano has injury concern, but he was phenomenal last season.
I just don’t see how the Phillies afford Hamels now that they signed Lee. Who knows tho? I said the same thing about Lee.
A lot can change in 2 years with these guys.
Just saying there is a lot of talent to be had that winter as it stands now.
It will be interesting to see what moves Cashman might be able to make now. The other teams will think that the Yankees are going to be desperate, with some validity to that. They are short on pitching.
Pettitte will help that look better if he comes back, and this might push him to reconsider retirement to help out his team.
I wonder how the Players Union will react to this, though we will probably never know as that will be behind closed doors.
What will be funny is if the Phillies have to eat money on the trades they need to do to free payroll. I wouldn’t be surprised to see other teams hold them to the fire.
I expect the Yankees to sign Russell Martin tomorrow. He only follows 1 person on Twitter and that’s CC Sabathia. There’s a guy who wants to be a Yankee.
Montero + for Greinke. The Royals can’t get a better prospect than that.
Trading him now as a “C” before he becomes a DH is absolutely crucial. Arod is our DH in 2012.
Trading Montero as the headliner for Greinke will protect other prospects with less inflated value.
“Yes it happens that I am very good friends with many Sux fans since in my neck of the woods, that’s the majority. In fact I had the option of killing every member of my family since they are all Sux fans or trying to get past that and interact with them anyway. While it was an agonizing choice, I thought it would be more fun to be a Yankee fan away from prison walls. So I let them live.”
———
Awesome. Nicely said, Trisha.
The Phillies deal Lee and then he goes crawling back to them. What a loser.
“it’s easier to walk in reality with a backbone. i’ll be watching all 162 games, win or lose….while you’re watching your beloved Reds and quitting on the Yankees again as you did last season.”
Y-A-W-N!!!!!
there were also some out there who thought the Yankees were potentially getting stuck with a dud for a 7 year contract
*************************
That is the upside. The Yankees probably would have been stuck for the last years of the contract. 7 years is too long for a pitcher who is 32. And especially one who did not want to be here.
The Yankees can get younger and build the pitching staff. I am sure Cashman will come through.
Everyone take a step back from the ledge.
Last I checked, the Yankees were two wins from the World Series with the pitching staff they had in place this past year. And it wasn’t the pitching staff that was really the problem in that particular series loss.
I’d like to add a reliable veterans innings eater, and would gladly go to battle with Sabathia-Hughes-Pettitte-That Guy-Burnett.
Still don’t see how Boston is really any better than they were at this point last year. If they get production from Crawford and Gonzalez that exceeds what they got from Beltre and Martinez, it would be surprising.
I like Danks and Floyd but really I doubt either one is available for a decent price. Teams always ask the Yanks for a ton and after this mess they will ask for even more.
Bret that is a terrible trade. On both accounts. This Lee going to Philly thing I can handle but that trade would be disaterous and really make me upset.
I for one am glad its over. The Phillies still won’t be able to beat the Giants.
Start wearing pink,
Sox get a superstar 1B for Casey Kelly
yet if we want Ted Lilly we have to give up Montero and Betances…. just the way it is.
The Yankees don’t need to sign an ace, not that it would hurt them if they did, but it needs to be middle of the rotation type.
Wandy’s also an FA in 2012.
The Russell Martin leaks are making a ton of sense right now.
The Yankees have been fortunate to be able to allow these young pitchers the time to get their innings in at a normal pace instead of rushing them up the ladder like the last 3 )Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy). Whether they pan out, I have no way of knowing, but, so far, none have missed a beat moving up, Brackman is the only one that I can see making it through ST and going north, besides Nova (if he isn’t traded). Brackman only if he’s in the pen.
Lee signs for less than Jason Werth.
I hope Cashman solves the rotation issues internally……Nova and who else are close to prime time ???? At this point just on track……Wish Joba was an option, regardless ink Kerry Wood ……
# CB December 14th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Lee signs for less than Jason Werth.
________________________
Does that make Lee Werth-Less?
there is someone mentally ill here who needs to be removed forever and swiftly too.
“The Phillies deal Lee and then he goes crawling back to them. What a loser.”
That’s what I just do not understand.
Thanks Mike.
“if every member of your family are red sox fans, then i can say im not too saddened at your recent loss.”
Since you have no relevance in my life, I think I’ll manage to carry on without your support.
CB December 14th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Lee signs for less than Jason Werth.
—————————————————————————–
No wonder Lee took so long to announce his decision. His agent probably needed to get him cleared by a psychiatrist to make sure he was of sound mind.
And his wife probably demanded a second opinion.
Yogi
“Pettitte will help that look better if he comes back, and this might push him to reconsider retirement to help out his team.”
—–
I feel the same way. I really think that beside the fact he will get paid more, andy can’t leave his team in the state it is. They need him and I think he will come back for the year. There’s really no one that fits their need like he does that won’t cost us prospects.
start wearing pink….you’re a punk
JON HEYMAN IS GOD
yet if we want Ted Lilly we have to give up Montero and Betances…. just the way it is.
///this would be grounds for firing and possibly never working again.
Would love to know how Braunecker feels about this.
His commission took a nice hit.
Pat. M,
I agree that’s the approach. There’s just isn’t going to be a real difference maker for them to acquire right now.
Get pettite back. Get a middle of the rotation guy and look at having a Nova, etc in reserve to slot into the rotation as needed.
Joba never being the same after that day he walked off the mound in texas with that sore shoulder continues to be such a big blow.
If the Yankees do try internal route, it won’t be the same as when they went with Hughes and Kennedy in the rotation. Hughes at least has a year under him now, and inning limitation isn’t going to be an issue.
I’m still just trying to wrap my mind around this for both the Phillies and for Lee.
I bet Ryan is thinking the same thing.
Not sure why Heyman evokes any kind of emotional response either positive or negative. He is so benign.
Braunecker did an incredible job with these negotiations getting the offers the Yankees and Rangers put out there.
Then in the end Lee takes a deal that basically everyone thought he would get.
Gotta be disappointing for an agent.
Im just honest, Pat M. Like it or lump it.
He will brag about how he got the Phillies to go north of what they were initially willing to do,his client new all along he wanted to go back and his job was to make him happy,he orchestrated it masterfully,etc.
I’m now bored with the lee saga he’s not a yankee.
Oh yeah think about Derek the agent. He played this whole thing Masterfully absolutely put together a free agent masterpiece and then Lee says thanks but I want to go back to Philly. He has to be fuming. And his wife would gladly take a beer or two over the head for the extra money that he would’ve gotten from NY. Or even just stay in Tex.
Going to Philly? Mind Boggling
“Joba never being the same after that day he walked off the mound in texas with that sore shoulder continues to be such a big blow.”
______________________________________________
I was just going to post something nearly exactly to that degree.
He was legitimately one of the best pitchers in baseball that year.
The fact that we’ve only developed one young starter as opposed to both really hurts right now. And Kennedy is no chump either.
Again, does anyone else think that -
start wearing pink is the latest version of “CR9″
To much $$ at stake to abandon the win-now philosophy and lose a year to rebuilding/transition/whateveruwannacallit.
We saw that in the amount bid for Lee.
The Yankees will be aggressive here.
Internal solutions will only compliment larger power moves.
My 40mph fastball is looking good right about now. I will now up my request to 8 years 200 mil. And a place in monument park. Retire numbers 30-39 for me. And have cheerleaders for me in those empty seats. Final offer
We won’t be aggressive if the move doesn’t meet our needs. I think we do nothing major and bide our time. Route to go is to get Andy back, shore up the bullpen, hopefully fix AJ and then see what our needs are.
Again, does anyone else think that -
start wearing pink is the latest version of “CR9?
——————
As strange as this sounds, pink is too dumb to be CR9.
I was just going to post something nearly exactly to that degree.
He was legitimately one of the best pitchers in baseball that year.
The fact that we’ve only developed one young starter as opposed to both really hurts right now. And Kennedy is no chump either.
///it has been the pivot point of many wrong turns since.they need to try again with joba.
Can someone explain to me why standing pat on the rotation would mean we would be conceding to a “transition year?”
Seems to me that the exact same four pitchers got us within 2 wins of a World Series last year. And we have reason to believe that two of them (Hughes and Burnett) will be significantly better than they were last year.
Braunecker = fraud. Boras would never have allowed this to happen. Boras is still king.
This is still surreal… Guy signed for $40 mil less than Crawford and left $60 mil on the table from his alleged “lifestyle” team. Imagine how his close hunting buddies from the Rangers feel after he led them on and didn’t think they were worth it.
I do have a bad back though. Shhhhhhhhhh
Not that it matters what I wonder why Lee obviously wanted no part of the Yankees. The teams and states are very similar as far as both being all star teams, small ball parks, media attention, crazy fans except they play in a different league obviously. It’s very weird that he left $45m on the table and the Yankees were his 3rd choice.
@GoYanks
CR9 was a delusional nutjob. Pom-pom waving freak that believed in Vajayjay Burnett.
This team, without significant upgrades, is destined for 2nd or 3rd place in the AL East next year. I dont mince words; I just tell it like it is.
start wearing pink,
You are one sicko person. Trisha’s loss has absolutely nothing to do with her as a person. She is a friend of many of us here, and that is what we care about.
As for watching 162 games, your life must be boring as all get out.
I highly doubt we will every really find out the truth but what in the world could have possibly made Lee want to return to Philly so bad?
After working in Philly for a few years…I came to hate the Philly teams and their fans almost as much as the Sox.
But I have to tip my hat to the Phils tonight…somehow they’ve managed to put together the most dangerous 1-2 combo in the game – in an easy-peasy division in the lesser league nonetheless – and the Yanks are left hoping that some prospects pan out in the future.
At least we can’t blame the Yanks in this one…they did what they had to do but Lee obviously just didn’t want to pitch here. Not much Cashman and Co. could do about that…
We won’t be aggressive???
We bid 150 MILLION DOLLARS just now.
But we won’t be aggressive???
Yeah. Ok.
That’s the depression talking. Shake it off.
Trisha,
Good night.
@SAS
I do not care about you as a person. I do not care about trisha as a person. I care about the Yankees and that’s it.
G-C December 14th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Can someone explain to me why standing pat on the rotation would mean we would be conceding to a “transition year?”
Seems to me that the exact same four pitchers got us within 2 wins of a World Series last year. And we have reason to believe that two of them (Hughes and Burnett) will be significantly better than they were last year.
///uhh,yeah. a sane person right here.
“As strange as this sounds, pink is too dumb to be CR9.”
Well LG, to have someone who doesn’t know me come from out of the blue and tell me they feel sorry for my loss and then take it back when I mention my family happens to be Sux fans, that’s a little too close for comfort.
Bret The Hitman December 14th, 2010 at 1:47 am
We won’t be aggressive???
We bid 150 MILLION DOLLARS just now.
But we won’t be aggressive???
Yeah. Ok.
That’s the depression talking. Shake it off.
__________
There was a qualifier there. We won’t be aggressive IF… meaning we won’t act from desperation. It would be foolhardy. We do not need to make some big a** move. And we can bide our time. Our pitching could be very good if AJ returns to even reasonable form. Alex should be healthier, ditto Tex, Swish. I just don’t think we overreact and make some bold statement for its own sake.
BloggingBombers Wouldn’t be shocking to see Yankees go after Chris Carpenter. He has a big option for 2012 and STL will need all its money to sign Pujols.
Hes 35 pass.
Anyway, I am out. Good night, all.
Start Wearing Pink, way to be a douche. If you only care about the Yankees why would you even respond to something somebody said on here and then make it personal?
Anyway, I’m thinking of watching game 1 of the 2010 world series just to laugh at Cliff Lee like I did when it was happening live. While I’m upset we didn’t get him I’m kinda glad cause if he turned out to be a bomb in a season or two I wouldn’t want to hear about it every 5th day.
making a panic move just keeps the writers fed for a few days.stay the course. and now i would like to remove myself from the presence of what appears to be a true sociopath.insults are one thing,tho tiresome. this is a whole other level of cringe worthy. goodnight board and goodbye mr. lee,we hardly knew ye.
Tricia……I’m hoping this Pink person has the decency to retract that comment and offer an apology……Anything less will is unacceptable…….Even stupidity has it’s limits of tolerance
Go get Carpenter. He’s a short-term solution till a better option comes along.
But with Yadier behind their plate, our strength doesn’t play to their weakness.
Night SAS. And thank you for the support.
I retract my comment and apologize. Anything less would be unacceptable. I was trying to hurt you because you tried to hurt me.
So the Deal is 115 for 5 years. Basically still 23 a year but for 2 less years. Someone please guarantee me that in 5 years the Yankees aren’t going to try and sign this washed up loser. PLEASE tell me that.
I wonder what CC thinks about all this, since they’re supposedly friends. So much for “not needing much recruiting”
Trisha
Its good to see you on here, unfortunately people always seem to come out of the blue and attack you. Lucky you are just as capable at attacking them right back.
I do think we will see some action happening with the Yankees, be it relievers or a trade for a starter.
One thing that would help lessen the shock of this would be Andy coming back.
I hope we don’t see anything happening that looks like a panic move though.
Not a very pleasant piece of news for NY baseball fans, but who knows, this might ultimately be for the best. 7 years for a starter is risky, especially when they are going to be 40 at the end of it.
Trisha, I’m sorry that you had to put up with that pig.
Just remember: “We’ll always have Paris.”
OhHow about: “We’ll always have Lohud.” Not as romantic as Paris, but a lot closer and !! Wait..that wasn’t you. That was Illsa.
cheaper.
Lee’s agent did a great job in getting 2 teams to as high as he did but in the end it meant nothing. Boras must be laughing at his agent right now. I could only imagine the best player on the market telling Boras he wants to leave $40m on the table. Like that would work.
Trisha, I’m sorry that you had to put up with that pig.
Just remember: “We’ll always have Paris.”
Wait..that wasn’t you. That was Illsa.
Oh!! How about: “We’ll always have Lohud.” Not as romantic as Paris, but a lot closer and cheaper.
Im all Leed out.
The figure from the Phillies seems to be moving somewhat.
The details will come out soon enough. It seems the Phillies didn’t as big a bargain as was first reported though. Now its being said to be 120 million.
Oh well. Time to put this mightily confused mind to rest.
I too think we will be fine as long as Andy comes back. The people saying to just let him retire are out of their minds.
GB
If they have to make a trade that doesn’t involve any of the top 5 prospects, who do you think they would try to move?
Here is my response to this whole ordeal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6WTxJkwimA
Now that Gerald Laird has signed on with the Cardinals, I’d forget about Martin and go after Bengie Molina.
Thank you all so very much. Nothing will ever take away from the tremendous caring and support I got from my wonderful friends here. It helped me through an awful time and helped make me stronger. So when some meaningless person says something rotten, it can’t make a dent in my psyche or in my heart because I’ve been bolstered by positive people with beautiful souls.
That’s what I always want my life to be about. I’m really good at ignoring ugliness.
this team is going to be terrible next year without significant upgrades.
cc, phil, hopefully a one-year older coming off an injury Pettitte and pray…
Night all.
tyanksfan36 December 14th, 2010 at 2:09 am
I too think we will be fine as long as Andy comes back. The people saying to just let him retire are out of their minds.
GB
If they have to make a trade that doesn’t involve any of the top 5 prospects, who do you think they would try to move?
———————————————————————————————————————-
Tough to say without know the team, but, Chamberlain, Romine, Pena, Nova, Noesi, Adams, Warren, Stoneburner, Black, Brewer, Jorge Vazquez, Suttle, possibly Phelps and Robertson could all go in trades. To get somebody really good, it’s going to take a top arm .
Nice piece on El Duque on mlb network. If only he were still the El Duque of old.
While we may have offered the most GUARANTEED money, Philly offered a higher annual value. In the end, $120 million guaranteed, and an obtainable 6th year, which would make the deal likely to be worth $144 million over 6 years. We offered $148 over 7. He, in his mind, isn’t leaving anything on the table, because after 6 years, he can either a.) call it a career and retire, or b.) go one more year for more than $4 million.
Did Cashman fail? I wouldn’t go that far. He made an excellent offer. Philly just made a better one. One has to wonder why they played it the way they did, and why Cash didn’t choose to go that way.
We’ll never know. All I can say is, my hopes for the next 2 years or so are not particularly high.
He’s just the old El Duque now.
It’s not about proximity to Ark. It’s not about Lee’s Wife being treated badly by Yankee Fan’s. It’s not even about the Money. He just doesn’t want to be a Yankee. So we move on.
Nice recruiting job, Michelle Damon!
Well I clearly don’t know squat, I was on the Lee-to-NYY bandwagon early, often, and up until moments before the height of his folly was confirmed.
Oh well. Now I will take pleasure in his every postseason failure.
GreenBeret7 December 14th, 2010 at 2:20 am
G’Night.
He’s just the old El Duque now.
______
Sad but true. Make some moves to bolster the team during the overnight. Just don’t trade the Killer B’s or Montero.
Oh, and since there’s an extra $23+M sitting around now, how about using a teeny bit of it to bring back Chien-ming Wang, even if he can’t ever pitch again in the bigs.
It would be the right thing to do.
Sign Andy, go get Carpenter.
Although step 2 may have to wait until July.
Just so you know:
Celebrity deaths 2010 – “Incarcerated Bob” was a regular radio caller who was hit by a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve. “Incarcerated Bob” died on Jan 2. Read and hear “Incarcerated Bob”’s voice here.
I take a break for a few hours with my lnew son and look what happens!
First, Happy Bday Trisha!
Second, I’m glad it didnt happen.
No rediculous 7 year deal.
No CC-like contract for a non-CC pitcher.
Third, he didn’t go to boston or anywhere in the AL Beast
Time to make moves:
Sign Martin
Sign Pettite
Sign Wood and Fuentes
Sign Feliciano or Choate or Ohman
Sign Aceves to a minor league deal
Sign Reed Johnson
Trade for Burhle by using Joba and cash
Trade Brackman, Romine, Robertson and Swisher for Upton
Roation:
CC, Hughes, Buhrle, AJ, Pettite
Bullpen:
Mariano, Wood, Fuentes, Logan, Nova, Feliciano/Choate/Ohman, Aceves/Mitre
OF: Gardner, Granderson, Upton, Johnson/Golson
IF: Arod, Jeter, Cano, Tex, Nunez, Laird
C: Martin, Montero, Posada
I am glad we did not get Lee. I just do not like him. He will get injured and never fulfill the contract. When will Cashman learn not to throw rediculous money and years at Free Agent pitchers? Lee will be another Carl Pavano.
You know, it would be nice to see what Cashman can do without always buying Free Agents. A trade or two, some youngsters coming up. That would be exciting, even if we had to wait a year or two to compete.
The problem with signing guys long term that end up sucking is not the money, the Yankees have plenty of that. The problem is you have to play them. You have to keep pitching Burnett, Jeter will have to hit first or second. This is an aging, boring, crappy team. Cashman better get off of his backside soon.
Yankees can get by , Lee wanted to pitch in the weaker league and weaker division.He did Cash a favor by turning down his offers.161million can be put to better use, no need to do anything stupid. Keep the powder dry. Yankees have plenty of young arms to choose from within the farm system. see how it pans out in ST, then the trade mkt may open up.In the interim, strenghten the bullpen.
NM Yankee Fan….That was a bleak assessment for 2011
An aging, boring, crappy team that went to the ALCS and is 13 months removed from a World Series Championship?
Tough crowd.
I know, it is late and I am being overly negative. The championship year every hitter had good years. Last year the worm turned a bit. 2011, not sure. Watching them last year at times was tough. They looked invincible early on and seemed to age before ours eyes.
So it was an over stacked shorter length contract that Lee went for……That was mentioned when the talks moved to 7seven year deal….Looks like The Texas Rangers actually outbid the NY Pinstripers in their Brooks Brother suits…….5 years was the ideal contract, just load it up with cash and piss on this AVV or whatever it’s called…..Well the city boys got schooled by some chicken raising farmed Razorbacks…..Could be the 2nd time unless AJ finds his mojo, then the Yanks will be fine….In many ways 2011 could come down to AJ Burnett…..
I teach in a suburban Philly school district – oh boy, can’t wait to get to work this a.m. and be saturated by the half-crazed, baby-eating looks on the Philly fans by whom I’m completely surrounded.
Yanks’ll be fine. It’s been a long off-season. This place is like freakin’ ‘Lord of the Flies’ – the longer the offseason goes, the more self-cannibalizing…
Remember, ‘we’ have A.J. ‘Freakin’ Burnett who TOOK the money…
Who got Cliff ‘Jethro Clampett’ Lee ?
Vineyard, Phillys
Finally.
What a strange choice by Lee.
He must have been spending too much time alone in the woods.
At least now we can move on.
Time for Plan B.
Bring back AP.
Get a killer lefty for the pen.
Upgrade our BU catcher.
Upgrade the OF.
Trade for another hi-caliber pitcher.
Strengthen the bench.
Call it an OS.
Go to war.
posted here for weeks that Lee wasn’t coming here …this was a big time family decision, not always about the $$$$$
BTW…Andy isn’t coming back
joeman. I agree I posted the same.
I went back and read some of the spin in late night posts, pretty amazing some of the denials that it’s no impact.
We didn’t get one of the best pitchers in baseball, we didn’t solve part of our pitching problem, and we let ourselves get so wrapped it this that we were not able to keep top players from going to other teams. Many hear hold Cashman on a high perch, then they say we didn’t need Lee and it’s no problem. I think Brian is a better baseball mind then most of the armchair GM here and the fact he went to 7 years and $160M speaks volumes that we did need him.
I’m really putting a sad face on last winter and this winter so far.
Family decision huh ?
Guess they have trophy-sized deer in downtown Philly.
And the wife just loves those well-mannered Philly fans.
What a hoot.
Good luck pitching in that bandbox Cliff for less money than either Texas or the Yankees would have given you.
Amaro must have naked pictures of your wife.
It seems like Cashman and the Yankees really got played on this one.
He let the Yankees set the market, and his offer was shopped. Lee really wanted to go back to Philly, likely from day 1. The “wait” for offers was to see if Philly could come close. No opportunities to counter?
Say what you want, but had GMS still been alive and healthy, not only would there have been an overwhelming 5 year offer last week (say $25-26 x 5 with a 6th year vest), it would have come with a 48 hour window. That would have tested the player’s desire on the spot.
Maybe the Yankees didn’t think he was worth it? OK then, let’s see plan B. It’s interesting to note that the Yankees have a stocked farm system and about $30 million less committed AAV right now than in 2010 (no NJ, Pettitte, Vasquez, Jeter’s lower salary).
Lost, CB, SJ–guys, the Yankees just got schooled. Lost, you seem to think there’s a plan B in place, that nobody sees coming.
Regardless of the plan B, the money left over, the farm–the one thing that nobody can give them that Cliff Lee has is the one thing they need. A proven postseason dominator. Everyone else is an unproven risk, unless there is someone that nobody knows.
A few things !
1- this morning Sucks
2- Can’t blame Cashman . . he had the best offer on the table
3- Lee didn’t want to pitch in New York . . some people can handle it . .some people can’t
4 Cliff Lee is controlled by his wife !
I guess the deals from Texas and the Yanks were $138M for 6 years with a 7th year option
Pitt-
Lee is very good but nobody is a must have.
The Yankees still have all kinds of options.
You have to admit this is one of the starnger decisions we have ever seen.
It’s pretty obvious that Lee never had any intention of pitching in either NY or Texas.
We could have, and may have, matched or exceeded the Philly offer.
Maybe Lee just didn’t want to pitch in the AL anymore. Who knows.
Who cares. It was time to move along long ago.
On to plan B.
Should be interesting.
Pittsburg Fan
Good comments
edit; “stranger”. sorry.
MTU, the Yanks options aren’t all that great. Will Andy retire? Who is still out there that teams might be interested in trading and are they interested in doing business with the Yanks? The events as they have unfolded have strengthened their baragaining position, no one will come cheap.
dont know what plan b is but i think the yankees are going to be better off 5,6 and 7 years from now without Lee. Im just glad he left the AL.
theres alot of work left to be done. cash will work something out and we’ll be fine.
MTU
Nobody is a must have, but this is the type of player George salivated over, and would not be denied. He would have taken over the negotiations from Cashman to make it happen.
The money is not terribly different (maybe $20 million guaranteed difference over 6 years), but the thing is, the Yankees never countered, or were offered the chance to counter (that means that Lee never wanted them).
Yankees are still going to be pretty darn good going into 2011 with (believe it or not) a lower payroll. AJ Burnett can only be better, and Vasquez is addition by subtraction. If I am not mistaken, could their current AAV total payroll be less than the Phillies and the Red Sox today? When did anyone ever think we’d see that?
Gary-
Nobody said or expects them to come cheap.
The good thing is that we have what it takes to get some other things done.
We have the pieces to make people sit up and take notice. Of that I’m certain.
obviously Lee didnt want to play in NY and if that’s the case, we should be happy that he didnt sign here.
interesting how the Phillies have become such a player in the last few years. Nobody ever wanted to go there until the new stadium and ownership putting up the big dollars. now its a destination city. Lee must have really enjoyed playing there last time around. good for philly, the city and thier fans deserve much better than they have gotten from thier franchise(s) over the years.
HURRAY.
Yankees dodged a bullet.
I am very relieved that Lee did not sign with the Yankees.
Pitt-
It is what is. Time to move on. Time to focus on other things.
Time to get some other overdue buisness done.
I’m looking forward to it.
Let’s see how well Cashman plans.
No practical reason to project that AJ will be better based on his performance last year. Andy might not be back and the team is aging. I see the Yanks without some key acquisions being a team now like several other teams.
Good for Lee. Good for the Yankees.
This will help Andy make the descision he really wants to make. He is the epitome of a team player, One more year Andy!
so, pittsburgh, are you saying that cash should have increased the offer? i was very uncomfortable where the dollars were already, he was not going to give them thier money’s worth in the last 2-3 years of that contract already and you wanted them to give him more?
or do you think players still fall for limo rides around manhattan and dinner with the rich and powerfull (george’s m.o.)
george is gone and so is wooing a reggie jackson to ny the old way.
I know it sounds far fetched . .But i’d love to get Garza !. . if somehow we could swing a three team deal.
Any whoot !! Time for Cashmoney to earn his money
Signing Martin is a big thing now,right?
Any chance the Mariners will trade Felix?I know it will cost a lot of big prospect but do the Yankees really have a choice?
Let me just say one other thing.
If Cashman did his job correctly IMO we should see a big trade or two
go down fairly quickly.
He should have had other items prepared just waiting to pull the trigger if he did not get Lee.
That’s my 2 center.
Roger
the Mariners liked Montero in July when the Yankees believed they had a trade for Lee completed. If the Mariners shop Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez and ask for Montero again, the Yankees have to listen.
You can also kiss 2 of the Killer B’s bye bye also
I think Andy may give it one more year. Then again he may not, and free up $15 million. This offseason is far from over. So far, the past two offseasons for Cashman have not worked out all that well.
Good for the Phillies. Living in Pittsburgh, however, I am hard pressed to understand why players like them so much. The Philly fans, for example, are not exactly the nicest people on the planet. Throwing batteries at players on the field? And they get not only Roy Halliday but also Cliff Lee to root for? I am mystified.
YsGuy
Lee was never coming here so I don’t think anything else would have made him come here. I think in the end actions do matter and spitting and throwing beer on one’s family does have a lasting impact on how someone might percieve their new home.
He duped the Yanks and the Rangers to, by saying the right things and going through the motions. Another poster was right, time to move on and pickup the pieces.
To everyone saying bring back Andy……what do you guys think is a reasonable expectation of how many starts he is physically able to make in 2011? How do u bring back a guy u can’t say with greater than 20% certainty that he can even give u 25 starts before breaking down?
Pitt-
Must be those trophy deer in downtown Philly.
I agree with you. This is one of the stranger decisions we’ve ever seen.
Doubt very much we will ever really know what lead to it.
And in any case, it’s time to get on down the road and make our team better.
The Yankees aren’t getting Felix Hernandez. That’s a pipe dream.
Said it yesterday morning but I’ll say it again, the Yankees did not need Cliff Lee.
This is why they pay Cash the big bucks.
Let’s see how creative he really is.
YS Guy
I think George in his heyday would have offered the right combo of a lot of $$$$ and pressure on the player to get it done quickly, or not. It would have been very bad baseball (witness Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown, to name two recent disasters of his creation) but it would have been done. Not saying it would have been right, but it would have been done.
We are now in a truly different Yankee era. They have the most $$$$. They also have a decent farm. They are not as reactive as in the past. I am willing to let this play out.
Good morning, morning people.
Woke up to the news. Amazing, really.
And I can’t help but feel the Yankees have dodged a bullet.
I posted last week that if the Yankees didn’t get him, there’d be a reason revealed in time – things happen for a reason. It would have been nice to have him pitch here, being an efficient left-handed pitcher in the Stadium and all, but I wasn’t salivating over him, either.
I just can’t wait to hear the spin. And, wow, all those Texas people must be flipping out today!! All the public statements by the Mrs., specifically how Lee hadn’t had so much fun pitching in his entire career than he had in Texas. Frankly, I think what opted into his decision was the opportunity to play in the easier pitching league, the NL, where his ERA could be erased altogether.
I don’t care so much that the Yankees lost out or that he went to Philly. What gets me is all the garbage that was spewed getting to this point – close to Arkansas, blah, blah, blah.
I think the Yankees have probably been “feeling this” for at least a few days (that they would not be the team), and certainly had to know that it was a possibility from the Texas spin that was given all along, so I expect they’ve been working on alternatives. Now we see.
Frankly, if I’m a Ranger (fan or management), I’m really, really miffed!
Power lefties we might try to trade for :
Danks, Kershaw, Anderson.
I don’t particularly want him but Greinke is probably now in play for the Yanks.
The Royals have the hots for GGBG and Upton might be available to replace GGBG.
The Yankees didn’t get “schooled.” Cliff Lee apparently never wanted to pitch here. Thank heavens it didn’t cost them Montero and others.
By the way, we should all be extremely happy that Jack Z did not trade Cliff Lee to us. Montero would be a distant memory putting up monster numbers for Seattle. Now if I’m Cashman there’s no way I trade Montero. The Yankees are going to need his bat.
lets review my last 2 visits to yankee stadium and see if they might be instructive:
two visits ago, i got hit in the back of my shoulder with a beer that was thrown at a very nice family from toronto who were sitting behind me, they had come down to see the blue jays play and visit the great “House that Ruth Built.” unfortunatly for them they had to leave in about the 4th inning because of the constant abuse poured on them throughout thier visit. (i sat beer-soaked through the rest of the game)
then on my last visit i brought my nephew and niece and my gf brought her son and we all had to sit through hours of drunks screaming obscenities as the yankees were never in the game…
if Lee went elsewhere because of fan abuse of his wife,i dont blame him.
yankees fans have no reason to put down philly fans.
well that certainly took me by surprise! There really was a mystery team! Not sure I understand why you would go for a shorter contract w/o the supposed family considerations, but oh well.
Now that Lee is off the table, I think we will see a lot of signings…I am sure that Cash has contingency plans
Doreen as I said he duped and played both NY and the Rangers like a fiddle.
actually Doreen my first thought was what a slap in the face to Ranger fans
36 degrees here this morning in SW Florida. Pretty balmy weather, I guess no shorts today
“Frankly, if I’m a Ranger (fan or management), I’m really, really miffed!”
Don’t know about the fans, but I can’t help but think the Rangers front office issued a collective “whew!” upon hearing the news. A contract like that could have really strangled them.
This could be a blessing in disguise…you never know…
I would love to have Lee in Pinstripes right now, but I never had a good feeling.
What stinks is that this whole Lee thing has tied up the Yankees offseason.
Cash has to have some sort of plan, one would think he does?
As for the start of Plan B, the other members of the core four need to call Andy and have him pitch one more year, he and Jorge can leave together at the end of October next year.
I just hope Cash does not go all 80s on us and deviate from the overall plan of getting younger.
Let the off-season begin…
How do people here rationalize not getting Lee.
Who cares about the long run. Big contracts are a risk, but that’s the name of the game.
We have the greatest closer in history for 2 season, probably 2 good more seasons in Jeter, one more in Pettitte (maybe).
The time to win is now. We aren’t trading for a 1 or 2 starter. This was a huge disaster. Not only did we not upgrade our team, but Boston is MUCH better.
What is truly baffling is being outbid on someone we absolutely needed and with no acceptable alternative.
Gary -
He certainly strung both teams along. Yes. He sure did.
Played I can agree with.
Schooled and duped? I guess I’m stuck on the semantics.
Thing is, you can only control what you can control – no one could control where Lee would sign except for Lee. Better he should go somewhere he wants to go for a little less, than “settle” for NY because of the money.
Doreen
Yankees got schooled by setting the market and not getting the player. When is the last time that happened? I think it is a good thing in the end, but they got schooled nonetheless.
YSGuy
Ever been to an Eagles game? A Flyers game? Believe it or not, there have actually been surveys done, and Philadelphia fans are by far known to be the worst in sports. It’s not even close. I say this as a long time Pittsburgh resident who has Steeler season tickets, and believe me, those fans aren’t the greatest either after a long morning tailgating.
Contrary to popular belief Boston is not MUCH better than they were last year. Sorry.
“What is truly baffling is being outbid on someone we absolutely needed and with no acceptable alternative”
They weren’t outbid.
JoeyA…it appears that he never wanted to come here, no matter how much $$ the Yankees offered.
Needless to say Im pretty much in shock this morning. Never saw this coming and apparently the only one who did was Jon Heyman of all people.
What im still trying to wrap my head around is why Cliff Lee would want so badly to returnto Philly after they refused to negociate a contract when he was there and then shipped him off to the baseball equivalent of Siberia. (Unless they had an agreement before the trade was made)
Also think its interesting and perhaps telling that the Yankees didnt really even make the best offer. The total potential value offered by Texas was higher and the AAV that the Phillies offered was higher. Appears that the Yankees weren’t as “all in” as we thought……maybe because they have other options that we don’t know.about and because the were sensing he didn’t want to come to NY.
Im shocked……Lee had better hope he does well in Philly, because he’s yet to see the ugly side of that city if he struggles.
PYF, i lived in philly the last 3 years. yes thier fans are every bit as rude, sometimes even worse than yankees fans. but nobody should take solace in saying that ‘we’re ever so slightly better than the worst fans in sports’…
A few years ago, Cash said they would no longer need to sign FA pitchers because they would be developing their own. Let’s go back to that model.
its true . .Lee never wanted to come here !..
A little embarrassed to be reading some of these comments.
Last year it was a fait accompli that we would be signing Crawford and Lee.
We were smug and arrogant, and already bragging about our usual off season coup.
Now we got neither, and many make believe this is for the best??
Man up, this sucks. Saying otherwise sounds like sour grapes.
Also SJ44 once again exposed for the blowhard he really is, that is the only good thing bout this.
raymagnetic December 14th, 2010 at 7:15 am
Contrary to popular belief Boston is not MUCH better than they were last year. Sorry.
________________________________________________________________________
Sorry Ray, they are. They had a train wreck of injuries and now they have added two top FA’s. They have improved their ball club
blake, lee had a year left on his contract and didnt want to negotiate till he became an FA. when the phils talked to his agent about what it would take to sign him before last season, they basically said they would not negotiate, so the phils moved him for fear of losing him for only a draft pick. if he had agreed to sign last season for what he got now, he would never have left philly and they likely would not have picked up halladay.
What did SJ44 say then?
MystiqueAura
You got my support buddy, that is the way it gets spinned here. No harm no foul.
MLBTR has the Yankees going w/ a 6 year $132MM over six years, plus a $16MM player option for a seventh year (148 million)
The Rangers offered $138MM over six years, and their proposal included a vesting option that could have brought the value of the deal to $161MM.
Interesting sidebar, take it for what its worth:
I had a car pick me up for a flight out of laguardia this AM. Driver mentioned that he drives for Casey Closes’ wife every morning. She works at fox. Said that this morning, he picker her up in greenwich and her words were “casey said cliff didn’t like the way the yankees treated derek and that’s why he didn’t want to come here”.
Its funny to me that even after contracts are finished, not only agents, but their wives, spew bllsht. Amazing.
Maybe what casey meant was, cliff didn’t like how fiscally irresponsible it was to give jeter such an outrageous contract.
Gary,
Offense wasn’t the Red Sox problem last year. It was the pitching and they’ve done nothing to improve it. They also just replaced V-Mart and Beltre with Crawford and A-Gon. How is that getting much better?
Ysguy,
It turned out to be a masterful deal by Amaro as he now has 2 of the best pitchers in baseball signed to fairly reasonable deals (Halladay’s is ridiculous). Lee didn’t want to be traded and they traded him anyway…..apparently that’s water under the bridge.
Blake-
Time to focus on plan B.
Where would you go from here if you’re Cash ?
The fact that the Yankees didn’t blow the other offers out of the water as everyone was predicting is telling to me…..suggests they have other plans and/or they weren’t convinced he wanted to be there……probably got that sense after their face to face in Arkansas.
Ray, I’m not going to debate it with you, with you it’s a no win situation. Victor was a lousy catcher, subsequently he was not out there everyday and hurt the team consistently with his defense. Crawford is a complete player that adds both offense and defense, he also plays everyday. Beltre and A-Gon at a minimum it’s a wash. Injuries to Youk and other regulars hurt the Sox far worst than the lack of pitching. Lesiter and Buckholtz had really good years from them.
The team that made complete fools of themselves is Texas.
This is a hard story to read. Who wanted who and who didn’t want who is part of the question? Apparently many people were not asking the right questions all along. This is not good for the Yankees and their management no matter how you look at it. They were reading the market wrong and it remains to be seen what they can do about it if anything.
I think I’m glad I’ll be out today, and therefore not able to give in to the temptation to read the posts.
MTU:
Can see no reason why either Kershaw or Anderson would be made available as Kershaw isn’t even to his arb years yet and Anderson is in a team friendly deal. Danks? Still 2 arb years left, but the White Sox look like they may need to move someone as they are up around $105M before Danks and Quentin get their arb awards. Danks is probably the last of the starters they’d look to move and clearly the most expensive in terms of prospects. Could happen, but seems unlikely.
Mell-
YOU may not see it but maybe the respective GM’s do.
We have a LOT to offer in trade.
I wouldn’t underestimate it. We can open eyes, ears, and minds.
MTU,
Its really hard to say. They have to explore the trade market but the price will probably be even higher now.. if a deal is out there that makes sense then do it but Im.not.trading Montero. Suring up the pen and finding another starter will he the priorities. Now.we.see what Pettite will do…..
hey give the phil’s credit, they didnt like the uncertainty attached to Lee’s contract last season, so they moved him and pickeup up halladay. then they pull a cashman and swoop in last minute and snatch Lee right back from the Yankees.
The Phillies have arrived and are now playing in the big boy pool!
for once, Philadelphians have a sports team representative of thier status as a big northeast city and they are not taking a back seat to anybody when it comes to shelling out for the top talent. Good for them and as for the Yankees, i’m just glad Lee is out of the A.L.
This PROVES that cashman is the WORST GM in baseball.
His only skill was signing the big check and now he severely screwed this up!!!!
If Pettitte does or does not come back, we are screwed.
Boston has a better starting 5 and now may be even with our lineup.
We made no additions and now go into the year with a rookie catcher.
Brian Cashman, Thanks for showing us your SHORT-comings!!!!!
“They were reading the market wrong and it remains to be seen what they can do about it if anything”
Don’t see how you can say they read the market wrong. Their offer was consistent with where the market was going. If anything, they may have misread Cliff Lee, but they were right where the market said they should be.
You got my support buddy, that is the way it gets spinned here. No harm no foul
=============================================
Silly comment. Many poters did not want Lee. He (agent)played the game perfectly, good for him Yankees never had a shot, I am glad.
Cashman has both money and prospects to work with .The Yankees will improve.
The idea of spin is a stupid inference.
people are just expressing their opinion.
Blake-
With the strengthening that has gone on all around us don’t you think we must improve ?
I know I do.
Hope we find a way.
MTU
Where would you go from here if you’re Cash ?
_____________________________________________________________________
Well it looks like he’s after a catcher so getting the Martin deal done has to be high priority right now.
Get Andy signed or get a decison, after the Lee games can they afford to wait on that one to know what he is doing.
At this point he has to see if he trade for some pitchers. The price I think for the Yanks to get someone just went up. Can he get good arms without giving away the farm or some of the regulars they have now is the key question.
The Yanks it would seem don’t have a very favorable position to pursue whatever options might be out there, but I’m sure he didn’t get much sleep last night and today isn’t going to be a great day at the front office.
I think id rather have Danks than Cliff Lee but I doubt they’ll trade him cheaply if at all….Floyd is probably a more likely target.
I know Im in the minority but I would consider Greinke if the price doesn’t involve Montero….the anxiety stuff is overblown IMO, the cost to.acquire has always been the issue to me.
Wow!!! I just woke up and found out about Lee signing with the Phillies. I wonder what this does to the Yankees salary structure…that is, the Yankees were expecting to pay him a ton of money for a long time and now won’t have to factor that in. If Pettitte retires then there is $12 million off the rolls for him, $11 million off the rolls for Vazquez signing with the Marlins and $6 million off the rolls for Nick Johnson not returning.
If the Yankees don’t take on any big salaries they might be able to avoid the luxury tax this season. Wouldn’t that be a hoot!!!
brian – stay away from bridges and ledges for the next few days!
Gary-
If he wants to upgrade the pitching he will HAVE to give away parts of the farm.
There is no other way to get it done.
Why is that a problem ?
We can’t keep all of them.
You don’t think teams are now calling Cashman and asking about Montero and the Killer B’s !!!……. They know we are desperate now..
So I do believe the trade market is wide open.
Blake-
How about Upton, Grienke, Pettite, and Martin.
Works for me.
I guess all the people who posted that Heyman didn’t know what he was talking about was wrong. Like I said, I don’t want anyone who doesn’t want to be here. Clearly, Cliff Lee didn’t want to be a Yankee. I do find it odd that he went to a team whose fans are known to be infamously worse than we are. Does his wife know?
Ysguy,
It turned out to be a masterful deal by Amaro as he now has 2 of the best pitchers in baseball signed to fairly reasonable deals (Halladay’s is ridiculous). Lee didn’t want to be traded and they traded him anyway…..apparently that’s water under the bridge.
————————————————————————————–
Pitching in the National League has its advantages for an older pitcher…it helps them extend their careers. I wonder if we’ll see more veteran free agent pitchers prefer the NL when their time comes up.
MTU, trading farm people are not a problem for me.
Gary-
Then there’s nothing to worry about.
‘How about Upton, Grienke, Pettite, and Martin.
Works for me’
————————————————————————
How would you get Greinke AND Upton…?
MTU-
Cashman can focus on building the best bullpen possible-still a lot of good FA relievers available
MTU,
Yea and I think they will….just don’t know what exactly. You could argue that they may have already improved by adding Montero to the club (that’s a leap but he could come up and produce). I think they will strengthen the pen and trade for a starter and beg Andy back.
Roger-
We have enough guys to get both.
The Royals have the hots for GGBG. Throw in a few other quality pieces and Greinke is yours.
For Upton the secret weapon is the relationship between Towers and Cashman.
We have the pieces to get him too.
That’s how.
Laura, I’d guess that since they already lived there they knew the fans, players, and the environment. Sometimes people just revert to known quanities and where they feel the most comfortable.
MTU December 14th, 2010 at 6:35 am
It’s pretty obvious that Lee never had any intention of pitching in either NY or Texas.
We could have, and may have, matched or exceeded the Philly offer.
Maybe Lee just didn’t want to pitch in the AL anymore. Who knows.
Who cares. It was time to move along long ago.
On to plan B.
Should be interesting.
——————————-================
I do believe that Lee was staying in Tex if Phil didn’t show….
MTU,
I don’t think they have the juice to trade for both Upton and Greinke……there may not be a team in baseball that does in reality. We’ll see.
You don’t think teams are now calling Cashman and asking about Montero and the Killer B’s !!!……. They know we are desperate now..
So I do believe the trade market is wide open.
———————————————————————————-
If the Yankees can’t be a top-flite team this season, it might be best to start brining up some of the kids from the minors and letting them get their feet wet. It would also allow the Yankees a season or two to purge themselves of some big salaries (Rivera, Posada and 2/3 of the remainder of AJ’s contract. Then it 2013 the Yankees could start signing the best free agents to surround the youngsters that work out.
The Yankees have had a great 16 year run. I hope they don’t do anything dumb to try to hang on for another year or two.
Trader-
That should be part of plan B IMO.
But that is just a “tweak”.
We need to go way beyond that.
My Plan to get the Yanks number 28
1. Get Pettitte for 1 more yr.
2. Sign Brandon Webb and Jeff Francis for 5th starter spot (hope 1 will stick) Allows Nova time in AAA or trade if need be
3. Sign Rafael Soriano to 4 yrs. 2 as setup 2 as closer
4. Sign Feliciano or fuentes.
Save prospects to be the most aggressive team at 7/31 deadline if need be.
Keep in mind I work for the railroad and not the Yankees for a reason.
Some of you people are really delusional.
Boston got MUCH better. not only did they get better and will be healthier, but they got better at beating us, by adding 2 elite LH hitters, one of which brings 50+ steals. They got younger and better.
And don’t give me the Vmart and Beltre were lost BS. Neither of those players are as young or talented as Agon or Crawford.
And people here act like it’s other teams duty to trade us their starting pitcher. They all know we need a SP. All our leverage for trading is gone.
And again, I’ll say it. we were outbid in both total value and AAV. If cliff Lee isn’t worth going all in on, than what was?
Our closer is 40, SS is 36 3B is 35. All are huge parts of our team. Andy pettitte has one year left, and we arent getting a 200ip horse he once was.
Time to win is in the next 2-3 years.
We can say all we want to make ourselves feel better about losing out, but our division became harder to win and we are the same team.
I am not going to pretend that I didn’t want Lee…I did…but I am not ready to write the 2011 season off.
I have Garza on my wish list…and maybe Kerry Wood…
“For Upton the secret weapon is the relationship between Towers and Cashman”
Secrets weapons will be Montero, Banuelos and then some.
Hey at least incarcratedbob was wrong again.
“Laura, I’d guess that since they already lived there they knew the fans, players, and the environment. Sometimes people just revert to known quanities and where they feel the most comfortable.”
That looks to be the case. I just read an article on MLB.com where they were saying that Lee really enjoyed his time there and loved the team. He took the lowest offer so that really says something about his motivations. Can’t fault him for that I guess, although if I were CC, I wouldn’t be inviting him out to do dinner too often.
Mell-
Not necessarily IMO.
Some of you people are really delusional.
Boston got MUCH better. not only did they get better and will be healthier, but they got better at beating us, by adding 2 elite LH hitters, one of which brings 50+ steals. They got younger and better.
And don’t give me the Vmart and Beltre were lost BS. Neither of those players are as young or talented as Agon or Crawford.
———————————————————————————–
Joey, you are mostly correct about Boston being younger and healthier…except at catcher. I don’t think a catching combo of Jarrod Saltalamchia and Jason Varitek is quite as strong as they had with Martinez.
Still…they ought to be ahead of the Yankees for a couple of years in the standings. The team that I expect might pass both the Yankees and the Red Sox over the next 2 season is Baltimore.
Really nothing has changed. Nobody that has been signed the Yankees would have signed anyway IMO…they weren’t giving Crawford 145 million and they weren’t giving Werth that deal either.
I would give Soriano and Feliciano long looks and explore the trade markets……Sucks that Lee wont be here but what doesn’t suck is another longterm 20+ million dollar deal for a player over 30.
yankees won a WS with a rotation of cc, aj, pettite, joba, mitre, and an injured wang. the yankees can and will put up a better rotation than that one next year.
relax people, its mid december…
I don’t see Cashman doing anything rash.
This is a set back to what they had hoped to have, but the Yankees don’t go without having other plans.
They also aren’t going to pay more than they are willing to pay in a trade. This might have them becoming more determined to get starters through their farm system.
Who knows, Nova might not turn out that bad. It might mean having to have good relief for him to start with, but he was good for shorter outings.
This signing by the Phillies may come to hurt them overall. They are saying they have to dump payroll now, and the players they are talking about might not go with out their eating salary.
The Giants did win this year on a weak offense and strong pitching. The Phillies might have to settle for something more along that model.
I would like to see the Yankees get something done, but I don’t want to see them go overboard and hurt themselves down the road.
“And again, I’ll say it. we were outbid in both total value and AAV. If cliff Lee isn’t worth going all in on, than what was?”
Wrong. The PHI offer tops out at $120. Our offer would have been for $154. He left money on the table. Again, his loss.
Word of advice – don’t try posting and saying that losing cliff lee is no big deal or its actually a good thing. It makes you sound like a cheerleader or simply out of sorts with reality.
This was an enormous setback. Cashman knows it, the entire Yankee brass knows it, the players know it, and the honest fans know it.
“A few years ago, Cash said they would no longer need to sign FA pitchers because they would be developing their own. Let’s go back to that model.”
That’s what the Yankee organization including ownership need to be commited to.
There is no free agent available including Soriano that I would give up our first round pick for. Furthermore, with Boras being Soriano’s agent, he will try to get at least 15M for four or more years.
jpb173
Agree, Boston is definitly trying to get another catcher.
Joey, you hit on the same points I did about Boston getting stronger. There is no doubt
Mell,
Figured I’d let you know I’ve enjoyed your posts. It’s nice to have another quality contributor on the blog. Lots of garbage and trolls around here so we need more people like you to make the blog worth reading.
Thank God this Lee saga is over. I personally don’t like Lee. He handcuffed the Yankees for 2 weeks and never wanted to be here in the first place. I thought 7 yrs was alot for a 32 yr old and let the NL have him. I don’t know what Cashman has up his sleeve, but the Sox just got a hellavu lot better. I can’t make any predictions, but Cashman hopefully has something he’s working on!
The Yankees are still the favorites in this division. Anyone who thinks Boston has gotten more than 6 games better with the moves they’ve made is absolutely delusional.
I’m so tired of all this fawning over a pitcher with a career 112 ERA + who’s gone a majestic 26-22 over the past two years.
GET OVER HIM.
“This was an enormous setback. Cashman knows it, the entire Yankee brass knows it, the players know it, and the honest fans know it.”
But Cash was in a fight that he couldn’t win. Lee clearly didn’t want to be a Yankee. You don’t leave $35M on the table unless you really don’t want to play for that team. It’s a setback, yes. But I’m not ready to go jump off of the Brooklyn Bridge (or in my case, jump in Lake Michigan) over it. Our season isn’t over; the road just got tougher. That’s all.
“Word of advice – don’t try posting and saying that losing cliff lee is no big deal or its actually a good thing. It makes you sound like a cheerleader or simply out of sorts with reality.”
_______________________________________________
I never wanted Lee in the first place. Absolutely didn’t want him at the trade deadline, and didn’t want him now.
I’m not an “I told you so” kind of guy because I’m wrong more often than I’m right, but when I suggested that the Yankees should have traded for Oswalt before the deadline last year rather than hinging all their hopes on signing Lee this offseason, people scoffed. We could have had a better pitcher on a shorter term commitment.
Appreciate it, BD. Feeling’s mutual.
hey joeman, tell us again where Lee is going
—————————————————–
Time to call Jack Z and thank him for not trading Lee to us. Right now the Yanks would be without Lee and Montero.
I am glad Lee finally decided where he wanted to go but I think it was rather d*ck of him to leave two teams hanging like he did and then at the last second go with a 3rd team. Its like waiting a week to know of you got the apartment only to find the landlord gave it to a friend for a lot less.
And I don’t think his wife had an issue with the fans that made her not want to come here, she is just intimidated by the hotness of the Yankee wives and can’t stack up against them.
The fact that the Yankees offer was topped by AAV (Phillies), and total possible money (Rangers) suggests that they may not have been as “all in” as we thought they were. They still offered the most total guaranteed money (player option pretty much is guaranteed money) but they didn’t blow anybody out of the water…..
The “Stones” have the answer:
“You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need”
Keep tryin’ Cash. Listen to Jagger.
Of course the RS got better, besides the two FA’s they also return a healthy 2nd baseman,a healthy 3rd baseman, a healthy CFer( or where ever he’s playing) and a pitching staff…..Cash needs to get to work & I really don’t want to see the catcher go..
If the Yankees were so “desperate” to land Cliff Lee and add him to a rotation that already has CC, Hughes, and possibly a returning Andy Pettitte, then what does it say about the Phillies level of “desperation” that they wanted to bring Lee back and have plugged into a rotation that already has Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels?
To be perfectly honest the team that acted with the most desperation were the Rangers … they made all those trips back and forth to Arkansas, had players like Kinsler publicly talk about calling the man pleading with him to come back, and were willing to put their entire payroll structure out of whack by offering him all that money while they are still recovering from bankruptcy. Cashman made one trip to visit Lee and that was it … maybe he sensed something right from the start and knew the writing was on the wall … we’ll probably never know.
The Yankees wanted him to bolster their rotation and give them a 1-2 punch that would have been dynamite (at least on paper). As much as I was hoping that it would work out, the fact that he took less money to go somewhere else says to me that he never truly wanted to pitch for the Yankees. In which case, then it is for the best. I just think back to to when we finally made the trade for Randy Johnson and how awesome it felt to have the “Big Unit”, but then only to have that awful pit in my stomach feeling the minute he arrived in New York … you could tell he wanted no part of being here.
Time to move on … the world goes on and so do the Yankees.
G-C I’m not sure tha Yanks are still the favorites that you think they are.
Boston injuries contributed greatly to last season, their lack of defense and speed also contributed. The moves they made will have a positive effect on their team.
Can I see them as a team capable of winning 100 games next season, sure.
Phillies payroll almost $170 million now.
Knowing how much they want to shed some payroll, any team who doesn’t stick it to them in any trade is nuts.
“This PROVES that cashman is the WORST GM in baseball.
His only skill was signing the big check and now he severely screwed this up!!!!
If Pettitte does or does not come back, we are screwed.
Boston has a better starting 5 and now may be even with our lineup.
We made no additions and now go into the year with a rookie catcher.
Brian Cashman, Thanks for showing us your SHORT-comings!!!!!”
Let me introduce you to two headlines from 2004.
December 23, 2004, 6:26 PM ET Pavano signs for just under $40M
RED SOX ARMS GETTING OLD FAST
BY JOHN HARPER
Sunday, December 12th 2004, 7:04AM
Does 2004* ring a bell? Even asterisked, it’s the year the Sux won the world series.
I, on the other hand Brian, am wreathed in smiles of relief and admiration. I would kiss any of Brian Cashman’s world series rings if I could that he didn’t go any higher with his offer.
I am with the rather large group of Yankee fans here who is delighted that Cliff Lee is not in the Bronx, equally delighted that he’s in the NL. After all, the only team in the AL East he really seemed to be able to consistently hurt was the Yankees.
The Yankees are not currently the favorites in the division by anyone other than wishful Yankee fans. They have three starters, including AJ. The rotation completely collapsed last year.
They need at least one starter. Let’s hope Pettitte returns or they will need two.I say sign Pettitte, if possible, trade for Greinke, Buehrle or Floyd, and see if Soriano likes money over closing.
Blake:
I don’t think they were all in like they were on Sabathia, but they were in pretty good. I think they went about as far as they should here. Lee would have been a nice add, but this was nowhere close to as important as getting Sabathia was in late ’08.
Of course, it makes getting Pettitte back in the fold pretty important. They get him back and stack the bullpen, then this team is good to go again in ’11, IMO.
Good morning all,
Short night here. Woke up ready to get on with life as far as the Yankees are concerned.
Hopefully, we will get some players who will be happy for the opportunity to wear the pinstripes and will help the team big time.
There is no way I sign Soriano for the money he’s looking for. No way!
Trish isn’t 2004 the year we collapsed in the playoffs against the Red Sox? Yes it does ring that bell.
I’m not delighted we lost Lee, he could have helped our ballclub. I guess I’m one of those who doesn’t get alot of positive delights out of this one.
Mell,
Agreed. They wanted him badly but not badly enough to make a bad deal.
Also, wanted to say that I’ve enjoyed your posts as well.
Now the Yankees are in a position with tons of money to spend. Wonder what they’ll do.
Even if we do get Pettite . What can we expect from him ? He’ not the not the young 27 year old ,, 200 inning workhorse anymore.
I can see Andy pitching similar to the way he did last season…I can see him pitching OK .. . going on the DL once maybe twice . .and playing hurt into the playoffs ( if we even make it ) … I know he had the a nice first half . .but age and injury caught up to him. and he’s not getting any stronger or younger.
Basically he’s a bandaid on a wound about to peel off.. Honestly i don’t see him coming back.
Oh boy,
I turn on the TV this morning and the first thing I see is 2009 World Series game 1. I must have been watching MLB network last night and now they’re showing that game.
I’m still trying to figure out how Lee changed his mind so quickly about NY. All along I’ve said that he was excited in August just about leaving Seattle, that it wasn’t a NY thing. However, even before then, there were rumors he wanted to pitch in NY and he and his wife did seem excited as they were looking for houses. If those idiots at the stadium are the reason, then it’s just as well that he didn’t come here as NY wouldn’t be for him………….but I find that hard to believe. Lee really thinks that a few jerks really represent NY? I know he loves Philly, but how did he know they were going to get invoved? How long was he going put off NY and Texas?
Betsy,
Perhaps we never knew what was really going on in Lee’s head.
I think one of the most important facts is that it’s easier to pitch in the NL than the AL.
Laure – u are right, we were fighting a bvattle we couldn’t win. I am not blaiming Cashmas at all. Merely pointing out thay we needed him and brian knew it
A while ago, a friend gave me a bunny rabbit planter with a plant in it. I don’t have a green thumb and so the plant didn’t last long. I removed it from the planter and left the planter out on my deck. I noticed that it would fill with water after it rained, and the birds and squirrels would come and drink from it. It isn’t very big, but still they managed to quench their thirst. So I make it a habit of taking it in whenever it ices over and removing the ice and replacing it with fresh water. I thought I would try to be even more helpful to my little friends so I filled a cake pan with water and put it between my bird feeders, out in the yard. Naturally that too iced over.
This morning I got up and put fresh water in the bunny rabbit planter. Then I threw out bread for the squirrels and birds. I was watching from my bathroom window and noticed several squirrels virtually skating in the cake pan, insisting on trying to get water out of solid ice. All of a sudden I noticed one little guy fly away from there and run up to the top of the deck and drink out of the bunny planter. I marvelled at how smart the little guy was. A few of the others were still down there trying to get water out of the ice.
Now you can be a Yankee fan who insists on drinking from the frozen Cliff Lee trough, spending your entire winter thirsty but standing there and still cursing that ice for not turning into water, or you can be a smart Yankee fan and move away from the ice-filled useless pan and run toward the planter filled with fresh water. As long as you are smart enough to keep your options open and realize that one frozen pan isn’t the end of civilization as we know it, you will not only survive, you will thrive.
Headlines from 2004 –
Pavano signs for just under $40M
RED SOX ARMS GETTING OLD FAST
Rosenthal says Phils were in deep conversation with the Red Sox about Blanton. Kinda hard to believe unless they were willing to take on money just to keep Lee from the Yankees, especially the way they’ve been spending.
Betsy, chalk it up to saying the things you need to say in a negotiating situation. I never thought he was coming here, perhaps he was sincere in his comments and it was the fans. Surley their behavior didn’t help manners especially when Cash had to make a personal apology. I just think he never wanted to come here.
MTU, you’ve been saying for months that Lee was a must get
As to Cash, I don’t get anyone blaming him. The guy did not want to pitch here. We never once heard anything from anyone about how intrigued he was by NY, how he loved pitching here in other uniforms, nothing – nada
Good morning –
Stunning. Just stunning. Lee signs a lesser contract than Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford.
Well, you either go into a corner and cry, or you make other plans. I think the world goes on, and we see the other plans.
Got to get to work. Later.
Good morning –
Stunning. Just stunning. Lee signs a lesser contract than Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford.
Well, you either go into a corner and cry, or you make other plans. I think the world goes on, and we see the other plans.
Got to get to work. Later.
Bronx Jeers says:
December 14, 2010 at 8:14 am
Oh boy,
I turn on the TV this morning and the first thing I see is 2009 World Series game 1. I must have been watching MLB network last night and now they’re showing that game.
—–
YES Network should show game 1 of the 2010 world series to show Yankee fans what he does in the WS to teams that aren’t the Yankees. Remind everyone that he isn’t perfect.
Then maybe show game 5 to get the point across just a bit more.
rangers and their fans really got hosed….they gave up their big prospect Smoak, and were told how much Lee loved Texas……
Thanks Blake. I enjoy reading your stuff as well.
Rich, you want to go back to missing the playoffs for a few years? The only pitcher who’s ready now anyway is Nova.
Lee better be wearing a football helmet next time he crosses paths with Nolan Ryan….I feel some noggies headed his way!!
Betsy – I agree with you
How is Cashman to blame for not getting Lee if he took less money to play somewhere else?
Cashman did meet with Lee a few weeks ago and that was it. I am believing more and more that he must have sensed that Lee was not overly enamored about coming to New York. I think it has to be considered a possibility since there were no follow up meetings with him – like the way Texas kept genuflecting to him (the team that truly showed how desperate they were to have him).
Betsy-
I didn’t say I didn’t want him did I ?
Or that I am not sorry we couldn’t get him.
But what can you do ? We put out a competitive offer, showed the guy a lot of love and patience.
He didn’t want to be here. We couldn’t force him.
I’m surprised by the whole thing. Who isn’t ?
Why a competitor like Lee would shirk from the competition of the AL is puzzling, to say the least.
That said, it’s time to move on, and to focus on our other plans.
And there should have been many IMO.
We’ll see.
Craw, it is, but it never occurred to me that that would be a factor in Lee’s thinking.
Cash won’t panic and he won’t trade Montero. Making a trade (forget Greinke) won’t be so easy as teams are going to hold the Yankees up for ransom based on the fact that they will perceive us as desperate.
MTU, huh? All I’m saying is that you said for so long that the Yankees had to do whatever it took to get him…………
Gary, I think the moral of the story is that we probably wouldn’t have gotten a lot of delight out of losing Pavano either, had that happened. Don’t forget there were a lot of dogs in that hunt too. And Pavano was someone that Yankee universe all wanted. With Lee there was enough ambivalence that I think it’s okay to make peace with what happened.
There are lots of fish in the baseball sea. Someone swimming around there may just be a little pitcher fish waiting to be discovered. And you know the Yankee scouts will have their scuba gear on and that Cashman has already been testing those waters. By the time lobsters reach 32 years of age, by and large they are tough. They may have more meat than the younger lobsters, but the meat is neither sweet nor tender.
Let’s get excited about waiting to see what’s around the corner!
This certainly promises to be an interesting day.
I was honestly stunned when I woke up to the news this AM. Never saw this coming.
Well if pettitte doesnt come back now, the yankees rotation is mediocre at best.
At least Cash can move now on other things – it made me uncomfortable that he was waiting
Betsy-
You can’t force somebody to do what they don’t want to do.
The Yankees did all they could.
He did not want to be a Yankee, or a Ranger either.
G-C, if u never wanted him, that’s fine, that’s ur opinion and I assume u have stated it before all this. I have no problem with that. Its not my view, but I respect it. I think enough has been written though that the yankees did in fact want him and wanted him badly and they didn’t get it done……so from my perspective and theirs, its a problem now.
JackCurryYES Even before Yanks lost Lee, one Yankee official told me he’d volunteer to go see Pettitte in Texas and try to make a deal. Gas up the plane.
Heyman now says a deal is in place for Blanton to go to Boston?
The only issue is how much of a premium will they have to pay Pettitte. He holds the high card.
Is ruben amaro dumb enough to believe boston ever would have consumated that trade and that they were doing anything other than trying to make philly feel comfortable there were takers for blanton?
“Heyman now says a deal is in place for Blanton to go to Boston?”
Too funny.
If that is true, you have to assume Matsuzaka has tossed his last pitch as a Red Sox.
Yes, MTU, I know that
bye bye dice k
Blanton sucks and Theo knows it.
What a turd.
“Well if pettitte doesnt come back now, the yankees rotation is mediocre at best.”
Sunny, just as the Sux couldn’t know that Dice-K, Lackey, and Beckett were going to spit the bit for them last year, we cannot know what Hughes and AJ will turn in for performances.
I don’t think the rotation you are looking at now, whatever it is, is the rotation the Yankees will put out during spring training. I would think that Cashman is going to be doing some maneuvering.
You guys can let this be an adventure or you can treat it like a lethal injection. Since NOBODY can know at this point how things will end up going, why anyone would choose the latter is beyond me.
But still it happens.
List of people who knew getting lee was huge for the yankees:
Me
Many other fans
Yankee front office
Add boston to the list now with blanton gift trade
I bet Cameron goes to philly for blanton
Betsy-
If there is something that I am annoyed about it’s that the Yankees didn’t move on sooner.
They were overly patient IMO, and I said as much earlier on.
Time for plan B. There definitely should have been one all along.
Let’s put it into action.
“I bet Cameron goes to philly for blanton”
I hope so because given the fragility of Drew and Ellsbury, they would be screwing themselves into the ground.
Blanton to Boston is very dubious.
“I bet Cameron goes to philly for blanton”
There’s a thought. Goes against Philly dumping money though as they are about the same. Also further hurts Boston from the right handed side of the plate.
…at last we didn’t cave.
cash hasn’t lost out on anybody. everything hinged on the lee deal and now it’s over. life goes on…
Biggest pet peeve of the past 6 months:
Yankee fans CONSTANTLY saying “If George was alive…”
Also for those referencing the higher AAV the Phillies gave it was reported all week the Yankees offered Lee a “menu of options”
The shorter the contract the higher the AAV.
lee used us? what a crock.
Phillies would give Blanton away.
Their goal is to shed some salary. If they have to cover $10M, then I suppose they’ll want a lower level prospect.
The Red Sox interest is very peculiar. Blanton has struggled and did not pitch well at the end of his days in Oakland.
He’s not an upgrade over Daisuke, IMO.
Gee Lee….howd’ya turn down big Nolan Ryan starin ya in the face? I guess over the phone
“Yankee fans CONSTANTLY saying “If George was alive…””
Yup, because they only focus on his best qualities, while conveniently ignoring the worst.
Though, it’s never a bad idea to have an extra starter or two on board.
Well i fell asleep around midnight last night and missed the storm. Wow. Well at least everyone is probably on board with my Andy in 2011 campaign now
What if Theo called Philly and promised “salary relief” if the Phils landed Lee thus keeping him from the Yanks??
“Though, it’s never a bad idea to have an extra starter or two on board.”
You have to keep them sharp though.
With the RS 10 aces, he probably won’t get much work in long relief, and they can’t send him to the mL.
Good Morning Folks,
Howdy Trish – MTU,
I for one am glad this saga is over and moreover, I cannot wait until we play Philly and beat the pants off Lee. Truly this whole thing was a big turnoff for me, it made me tired of what the game has become. I am liking minor league ball it feels less tainted. I am not big on commercialism and baseball in this era does not feel like it is about the game anymore it is about who makes the most money. Money is on the scorecard and I just don’t like it. I like the smell of the leather of my mitt, the crisp sound of bat meeting ball. I like when someone dives to make a catch or a pitcher who hits spots perfectly not always with force but with finesse. I don’t measure the game by numbers I measure it by excitement and emotion. I don’t know whether that is old school or not. I just have always loved the game. But this stuff, win at any cost. I don’t love it so much.
Just my two cents.
NYY626-I’ve always been a supporter of your Andy in 2011 campaign.
Rich in NJ,
Yea, but he could be a long reliever.
But sure, you’re right. It’d be a peculiar move.
NYY626
me too!
“What if Theo called Philly and promised “salary relief” if the Phils landed Lee thus keeping him from the Yanks?”
Little grassy knoll-ish, but I think that may have been a big part of it.
I wouldn’t be shocked if Theo and Lucchino (in disguise as Yankee fans) were the unruly clowns that dissed Mrs. Lee.
Morning Bronx-
Hope you are well and continuing your march to Sainthood.
The Lee thing proves something else to me.
If you’re gonna get caught with pants down you’d better be sure you
have suntan lotion.
Plan B time.
watch Tex contact Andy & offer him a $15 mil 1 year contract
WEEI now reporting nothing is locked in on this Blanton to Boston thing.
New Post- The 2011 Yankees: The ultimate mystery team
It’s about the MONEY $$$$$$$
It seems Cliff Lee took the deal with the highest AAV on the contract.
He’ll pitch 5 years in the NL and he’ll be 37 looking to making up the 2 year difference in length at the end of this deal.
He’ll have NL stats on his side and he’ll be planted on a team that paid Jamie Moyer through age 47, 1 decade older than Cliff Lee will be at that point in time.
LOL Erin and Upstate Kate. Im thinking we need to camp out in front of his house and beg. Or maybe Cash can just throw some of that $$ we didnt spend on Lee at him….
The Lee decision makes two people happy, Lupica and Francessa. Lupica because now he can write about how the Yankee millions can’t buy happiness and Francessa because we don’t want to get too good because that would be piling on.
Cashman has taken a deep breath and will waste no time. He has the Lee money to work with to convince Andy for 1 more year, sign Kerry Wood and see if Soriano will take a nice deal to be the alternate closer with Mariano.
Look into deals using Chamberlain, Romine, Nova, Cervelli, Russo, and (if necessary), Brackman.
No deals concerning Montero, Baneulos, Betances, Sanchez, Brewer, Phelps, or Murphy.
Talk to Kenny Williams of the White Sox about Buehrle or Floyd.
Talk to the Cubs about Ryan Dempster.
Review the signing of Russell Martin.
Lets hope he pitches like this all season: http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=300821101
I have become comfortably numb.