What’s left on the pitching market?
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 21, 2011 
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C.J. Wilson is in Anaheim, Mark Buehrle is in Miami and Yu Darvish is in Texas. But the Yankees say their offseason priority is bolstering the rotation, so who’s still available on the free agent market, and who might actually be able to play a role next season? These are a few of the options.
The biggest names
Wilson, Buehrle and Darvish are off the market
These are the biggest names available
Roy Oswalt
34 years old
The former Astros ace turns 35 in August, has a bad back and hasn’t pitched more than 139 innings in either of the past two seasons. The results, though, have remained pretty good. He’s had an ERA above 4.00 only once in his career, and as recently as 2010 he led the National League in WHIP. Said to be looking for a one-year deal, but the Yankees don’t seem especially interested.
Edwin Jackson
28 years old
Kind of an erratic career with a lot of ups and downs. He’s coming off a high point, having pitched well down the stretch to help the Cardinals get into the playoffs and eventually win the World Series (though his only World Series start was a seven-walk mess). His age is a plus, but it’s also an indication that he might be looking for a multi-year deal, while the Yankees seem more in the market for a short-term investment.
Hiroki Kuroda
36 years old
He turns 37 in February, but Kuroda is coming off a season that saw him reach career-highs in wins, innings and strikeouts while pitching to a career-low 3.07 ERA. Thing is, his big league career spans just four years in the National League West. There would be some natural age concerns, as well as questions about his success translating in the AL East, but he’s had success and seems a natural fit for the kind of short-term deal the Yankees would prefer.
Second tier
When the offseason started, this might have been the third tier
No sure things here, but potential for back-of-the-rotation depth
Paul Maholm
29 years old
An interesting case because the lefty had a solid 3.66 ERA with the Pirates last season, but his three-year deal came to an end, Pittsburgh chose not to pick up an expensive option year, and the former eighth overall draft pick hit the open market. He had a solid 3.66 ERA last year, and the sinkerballer does a good job of keeping the ball in the ballpark.
Jeff Francis
30 years old
Like Maholm, Francis was once one of the better young lefties in the National League. Injuries cost him some time in Colorado, and last year he had a 4.82 ERA in his first American League stint with the Royals. He’s clearly not the pitcher the Rockies were expecting a few years ago, and it’s probably foolish to expect him to suddenly become that kind of pitcher at this point in his career.
Jason Marquis
33 years old
Last year started as a kind of bounce-back season for Marquis. He had a 3.95 ERA through 20 starts with the Nationals, but he was sent to the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline and made just three starts — with a 9.53 ERA — before a broken shin sent him to the disabled list. Marquis is a New York native.
Injury risks
Two of these are familiar names for the Yankees
Taking this sort of risk paid off big a year ago
Bartolo Colon
38 years old
Although the Yankees got more than they could have expected out of Colon last season, he still missed some time with an injury and saw his result diminish in the second half. Even with a strong season under his belt, there will be obvious concerns about Colon’s durability and ability to repeat that success at this stage of his career. Won’t be as cheap as he was a year ago.
Rich Harden
30 years old
Always a tantalizing talent. Always a frustrating health record. In his return to Oakland last season, Harden managed 15 starts with a disappointing 5.12 ERA despite high strikeout totals. He hasn’t topped 100 innings in either of the past two years, he’s topped 100 only twice since 2005, and his recent results haven’t been pretty. But it’s hard to overlook the potential and the “what if” factor. If nothing else, he might be able to slide into an effective relief role.
Ross Ohlendorf
29 year old
Brought to the Yankees in the 2007 Randy Johnson deal, then shipped out in the 2008 Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte trade, Ohlendorf had two good years in the Pirates rotation but made just nine starts — with a 9.19 ERA — last season. Rather than go to arbitration, the Pirates let him go. The Yankees are familiar with Ohlendorf, and he could worth a second look if the Yankees believe he’s healthy enough to pitch.
Associated Press photo
Say it with me now…
“Montero is the best young hitter I’ve seen since Miguel Cabrera – and that’s the best by a significant margin.”
Cashman himself said the same thing. We are talking about a kid that has been compared to Cabrera, Pujols, Frank Thomas, and Edgar Martinez……..if there is even a chance he is that type of hitter then that’s something that doesn’t come around very often and is incrediblely valuable……the most valuable position in baseball is elite hitter.
KU
RO
DA
“Say it with me now…”
BUDGET!
Ohlendorf could get a minor league contract and a look at being the long man out of the pen since the Yankees don’t want to waste that role on one of their young starters.
SO
RI
ANO
Sign Oswalt .. .he’s only looking for a one year deal. . . . I don’t care if he has back problems or not . . I’d take Roy with Back problems over everyone on that list .
Roy is looking to rebuild his stock . . . with some incentive he may pitch well. !!
Laura Nyro, “Christmas in My Soul”
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 1:48 pm
GB7,
Looked it up: there have been 31 OZ men in MLB. The best around in 2011 were Moylan and Balfour. My all-time favorite was Graehme Loydd, LOOGY supreme for the Yankees some years back. Got traded to the Jays in the package for Clemens, if I recall correctly.
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Yeah, Tom…that’s the right Almonte. He hurt his arm a few years ago and became an outfielder.
Pitchers out of Australia have had more luck than the hitters in the majors, pitchers like Lloyd and Moyer. Yanks have had a couple in the system, including a pretty highly rated prospect named Mark Hutton. dodgers and Padres had Craig Shipley, but, he went on to scout and has a front office job for the Red Sox, I think.
The biggest name out of Australia is probably Dave Nilsson with Milwaukee a few years ago. Big power but couldn’t stay healthy, was a catcher/1st basenan/DH. Actually signed a contract with the yanks a few years ago, then abbruptly retired. Went home and bought a team and DH’d for them and was the league commissioner. Former Yankee 2nd baseman has been managing and scouting in Australia for years.
The Twins 2nd baseman outfielder Luke Hughes has a lot of power and may do what Nilsson was able to do.
SO
RI
ANO
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Never ceases to amuse me that a lot of people complain about the Yankees buying high priced-long term bats and never develop their own. They finally get that big bat ready to go and they want to trade him in any any every trade they can think up for 2nd line pitchers.
Of that group, only Colon or Maholm as a starter/reliever and Harden in relief would be of interest to me. Olhendorff on a minor league look, maybe.
Oswalt not happening. Yanks don’t like pitchers with back problems.
I don’t understand why Maholm hasn’t gotten more play – he’s actually a good pitcher. He just was overpriced for the Pirates.
I would certainly rather have him than Ed Jackson.
I would like to pick up Kuroda, but I’m not terribly optimistic that it’s going to happen. I would also bring back Colon, and take a chance on Harden and Ohlendorf on minor league deals.
jacksquat December 21st, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Oswalt not happening. Yanks don’t like pitchers with back problems.
————–
Yankees offered 6 years to Cliff Lee last year
Ghostwriter December 21st, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I would like to pick up Kuroda, but I’m not terribly optimistic that it’s going to happen. I would also bring back Colon, and take a chance on Harden and Ohlendorf on minor league deals.
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I don’t think you can get Harden on a minor league deal – but I would certainly give MiL deals to Ohlendorf and Colon – even Jeff Francis.
Then again I would give MiL deals to lots of people – they are zero risk deals.
Kuroda for $10M max-okay.
Otherwise, I like Noesi better than any of these guys.
This is what you get to choose from when CJ Wilson headlines a free agent class.
Rotten produce. The canteloupes at the bottom of the bin at Costco.
This has 2008 written all over it
Kuroda for
$10M$16M max-okay.Chip, Lee did not have significant or chronic back problems.
What the hell is going on in Pennsylvania?
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/.....dren-1970s
A few things from Hardball Talk:
1. Reports out of Chicago are that Theo and Hoyer, after looking over the team for the last month, have decided that blowing the Cubs up and starting over is the way to go. With Sean Marshall likely heading to the Reds in a trade, the only guy on that team I really like who doesn’t necessarily fit into a rebuilding plan would be Garza and I don’t think the Yankees will pay that price.
If you’re a fan of Zambrano, maybe there’s an AJ for Big Z swap to be made.
2. Orioles not in on Prince. Makes sense. O’s are at least two decades away from relevance.
3. HanRam is still speaking out about not wanting to play 3b. No he will not be traded, but if he is I’m rooting for Hanley and LoMo for King Felix and Ackley.
4. Mets contracting a minor league team and their rookie league team – they’re also offering the following for anyone willing to pay $20 mil for partial team ownership:
one free trip with the team during the regular season (the Mets would pick the city); one free weekend’s stay at spring training; and a lot of potential lunch dates — with broadcasters and former players. A luncheon with the manager and general manager? Off-season only, the document says. Merchandise? Discounts, but not giveaways.
I’m pretty sure I could get a better deal by being the 15th caller on WFAN.
If it’s about a lefty, I take Maholm on a 1 year deal
If it’s not about a lefty, I go for the younger talent with the higher upside, and the proven tradable commodity…Edwin Jackson.
And I sign Ohlendorf and Marquis to minor league deala with invites to ST for depth.
Skip the bad back, NL vets, and the AL injury risks. And thank you Colon, but that ship has sailed. Lightning rarely strikes the same spot twice.
jacksquat December 21st, 2011 at 3:08 pm
Chip, Lee did not have significant or chronic back problems.
————-
Correct me if I’m wrong – but I think he missed time in 2009, 2010 and 2011 with back issues.
LGY……Frankly I think the Yanks could over pay a little for Kuroda providing it’s just a 1 year deal…….m, rotten produce at Cosco’s, very good !!
DaSaint007 December 21st, 2011 at 3:21 pm
If it’s about a lefty, I take Maholm on a 1 year deal
If it’s not about a lefty, I go for the younger talent with the higher upside, and the proven tradable commodity…Edwin Jackson.
————
Jackson was tradeable because he was cheap – that won’t be the case when he signs this contract.
As for his talent – Edwin is a 28 year old AJ Burnett.
ah, the mets……
i wonder why they’re having trouble finding folks to sign up for that kind of deal?
GB7,
Almonte frozen rope over the left field wall. Almonte for fourth OF.
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 3:29 pm
GB7,
Almonte frozen rope over the left field wall. Almonte for fourth OF.
———–
easy now – you’ll have him saying a AA outfielder is better than Matt Holliday in a minute.
Joe from Long Island December 21st, 2011 at 3:24 pm
ah, the mets……
i wonder why they’re having trouble finding folks to sign up for that kind of deal?
————-
Truly – there’s nothing I want more than to spend $20 mil to go see a game in Houston in July, have lunch with Wally Backman and stay at the Ramada in Port St. Lucie for a weekend.
Tom, I saw that. not sure what or if he ever becomes enough to live down that past, but, that was a bullet
Braves general manager Frank Wren reiterated Wednesday that Arodys Vizcaino is penciled in as a member of the bullpen next season.
Vizcaino, 21, made his major league debut as a reliever this past season and posted a 4.67 ERA and 17/9 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings. While he has a promising future as a starter, Wren thinks he’s better off pitching in the bullpen for now. Baseball America recently ranked the hard-throwing right-hander as the No. 2 prospect in the Braves’ organization.
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Great job by Cashman trading away this guy for Javier freakin’ Vasquez!
Chip December 21st, 2011 at 3:31 pm
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 3:29 pm
GB7,
Almonte frozen rope over the left field wall. Almonte for fourth OF.
———–
easy now – you’ll have him saying a AA outfielder is better than Matt Holliday in a minute.
————————————————————————————————————————-
Grow up, punk
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Chip December 21st, 2011 at 3:31 pm
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 3:29 pm
GB7,
Almonte frozen rope over the left field wall. Almonte for fourth OF.
———–
easy now – you’ll have him saying a AA outfielder is better than Matt Holliday in a minute.
————————————————————————————————————————-
Grow up, punk
—————–
Learn to take a joke geezer.
Josh Norris as an interesting series of articles running. Should run through to ST. Worth the read.
http://minormatterstrenton.blogspot.com/
I wonder if there were any MLB scouts at that all-star game. I bet there were.
Tom, there are a few minor league player in the game, like Hughes, Huber and a few pitchers, so, I’d think so. besides that, it’s a great vacation spot.
There was a Graeham Lloyd sighting at the game. He’s the Aussie pitching coach
Colon is my choice for a final signing as far as pitching goes, unless we can pick up a very good left handed reliever at a reasonable price.
Kate, Canadian bacon is the best, especially back bacon.
GB7,
Never been to Perth, but the ladies in the stands looked fine, and the weather looked beautiful.
# spidanyc December 21st, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Braves general manager Frank Wren reiterated Wednesday that Arodys Vizcaino is penciled in as a member of the bullpen next season.
Vizcaino, 21, made his major league debut as a reliever this past season and posted a 4.67 ERA and 17/9 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings. While he has a promising future as a starter, Wren thinks he’s better off pitching in the bullpen for now. Baseball America recently ranked the hard-throwing right-hander as the No. 2 prospect in the Braves’ organization.
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Great job by Cashman trading away this guy for Javier freakin’ Vasquez!
———————————————————
That move still bothers me smh Vasquez part 2
norris had a talk with a scout about Montero, Romine, Almonte, Mesa, Betances, Banuelos, Whitley, Joseph and Burawa that will be posted shortly on his blog. Could be of interest, also.
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 3:49 pm
GB7,
Never been to Perth, but the ladies in the stands looked fine, and the weather looked beautiful.
————————————————————————————————————————-
It’s a beautiful place, like Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast. Not quite San Diegoish weather, but, really nice with great visual affects
Against All Odds I guess Cash was one for two that offseason. He did get Granderson. I agree it was terrible trade and many of the intelligencia on here spoke out about the loss of Vizcaino.
They have a Vizcaino clone in Ramirez, and they made a choice between the two.
Against All Odds December 21st, 2011 at 3:50 pm
That move still bothers me smh Vasquez part 2
***********************
I remember the blog practically exploding the day that trade was announced. Fun times.
there are lots of past deals I disagreed with. I just stop whining after a few months.
JAY BUHER for KEN PHELPS ??????????????????
Hey Erin !
You think there shouldn’t be red flags up on Jurrjens?
from MLBTR
The Braves made a run at Orioles outfielder Adam Jones earlier this month, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Connolly reports that Atlanta offered Jair Jurrjens, Martin Prado, and a pitching prospect for Jones, but the O’s “didn’t bite,” indicating how much they value their center fielder.
Doug Drabek for Rich Rohden! And yes JAY BUHER for KEN PHELPS ??????????????????!!!!! Couldn’t believe either of those two deals.
I see the Red Flags GB. How are you?
comet December 21st, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Doug Drabek for Rich Rohden! And yes JAY BUHER for KEN PHELPS ??????????????????!!!!! Couldn’t believe either of those two deals.
————-
Mike Lowell for Ed Yarnell
Hi Comet!
No major snow storm, although supposedly we may get a few flurries tonight.
Chip, 232, 212, 231 ip. Compare to Oswalt.
?Doing pretty well, Comet. Thanks for asking. How are you doing up in the wilderness? getting ready to help that famous Canadian in the red suit on his sleigh ride?
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 4:03 pm
You think there shouldn’t be red flags up on Jurrjens?
from MLBTR
The Braves made a run at Orioles outfielder Adam Jones earlier this month, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Connolly reports that Atlanta offered Jair Jurrjens, Martin Prado, and a pitching prospect for Jones, but the O’s “didn’t bite,” indicating how much they value their center fielder.
———–
Could also be (as the writer says) that it’s an indication to how much they value Adam Jones in Baltimore.
That said – when the Braves are pushing to move a guy this hard there’s probably something up.
JAY BUHER for KEN PHELPS ??????????????????
**********************
Don’t get Frank Costanza going on that one.
I don’t mind the Vazquez deal to this day. What did the Yankees give up? Melky? Hes been replaced with better players. The only loss was Vizcaino and people forget about the elbow issues he was having (and still has had in ATL). You win some, you lose some.
Erin we are going to have a Green Christmas. Have had only two days where we didn’t reach zero. It has been a long and wonderful autumn. Hope January stays the same.
Mike Lowell another lost Yankee.
What is funny is that a #4 or #5 hitter in Montero is thought to be expendable. When you add the possibility that he could catch 40 to 50 games in 2012 & maybe 80 to 100 in 2013 then the positional effect is tremendous. Romine will probably be the 3rd catcher in 2013 & perhaps even the last half year in 2012. Also by playing Martin less during the season he will be fresher & produce more. Last year Martin was playing almost everyday for most of the season & it showed as his production dropped significantly.
Visited with a family for a week in Perth. Fresh picked fried bananas and porridge that tasted of oats for brekky. Gold Coast is just down the road. Scenery is lush and aggressive, both human and otherwise.
In Norris’ talk with the scout (no idea who or from what team) this is what he said about Montero: “He’s Miguel Cabrera.”
If NY had known that Brosius was going to retire a year later, they never would have traded Lowell.
Some wild assed country to the north west (east) of Gold Coast in New South Wales state. with the Blue Mountains. and in the national parks of that region.
http://www.bing.com/images/sea.....38;first=0
Not true GB….. Yanks signed Brosius to a 3-year deal and THEN traded Lowell on Feb 1, 1999.
Brosius played ’99 – ’01 and THEN retired
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 4:17 pm
In Norris’ talk with the scout (no idea who or from what team) this is what he said about Montero: “He’s Miguel Cabrera.”
————————
hi everyone!,
Yes, he is minus the attitude problem, so i say he is better
# comet December 21st, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Against All Odds I guess Cash was one for two that offseason. He did get Granderson. I agree it was terrible trade and many of the intelligencia on here spoke out about the loss of Vizcaino.
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True he did get Curtis in the same off season and it worked out well for the ball club. It was a terrible trade and it sucks he is on the Braves.
Comet-I’d be fine with a little bit of snow for Christmas, but then it can disappear for the rest of winter as far as I’m concerned.
I don’t usually recommend following any twits, but, the back and forth betweem Eric Boland and Marc Carig sure breaks up the monotony.
MarcCarig Marc Carig
Indeed, it’s @eboland11 who would wear a free T-shirt to his own funeral, which with any luck is before pitchers and catchers report. #KYYBW
eboland11 Erik Boland
@MarcCarig that’s well done, though my question to would be, how would you know? I only wear them to hotel workout rooms
luiz,
Feliz Navidad!
# Erin December 21st, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Against All Odds December 21st, 2011 at 3:50 pm
That move still bothers me smh Vasquez part 2
***********************
I remember the blog practically exploding the day that trade was announced. Fun times.
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The blog was on fire that day. What bothers me is the ppl that say they would still make the deal no matter what wtf
Tom,
Para ti y los tuyos tambien!!…Meaning that Merry christmas to you and your loved ones as well!
Against All Odds – I didn’t think it was an awful deal at the time but that was also under the assumption we could actually squeeze 200 or so innings out of Vasquez.
How silly I was to believe such a thing…
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 4:18 pm
If NY had known that Brosius was going to retire a year later, they never would have traded Lowell.
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Sure they would have – they liked Drew Henson.
Bring back Rock and ROhlendorf!
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 4:18 pm
If NY had known that Brosius was going to retire a year later, they never would have traded Lowell.
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Also Brosius retired after the 2001 season, Lowell was traded prior to the 1999 season – three years earlier, not one.
Shame,
I was on your boat as well….But in our defense i`ll say that is very easy to analize the trade after it happened. You just can´t win it all i guess
I’ll never get bent out of shape about a deal where the best guy you trade is still in Low A ball (I believe Viz hadn’t pitched above Penn league at the time). There’s so much room for failure even with a minor leaguer at the high minor levels that holding onto a guy that far away seems silly to me.
Though I’ll throw another irksome deal out there: Tabata (and chum) for Marte and Nady
Is Marte still on our team lol?
luis – No you can’t. I just felt I wasn’t all that upset to part with Melky since we had GGBG and that the org knew we had other arms that were perhaps better than Viz’s. Only time will tell on the 2nd part of that.
Is Marte still on our team lol?
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He is. But I think he changed his name to Feliciano.
Shame Spencer December 21st, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Is Marte still on our team lol?
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Nope – I believe he was shocked when his option was declined.
Kuroda rejected the Yanks at the trade deadline, and the Yanks should pass on him accordingly Now. Sign Beltran, and trade Swish for Jurrjens. On balance, this makes the Yankees a better team than merely signing Kuroda.
Instead of worrying about overworking Martin, the concern should be directed in Cano’s direction. The guy plays Far too many games.Having a 3 Hole hitter running on fumes in Sept\Oct aint gonna aid #28.
Spite is not a very effective business strategy.
DONNYBROOK December 21st, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Kuroda rejected the Yanks at the trade deadline, and the Yanks should pass on him accordingly Now. Sign Beltran, and trade Swish for Jurrjens. On balance, this makes the Yankees a better team than merely signing Kuroda.
Instead of worrying about overworking Martin, the concern should be directed in Cano’s direction. The guy plays Far too many games.Having a 3 Hole hitter running on fumes in Sept\Oct aint gonna aid #28.
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While I like your suggestion I don’t think the Braves are going to trade for a 10 mil RF/1b when they have Heyward in RF and Freeman at 1b.
Sean Marshall is no longer an option for Yanks. Waiting on physicals.
MarcCarig Marc Carig
Indeed, it’s @eboland11 who would wear a free T-shirt to his own funeral, which with any luck is before pitchers and catchers report. #KYYBW
Sorry…wrong cut and paste on Marshall
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....-wood.html
Irreverent Discourse December 21st, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Spite is not a very effective business strategy.
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Nor is making an old team older a sound baseball strategy.
Nor is making an old team older a sound baseball strategy
——–
Judging a player based on age instead of ability is an even worse strategy.
This would have been a decent cheap pick-up for the Yanks, despite a down year.
The Royals announced that they signed Jose Mijares to a one-year, Major League contract for 2012. The team’s 40-man roster is full with the addition of the 27-year-old SFX client.
“We expect Jose to be a solid addition from the left side that further strengthens our bullpen,” Royals GM Dayton Moore said in a press release. “He has been especially good against left-handed hitters in his career and will give Ned [Yost] more options to match up late in the game.”
Mijares posted a 4.59 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 5.5 BB/9 and a 31.1% ground ball rate in 49 innings for the Twins this past season, only to be non-tendered in December. He owns a more respectable 3.16 ERA in four MLB seasons to go along with career marks of 6.9 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. Mijares will join sophomore left-handers Tim Collins and Everett Teaford in Kansas City’s bullpen.
Apologies if this has already been posted…… Yankees Holiday Card
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....d=tw_share
People undersell Swisher all the time. But he’s dependable in a lineup with age and injury issues. I’d rather have him than Beltran, frankly. The Yanks don[‘t have the money for Beltran anyway.
Yanks have the money for Beltran. They don’t have a spot or a need for him.
- CHIP -
After Freeman’s season, I seriously doubt they have the confidence in him they had a year ago. I would go after Jurrjens provided Beltran was in the bank.
“Yanks have the money for Beltran. They don’t have a spot or a need for him.”
They don’t act like they have the money for anybody. The simple explanation is they don’t have the money.
If the Yanks got the $$$ for Kuroda, they got it for Beltran. Trading Swish further drops the team payroll.
yanks have enough money to buy God’s undivided attention for the next 10 years.
Have the money…..don’t want to spend the money.
Any swap of Swisher for Beltran wouldn’t be a one for one swap…….it would be whatever you can trade Swisher for plus Beltran. If you can get good value for Swisher in a deal then its worth looking in to…….if you can’t then it’s probably not.
“yanks have enough money to buy God’s undivided attention for the next 10 years.”
No, that’s the Phillies you are thinking of.
The Yankees don’t have the money? Let’s just put it this way: If the Yankees don’t have the money, the sport is in deep trouble and teams are spending money they don’t have on these free agents this winter.
The Yankees essentially print their own money. How they spend it is up to them. Nothing in this market was worth an overpay to them; and I pretty much agree with that assessment.
blake, we don’t need another guy in the lineup who’s a risk to miss half a season. We can put him on the shelf with ARod and Jeter. Swisher is a bargain and plays every day. The Yanks aren’t going to move him so they can pay more for Beltran.
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 5:04 pm
yanks have enough money to buy God’s undivided attention for the next 10 years.
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only ten years
How much money the Yankees have is immaterial.
It’s become clear they will spend 200-210M per season and apparently that number needs to come down to 189M by 2014.
They have a self imposed budget.
I predict another almost-good-enough season or two, given Cashman’s reluctance to do anything meaningful. By then, one or two of our prospects will be ready. But if Cashman thinks there is any realistic chance of winning with CC and the Misfits, he’s a fool. Forget the “if” – he’s a fool!
Beltran might cost 2 or 3 million more than Swisher will for 2012 and he will probably be cheaper for 2013.
I think Beltran’s injury history is overblown as its all one injury…..which he appears to be past.
Again I wouldn’t swap Swisher for Beltran just fir the sake of doing it……Id have to get something of value dir Swisher and Beltran would have to accept a 2 year deal.
If Wren called up and said ill give you Jurrjins for Swisher and Nunez for example then I would do that as Beltran + Jair > Swisher + Nunez.
# Shame Spencer December 21st, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Against All Odds – I didn’t think it was an awful deal at the time but that was also under the assumption we could actually squeeze 200 or so innings out of Vasquez.
How silly I was to believe such a thing…
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I was willing to give him a chance but then it was painfully obvious it wasn’t going to work after a number of starts. I wonder if Cashman would still do that deal?
Swish is a free agent inna yr. Replacing him NOW with Beltran, AND adding Jurryens makes this Yankee team better. Could Beltran get hurt? Sure. But I would go this route inna second.
LGY-
Don’t have it, won’t spend it, I don’t know. But seeing as they’ve stayed in the $200-$220MM range for 5 years, the likely explanation is they can’t afford to go higher, isn’t it?
# GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Chip December 21st, 2011 at 3:31 pm
tomingeorgia December 21st, 2011 at 3:29 pm
GB7,
Almonte frozen rope over the left field wall. Almonte for fourth OF.
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easy now – you’ll have him saying a AA outfielder is better than Matt Holliday in a minute.
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Grow up, punk
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Was that necessary?
What did he say for you to tell him to grow up?
- BLAKE -
Swish and Nunez is a bit much for Jurrjens, but something could definitely be worked out in that vein.
the likely explanation is they can’t afford to go higher, isn’t it?
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Makes sense. You’re probably right.
# Chip December 21st, 2011 at 4:39 pm
GreenBeret7 December 21st, 2011 at 4:18 pm
If NY had known that Brosius was going to retire a year later, they never would have traded Lowell.
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Also Brosius retired after the 2001 season, Lowell was traded prior to the 1999 season – three years earlier, not one.
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Looks like Chip got you on that one, ha!
blake-
Beltran + JJ costs about $10MM more than Swisher + Nunez. The Yanks won’t spend it. And of course the Braves wouldn’t trade JJ for Nick anyway.
“Swish and Nunez is a bit much for Jurrjens, but something could definitely be worked out in that vein.”
A rental outfielder and a backup infielder? That’s pretty fair to me which is why id do it if I thought I coukd sign Beltran to a deal I liked…….there are a lot of ifs involved
If the Yanks had money, they would have signed a pitcher by now. Nothing stopping them from throwing a lot of $$$ into a 1 yr offer to the guys out there.
They want to get below the luxury tax line of $189. That isn’t happening if they throw $15 mil at Kuroda
“Beltran + JJ costs about $10MM more than Swisher + Nunez. The Yanks won’t spend it. And of course the Braves wouldn’t trade JJ for Nick anyway.”
They have 10-15 million to spend under their self cap……and theyd have more if they’d bite the bullet and trade AJ.
You see Nunez as a back-up infielder. Other teams value him as a starter. that’s the value he’d have if traded.
and theyd have more if they’d bite the bullet and trade AJ.
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who’s a taker?
- Eroc -
Your also talking about booting someone off the 40 Man roster with the signing of a “left over” Chucker.
“You see Nunez as a back-up infielder. Other teams value him as a starter. that’s the value he’d have if traded.”
He is a starter on some teams that aren’t as good as the Yankees.
- 7 -
Agree on Nunez trade value appraisal.
blake, what are they saving? $4 mil a year? To get what back for him? The opportunity to shoot another $12 mil for a 37 year old pitcher? Quite the savings there.
“blake, what are they saving? $4 mil a year? To get what back for him? The opportunity to shoot another $12 mil for a 37 year old pitcher? Quite the savings there.”
Probably 6-8 million……and they traded for Jurjjins in the discussion.
The orioles are dying for top pitchers, not offense and they turned down Jurrjens, Prado and a top pitching prospect. Why? Because most feel somethings up with Jurrjens.
blake, sorry to say, but your math looks a lot like those hokey sabermatrician formulas….total BS
NO national league pitchers. All their values are inflated. Jackson is the only one of the bunch I would take a chance on cause he pitched in the American league!