The LoHud Yankees Blog

The Arizona Fall League is finished, and there really aren’t a lot of big names from the Yankees system playing winter ball right now. Here are a few updates.

• Another good start for Hector Noesi down in the Dominican Republic. On Sunday he pitched five innings, allowing one run on five hits and no walks. His ERA in the Dominican Winter League is 2.22 with 17 strikeouts and six walks. In his past five starts he’s allowed three earned runs.

• Down in Mexico — wouldn’t you know it? – Jorge Vazquez is still clobbering home runs. The Yankees Triple-A first baseman and designated hitter has 15 homers and 48 RBI in 41 games. By the way, he’s also batting .362.

• Back to playing shortstop almost exclusively, Ramiro Pena is hitting .298/.375/.456 in Mexico. He’s played only 16 games and hasn’t played since November 24.

• In his return from shoulder surgery, Colin Curtis is hitting .250/.346/.412 in Venezuela. Two days ago he was hitting .283/.386/.467, but back-to-back 0-for-4 games knocked down his numbers.

• After two scoreless innings on Thursday, switch pitcher Pat Venditte‘s ERA is down to 2.63 in Mexico. Right handers are hitting just .186 against him, and the league as a whole is batting .200 against him.

• Left exposed to the Rule 5 draft, High-A center fielder Abe Almonte is hitting .172 primarily as a pinch hitter and pinch runner in the Dominican. He’s not to be confused with new 40-man addition Zoilo Almonte, who’s hitting .222 in the Dominican. That’s after a three-hit game on Friday.

The Yankees are exactly three months from their Grapefruit League opener. They play the Phillies on March 3, and have plenty of time to change their roster between now and then.

With the Winter Meetings two days away, the Yankees to-do list hasn’t changed all that much. They’ve taken care of their top priority by assuring CC Sabathia will be back at the top of the rotation, and they’ve taken care of their greatest need by adding rotation depth with Freddy Garcia’s new contract.

Even so, pitching remains their focus.

“We’re going to continue to look for ways to reinforce it,” Brian Cashman said yesterday. “But we’re proud of what we’ve got and have high hopes for what’s coming.”

Still on the shopping list three months before the Grapefruit League opener:

Rotation depth
Cashman always says you can never have enough. Right now, the Yankees have a five-man rotation in place, with plenty of young arms ready to help if/when needed. But you can bet Cash & Co. will keep shopping for starters to add depth. Worst-case scenario, they find a long man in the process.

Left-handed relief
After back-to-back debacles with Damaso Marte and Pedro Feliciano, the Yankees might not be high on the idea of overspending or overcommitting for a lefty specialist. They have Boone Logan already, but clearly they’d like to have a second left-handed option in the pen.

Fourth outfielder
Chris Dickerson can play at the big league level, but the Yankees don’t really need another lefty in the outfield. What they need is a right-handed bat like Andruw Jones who can fill in at the corners and hit home runs against left-handed pitchers. You know who they might look at to fill that role? Andruw Jones.

Backup third baseman
Given Alex Rodriguez’s recent health problems, the Yankees need someone to fill some time at third base. Eduardo Nunez can do it, this roster spot seems custom-made for an Eric Chavez-type veteran who can handle the defense and provide a steady bat whenever Rodriguez needs a breather. Chavez might make sense again if the Yankees believe he can stay healthy.

No. 2 starter
Hard to say whether this is a priority or a luxury. At the right price, you can bet the Yankees would love to have a dominant No. 2 to slide behind Sabathia at the top of the rotation, but Cashman is certainly creating the impression that it’s not willing to give up the farm to make that happen. The Yankees will shop, but it will have to make sense to buy.

Associated Press photo

From the top of the Landmark Building this morning, Brian Cashman challenged new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine to join him for next year’s rappel down 22 stories. It was a joke — sort of — and Cashman went to speak highly of the new Boston skipper.

“I know Bobby,” Cashman said. “I know he’s fully qualified to handle anything and everything that’s going to come his way up in Boston. I didn’t like seeing Terry Francona in that dugout because Terry was outstanding at what he did, and I don’t like seeing Bobby Valentine in that dugout either because I know what Bobby is and what he will do and can do.

“… The rivalry is about us trying to be the best, and them trying to be the best, and we happen to be paired against each other in the same division and knocking heads all the time. That will continue. The storylines might change, and the people might change, but that’s the bottom line. He’ll do everything in his power to make sure the Red Sox perform up to the highest standards possible , and it’s our job to continue to do the same for the Yankees.”

• It seems Mariano Rivera is just fine after today’s vocal chord surgery. Cashman seemed thoroughly unconcerned this morning.

• You can follow this link to watch the Fox video of one of Cashman’s descents this morning. Dialogue while rappelling down a building is … awkward.

• Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees not only want to bring back Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones, they’re also interested in Mike Gonzalez as a second lefty out of the bullpen. Big money moves for veterans lefties haven’t exactly worked out recently.

• Speaking of Chavez, the A’s are the only team other than the Yankees he’s ever played for, and Susan Slusser reports that Chavez wouldn’t fit for Oakland. 

• The Yankees have re-signed minor league pitcher Noel Castillo. 

Cool story in today’s New York Post.

An old letter shows that, back in 1915, the Yankees considered building a new stadium in midtown Manhattan. In a letter to American League president Ban Johnson, team co-owner Colonel Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston requested a meeting to discuss the possible location.

“We have canvassed the feasibility of the 42nd Street site for a ballpark,” Huston wrote. “Col. Ruppert and myself will be with the Club when it reaches Chicago, and we will be glad to discuss the subject with you then.”

Pretty cool stuff. If you haven’t already, check it out.

Just so you know the question was asked…

Brian Cashman was asked today whether the new collective bargaining agreement will impact his pursuit of international free agents this winter. Teams are about to pay a premium when they spend big on the international market — and there are some premier international free agents out there — but Cashman wouldn’t comment on the issue.

“I’m not prepared to talk about what the new CBA does to us and how we have to adjust to it,” he said. “I’m still sifting through all of it. It’s a big document, and as you go through it you’re having meetings on every aspect of it as well as trying to do the job at the same time.”

A few other quick notes from today…

• Cashman’s first comment to a small group of reporters this morning: “I publicly challenge Bobby Valentine to join me on the building. Landmark Square. First week of December. Be there.” Valentine lives in Stamford, but Cashman said he wasn’t sure the new Red Sox manager would ever actually join him in the rappel.

• Cashman texted Mariano Rivera yesterday but said he hasn’t heard back from his closer. Rivera was scheduled to have vocal chord surgery today.

• Cashman spent some time touting the 2010 emergence of Phil Hughes and the 2011 emergence of Ivan Nova. “As we continue to look outside for pitching, the next guy we’ve got coming is Noesi,” Cashman said. “Behind that is Betances and Banuelos and Warren and Phelps. We are producing some serious pitching that we’re proud of. Robertson and what he did this past year, just the continuation of what’s been a great pro career so far. We’re going to continue to look for ways to reinforce it, but we’re proud of what we’ve got and have high hopes for what’s coming.”

• Cashman rappelled three times this morning, and said his first time down the building was “remarkably” easier than his first descent last year. He wore a Santa hat with the Yankees logo.

Brian Cashman rarely says much to the media this time of year. He doesn’t say much when he’s in his office, doesn’t say much when he’s talking on his cell phone and — it turns out — he doesn’t say much when he’s standing on the roof of a 22-story building with a wig on his head and rappelling gear strapped to his waist.

Not saying much comes with the job, I suppose.

This winter, things are especially vague. A year ago, it was obvious that Cashman needed to address Derek Jeter’s negotiations, Mariano Rivera’s brief free agency and the Yankees pursuit of Cliff Lee. This year…

“There’s not a primary, obvious, stated target that everybody knows about,” Cashman said.

Does that mean there’s a target nobody knows about?

“I just think there’s a lot of players out there that I would be interested in acquiring, but I prefer trying to do that under the radar if you can,” Cashman said. “The realistic aspect of actually being able to conclude something (during the Winter Meetings), I don’t have high hopes.”

Feel free to spin that however you’d like. The exchange started with a question about whether these Winter Meetings felt different because there’s no headline name attached to the Yankees. Instead, it seems the team could go any number of directions, with the real possibility that they won’t do much of anything at all.

“We’re making the calls,” Cashman said. “We’re talking to the agents. We’re talking trades with the clubs. For the most part, nothing has transpired yet. Obviously a big effort on our part was CC Sabathia and retaining him. At the same time, we’ve got a lot of talent on this payroll, I mean, on this roster. And our payroll is not limited, it’s just not. If you add up all the money we’ve already got committed, it’s a significant amount, and it’s not necessarily as easy to slide (another big name on the roster).

“Normally a big name is big money, so it’s not as easy to slide that big name, because of the big money, into what we’ve already got committed. We’re having our conversations. We’re talking to other clubs. We’ve got prospects people like, but we like them too. If it makes sense, we’re ready to rock and roll, but if it doesn’t make sense, we’ll look at what we have and appreciate what we’ve got and be ready to go with what we’ve got.”

The word “prohibitive” was used this morning. Standing at the top of the Landmark Building in Stamford, Brian Cashman was asked whether the current asking prices — for both free agents and potential trade targets — are prohibitive.

“Yes, so far,” Cashman said.

In the next breath, though, he offered a glimer of hope for those of you hoping for some sort of hot stove action in the next few days and weeks.

“At the end of the day, we’re ready to move on something if it makes sense,” Cashman said. “I’ll make a recommendation to ownership and they can bless it or they can tell me no, but right now we’re going to go to Dallas (for the Winter Meetings), we’re going to continue to engage – I’ve stayed engaged via email, text, phone, in person, it doesn’t matter – but we’re set in a lot of places, we really are. Could it be better? It’s my job to try to find ways to make it better.

“… Right now, if you’re asking me do I expect to do something in the next week? No. But I’ve had enough conversations where I could wind up doing something today. A lot of work has been done. A lot of conversations have been had. If somebody bends or adjusts, then I’m ready to make a recommendation for us to make a move.”

Obviously I’ll have more when I get home, but Brian Cashman just said he’s not expecting to get anything done at next week’s Winter Meetings. He’s been engaged in talks with general managers and agents, but right now there’s nothing close. He said things can change quickly, but as it is right now, there’s nothing on the verge. For anything to happen, someone will have to lower demands.

No surprise there. Cashman has been singing that same song for weeks.

As a side note, Cashman challenged Bobby Valentine to rappel with him next year.

Just took the elevator to the top of the Landmark Building in Stamford where Brian Cashman is practicing rappelling 22 stories. He’s already made one trip, and said it’s easier this year than last year. He’s also trying to get the writers to lean over the edge, but the safety folks won’t let us.

Yes, Cashman is wearing the wig.

You’ll all be happy to know that, after back-to-back days of training, I now know how to file a story using the new computer system at The Journal News.

Here are a few quick links on the night before Brian Cashman once again rappels down a building.

• Remember today’s story that Mariano Rivera is having surgery on his vocal chords? He made the announcement while being honored by the Salvation Army. 

• Remember when C.J. Wilson’s agent suggested he and the Yankees were going to have a second face-to-face meeting? It hasn’t happened yet, and Marc Carig reports that it’s still not scheduled. The Yankees are, at the very least, creating the impression that they’re not especially interested in Wilson.

• Cool stuff from our friend Sweeny Murti, who wrote about one of the Yankees rising stars, center fielder Mason Williams. From Sweeny’s story: Last week when an American League executive told me that Mason Williams is the second-best prospect in the Yankees organization behind Montero, I forwarded that evaluation to some of the Yankee higher-ups. One of them told me it was a fair statement, while another told me Williams could actually be better than Montero because of his potential as a Gold Glove centerfielder.

• Turns out Bobby Valentine approached David Cone about becoming the Red Sox pitching coach. Jack Curry reports that Cone is not expected to accept.

• Bernie Williams released a statement about his spot on the Hall of Fame ballot: “To know your name is on the Hall of Fame ballot means you were blessed to have a long and successful career. The voting is something I have no control over. I am very proud to have played my entire 16 year career for the New York Yankees, the best organization in baseball, and honored to have been part of so many amazing postseasons and four world championship teams”

Associated Press photo