New York YANKEES spring training thread......... 2 days until season starts: LETS GO YANKEES!

[joe twenty1]

Originally Posted by iLLoQuent aka DSK

Yeah, I guess Peavy is too much of a country boy for NY...

I respect that though, because he's more about being comfortable than money so kudos to him...

Originally Posted by TBONE95860

• The Yankees are gearing up to offer CC Sabathia "an offer that may dwarf those of other clubs, by a factor of 30 or 40 percent." Olney feels that may be a necessary surcharge to convince Sabathia to pitch in the Big Apple.

See I don't mind getting CC...but that's ridiculous right there. Homeboy likes the NL and would only accept this offer strictly based on money, not where he'd LIKE or feel COMFORTABLE playing for the next 6-8 years...I'm tired of getting guys who only play for the money, the Yankees are morons if they offer this dude that much...

Unlike those firey, gritty, true Yankees Mariano River and Jorge Posada who held out for more money and extra years last winter leaving us with Posoda'sterrible 4 year deal right? Where has CC said he doesnt want to leave the NL or come to NY? He hasnt, all that is pure speculation. The Yankees will go all outfor CC and it comes down to whether or not he wants to go home to hte Dodgers or play for the Yankees.

 

[lmbassclown]

with all the old contracts expiring, we've got a lot of money to spend (not that we don't ever have that anyway). the way i see it, as long aswe're not liquidating our farm system, might as well spend big dollars on some guaranteed good pitching, which is something we haven't gotten in years.we screwed up not getting santana last season, although i agree with the philosophy behind it. but we really need to get some elite pitching if we're goingto make a turnaround, so if that means spending big bucks on sabathia and a second ace, we just might have to.

 

[onewearz]

alittle trade proposal i found, good deal if the giants are willing ........

Offseason Idea # 6 -- Cain is very able
By Lane Meyer
October 20, 2008


Look, we've made the case for trading Cano multiple times over the past few years. The suggestion is often met with rebuttal from both the unwashed massesand the saberdorks. Finding common ground for these two groups is normally difficult, but it is all too frequent regarding Cano.

For Joe Fan, when Robinson Cano heats up it's something to remember. When the mediots in the tabloids report that he hitting nearly .400 for a full month,he's lacing doubles seemingly every other AB for weeks on end, he's laughing and smiling, and destroying pitchers at what seems like his will. Whenhe's locked in, he's every superlative you could possibly conjure to describe the most fearsome hitter in baseball.

For those of us that bury our noses in the ledger; that analyze every ball in play and splits, percentages, and zones, Cano grades out as an incredible player.When looking at the season as a whole, Cano's variance from Pujolsesque rampaging to Cairoesque squandering is obscured. He has shown the ability to be,quite literally, the most productive second baseman over the course of a full season, when accounting for both offense and defense, in the American League. Healso carries a strongly supported claim to usurp Chase Utley sometime in the near future for the Major League crown.

In the end, it's the fact that Cano can heat up to a white-hot level that placates almost everyone. The problem with this is that the same skillset thatallows him to achieve elite peaks, also forces him into the most deplorable valleys. It's what has him putting up a .646 OPS in May of '06, a sub 100OPS+ for the first three months of '07, and a putrid '08 season on the whole. Cano's offensive style and talent are conducive to amazing results,but because of his lack of patience and inability to adapt, he is constantly prone to the horrors of the MLB slump.

Now, this isn't to say that Robinson Cano is a below average MLB player and that the Yankees can't win with him on the team, it's simply a rationalinterpretation of what he brings to the table. Based on his skillset alone, he is subject to wild fluctuation in his on-field results. But, when you couple itwith the very real observation/suggestion/assumption that Cano is not nearly as "motivated" as, say, Dustin Pedroia, you can see the summationleading to a pretty undesirable outcome at times.

It is for this reason that Cano needs to be moved. The fact of the matter, and yes, 2008 proved this as a FACT, is that Cano's skillset can translate to anentire season in which he is below league average. In all actuality, Cano was one of the worst everyday players in baseball last year. Is he actually one ofthe worst everyday players gong forward? Absolutely not. But the problem with his free-swinging, unregulated approach is that it is entirely possible toproduce a full season of crappy baseball. Robinson Cano's 2008 wasn't something completely inexplicable or indefinable. More importantly, it isn'tunrepeatable.

Without drawing this out unnecessarily, let's just get this out of the way: Matt Cain is the perfect target for a Robinson Cano trade. It's almost tothe point where it's so logical that I'm going to be justifiably cranky for a week when it doesn't happen. The same way we're not looking tojust throw away Cano, the Giants aren't looking to trade Cain simply for the hell of it. What we have seen in recent memory though, is the San Franciscoteam looking for a young, MLB-established, stud bat for their lineup. Just last offseason GM Brian Sabean spent several days publicly pondering an offer fromthe Blue Jays where Cain would be dealt in exchange for Alex Rios. He eventually said no, but the fact is it is no secret that the young righty could be movedif the Giants get back a young, established bat. Oh, and any Giants fan reading this who thought the Cain for Prince Fielder and JJ Hardy rumor was legitshould stop reading now because you're obviously too stupid to understand the basic parameters of the sport.

So why is Cain such a great target for a Cano trade? Well, first it's rational. Of course we'd love to trade Cano for Tim Lincecum instead, but only anidiot thinks that's a legitimate possibility. If we're going to be offering up serious suggestions here at NoMaas, we have to parse the WFAN-callernonsense from our thought process. What Cain brings to the table is a very intriguing skillset and history.

Youth. Having played last season at age 23, Matt Cain is only 3 months older than Lincecum. To put this in perspective with the Red Sox young pitchers,he's the same age as Clay Buchholz and almost a year younger than Jon Lester.
Experience. We're not talking playoff experience because God knows the Giants suck, we're talking MLB experience. Cain just wrapped up his third fullseason in the Majors, and thus far has a career ERA+ of 118. In his 11 career inter-league starts he has 74.2 innings pitched with 69 Ks, while giving up only53 hits. He has a career OPS against of .683, while in his brief encounter with the AL it has been .626. And yes, for anyone stupidly wondering, that includesa start at Fenway in which he went 7 innings and gave up only 3 hits and 1 run.

Durability. Cain has started at least 30 games in each of his first three full MLB seasons, and hasn't missed a single start in any of those years. He has200 IP in the last two seasons, and despite throwing a ton of pitches, hasn't shown any signs that he's worse for the wear. He has a great workhorsebuild, standing 6'3" and weighing about 230-240 lbs (that's nearly identical to Joba).

Stuff. It's not just that he's gotten results, it's that he was expected to be a good pitcher and he's delivering. Cain didn't come out ofnowhere - he was a first round pick in 2002 and he showed his dominance as he rose through the minors. He throws a legitimate mid-90s fastball (averaged 93.4MPH last season) with movement, has a good changeup and a show-me curve. When you couple his stuff with his durability, you see statistics like his careerOPS-against dropping from .701 in the first half of the season, to .664 in the second half. You see that other than April, the month in which he has the lowestcareer OPS-against is September. You see that when you analyze how hitters fare against him in each inning, from one to eight, there is no upward trend interms of their production.

Contract. Because Cain is so young he is still in the midst of a contract he signed that bought out his arbitration years. The contract has three more yearsleft on it, with the last one being a club option. His salaries, starting with the 2009 season, will be $2.65 million, $4.25 million, and $6.25 million.Totaling those figures will give you a number less than what Jake Peavy will make in 2010 alone (or 2011 and 2012, too). Forget Peavy. He's a betterpitcher right now, but not by a huge margin. He's much older, he's less durable, he's more expensive, he's got more guaranteed years, he'llcost more in a trade, and the by-product of a lot of these things is that his acquisition will potentially hinder the Yankees pursuit of big-name free agents.Matt Cain does no such thing. In fact, if the Yankees were going to sign both CC and Teixeira, there is no reason at all why they still couldn't do soafter acquiring Cain. Peavy, not so much.

The major issue that dumb people have with Matt Cain is that he walks a lot of guys and that his career record is 30-43. Obviously the only way to addressthose people who have a problem with the W-L record is with a gun, and since I have my whole life in front of me, I don't want to go there. Regarding thewildness issue, the guy has been dominant for long stretches of seasons despite it. He is extremely young and has a ton of time to develop his ability topitch. By all accounts he has a good work ethic and a great mindset on the mound, so taking him out of that ridiculously anemic situation in San Franciscocould go a long way towards tapping the reserves of his immense ability.

The trade itself would be pretty simple. The initial parameters are Cano for Cain. Yankees get a legitimate, young, workhorse, starting pitcher. The Giants geta legitimate, young, impact hitter whose bat plays at an elite level due to him being a second baseman. Pieces can be kicked in here and there, but keep itrelatively limited. For example, if the difference between the deal getting done versus it failing is Juan Miranda's en fuego AFL bat, then Juan becomesthe Giant's starting first baseman next year (this could actually be pretty enticing to them seeing as the three-headed offensive machine of John Bowker,Rich Aurilia, and Travis Ishikawa posted a combined OPS+ of around 90 last year).

The second base hole created by Cano's departure is easily filled by free agent Orlando Hudson, who plays exceptional defense and has the ability to beabove league-average with the bat. If you can't sign Hudson, then even a guy like Felipe Lopez (who is also a free agent) would be passable. Hudson,though, is especially intriguing since he is a switch hitter and has shown improvement in his plate discipline. He is a viable second base option for achampionship caliber team, just finished up his age-30 season, and, again, is a free agent. The last point is important because it makes dealing Cano a veryreal possibility and not just a fanboy, video game trade scenario.

So in summation, the Yankees have an all-star caliber second baseman who has shown the ability to be among the elite hitters in the sport, plays very gooddefense, and is still in the infancy of his career. The Giants, needing young, stud bats in their lineup, have a pitcher who has had a winning percentage of.333 (15-30) over the past two seasons, is young and durable, but plays in the enormous shadow cast by Lincecum's well-deserved publicity. With guys likeTim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner rocketing through the system, the fact that Cano is potentially locked up for 5 more years makes acquiring him now for thecost of a starter a very real option for them. At the same time, there is an extremely good free agent replacement for Cano available on the market, so theYankees can backfill the second base gap.

I'm going to stop now because I'm starting to get worked up, but this is such a logical trade for both sides it's scary. A rotation of Wang, Cain,Joba, Pettitte and Aceves would already be very good, and that's before any free agent signings. Make the move, Cas$hmoney. Somehow make it happen.

 

[sonoftony]

we should worry about our farm system first and foremost...just look at boston for example

 

[tbone95860]

Originally Posted by SonOfTony

we should worry about our farm system first and foremost...just look at boston for example

Indeed but that has nothing to do with signing free agents... spend the big bucks Hank!

 

[illoquent aka dsk]

Originally Posted by JoE TwEnTy1

Unlike those firey, gritty, true Yankees Mariano River and Jorge Posada who held out for more money and extra years last winter leaving us with Posoda's terrible 4 year deal right? Where has CC said he doesnt want to leave the NL or come to NY? He hasnt, all that is pure speculation. The Yankees will go all out for CC and it comes down to whether or not he wants to go home to hte Dodgers or play for the Yankees.

Mo wasn't going anywhere. We all knew the Yankees were not going to let Mo go and if there was an even offer between the Yankees and anotherteam, he was gonna stay with us.

Posada's contract does look terrible, but he was coming off a good year and deserved the money at the time...now, ehhh...

I remember reading an article where (and it might have been in this thread, not sure) it said the MLBPA was going to push CC to go for the big bucks,regardless of his personal preference. If he likes the Yankees and WANTS to come here, then fine...but we don't need another guy who feels forced cominghere because of the $$$ and stinks it up for the first few years.

I'm sorry, I just don't see dude as successful here as he was before..I'm not doubting his pitching ability, but signing him at 20-30% over whatother teams will offer just because we can? Not good, IMO...

 

[tbone95860]

Yankees Targeting Cameron?
By Tim Dierkes [October 23 at 11:04am CST]

George King of the New York Posttalked to "an industry source," who believes the Yankees have targeted center fielder Mike Cameron in the event that the Brewersdecline his $10MM option. GM Brian Cashman wouldn't bite on the rumor. Ken Rosenthal wrote back inJanuary that the Yankees pursued him but may have passed due to concerns over paying both Cameron and Johan Santana.

King says the Brewers could also pick up Cameron's option and then trade him. Cameron is a Type B player, by the way. Joel Sherman believes Cameron is a backup plan for the Yankees, as they'dprefer a longer-term solution in center.

 

[true 3 blue]

What's going to happen with Damon?

 

[tbone95860]

SI.com's Jon Heyman has a newrumor-packed article up.

• Heyman suggests the battle for the three elite free agents - Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and C.C. Sabathia - will mostly be fought by the New York and Los Angeles clubs. Heyman talked to one GM who believes the country's economic situation will not affect the big names but could be bad for the lower-tier guys.
• Heyman's potential Manny suitors: the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Phillies.
• Jake Peavy has already turned down one American League team. Heyman believes hes particularly opposed to the Rangers and has mixed feelings about the Yankees. Peavy is reeling from the Padres' decision to shop him.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday has some new hotstove info in a blog post.

• Davidoff would be shocked if Mike Mussina does not retire. He expects a news conference after the World Series, and gives a 1% margin of error for his prediction. Bold prediction; Buster Olney felt differently in his blog a week ago. Yankees beat writer Peter Abraham agrees with Davidoff that Mussina will retire.

 

[jrp44]

I hope we dont get Manny.....that would be

 

[tbone95860]

Originally Posted by jrp44

I hope we dont get Manny.....that would be

Yeah Manny in a Yankees jersey would just be weird....

From a player stand point though Manny is damn good...
And imagine Manny/A-Rod as a 3/4 combo... that's even better then Big Papi/Manny

I'd prefer we get Tex though.... we need a 1B, not another OF/DH

 

[proshares]

Originally Posted by TBONE95860

Originally Posted by jrp44

I hope we dont get Manny.....that would be

Yeah Manny in a Yankees jersey would just be weird....

From a player stand point though Manny is damn good...
And imagine Manny/A-Rod as a 3/4 combo... that's even better then Big Papi/Manny

I'd prefer we get Tex though.... we need a 1B, not another OF/DH

I would rather not take that risk on Manny. We have a tough stretch and he starts jogging on ground balls or staring are balls that don't leave the yardI'll pull my !*%*!@! hair out.

Heyman suggests the battle for the three elite free agents - Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and C.C. Sabathia - will mostly be fought by the New York and Los Angeles clubs.

Heyman's potential Manny suitors: the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Phillies.
Dodgers

 

[tbone95860]

Here's a little positive Yankees news for a change.

According to Brian Cashman, Chien-Ming Wang is scheduled for his final bullpen session in Tampa today. His right foot has been feeling good and he's throwing normally off the mound.

Once he gets checked out by a doctor in New York, he will be free to return to Taiwan. He has been in Tampa all month rehabbing.

Wang plans to spend a two months in Taiwan visiting with his family then will travel to Arizona in January to work out and start throwing with his trainers there.

Many people around the Yankee believe the turning point of the season was when Wang was injured in June. Losing their best starter was a hurdle that could not be overcome.

It was never going to happen, but you can officially forget about Larry Bowa coming back to the Yankees and coaching under Joe Girardi.

The Dodgers announced this afternoon that Bowa would remain with the team as the third base coach. Don Mattingly is also staying on Joe Torre's staff.

I think the Yankees will look internally to replace Bobby Meacham. But one outside candidate could be Dale Sveum, who the Brewers decided not to keep as their manager.

 

[onewearz]

i'm hearing that tex prefers staying in la and might resign with the angels. if he does the yanks might look into getting nick johnson back. i liked nickjohnson but the dude is a walking injury. sweet swing/solid glove though.

if they cant get tex we should really see if the padres will trade gonzalez. from what i saw when we played the padres this year dude was solid ......

 

[tbone95860]

[h1]Burnett Would Consider Yankees[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [October 27 at 8:34am CST]

George King of the New YorkPost talked to A.J. Burnett's agent Darek Braunecker, who said Burnett will "see if the Yankees are interested" if hechooses to opt out of his deal. It always makes sense to keep the Yankees involved.

When we last checked in on the Burnett situation Friday, we wereconfused by J.P. Ricciardi's characterization of the talks. Jeff Blair believes the Blue Jays are willing to do a three-year, $48MM contract. Talking to Murray Chassrecently, Braunecker downplayed his client's injury history.

 

[illoquent aka dsk]

I want nothing to do with A.J. Burnett.

 

[proshares]

Originally Posted by iLLoQuent aka DSK

I want nothing to do with A.J. Burnett.

I'm back on the fence w/this guy I want him on the Yanks but then again I know his issues and don't want him.

We need Tex though *!%@ Nick Johnson and his broken down body.

Adrian would be a good look though.

 

[tbone95860]

[h1]Heyman's Latest: Sabathia, Holliday, Griffey[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [October 28 at 1:18pm CST]

SI.com's Jon Heyman has a newcolumn up; let's take a look.

• "The prevailing opinion around baseball" is that C.C. Sabathia will sign with the Yankees, and C.C.'s friend Jimmy Rollins agrees.
• Matt Holliday "definitely intrigues" the Yankees. But they'd have to give up a lot to get him for one year, and they seem full at the outfield corners.

PHILADELPHIA -- Jimmy Rollins, a friend of superstar free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia dating back to their upbringing outside Oakland, Calif., and one of the best prognosticators in the game considering his lofty and correct predictions for his own Phillies, didn't hesitate when I asked him where he thought Sabathia would wind up.

"New York, American League,'' Rollins, an Alameda, Calif. product, said. "They've got enough money, and they need him.''

It's becoming the prevailing opinion around baseball that the Vallejo product Sabathia will become a Yankee, though it's too early to tell for sure whether that belief originates from wishful thinking on the part of Sabathia's handlers, the union or fellow players. Sabathia's agent, Scott Parker, didn't return a call, but the general consensus is that Sabathia's people would naturally prefer that their client maximize his take, which would very likely mean he'd go to the Yankees, who will presumably be the high bidder. And as one baseball person remarked, "I've never seen guys leave money on the table.''

Still, a couple others think that Sabathia won't let the difference of a few dollars -- even possibly $20 million or more -- keep him away from his native California, especially with the Angels and Dodgers seen as likely bidders. If there's one guy who could turn down the loot, some see that person as Sabathia. But folks with that stance appear to be dwindling now.

Some estimates suggest that Sabathia could receive $160 million as a Yankee but maybe $120 million or so if he insisted on going home (or close to home). The small-market Brewers are planning to make a run, as well, but they still have to be seen as a long shot since they can offer neither the most money nor the chance to go home -- though Sabathia did say he loved being a Brewer.

As is typical, the choice may come to the usual: love or money. In that skirmish the loot usually wins out.
[h1]Holliday shopping for Yankees[/h1]
The Yankees have been tied to just about every major free agent and available star this winter. But one top player who has yet to be linked to the Yankees but definitely intrigues them is Matt Holliday.

Rockies management likes Holliday a lot, too, but has determined that it will try to trade him and, in fact, expects to trade him. Colorado is willing to go five years for Holliday but believes he's interested in a deal for closer to eight years or perhaps even longer.

Yankees people have heard good things about Holliday. However, their one concern is his home-road splits, which show he has been more successful at Coors Field than on the road. This year the difference was minimal, as Holliday hit .332 with 15 home runs at home, .308 with 10 home runs on the road. But his lifetime numbers reflect a significant variation. He's a .357 career hitter at Coors Field, with 84 home runs. On the road he is a .280 hitter with 44 home runs.

 

[tbone95860]

Brian Cashman said tonight that he has spoken with Joba Chamberlain about his DUI earlier this month. But he stopped short of saying whetherJoba was punished by the team or enrolled in any sort of assistance program.

"I wouldn't say other than the fact that I did talk to him," Cashman said. "I'll leave it at that. … He's anemployee of ours. The sensitivity of some of that stuff, I wouldn't even get into. Not because of him, but for any of our employees. There's a properprotocol. … He has our support and that's defined in a number of different ways."

Cashman was brutally honest when asked whether he was confident that Chamberlain wouldn't have another incident.

"I can't say I'm confident about anything. I wouldn't represent what goes on in other people's lives," Cashmansaid. "He knows we care a great deal about him. He knows he's got all the support from us that we can provide because we do care about him. Idon't know what goes on in anybody's personal life. But he's part of our family."

Here's Cash's take on some other hot topics:

Will Mike Mussina retire? "He's never said that to me but he's communicated enough to people around him orexpressed it through (the media) that it was a strong possibility. He's not made a decision either way that I'm aware of. He may have made one, though.Moving forward he's not part of our rotation because he's a free agent. We don't have him signed. … I'm not counting on him right now. Idon't know if he's even interested in playing any more."

On the third-base coach situation: "It can come from within; it can come from outside the organization. (Manager JoeGirardi) and I have been talking a great deal about what direction we should go." Cashman talked about the idea of moving Tony Pena or Rob Thomson tothird and hiring somebody to fill their spots."

Jorge Posada: "He's doing the rehab on his shoulder. His throwing program commences the first week ofDecember." Is Posada their catcher? "Yes. The plan is for Jorge Posada to be our catcher."

Chien-Ming Wang: The Wanger was in NYC today getting his right foot checked out and got a clean bill of health. He threw abullpen in Tampa on Monday. "He's doing terrific," Cashman said. "He was fine. He had no pain, no problem."

Free agents: Cashman talked in generalities about the Yankees needing starting pitching via trades or free agency. I triedto get him to say whether they would pick up the option on Damaso Marte. But he wasn't biting."

 

[4wrestling]

Anyone have any idea when the ticket packages go onsale? I want that 15 game weekend pack.

 

[jrp44]

Chien-Ming Wang: The Wanger was in NYC today getting his right foot checked out and got a clean bill of health. He threw a bullpen in Tampa on Monday. "He's doing terrific," Cashman said. "He was fine. He had no pain, no problem."

 

[tbone95860]

[h1]Yankees Rumors: Mussina, Giambi, Teixeira[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [October 29 at 10:32am CST]

George King of the New York Posthas a handful of Yankees rumors this morning.

• Mike Mussina's agent, Arn Tellem, will travel to his client's Pennsylvania home this week to talk about the pitcher's future. The general vibe is that Moose will retire, but he may file for free agency after the World Series to keep his options open. I imagine the Yankees would like to resolve this quickly. Currently, GM Brian Cashman is not counting on Mussina.
• Tellem told King that Jason Giambi would like to stay in New York if they'll have him. While it may not be the ideal solution, 30 home run bats are rare and it's worth considering.
• King says the Yankees "haven't been wild" so far about chasing Mark Teixeira. Tex hasn't even filed for free agency yet, so there's still plenty of time to get wild.
• The Yankees are counting on a healthy Jorge Posada behind the dish in '09.

 

[onewearz]

it may sound stupid to some but giambi staying aint that bad of an idea. full time dh part time 1b would'nt be that bad. 30 hrs and 90 rbi's aint thateasy to find. true dude sucked in the clutch and killed some rallies this year but who else on the yanks is gonna have the balls to rock a 70's porn stacheand keep the fans entertained all year throughout a ##@%!% season . giambi has hit 30 hrs 5 out of the 7 years he's been here. he's also had 85 +rbi's 5 of the 7 ( 2 100 and 96 rbi this year ) . the 2 seasons he didnt hit 30 were injury years. would'nt be sooooo bad to have him back for shortpaper for like two seasons ............

 

[cincoseisdos]

was looking up dodger news on Google, and found this, might be of interest...

Yankees to make 'serious push' for Ramirez

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Posted: October 31, 2008

Sporting News staff reports

The Yankees will make a "serious push" for free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez, according to baseball sources cited by the New York Post.

The team has said it will focus on getting younger and more athletic, and GM Brian Cashman told the newspaper that starting pitching is the team's top offseason priority. However, he did not rule out chasing the 36-year-old slugger.

"We are looking at starting pitching," Cashman told the Post. "We will see how the free agent and trade markets are."

The Dodgers offered Ramirez $60 million over two years to stay, but Ramirez did file for free agency. He is expected to seek a four-year deal worth about $80 million.

 

[onewearz]

ny post is as reliable as this