Previewing 10 Free-Agent Names New York Yankees Should Chase This Offseason
A fresh bunch of faces should help the New York Yankees get back to their winning ways.
The debacle otherwise known as 2014 is almost over. Sure, a season over .500 would be solid for most teams, but not the Yankees. Injuries have decimated both the lineup and the starting rotation. Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and others have underachieved. Derek Jeter has crawled into the final stretch of his last season in the bigs.
The negatives have been glaring, but overlooked has been the bullpen's dominance and Joe Girardi's ability to manage a team comprised of mostly spare parts and unknown rookies.
Heading into 2015, general manager Brian Cashman has some work to do. The roster needs a makeover, and while it will be close to impossible to remedy all issues in the span of a few months, Cashman can make big strides by spending wisely in the correct areas.
Shortstop is obviously an area of need, though an outfielder, a big-time bat and some pitching would make the Yankees more well-rounded.
There are 10 players who the Yankees must target during this offseason.
1. Jon Lester, LHP
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The starting rotation is in a state of flux.
Nobody knows what CC Sabathia will bring to the table in 2015. Masahiro Tanaka still may need Tommy John surgery. Ivan Nova is coming off that same procedure. Hiroki Kuroda could very well retire. Brandon McCarthy is a free agent.
David Phelps is in play, as are Shane Greene and Chase Whitley. That said, Cashman will look to get big names with lengthy track records.
Jon Lester is perhaps the best arm available. The left-hander was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Oakland Athletics near the July 31 trade deadline. The Red Sox were once considered among the favorites to re-sign him, but that is now up in the air.
The Yankees have the money to spend and the need in the rotation, so you can rest assured that a play will be made for him.
Lester will be 31 by Opening Day. He might ask for a deal around six or seven years, but the Yankees would likely much prefer a five-year deal with options.
Cole Hamels signed a seven-year, $153 million deal prior to the 2012 season. That was at the age of 27. With three years of extra mileage on his arm, Lester will probably earn a five-year deal somewhere in the range of $100 million.
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
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Asdrubal Cabrera hasn't been great in 2014, but he's just two years removed from a second-straight appearance in the All-Star Game.
The middle infielder's best season came in 2011. He absolutely raked for the Cleveland Indians, smashing 25 homers, driving in 92 runs and slashing .273/.332/.460. He also swiped 17 bags.
Cabrera isn't a flashy name to replace Derek Jeter at shortstop, but he's a solid player who gets on base and plays good defense. He's a perfect candidate to hit in the bottom-third of the lineup and also provides the versatility to play second base.
Given the fact that he hasn't been stellar the past two seasons, Cabrera is a candidate for a one-year deal with an option this offseason. That should be very appealing to the Yankees.
That said, there is another shortstop who might catch the team's eye.
3. J.J. Hardy, SS
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J.J. Hardy is one of the most under-appreciated shortstops of the past several years.
He won Gold Gloves in 2012 and 2013. He was an All Star in 2007 and 2013. He also won a Silver Slugger in 2013.
Hardy has an above-average bat and an above-average glove. He has been a big contributor to the rise of the Baltimore Orioles over the last few seasons, so the O's might not want to let him walk via free agency.
The Yankees would almost certainly win a bidding war, but it all depends on how much money they're willing to spend on the position. Asdrubal Cabrera is a much cheaper option, therefore allowing the team to allocate their resources to other areas.
In the end, it will simply be a matter of preference.
4. Chase Headley, 3B
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Chase Headley hasn't been a flashy acquisition, but his time with the Yankees has definitely been a success.
Aside from providing great defense at the hot corner, the 30-year-old has been a nice addition to the lineup. He's slashing .252/.353/.371 with four homers and 14 RBI during his time in the Bronx.
The issue with Headley is that he may not want to return. Alex Rodriguez is coming back expecting full work in 2015. Mark Teixeira, despite decreased production, is still entrenched at first.
This would put Headley in a slightly more than part-time scenario, and he would likely play 90-100 games, if healthy.
Headley would be extremely valuable in this role, though it would be understandable for him to seek a more guaranteed position.
5. Yasmani Tomas, LF
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Don't worry, you probably aren't the only one who wondered aloud who Yasmani Tomas is.
Tomas is a 23-year-old Cuban ballplayer who is considered to have above-average power, arm strength and speed. He projects as a corner outfielder, as his build isn't necessarily suitable for center.
George A. King III ofĀ the New York Post, who first reported the Yankees' interest in Tomas, compared his potential contract to that of Rusney Castillo.
"Industry voices believe the price tag could go as high as $100 million, which would topĀ the seven-year, $72.5 million dealĀ the Red Sox recently gave outfielder Rusney Castillo," King wrote.
The Yankees have missed out on countless Cuban talents. Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman, Jose Abreu and Yasiel Puig are just the shortlist of players who the Yankees were outbid on.
If Tomas is reportedly as good as King's "industry voices" indicate, then the Yankees need to be in on him. They do have a hole in right field, after all.
6. Victor Martinez, DH
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Victor Martinez might be 36 at the start of next season, but he is putting up career numbers as a 35-year-old, full-time designated hitter.
He's a serious MVP candidate for the Detroit Tigers, as he is slashing .333/.403/.567 with 31 homers and 99 RBI. He has struck out just 40 times, an extraordinarily impressive mark considering how much power he has hit for.
One would think that the last thing the Yankees should do is sign a full-time DH at age 35 who is coming off a career year. Normally, many would agree. But it's different with V-Mart. When healthy, the guy has always been a great hitter.
Joel Sherman of the New York PostĀ wrote about both the pros and cons of signing Martinez:
"Because he is a year-and-a-half younger than [Carlos] Beltran and is having a superior walk year, Martinez can expect more than the three years at $45 million Beltran received last offseason.
Still, in an age in which offense continues to plummet āĀ teams are en route to averaging the fewest runs per game since 1992 āĀ he who can hit is more valuable than ever.
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This team can't hit as currently constructed. That much is clear. The best way to remedy that problem is to sign the top bat on the market. That bat is Martinez'.
7. Brandon McCarthy, RHP
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Brandon McCarthy has pitched like an ace when the Yankees have needed him most.
Not much was expected from the veteran right-hander when it only required Vidal Nuno to pry him away from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since the deal, McCarthy owns a stellar 2.54 ERA (2.95 FIP) and a WHIP of 1.094. He also has 74 strikeouts over 85 innings.
A free agent following the year, McCarthy will certainly use his strong tenure in the Bronx as a means of boosting his value. The Yankees need to keep him in pinstripes, however.
Not many struggling pitchers can come from an underachieving club and suddenly do a complete 180 in the Bronx. In a playoff race. With some of the most judgmental fans in all of sports watching your every move.
McCarthy has taken it all in stride, meaning the Yankees simply can't let him go without taking a shot at him.
Two years and $20-25 million should be enough to close the deal.
8. Gavin Floyd, RHP
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Gavin Floyd was lost for the 2014 season after just nine starts with the Atlanta Braves, but the 31-year-old appeared to have re-invented himself during that brief time frame.Ā
He was just 2-2, but his ERA of 2.65 and his WHIP of 1.252 were both lower than they had been in several seasons. A big reason for success was limiting his walks per nine, which he got down to 2.2 in those nine starts.
The Yankees would understandably be taking an injury risk with Floyd, but a one-year deal wouldn't hurt the deal financially or in the long run. He'll most likely be able to go by Opening Day, giving them a solid No. 5 starter to round out what could be a decent rotation.
Of course, Floyd isn't somebody who is going to completely change the team. Other more meaningful moves need to be made around him.
9. Pat Neshek, RHP
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The bullpen has been a strength, but it may look a little different come spring training.
David Robertson is a free agent, and one who can justifiably command big money on the open market. He has been more than solid replacing Mariano Rivera, and he could seek a more lucrative opportunity elsewhere.
The Yankees are in a position to let him walk, because rookie Dellin Betances is currently on the Rivera track to stardom. He has dominated in his first full season in the bigs as a reliever. Now it's time to hand him the closer's job.
This could leave the rest of the bullpen a little short. Shawn Kelley, Adam Warren and others will certainly be in the picture, but another dominant righty would help in the late-inning relief.
Pat Neshek is enjoying a career-year as a 34-year-old with the St. Louis Cardinals. He made his first All-Star team this year, and his ERA currently sits at a minuscule 1.41 over 63.2 innings.
10. Andrew Miller, LHP
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Andrew Miller might get paid to be a closer somewhere, and that appears to be the biggest obstacle in the Yankees' way of signing him to a deal.
Miller would likely act as a lefty specialist with the Yankees, though he has shown the ability to get anybody out because of his devastating slider and hard fastball.
He owns a 1.96 ERA on the season, though his splits indicate he has gotten better since joining the Orioles midseason. With the Red Sox, he had a 2.34 ERA over 42.1 innings. That dropped to 1.04 over 17.1 innings in Baltimore.
Miller is one of the most dominant relievers in the game, striking out 14.9 batters per nine innings this season. A pairing of Dellin Betances and Miller in the back of the pen would essentially turn all games against the Yankees into seven-inning affairs.
Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR
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