Yankees Still Looking For Pitching

As it stands now the Yankees have three starters ready to go opening day - CC Sabathia, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain and with two holes to fill they’re keeping busy.

They entered the winter meetings looking to sign at least two starters and with one on board who will the next one be?

Rumors were abound early this morning that the Yankees and Derek Lowe were close on a four-year $66 million deal. Those talks turned out to be overblown, but the Yankees are still trying to work out a deal with the 35-years-old.

Other teams are interested in Lowe. The Yankees and Phillies appear to be the front runners with the Red Sox and Mets as long shots. All deals on the table appear to be four-year contracts, the team that is willing to go to a fifth year will likely lock him up.

There is AJ Burnett as well. He reportedly has a $80 million five-year offer on the table right now. (Some doubt the validity of this report.) If true it’s hard to believe that he would walk away from that unless the Yankees do what some believe could happen and up the deal to around $90 million.

There was talk yesterday that the Yankees were getting ready to make an offer to Ben Sheets as well. Talks with Sabathia might have delayed this as this topic seems to have cooled a little bit today, but manager Joe Girardi likes Sheets so this could be something to keep an eye on.

Things have been quiet with Andy Pettitte lately, but word is they have been in contact with their free agent lefty. Although with the aggressiveness the Yanks are pursuing other pitchers he may regret rejecting their $10 million offer.