Bleacher Report - Articles by Larry Barnes

The Posada Problem in New York

Larry Barnes — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:43:37 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More">Yankees 'N More

After Wednesday's game, which featured four wild pitches from A.J. Burnett, we think it's past time that somebody in the media did an honest evaluation of Jorge Posada as a catcher. Such a story should come complete with opinions of baseball people, perhaps from other organizations, and complete with an offer of anonymity if needed.

Alas, Posada seems to be something of a sacred cow, even for the tough New York media. Thus, the chances of such a story actually appearing anytime soon seems remote, so we'll do our best here.

Based on what we've seen, Posada probably doesn't even qualify as an average major league catcher, at this point in his career, and he certainly isn't a quality major league catcher. He's remains a good hitter, but were Hideki Matsui not here, you have to think Posada would be the regular DH on this team.

Here is a breakdown of what we've seen:
1)Most of the time, Posada doesn't even ATTEMPT to block pitches in the dirt with men on base. When it's a 90-something fastball, there is no time to block, and you have to attempt a pick. But Tuesday night alone, Posada attempted a pick of a curve and a changeup that bounced.

There is simply no excuse for that, and Posada does it on a regular basis.

2) Posada doesn't attempt to block the plate on close plays there, either.

3) Age and injuries have left him as no better than mediocre at controlling the opposing running game. There are some pitchers here who don't help him, obviously, but Posada's arm is still less than major league average.

4) Posada is WAY too restless behind the plate. He does not set a consistently good target, and he moves WAY too much, often flying out of his stance on fastballs at the belt buckle. We believe all the movement does, on occasion, cost his pitchers some strikes.

5)Very weak hands. Far too often you see Posada's glove carried away from the zone with the momentum of the pitch. If you watch Jose Molina and/or Francisco Cervelli (who has very strong hands), the only time the glove moves after receiving the pitch is when they WANT it to move, perhaps an inch or two closer to the edge, attempting to "frame" a pitch that was just off the plate.

Overall, the Yankees are a significantly weaker defensive team when Posada is behind the plate versus when either Jose Molina or Francisco Cervelli is behind the plate.

And don't for a moment believe it was an accident that Cervelli became Sabathia's regular catcher. Now that Molina is back and Cervelli is back in Scranton, wait and see if Molina doesn't become CC's regular catcher.

And don't forget, it's not as if Sabathia is the only pitcher to come through here who has had issues working with Posada behind the plate. This year alone, there have also been some issues with Posada when Joba Chamberlain and A.J. Burnett were on the hill, and Randy Johnson had a personal catcher during his time here, as well.

The Yankees are in a tough spot here. The lineup is better with Posada in it, but with Matsui unable to play in the outfield, the DH spot is taken. However, Matsui's contract is up after this season, and he almost certainly will not be re-signed.

It would not surprise in the least to see Posada become New York's regular designated hitter in 2010, with Molina and Cervelli splitting time behind the plate. Based on what we've been seeing, that day can't come soon enough.

Francisco Cervelli Impressing With Yankees

Larry Barnes — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:15:31 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Francisco Cervelli started at catcher for the New York Yankees today, and was a big part of 15-0 series-clinching victory of the New York Mets.

It was just one more good day for a kid who has had many of them since being forced up from AA Trenton following an early-season injury to Jorge Posada.

Cervelli even became the team's regular catcher for a brief time when Jose Molina also went down with an injury, and he continued to play surprisingly well.

And when Posada returned from his stint on the DL, it was Cervelli who stayed and the veteran Kevin Cash who was shipped to the minors.

Now Cervelli, at least until Molina returns, is the Yankees' second catcher, starting a couple of games a week. And when Cervelli plays, the Yankees are a better defensive team, clearly, than they are when Posada does.

Part of that, of course, is what age and injuries have done to Jorge. Posada, who used to hold his own throwing out would-be base-stealers, is now basically a green light for the opposing running game. Meanwhile, the veteran has never been much for blocking things - be they balls in the dirt or runners trying to beat a play at the plate.

Cervelli, meanwhile, does all those things well. He also has very strong hands. The only time his glove moves after catching pitch is when he wants it to move - perhaps an inch or so, trying to frame a pitch and get his pitcher a call.

The 23-year-old also sets very good target behind the plate, and does an incredible job of handling a veteran pitching staff. He has proven not to be the least bit shy about going to the mound to express opinions to the likes of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte.

Perhaps even more telling, each of those veteran pitchers seems quite comfortable to work with Cervelli behind the plate. In fact, it was Cervelli who was working behind the dish when Sabathia threw his first complete-game shutout as a Yankee, against the Orioles in Baltimore.

Even his offense has been better than anybody could have expected. It was Cervelli who finally broke the ice in the final game of the Boston series, lining an RBI double down the left-field line for the Yankees' first run.

That hit sparked a 3-run inning that appeared to have New York on its way to their first victory of the season over the Red Sox. Unfortunately, for the Yankees, they gave up the lead in the eighth inning.

Today, Cervelli came through in big spots again, helping his team nail down a series-clinching win against the Mets.

It was Cervelli, who with two outs in the bottom of the second inning, waited just long enough on a nasty 2-strike changeup from ace Johan Santana, blooping it into right field for an RBI single.

And it was Cervelli, who with a runner on second and no outs in the fourth, intentionally chopped a ball to the right side to advance the runner, and then hustled the play into an infield single. The kid finished the day 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The performance increased his average this year to .298. He has yet to walk much or hit for power, but he also doesn't strike out much.

This kid has certainly opened the eyes of New York's decision makers. With Hideki Matsui in the final year of his contract, it would not surprise us at all to see Cervelli at least splitting time at catcher (perhaps with Molina) as soon as next season while Posada moves into the DH role.

Thinking Out Loud About Joba's Celebrations

Larry Barnes — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:39:28 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

In case you missed it, earlier today Aubrey Huff let loose with a couple of screams and fist pumps after hitting a homer of Joba Chamberlain in the first inning of the Baltimore Orioles' game with the New York Yankees.

After the game, Huff acknowledged the obvious; that he did so as a reaction to Joba Chamberlain's much-discussed celebrations after big strikeouts within games.

We can understand that sort of reaction. After all, there is that "unwritten baseball rule" about showing up other players.

Here's what we DON'T understand.

Given all the talk, and now action, that result from Joba's celebrations, why is there never anything said about it when Jonathan Papelbon goes nuts after every save, or when another Yankee pitcher, A.J. Burnett, pumps his fist and screams after he gets a K in big situations???

Seems as if Joba is being held to a higher standard than some others who react in very similar ways.

Babies Boost Bombers

Larry Barnes — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:48:39 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

After losing the series opener to the Detroit Tigers on Monday evening, the New York Yankees were faced with some not-so-pleasant realities.

Specifically, they had lost four consecutive games, their next two games would be on the road, against a very skilled (especially on offense) Tigers team, and New York would be sending their two youngest/least experienced starters to the hill in those contests.

Little more than 48 hours later, the Yankees have consecutive wins and have to be feeling very good about their pitching.

On Tuesday, the 22-year-old Phil Hughes, making his first start in the Major Leagues since the end of last season, threw six shutout innings, allowing only a pair of singles and 2 walks while striking out 6. He threw 58 of his 99 pitches for strikes, and showed a great deal more mound presence than at any point in 2008.

24 hours later, Joba Chamberlain, 23, followed Hughes to the mound and pitched seven strong innings, allowing only one run on 3 hits (all singles) and 3 walks while striking out 6. Chamberlain threw 50 of his 88 pitches for strikes.

Hughes spotted a fastball that was consistently at 93, which is harder than he threw at any point in 2008, a nasty cutter (his new pitch) and a very effective curve. His first three pitches doing so well, we only noticed one changeup all night.

Chamberlain, meanwhile, got into trouble in the bottom of the third inning when the Tigers loaded the bases with only one out. Chamberlain has had trouble in the past getting out of such spots, but he did so on this night while allowing only a single run to score.

Chamberlain's strike out of Miguel Cabrera, who ranks as the leading bases-loaded hitter in the majors, to end the inning was especially impressive.

Now the rotation turns over again to the veterans, with A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte scheduled to pitch the first three games of a home series against the Los Angeles Angels before Phil Hughes takes his second turn on Sunday.

Things can turn quickly in baseball, and they have for the New York Yankees - thanks to a couple of young guns developed through their minor-league system.

Xavier Nady Out for Season With Elbow Surgery

Larry Barnes — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:37:12 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Information on Xavier Nady is leaking out, and it's not good.

While there is still no official word from the New York Yankees, Peter Abraham of the Journal News just posted a note on his blog saying the word is, Nady will need surgery to repair his elbow and will miss the remainder of the 2009 season.

Nady was pulled from the Yankees/Rays game on Tuesday evening with what manager Yankees manager Joe Girardi described as a "sharp pain" in his elbow. Now it appears that pain will require surgery that ends Nady's season.

This is just awful news for Nady, who was in the final year of his contract and looking ahead to free agency in the offseason.

Assuming this is true, obviously Nick Swisher becomes the starting right fielder.

No word yet on what the Yankees intend to do about replacing Nady, but Melky Cabrera almost certainly becomes the fourth outfielder.

Captain To Lead The Way For Yankees

Larry Barnes — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:11:19 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

It's official. Derek Jeter will swap spots in the batting order with Johnny Damon and become the regular leadoff hitter for the 2009 New York Yankees.

Ironically, this whole thing came about because of Jorge Posada's shoulder surgery.

When Posada first began playing in spring games, the Yakees wanted to limit his innings but insure he got as many plate appearances as possible, so they hit him in the leadoff spot.

That forced Damon, the team's regular leadoff hitter, into the 2-hole, where he flourished. Manager Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman were very impressed with Damon's situational hitting, specifically the way he advanced runners.

A beneficial byproduct of the switch is that it breaks up the lefty bats when the order turns over.

Had the Yankees not made this move, an opposing manager would have been able to bring in a lefty specialist to get both Brett Gardner (hitting 9th) and Damon. Now any lefty brought in for that purpose will have to face the righty hitting Jeter if he's to get to Damon.

The last three years, Jeter has had just 37 at-bats as the leadoff hitter with very limited success. Of course, even hitting leadoff only guarantees one at-bat per game from that position.

Posada & A.J. Aboard Joba Train!

Larry Barnes — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:58:32 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Last spring you could count New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada among those who felt Joba Chamberlain should be pitching out of the bullpen.

Some people still feel that way, but Posada is no longer one of them.

"He's our fifth starter and I'm happy with that," Posada said. "He was so good out of the pen [in 2007] and I hadn't seen him as a starter. He's been showing me and he's proving me wrong."

You'd have to be blind not to recognize how bright the future is for this kid. How many young pitchers do you know who had compiled a 2.76 ERA through the first 12 starts of their major-league career?

There is, of course, still a learning curve for the 23-year-old Chamberlain as he tries to balance minimizing pitch counts and making quality pitches. As a result, the games in which Joba is still on the hill after six or seven innings will likely be few and far between this year.

But when it comes to making that adjustment, is there a better person for Joba to learn from than fellow flamethrower and new teammate A.J. Burnett?

Burnett credits Toronto ace Roy Halladay for helping him make the adjustment from 98mph thrower to pitcher, and now Burnett is playing the same role for Chamberlain.

"[Joba is] a big kid with a big heart. He certainly has a good feel for the game," Burnett said. "I've just been helping him with little things that I've been through in the early part of my career. Our mind-sets are similar."

The Yankees expected a dominant pitcher when they signed Burnett, but the teacher that came with that pitcher has been a pleasant surprise.

"[Joba has] a good idea of what's going on," Burnett said. "I'm just kind of there to help him as much as I can. I'm not going to force anything on him, but if he needs some help, I'm going to make little suggestions - just things that I did that helped me."

It's a good time to be a Yankees fan.

Brett Gardner Leaves Team... and NOBODY Notices!

Larry Barnes — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:01:23 -0400

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Gotta make you feel good to be Brett Gardner. You could not be having a better spring, you're odds-on to be the starting center fielder for the New York Yankees, you have to leave the team...

...and...

...NOBODY covering the Yankees notices?!

Well done, fellas!

We wrote extensively yesterday (both here and here) about Melky Cabrera starting his third consecutive game in center field for the New York Yankees.

Given the performances of the two players, one would expect Cabrera to be losing time to Gardner, not the other way around.

We couldn't help but wonder, what was going on. Was Gardner hurt? Were the Yankees showcasing Cabrera for a potential trade? Why is nobody asking these questions?

After some prodding (by way of email) from us, Peter Abraham of the Journal News FINALLY asked Joe Girardi about the situation early this morning.

Turns out Brett Gardner was away from the team to take care of a "personal issue."

No word on what the issue might have involved, how long Gardner has been gone, or even if he's back yet, or if he will be meeting the team in Fort Meyers today.

Two quick questions

1) Had it been Alex Rodriguez who left the team, would the coverage have been so lazy/nonexistent?

2) Had it been Alex Rodriguez, wouldn't his "personal issue" have been investigated and placed on the cover of every tabloid in sight?

I am not for a moment suggesting the A-Rod way is the right way to handle an issue such as this one. Quite the opposite, in fact.

But the bias and hypocrisy with which this team is covered (or not covered) can be ridiculous. And it's absurd that the starting center fielder (at least for the moment) of the New York Yankees left camp and nobody being paid to cover the team noticed.

Expect a C-Y-A note about Gardner's absence in all the tabloids either today or tomorrow.

Why Not Fix A-Rod Now???

Larry Barnes — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:57:35 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Allow me to preface all of this by saying, I am not a doctor, but I have seen many different people play one on TV. And I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

With that out of the way, a question: If surgery to FIX Alex Rodriguez will keep him out, at the most, four months, then why not just do it already?

We have now heard reports from the New York Yankees that surgery for Alex Rodriguez will be required. At some point, he will have to go under the knife to fix a partially torn hip labrum, which is what led to his cyst.

Once that happens, Rodriguez will require four months to rehabilitate the injury.

So, if our math is correct (always a question), if Rodriguez just gets the thing fixed NOW, he will be ready to play again around the first week of July. Give him a week to 10 days on a rehab assignment, and he's back in the Bronx after the All Star break.

So what's the hold up? Why risk Rodriguez getting to the point where he has to have the surgery in the middle of the season, at which point he would be lost for the year?

It could be that the Yankees have already come to this realization on their own, by the way.

Peter Abraham over at LoHud HQ offers the possibility that the Yankees might be going with this "rest and rehab" story while they attempt to deal for a third baseman, at which point they would announce Rodriguez will have surgery.

If that's the case, it's difficult to imagine any GM not recognizing the ploy moments after the phone rings.

Of course, Jon Daniels of the Rangers is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. The down side there is, Hank Blalock (who can't stay healthy for a week, much less four months) is the best the Rangers have to offer.

Whatever moves the Yankees can or can't make, the Rodriguez decision seems like an obvious one to us. It makes no sense to risk August, September and October for the sake of April, May and June.

Red Sox Now Crying for Cap!

Larry Barnes — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:53:25 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Add the Boston Red Sox to the list of teams boohooing about a salary cap in baseball.

"I think we've seen [an offseason] when the Yankees have spent like the U.S. Congress," Boston president Larry Lucchino said.

Red Sox Owner John Henry was even more direct.

"I think we all agree that competitive balance is an issue and if there was a way to put together an enlightened form of a salary cap, I think everybody among the ownership parties would support it," Henry said. "I think it's quite possible to put together a partnership between the players and owners going forward. I think it's something that should be at least explored."

Of course, everybody (or at least 29 of the bodies) among the OWNERSHIP parties would support a salary cap. No kidding, John!

Cost certainty? The strong potential for more money in your pockets? Wow. Never thought the owners would be in on something like that. What other bold predictions does Mr. Henry have for us? Perhaps the sun coming up in the east tomorrow?

The question, John, is how you plan to break the most powerful union in the country, because to get a salary cap in baseball, that is exactly what you're going to have to do.

But let us forget the realistic side of things for a moment and question why the Red Sox, of all teams, would be crying about a salary cap now.

Correct us if we're wrong, but Boston has one of the highest payrolls in baseball for many years running now, ranking as high as second at least once.

They are also the team that refuses to recognize you as an "official" fan unless you pay them money above and beyond that spent on tickets and merchandise.

More importantly, what in the hell is all this talk about "competitive balance"??? Baseball HAS competitive balance.

It has been eight years since the New York Yankees won a championship, and since then, Boston has won TWO. In addition, Philadelphia has won one, St. Louis has won one, the White Sox have won one, the Florida Marlins won their second, the Los Angeles Angels have won one, and the Airzona Diamondbacks have won one.

In addition, over the last eight seasons, Tampa Bay, Colorado, Detroit, Houston and San Francisco have all gone. In case you hadn't noticed, that group includes BOTH of the most recent expansion teams.

So where is the lack of competitive balance?

That's 12 different teams in a league of 30 that have been to the World Series, and seven different teams that have WON the thing since the Yankees last did.

It could be strongly argued that there is more "competitive balance" in Major League Baseball than there is in any other major professional sports league in this country, all of which have salary caps.

The crying from the Boston Red Sox this morning simply cannot be about "competitive balance," because Major League Baseball has it in spades.

So what is this about?

No doubt, part of it probably has to do with rivalry. But perhaps more than that, it has to do with Mark Teixeira, and the Red Sox inability to close that deal.

Would the Boston Red Sox and their second-highest-in-all-of-baseball payroll be crying salary cap this morning had they been the ones that just six weeks ago dumped at least $170 million into the lap of the most prized free-agent position player on the market?

Hard to imagine that would be the case.

Tex More Than Just a Great Player

Larry Barnes — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:27:55 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

Mark Teixeira, the new first baseman for the New York Yankees, met with the media today at Spring Training, and there were a few interesting notes that slipped in between all the A-Rod questions.

Regarding the Alex Rodriguez situation, Teixeira made it clear that he will support his former and current teammate.

"When I see [Alex] tomorrow, I'm just gonna give him a big hug and tell him I'm there for him," Teixeira said. "I'm gonna be a teammate and a friend, if he needs one, and this whole team is going to rally around Alex."

And what did Teixeira have to say about reports that he and Alex were not close while together in Texas?

"I don’t know where that would come from, but I guess it’s a fun story to talk about," said Teixeira. "Alex and I had a great relationship."

"When I was rookie, trying to learn pitchers in the big leagues, he was the first guy I’d go to. We had a great relationship."

And is there any concern from Teixeira, who has often been THE guy on his team, about blending into a team full of stars?

"That’s one of the things that drew me to the Yankees," Teixeira said. "I'm not gonna be the biggest story.

"[I] hope to have a couple of big hits and make some nice plays, but the goal here is to win a championship, and that’s bigger than one player. Some teams out there, it’s all about one guy or maybe two guys, but (with) the Yankees, it’s different."

Overall, Teixeira could not have handled himself or come off any better than he did - as quality person of real honesty. One who figures to be a great addition to the Yankees organization both on and off the field.

Swisher Trade On The Horizon???

Larry Barnes — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:33:45 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

After weeks of speculation, the possibility of the New York Yankees trading Nick Swisher (or possibly Xavier Nady) to the Atlanta Braves could be gaining momentum.

According to this report from MLB.com, the Braves are actively seeking a veteran outfielder, and have narrowed their targets to signing free agent Bobby Abreu, or acquiring Swisher or Nady from the Yankees.

However, Abreu is reported to be closing in on a deal with the Los Angeles Angels. If that happens, things could heat up on the trade front rather quickly.

The Braves, meanwhile, appear to be split on which player they prefer, with the front office preferring the versatility of Swisher and at least some players believing Nady would be the better option.

Of course, players don't make trades, which likely makes Nady the less likely to be dealt.

According to the MLB.com report, the Braves have asked the Yankees to pick up "a small portion" of the $22.05 million owed to Swisher over the next three years, and the Yankees have refused.

There are some who would like to see the Yankees keep both Swisher and Nady in an effort to improve the bench, and also protect against injury to Hideki Matsui in particular.

While that looks great on paper, it could create problems. Both Nady and Swisher consider themselves full-time players, and rightly so.

It's unlikely either would be happy sitting anywhere close to a third of the time, especially Nady - a Scott Boras client who will be playing for a contract in his final season before free agency.

While the Yankees are said to be looking for prospects in return for either Nady or Swisher, there has been no credible talk about an names coming back in such a deal.

Trading either player, however, would likely free up some money (and a roster spot) for the Yankees to make other moves.

Even at this late date, there remains plenty of quality on the free-agent market, and it is thought many teams will be looking to dump some contracts during Spring Training.

Just days before pitchers and catchers report, yet the Hot Stove League continues to burn.

Bruney Keeps Losing In Hopes of Winning

Larry Barnes — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:35:50 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

There is a great story on Brian Bruney in this morning's New York Daily-News, courtesy of New York Yankees beat writer Anthony McCarron.

Apparently, the idea for the story began when McCarron noticed what appeared to be a slimmer-than-last-season Bruney standing in the outfield.

Turns out Bruney lost 16 pounds over the offseason. That takes on an added significance when you consider that he lost between 25 and 30 pounds last offseason.

Though he lost most of the season to a Lisfranc foot sprain (the same injury that ended Chien-Ming Wang's 2008 season) Bruney, who turns 27 on February 17, pitched amazingly well.

In 32 appearances in 2008, Bruney was 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA while holding hitters to a .153 batting average against. That BAA ranked as the fifth-lowest in the majors among pitchers who threw at least 30 innings.

"I think earlier in my career, I took a lot of things for granted," said Bruney. "I thought it was time to figure things out...I don't want to be one of those up-and-down guys, great one day and horrible the next. I want to be consistently good.

"Eating healthy, exercising, things every pro athlete should do to maintain a high level, I didn't do. I started doing it last offseason and last year was one of my better years."

The formerly, we'll be kind and say, pudgy Bruney, who looked like a completely different man when pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training in 2008, now weighs in at 219 lbs. That, according to Bruney, is the lightest he's been since his junior year in high school.

No doubt manager Joe Girardi, who has some drill instructor tendencies, has noticed. Based a little on the focus he found more than a year ago, and a lot of the results that have followed, you have to think Bruney has the inside track toward becoming the Yankees' primary eighth-inning man in 2009.

Joba: "Cash Told Me, 'I'm Starting!'"

Larry Barnes — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:58:51 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

In case you missed it, young Joba Chamberlain made an appearance on the new MLB Network this evening, courtesy a pre-taped interview for The Hot Stove.

WATCH THE JOBA INTERVIEW

Joba talked about a lot of things, but by far the most interesting (not to mention, most welcomed) was when the topic of starter/reliever was broached.

According to Chamberlain, the issue has been decided for months. He will be a starter for the New York Yankees in 2009, and there will be no more yo yo-ing between the rotation and the bullpen.

"I'm just excited to know that, for the whole year, that [starting is] what I'm gonna be doing," Chamberlain said. "It's not, 'OK, I'm gonna do this for half the year, and then go back.'"

"For me, mentally is the biggest thing, because it's calming, and I know when I get there, I'm gonna get the ball every fifth day and go to work."

Joba said the word on his role for 2009 came from the GM Brian Cashman.

"I got [the word] from Cash, probably in November, which was great," Chamberlain said. "It was before we really got going. I didn't start playing catch until the middle of December."

"I had an idea of what I was gonna do, and exactly what it was going to be. It was good to find that out early."

So there you go. You can agree or disagree, but the issue is dead. Joba Chamberlain will be in the starting rotation, from the first day, period, the end, roll the credits.

Interestingly enough, we recently spoke with friend of Yankees 'N More, former Major-League manager and current MLB Radio talk show host Kevin Kennedy about this very topic.

Ironically, Kennedy, who has always been a proponent of Joba as a starter, has now changed his tune. Kennedy describes his change of heart as his "being selfish," wanting the very strong rotation the Yankees would have with or without Chamberlain, and the nastiest of bullpens with Chamberlain setting up Mariano Rivera.

We responded by telling Kevin, "Hey, we're more selfish than you are. We want Joba on the mound for 170 innings this year instead of 80!"

NOLAN: "Winter Meetings A Waste!"

Larry Barnes — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:41:42 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

Noticed and interesting quote this morning from Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan.

This from an MLB.com story featuring some of Nolan Ryan's views, specifically on the Winter Meetings.

"I was really surprised at the Winter Meetings," Ryan said. "I went there expecting things might happen and there was absolutely nothing. I thought it was a big waste of money and time."

That a boy, Nolan! Didn't take you long to fall in line with the Rangers' way. If it costs money, it's a WASTE of money!

That approach is what leads to an organization like the Rangers -- one that enjoys all the benefits of the 6th-largest media market in the Country, THE LARGEST single-team population center in the Country, and a World-Class Ballpark to boot -- ranking 20th out of 30 teams in payroll last season.

Now, just to be clear, we're not suggesting the Rangers should spend like the Yankees, or even the Red Sox, for that matter. But when you have all those benefits and still have a lower payroll than Milwaukee, Colorado and Oakland??? That's pretty sad.

Of course, you can't blame Ryan for thinking virtually every offseason activity in MLB a waste of time and money. After all, when you're working for an organization that goes to things like the Winter Meetings with a keep-your-hands-in-your-pockets approach, I can see where that would seem like a waste of money and time.

I would imagine many other organizations -- those that actually got something done, layed some groundwork for getting something done, or at least TRIED to get something done -- feel a little differently.

Perhaps Rangers owner Tom Hicks can cut holes in the pockets of all the employees heading off to the Winter Meetings this year.

That way, when the fellas are standing alone in the corner, watching the party from the outside, shrugging with hands buried deep in their pockets, Ryan, Jon Daniels and Co. will have something to play with.

Of course, Hicks would probably have to pay somebody to do that... Or at least buy the scissors...

Sorry, Nolan. Looks like you and the other fellas will have to find something else to keep you entertained at the 2009 Winter Meetings.

Memo to all the Yankees-haters & salary-cap dreamers out there:
Organizations that are either too incompetent to take advantage of their opportunities or too cheap to invest significantly in their on-field product are a FAR bigger problem for Major League Baseball than those that are willing to do everything in their power in an attempt to win.

Yankees Close To Re-Signing Pettitte?

Larry Barnes — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:37:32 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the New York Yankees are in "serious talks" with free-agent, left-hander Andy Pettitte, "and there is a lot of optimism a deal will get done."

Heyman goes on to say that the deal will be for one year and for LESS than the $10 million offer that Pettitte (depending on which report you read) either turned down, did not accept, or saw pulled from the table after the Yankees signed free-agent Mark Teixeira.

Signing Pettitte would almost certainly remove the Yankees from any discussions for Ben Sheets, or any other free-agent starting pitcher.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing to consider is this: Had Pettitte accepted the initial offer from the Bombers, would Mark Teixeira be a Yankee today?

If the Heyman report is entirely true, then we have to believe that the Yankees are indeed extremely serious about coming into 2009 with a lower payroll than they had in 2008. So serious, in fact, that are willing to allow a million or so to stand between them and the one remaining pitcher they most desired to see in their rotation.

Of course, drawing that sort of line in the sand over such a relatively small amount of money for the 36-year-old Andy Pettitte on a one-year deal versus doing the same when you have a chance to add the 28-year-old Mark Teixeira for the next eight years are two entirely different things.

Still, you have to wonder.

In 2008, Andy Pettitte finished the season 14-14 with an ERA 4.54 while pitching 204 innings in 33 starts.

No doubt, the Yankees would love to see a repeat of those overall numbers this year, especially since improvement to the rotation pushes Pettitte from the #2 or #3 spot where he was last season to the #5 spot in 2009.

What the Yankees do not want any part of is a repeat of Pettitte's final two months in 2008 when he went a combined 2-6 with a 5.43 ERA.

After he was deep into his late-season funk, Pettitte began complaining of shoulder discomfort, though two separate MRI's failed to find anything wrong.

Nevertheless, signing him should assure the Yankees of somebody that will eat innings at the back end of the rotation. Pettitte has pitched over 200 innings in each of his last four seasons.

While we would, under normal circumstances, prefer quality over quantity, when A.J. Burnett and the 23-year-old Joba Chamberlain make up 40% of your rotation, a solid innings-eater in the five-hole is not such a bad thing to have.

Bravo, Bob Verdi!

Larry Barnes — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:12:58 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field Of Dreams

Bob Verdi, columnist for the Chicago Tribune, has a brilliant work of art now on display at the Tribune's website!

Verdi's piece, which, at the moment, flies very much against the popular winds, suggests that the New York Yankees are to be applauded for what they have done in this offseason - commit $423 million to lock up the three most-desired free agents on the market.

Verdi correctly points out that the bigger problem in baseball is a team like the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that told voters if they provided a contender, ownership would provide a contender.

The new world-class ballpark is in place, and the Pirates still stink, the ownership still pockets the revenue-sharing money, and the payroll is still in the toilet.

Being based in Dallas, TX, we would like to add the Texas Rangers to that list.

Here in North Texas sits a franchise with its own publicly-funded, world-class ballpark, right in the middle of the sixth-largest market in the country, and the largest single-team population center in the MLB.

Meanwhile, last season, the Rangers ranked 20th in payroll while settling for a pitching staff that ranked last in virtually every major category in baseball.

No surprise, the team finished with a losing record... again. Make it a combined 47 games under .500 for the Texas hardballers over the course of the last five years.

All the while, Rangers owner Tom Hicks laughs all the way to the bank while maintaining a payroll that consistently ranks lower than those of teams like St. Louis, Colorado, Seattle and, on occasion, even Oakland and Milwaukee.

Hicks cries about attendance, which has been well over 2 million in every non-strike year since the Rangers' new ballpark opened. Meanwhile, he does nothing to attract more fans.

As Verdi puts it in his column: "As management reinvests principal, fans reinvest interest. Economics 101."

Very well said, Mr Verdi.

While some owners scream about a salary cap, what would better serve the idea of competitive balance in baseball is a salary FLOOR.

And while a salary floor would likely not prevent an owner like Hicks from holding his payroll down to the $68 million range, it could at least force some owners to reinvest those charity checks they get every year, rather than stick them in their pockets as they currently do.

But what about a salary cap???

Well, until somebody finds a way to break the most powerful union in the history of the world, there is no chance.

SIDEBAR ISSUE:
Baseball owners had their best chance to break the union (and tried hard, by the way) when one of their own, George W. Bush, was sitting in the White House. Bush, you might remember, was part-owner and the front-man for the previously mentioned Rangers before becoming Governor of Texas, and then President of the United States.

You don't think it was a coinky-dink that Major League Baseball (with a big, fat target on the MLBPA) got hauled before the U.S. Congress TWICE during Bush's stay in Washington, do you?

But even with one baseball owner in the White House, and another serving as commissioner, the MLBPA easily survived every attack. The chances of a non-baseball owner as President giving a damn seems, at best, limited.

More importantly, baseball doesn't need a salary cap. Attempting to punish the owners that are willing to do whatever it takes to win (something MLB has made a recent habit of doing) does nothing to improve the product.

Putting some rules in place to prevent the ridiculous circumstances that currently persist in places like Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Miami would. And while we're at it, let's smack Tom Hicks around a little bit, too.

Mr. Verdi finished his piece with a simple, "Bravo."

We finish our's with the same salute to one of the few who gets it. Bravo to you, Mr. Verdi!

Donnie Baseball A Big Fan Of Tex!

Larry Barnes — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:38:02 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field Of Dreams

Kevin Kernan of the New York Post has a very good piece up this morning that's based on a conversation he had with Don Mattingly about new Yankees first sacker Mark Teixeira.

Surely you have heard by now that Mark Teixeira grew up a big fan of Donnie Baseball, which is why the former has always worn #23 whenever available, don't ya know.

But here's something you might not have known. Turns out, the feeling is mutual.

Lots of good stuff from Kernan, and more than worth a read for any Yankees fan. We thought we would focus on one specific part of the article - Donnie Baseball's opinion of why signing Tex was so important to the Yankees.

"When you spend the money on pitching like the Yankees have," Mattingly said, "you better have somebody who can defend too."

A great point by Mattingly, and one that has been heard a lot since Teixeira signed.

In fact, many close observers of the Yankees over the past several years insist that the rest of the in Yankee infield - Robinson Cano at second, Derek Jeter at short and Alex Rodriguez at third - all became better defensive players with this signing.

There is the obvious reason for this, of course. Teixeira is much more athletic and has a greater reach than Giambi, so fewer balls will get by. But it goes deeper than that.

There are many who believe that Giambi at first had the other three infielders, on occasion, aiming the ball rather than just reacting and letting it go, which, ironically, lends itself to bad throws.

Knowing Teixeira is the one waiting should lead to less thinking and more reacting when those throws are made across the diamond now.

And while that's the kind of thing that will help every pitcher who toes the rubber for the Yankees this season and beyond, it figures to be especially helpful to Chien Ming-Wang, master of the power sinker.

While Nick Swisher would have qualified is a defensive upgrade at first base over Jason Giambi and a handful of others who have tried their hands at the position since Tino Martinez left, even Swisher doesn't rate defensively with Teixeira.

Offensively, of course, Teixeira also ranks ahead of Swisher. That's not suggest there is not a lot to like about Swisher, because there certainly is, but Teixeira ranks in most views as the second-best overall first baseman in the game today, behind only Albert Pujols.

There is a reason Yankees GM Brian Cashman went into this season insisting that he would have a real first basemen at that position in 2009 rather than experiment with Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, or Jorge Posada.

There is a reason Cashman ranked getting younger and more athletic among his primary goals for this offseason. (Quick sidebar: Look no further for the reasons Cashman prefers to deal Xavier Nady and keep Swisher.)

In replacing Giambi with Teixeira, Cashman has accomplished many of his goals - he made his team younger and much more athletic at the first base position.

Simultaneously, Cashman also significantly improved the defense of his entire infield, which makes the revamped pitching staff better, too - a fact not lost on Donnie Baseball.

REPORT: Andy Not Happy With Yanks!

Larry Barnes — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:45:57 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More and Field of Dreams

Ken Davidoff has a new story up regarding the situation between Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees, which remains in complete gridlock.

According to Davidoff, "the Yankees seem to head Pettitte's enemies list" for three reasons.
1) Pettitte believes the team owes him for past performances.
2)He sees the money spent by the Yankees this offseason as a clear indication that they are not hurting for cash.
3) He does not believe his 2008 season was as bad as the Yankees are making it seem.

We respond with three things of our own.
1) Haven't the Yankees already paid Pettitte for his past performances?
2) Just because the team HAS money does not mean they should overpay for a pitcher who is clearly on the downhill side... Especially one who appeared to simply wear down at the end of last season.
3) Where is this three-year, $36 million offer Pettitte's agents were screaming about a few weeks ago?

We say now what we said then. Andy, if there is a team out there dumb enough to offer you a $36 million guarantee, you'd have to be dumber still not to have accepted it by now.

At the end of the day, Pettitte is worth exactly as much as we all are - whatever somebody is willing to pay us.

If Pettitte can get (or has) a better offer, then God bless him and we'll see you later. If not, then shut the hell up and either sign for what the Yankees are willing to pay or retire.

Yankees Are Done Spending!

Larry Barnes — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:20:53 -0500

Courtesy YNM's Field of Dreams and Yankees 'N More

For those of us who are spoiled by the aggressiveness with which the New York Yankees attacked this free-agent market, do not expect any more big spending. At least not without a significant trade.

After introducing Mark Teixeira (the third huge prize in this amazing offseason after CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett) on Tuesday, general manager Brian Cashman made it very clear that the Yankees had all but run out of money.

Cashman said the team would definitely "have a lower payroll this year than they had in 2008."

And while he would not announce the number that has been set, he did say "his ability to maneuver" post-Teixeira signing is "extremely limited." He then added that one of his main focuses now is to sign "as many interesting non-roster invitees as he can" for spring training competition.

Word leaked out yesterday that the team had signed three such players: SS Angel Berroa, P Jason Johnson, and OF John Rodriguez.

There are also multiple reports out in the last several hours that say if the Yankees make another offer to Andy Pettitte, who rejected their first, it will actually be for LESS than the $10 million that the left-hander turned down.

All of this could change, at least to some degree, if the Yankees are able to trade one or two from a group of Nick Swisher, Xavier Nady, Johnny Damon, and Hideki Matsui.

Of that group, the two that seem to be the most attractive to other teams are Swisher and Nady, in that order, while Damon is the one the Yankees would least like to see go.

Swisher is said to be drawing interest from the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves and possibly others. Both the Giants and Braves were reported to have significant interest in Swisher before he was dealt to the Yankees earlier this offseason.

Nady is also reported to be of interest to multiple teams, though the Giants probably are not in that group because the team does not want to add any players who will be free agents following 2009.

Should the Yankees make such a trade, it is possible the move will free up some money for Cashman to make a signing. It is also possible the Yankees would re-extend the $10 million offer to Pettitte after making such a move.

Tex Beaming Over Joining Bombers!

Larry Barnes — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:51:19 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More & YNM's Field Of Dreams

The New York Yankees introduced Mark Teixeira today during a 1pm ET press conference in the Sony Diamond Club at Yankee Stadium.

With wife Leigh at his side, the switch-hitting first basemen known as "Tex" was obviously thrilled, almost to the point of giddy, to be sporting his new pinstripes. Uniform #25, by the way, so if you're like me and already have a Jason Giambi jersey, you're covered.

WATCH: The Teixeira Press Conference

For his part, Teixeira made it clear how much playing for the New York Yankees means to him.

"Now I'm getting a chance to play for the greatest organization in sports history," Teixeira said, "and with some of the greatest players in sports history, so this is a great day for me."

In the end, Teixeira said the decision to sign with the Yankees became very clear because it helped him achieve all of his desires. Specifically, he wanted to be closer to his family, and he wanted a chance to win every year.

And as it turns out, the Yankees are where his wife Leigh wanted him to play, as well.

"I said to Leigh, 'Everything's equal. Where would you want to play?'" Teixeira said, referring to a December 12 dinner conversation. "Finally, she broke down and said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.' That's what did it for me."

Teixeira signed an eight-year, $180 million deal with New York. It's never easy to make that kind of commitment, but then a player like Teixeira does not come available every day, either.

"Eight years is a long commitment and one you try to stay away from as much as you can," Cashman said. "We felt he was a rare, exceptional opportunity that we had the ability to close out. I'm glad we did."

Manager Joe Girardi, as would be expected, is thrilled with what Teixeira will mean to the Yankees.

"Here's a guy that can beat you a lot of different ways, and you pencil him in your lineup every day," Girardi said. "You put a switch-hitter in the middle of the lineup that hits for average and takes his walks, and puts the ball in play when he has to. He can change the game in a lot of different ways."

Thanks For The Memories, Giambino!

Larry Barnes — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:33:26 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Jason Giambi is heading back to the Oakland A's, the organization with which he began his career back in 1995.

The Giambino will be missed greatly 'round these here parts. There is no question the Yankees have done the right thing by signing Mark Teixeira, and there is no question they have improved significantly in the process.

Nevertheless, Giambi was always one of our favorites. I, for one, will continue to wear my final Yankee Stadium season official #25 home jersey with pride. As it turns out, it ended up being a "final season" jersey for Giambi, as well.

According to published reports, the deal for Giambi is one year with an option for a total of $5.25 million in guaranteed money. Giambi will earn $4 million in 2009, and the buyout of his option would be $1.25 million.

One has to wonder if Andy Pettitte isn't reading this news this morning and having second thoughts about rejecting the Yankees' offer. After all, Pettitte is coming of a bad year with a bad shoulder.

Meanwhile, Giambi remains a productive left-handed bat - he hit 32 bombs last year and drove in 96 while maintaining an on-base percentage in the .370's.

Given what Giambi was forced to accept after the year he had, $10 million for Pettitte sounds downright generous.

Yankees REALLY Like Orlando Hudson!

Larry Barnes — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:52:30 -0500

Couresy Yankees 'N More

The Orlando Hudson-to-the-Yankees talk has not exactly been overwhelming, but Hudson is a guy the American Leaguers from New York have apparently maintained an extended interest in acquiring/signing.

The latest bit of news on the issue comes courtesy of SI.com's Jon Heyman, who spoke about Hudson on the new MLB Network show, Hot Stove Live.

According to Heyman, while New York might have to trade Robinson Cano to open a spot for Hudson, the Yankees "like Hudson so much, they might consider playing him in center field."

Hudson playing center field for the Yankees is an idea that has come up before. A phrase such as "the Yankees like him so much" is brand new.

We first heard Hudson's name in connection with the Yankees before last season when there was at least some consideration in trading Cano in a deal that would bring Hudson to the Bronx. What other players might have been involved is not known.

Now Hudson is a free agent, and there has been a steady stream of news since the beginning of the offseason regarding the Yankees' interest him.

The Joba Debate

Larry Barnes — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:58:33 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

All of a sudden, in just the past few days, the Joba Chamberlain debate has been renewed.

Why don't the New York Yankees just put him in the bullpen and leave him there, says no less than Harold Reynolds on the new MLB network and a couple of the shows on XM's MLB Radio.

Today, our man Peter Abraham chimes in on the side of put Joba in the rotation and leave him there, and we could not agree more.

Chamberlain made 12 starts for the Yankees last season - the first 12 starts of his major-league career. He pitched to an ERA of 2.76 while striking out 74 batters in 60 innings.

If anybody feels like doing some research, go find me all the starting pitchers in the history of major league baseball who had a sub-3 ERA for the first 12 starts of their career.

The contention of those who favor leaving Chamberlain as the setup man for Mariano Rivera seems to run along the lines of how much more important it is to have a setup man in front of Rivera than it is to have another front-end talent in your starting rotation.

Ridiculous.

As Abraham puts it, would you rather have a great pitcher be on the mound for 200 innings (eventually, with Chamberlain starting) a year, or 70 innings a year?

If this argument held water, why not make CC Sabathia a reliever??? Then the Yankees would have lock-down guys for the ninth, the eighth AND the seventh innings.

Of course, all of this also ignores the fact that the Yankees have a very strong bullpen whether Chamberlain is a part of it or not.

All things considered, this idea that the Yankees, who remain one starter short of a rotation, should take one of their most dominant starters and make him a full-time reliever borders on insane.

I'm sure we all remember how well #1 overall pick David Price pitched out of the bullpen for Tampa Bay during that team's run to the World Series.

Well, I have an idea. Why doesn't Tampa Bay just forget about him as a starter and make him a full-time setup man???

More importantly, why is it that I don't hear any of the so-called "experts" pining for this Price-to-the-bullpen idea???

Maybe if he wore pinstripes.

Would Manny/Boras Opt For One-Year Deal???

Larry Barnes — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:18:02 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

The longer this Manny Ramirez thing drags without any sign of interested teams beyond the Los Angeles Dodgers, the more we start wondering if Scott Boras and Manny might opt to do a one-year deal.

Follow me on this one.

It is clear at this point that the market for free agents, thanks in large part to the economy, is as bad as it has been in recent memory. Productive pros like Bobby Abreu are being talked about in terms like $8 million a year.

Sure, that sounds great to you and me. But when you're Abreu, coming off another in a long line of productive years, and you're used to making double that, it kinda sucks.

Of course, in Manny's case, he is bucking the economy and his own Manny-being-Manny actions, which led to his banishment from Boston.

The market in general is dead, and especially for Manny Ramirez.

So if Boras can't even get two teams interested in Ramirez, why not take a one-year deal for max money with, perhaps, a player option for a second year?

That gives Manny one year to set the world on fire, hope the economy gets better, and put what happened in Boston further into the back of other team's minds.

Meanwhile, Boras tells Manny to behave himself and play hard for a deal, and then he re-enters the market after the 2009 season. If Ramirez can do that, and if the economy starts to bounce back, Manny might get the three-year deal he can't get now.

If something goes wrong, be it with Manny's actions, the economy and/or injuries, then Boras exercises the option, and Manny has the same two-year deal he's faced with accepting now.

Furthermore, if Ramirez is willing to do a one-year, make-good deal, other teams might get involved. Perhaps even the New York Yankees.

And while Ramirez will be one year older next offseason, this much is certain: His value/leverage could not possibly get any lower than it currently is.

Mark Teixeira Had Previous Problems With Boston Red Sox

Larry Barnes — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:02:05 -0500

Courtesy Yankees 'N More

Mark Teixeira has a problem with the Boston Red Sox - something that has stayed with him throughout his years in major league baseball.

You might not recall, but the Red Sox drafted Mark Teixeira out of high school, selecting him in the ninth round of the 1998 draft. However, they were unable to sign him, and Teixeira ended up going to Georgia Tech as a result.

More importantly, the experience left Teixeira feeling quite sour towards the Boston organization.

How sour? Sour enough that his experience was known to Teixeira's teammates with the Texas Rangers at least seven years after the fact, and remains fresh in the mind of at least one of those teammates a decade later.

In fact, Rangers' reliever C.J. Wilson, a teammate of Teixeira for parts of three years from 2005-2007, recently mentioned the issue in an interview on Kevin Kennedy's MLB on XM radio show.

According to Kennedy, whom we spoke to a day after the interview, Wilson was surprised to hear his former teammate was so heavily engaged with Boston after hearing about Teixeira's previous experience with the organization.

Now, in what appears more and more a negotiating ploy, Boston owner John Henry has gone out of his way to email members of the press with comments that his team "will not be a factor" in signing Teixeira.

Given Teixeira's previous issues with the Boston Red Sox, one has to wonder how this latest bit of Boston-induced drama might impact the first baseman's willingness to sign with the team.

ANGELS: "Nothing To (Sabathia Rumors)"

Larry Barnes — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:52:56 -0500

(From Yankees 'N More)

If you were one of those who began sweating at the prospect of the Los Angeles Angels making a strong play for CC Sabathia, you can go ahead and exhale now.

Angels GM Tony Reagins told MLB.com "there was nothing to" reports that had the Angels moving past Teixeira and focusing on starter CC Sabathia.

Reagins made it clear that Teixeira remains the team's #1 priority, and that they have no concern about his left knee.

A published report last week said the Angels did not want to go beyond six years for Teixeira because there was some things their doctors did not like about his knee.

Stack this latest report to the long list of evidence that strongly suggests all this "Angels are interested in CC" talk was nothing more than a half-hearted attempt to put pressure on Mark Teixeira to sign quickly.

The first report to come out said the Angels were focusing on Sabathia and that the team would make an offer close to that of the New York Yankees (six years, $140 million).

In the days following that report, the Yankees rolled their eyes at the reported interest from the Angels, and then word came out that if the Angels did make an offer for Sabathia, it would likely be in the $110-$120 million range.

Now, a week later, comes this latest report, and as near as we can tell, the Angels still have made no offer for Sabathia.

As things stand right now, the battle for Sabathia remains a one-team affair — unless you think he's going to take 70 cents on the dollar to go back to Milwaukee — the only team other than New York to make an offer to the big lefty.

The Angels have shot down the rumors of their interest, the Dodgers have publicly admitted they simply cannot afford Sabathia, It's nearly impossible to believe the Giants can make a competitive offer given their current situation with Barry Zito, Oakland can't afford him, and the Padres are bailing out of every big contract they can.

No doubt Sabathia would like to get somebody to make some sort of offer that would at least make the Yankees extend themselves a little further, but the market is growing weaker by the day.

Best guess from here is that Sabathia goes back to the Yankees and says, OK, but for just a little more. Let's call it six years for $145 million and get this thing done already.

Yanks Make Strange Arbitration Decisions

Larry Barnes — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:22:47 -0500

(From Yankees 'N More)

SI.com's Jon Heyman is reporting that the New York Yankees will not offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu or Andy Pettitte.

Furthermore, there is another report out that the Yankees will not offer arbitration to ANY of their eligible players.

That means no draft picks for Pudge Rodriguez, who we know doesn't want to be a backup... That means not even the safety net of arbitration for Mike Mussina, where the risk was nil.

Did the Yankees really refuse to offer arbitration to these players because they were afraid those offers would be accepted???

As Peter Abraham reported earlier today, contracts set through arbitration are for only one year and, more importantly, NOT guaranteed.

So if either player wins the arbitration case, the worst thing that happens is you cut them if you don't like the price.

Not at all sure what (or if) the Yankees were thinking on this one.

We're not sure there is a reasonable explanation for the decisions made by the Yankees today, but Brian Cashman tries.

“The determination we made today was to make sure that we control what amount we’d be spending at least in the event that we’re fortunate enough to bring those players back. We did not want to put ourselves in a position of having that determined by a third party without knowing what that figure would be. The arbitration time period falls in early February, so obviously as we attempt to put this team together, in Andy’s case and Bobby’s case, they made $16 million last year. It’s been tough in the past to try and deviate from previous years earnings in an arbitration setting. We wanted to be able to control the cost that we would allocate for every position on the club.

“Even though we wanted draft picks if we lost anybody, by offering arbitration we would lose out ability to determine a final cost. So by doing so, we chose to go a different direction, not offer arbitration and we’ll still stay engaged with the entire free agent market including those two players.”

That sounds great... But unless Abraham is just full of it, those potential arbitration deals are NOT GUARANTEED.

The tiny shred of good news in this decision, and Cashman's explanation of it, is the further confirmation of what we have known for some time now - that the Yankees intend to spend a TON of money in the free agent market this offseason.

Brian, I've been with ya most of the time, pard'ner... But you left me scratching my head on this one.

Adam Dunn In Pinstripes?

Larry Barnes — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:19:24 -0500

(From Yankees 'N More)

The Arizona Diamondbacks declined to offer arbitration to slugger Adam Dunn, meaning any team can sign him without losing draft picks.

It has been reported that the New York Yankees intend to add an ''impact hitter'' to their lineup when the finish stocking up on pitchers.

There is no question Dunn, who has hit at least 40 home runs in each of the last five seasons, qualifies as an impact hitter.

There is also no question he will come at a much cheaper price than somebody like Mark Teixeira, and he might even be cheaper than Manny Ramirez.

Just guessing here, but Adam Dunn could be a guy the Yankees have on their radar. There have been reports of the Yankees being interested in Dunn as recently as the trading deadline last season.

New York Yankees: Arbitration for All!

Larry Barnes — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:07:44 -0500

(From Yankees 'N More)

The New York Yankees (and every other MLB team) must make decisions on whether or not to offer arbitration to all of their remaining free agents by midnight eastern time tonight.

For the Bombers, that list is comprised of Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, Pudge Rodriguez, Carl Pavano, and Jason Giambi.

There are two types of free agents that, if offered arbitration by the team they played for last year, bring compensation to that team in the form of draft picks should the player sign elsewhere: type A and type B.

Type A free agents who sign with other teams net their team two high picks — either the signing team's first or second-round pick (depending on a couple of variables) and a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

Type B free agents who sign with new teams net their old teams a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

According to Peter Abraham of the Journal News, Abreu, Rodriguez, Pettitte and Mussina are all type A free agents. According to other reports, Rodriguez is a type B free agent.

Shockingly, Giambi is not ranked in EITHER category. This is a guy who hit 32 bombs last year, drove in 96, had a slugging percentage over .500 and an OPS of .876... How is he NOT ranked???

It seems the Yankees will certainly offer arbitration to Mussina (who will stay retired) and Abreu (who will go elsewhere for a multi-year deal). That leaves decisions to be made on both Rodriguez and Pettitte.

We say the Yankees should offer arbitration to both, regardless of whether Pudge is type A or B.

The reason for this can be answered with a single question: What is the downside?

Pettitte could accept arbitration, forcing the Yankees to pay him what they did last season ($16 million) if he wins an arbitration case — and that's assuming it goes that far.

Would Pudge accept arbitration? Hard to imagine. This is a guy who all but forced his way out of Detroit because he didn't want to SPLIT time... Now he is going to turn away from a potential multi-year deal through free agency to accept a one-year arbitration deal to be Jorge Posada's caddy???

We don't think so.

Then there is the final hammer that, at least in our view, makes offering arbitration to both Rodriguez and Pettitte a complete no-brainer.

Arbitration deals are NOT guaranteed. If both players accept arbitration and the Yankees get to a point where they don't want or need either, they simply allow the cases to go to hearing and then release the players after the decision.

They would only be out the minimal cost of releasing a player.

Meanwhile, offering arbitration almost certainly gains them at least one pick for Rodriguez, and makes Pettitte less attractive to the Dodgers or any other team because the team that signs him would have to give up a pick.

Seems to us the Yankees have nothing to lose and the high potential for both additional high draft picks and/or leverage to gain.