Yanks Shedding Salaries to Go After More Players

Scream all you want about the Yankees' spending. Club officials continue to say that the team's projected payroll will be lower than it was last season.

Consider the list of players coming off the Yankees' 2008 roster — and the players who could or will take their approximate salary slots in 2009. See table:

Roster changes

2008	2009
Jason Giambi, $23.4M	CC Sabathia
Bobby Abreu, $16M	A.J. Burnett
Mike Mussina, $11M	Mike Cameron
Kyle Farnsworth, $5.9M	Nick Swisher

 

The Yankees also are shedding Carl Pavano's $11 million salary and trying to re-sign Andy Pettitte or add another pitcher for less than the $16 million that Pettitte earned in '08.

So, general manager Brian Cashman could have one big move left even if he added a Cameron — and even after re-signing lefty reliever Damaso Marte for $12 million over three years and accounting for salary increases to other players.

That move might not be for Mark Teixeira, though the Yankees probably could fit him into their 2009 payroll if they structured his contract creatively. More likely, they will go for a lesser bat, maybe even Abreu at a discounted rate.

The Yankees were criticized a year ago for failing to obtain left-hander Johan Santana, but in hindsight their plan makes sense.

Rather than trade young assets such as Phil Hughes for Santana, they simply waited for Sabathia — who beat Santana for the 2007 American League Cy Young Award and outpitched him in the NL last season.

Long-term contracts for pitchers are always risks, and both Sabathia and Burnett are coming off heavy workloads in '08. But Burnett, who turns 32 on Jan. 3, will be the oldest of the Yankees' top four starters.

Meanwhile, the Yankees still have Hughes, who eventually could figure into their rotation. They used Jeff Marquez, another pitcher in the Santana discussions, to help land Marte and Xavier Nady. And Cabrera, who also would have gone to the Twins for Santana, ultimately could bring them Cameron.

 

WWTD: What will Teixeira do?

Like Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira is considered an ideal Scott Boras client, one who understands the value of a landmark contract and follows baseball economics closely.

The parallel is intriguing: A-Rod went for top dollar when he signed his 10-year, $252 million contract with the Rangers in 2000. Teixeira might do the same and accept a monster bid from the lowly Nationals.

The difference is, A-Rod did not have a successful team such as the Red Sox as a reasonable if less lucrative alternative in free agency.

Boras always has insisted that at least one other team made a strong run at A-Rod, but the consensus within the industry is that the Braves made the second-highest bid and did not come within $100 million.

The Nats will not outbid the Red Sox by that amount for Teixeira. The Yankees are at least on the periphery. And the Angels announced Friday that they have made Teixeira an eight-year offer, perhaps to demonstrate the seriousness of their intentions at a time when their chances appear to be diminishing.

The Nats have offered Teixeira $160 million for eight years, according to The Washington Post. The Red Sox might not be at eight years and might not be at $20 million per season. The Yankees' interest could be sincere or it could be a ruse by the team and/or Boras.

As one general manager said, "There is a lot of bluffing going on trying to get the Red Sox to go higher."

WWDD: What will the Dodgers do?

The question applies not only to Manny Ramirez, but also to Rafael Furcal. The A's are again offering Furcal a four-year deal, the Blue Jays and Royals continue to show interest and the Dodgers are ... where exactly?

Lying in wait.

The Dodgers obviously do not want to give Furcal a three- or four-year contract unless the deal includes provisions that protect them against injury. To some degree, they're daring Furcal to leave for a lesser club.

The A's, for example, will be a longshot to win the AL West no matter how the Angels' off-season evolves. If the A's trade Matt Holliday before July 31 — or, more likely, lose him as a free agent — Furcal might be stuck with a weaker club. Meanwhile, neither the Royals nor Blue Jays figure to contend next season.

One agent says it is obvious that Furcal wants to remain with the Dodgers; otherwise, he already would have accepted the A's offer. If the Dodgers lose Furcal, their other options would include free agents Orlando Cabrera and Angel Berroa and a trade for the Pirates' Jack Wilson.

 

J.J. almost an Indian

The Indians attempted to trade for J.J. Putz, but the Mariners wanted a highly regarded prospect in addition to outfielder Franklin Gutierrez.

Instead, Gutierrez went to the Mets, who spun him to the M's in a three-team, 12-player deal that brought Putz to New York and reliever Joe Smith and infielder Luis Valbuena to Cleveland.

Smith will join Kerry Wood in a revamped Indians' bullpen that still includes left-hander Rafael Perez and righties Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt. Valbuena, the Indians believe, has the potential to be an everyday second baseman; one club official likens his swing to "Robinson Cano lite."

As for the Mariners, some rival executives believe the team received more quantity than quality in their seven-player return for Putz, outfielder Jeremy Reed, reliever Sean Green and Valbuena.

Another exec, however, says Gutierrez, first-base prospect Mike Carp and right-hander Aaron Heilman alone are a fair exchange for Putz, who has two years left on his contract and is coming off an injury-marred season.

The most intriguing prospect that the Mariners acquired from the Mets was Single-A right-hander Maikel Cleto, 19, a scout's favorite who throws up to 98 mph.

 

Bradley's choice ... or is it?

The Cubs and Rays are the teams in strongest pursuit of free-agent outfielder Milton Bradley, who also is drawing interest from the Reds, Angels and the Nationals, a team that never met an outfielder it didn't like.

For Bradley, the choice appears simple. The Rays' Joe Maddon almost certainly would be a better manager for him than the Cubs' impatient Lou Piniella, and staying in the American League would allow him to protect his oft-injured body by serving as a DH.

With the Rays, Bradley could bat cleanup between Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria, offer above-average defense in right field and fit well on a young, high-energy team.

The question is whether the Rays will meet Bradley's price.

The glut of outfielders and DHs on the trade and free-agent markets will allow the Rays to be choosy. If Bradley proves too expensive, they can simply turn to another free agent from a group that includes Abreu, Jason Giambi, Garrett Anderson and Pat Burrell.

 

Wiggin' out

Third baseman Ty Wigginton probably was the most surprising name on the list of players who became free agents Friday when their teams declined to offer them contracts.

Wigginton, 31, hit 23 homers in 386 at-bats with an .876 OPS for the Astros last season. He projected to earn as much as $6 million in salary arbitration, and the Astros could not trade him.

Four teams called immediately on Wigginton — the Twins would be an obvious fit, and so might the Giants.

Other clubs, though, are wary.

Wigginton had a 1.081 OPS at home last season and a .696 OPS on the road. He also is a below-average defender, so a team such as the Indians probably would pass.

The Indians would not want Jhonny Peralta and Wigginton manning the left side of their infield with so many sinker-ballers on their staff. Peralta could shift to third base if the team acquires a second baseman or shortstop; he is playing third in the Dominican Republic.

 

Around the horn

Agents point to three recent free-agent contracts as proof that the market is healthy: Edgar Renteria, two years, $18.5 million, Giants; Kyle Farnsworth, two years, $9.25 million, Royals; and Nick Punto, two years, $8.5 million, Twins. None of those clubs is a high-revenue franchise. None of those players will be anything close to underpaid ...

To replace Wigginton, the Astros likely will need to find a veteran to share time with Geoff Blum. Chris Johnson, the team's third baseman of the future, needs more time to develop; he produced only a .539 OPS in 107 plate appearances after his promotion to Triple-A last season ...

Free-agent infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston is drawing interest from three American League clubs as well as the Reds, according to a major-league source. The Mariners likely are one of the teams in the mix. Hairston, 32, plays six positions and was a favorite of new M's manager Don Wakamatsu when both were with the Rangers.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

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