Tag: New York Yankees (Page 5 of 52)

      Yankees keeping a close eye on Liriano?

      February 27, 2011 /
      Minnesota Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson (R) and catcher Joe Mauer (L) talk with starting pitcher Francisco Liriano during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago on September 14, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey

      USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Twins’ starter Francisco Liriano, while Minnesota is keeping a close eye on the Yankees’ prospects.

      From Rotoworld.com:

      Interesting. We heard earlier this month that the Twins’ front office could be open to the idea of dealing Liriano, and the Yankees, of course, immediately popped up as a potentially interested party. The southpaw is under team control through the end of next season, but if the Twins don’t think they’ll be able to lock him up on a long-term deal, exploring a trade does make some sense. Liriano, who had 201 strikeouts in 192 innings last season, would force the Yanks to give up at least one blue chip prospect.

      The Yankees will need to make a move at some point because their starting rotation looks like a poorly constructed Jenga tower right now. CC Sabathia is the bottom holding everything together, while Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre comprise the rest of the shaky tower.

      But I wonder whether the Yankees and Twins are a match. The Bombers have two catching prospects in Jesus Montero (who is probably viewed as un-tradeable) and Gary Sanchez that would fetch them a major-league starter, but it’s not like the Twins need a catcher. It would be interesting to see what Minnesota would ask for in exchange for Lirinao.

      External Sports, MLB

      CC Sabathia to opt out of his contract at the end of season?

      February 14, 2011 /
      New York Yankees’ pitcher CC Sabathia talks to the media as the Yankees prepare to take on the Texas Rangers in the ALCS at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas on October 14, 2010. Game one of the best of seven series will be on October 15, 2010 in Arlington. UPI/Ian Halperin

      CC Sabathia has an opt-out clause in his contract that he can exercise after the 2011 season and while it seems unlikely that he would want to leave the Yankees, he told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that anything is possible.

      Sabathia has an opt-out clause in his contract after this season and, in the past, he always definitively said he would not use that clause to negotiate another free-agent contract with either the Yankees or another team.

      However, Monday, Sabathia did some dancing around the issue and, for the first time, opened the door that he might deploy the opt-out.

      In a mass interview with reporters, Sabathia indicated he would not use the opt out without directly saying so, then shut down further inquiry by saying he was concentrating on this season and repeating the phrase, “I’m here.”

      But in a one-on-one conversation with The Post afterward, Sabathia was given a few chances to definitively say he would not opt out — as he had previously — and did not. On one occasion he said, “Anything is possible in a contract.” In another, the big lefty said, “Who knows what is possible, but I am not thinking about anything beyond Opening Day.”

      Rut-row. It sure sounds like Sabathia is setting himself up for a pay raise at the end of the year – and why wouldn’t he? The Yankees can ill-afford to lose him and would no doubt make him the highest-paid pitcher in the league if he threatened to walk out.

      Cliff Lee is now making $25 million a year, so it stands to reason that Sabathia (who makes $23 million per season) wants to be paid at least as much as Lee, if not more. Barring injury or a disastrous season, Sabathia could probably squeeze a couple million more out of the Yankees, who desperately need him to anchor their starting rotation.

      External Sports, MLB

      Yankees have considered adding Kazmir and other lefties, but what about Zito?

      February 4, 2011 /
      San Francisco Giants Barry Zito pitches in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park in San Francisco on October 2, 2010. Zito walked in two runs in the first and took the loss in the 4-2 game. UPI/Terry Schmitt……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

      Ken Rosenthal writes via Twitter that the Yankees have “kicked around” the idea of making trade offers for Scott Kazmir (Angels) and other lefties, such as Joe Saunders (Angels), Gio Gonzalez (A’s), Wade LeBlanc (Padres) and Clayton Richard (Padres).

      One name absent from that list is former AL Cy Young winner Barry Zito. I would have to imagine with the amount of pitching depth that the Giants have that Zito would be available for the right price. (Or any price for that matter.)

      The problem of course is that Zito has three years and $64.5 million left on his contract. The Yankees have that kind of money hanging on toilet paper rollers in their front office bathrooms, but it’s not like Zito is worth that much coin – even to a team like New York, which could use a starter.

      But what if the Giants were willing to pay a portion of Zito’s salary and take very little in return? Would the Yankees be willing to take a risk on him then? It’s telling that the Giants left Zito off of their World Series roster after he choked in the second-to-last regular season game against the Padres (a game in which San Fran needed Zito to pitch well and instead he lasted just three innings), but the Yankees have concerns now that Andy Pettitte has decided to retire. If A.J. Burnett doesn’t round back into form, then the Bombers will have a serious issue on their hands in terms of starting pitching. Zito isn’t Cliff Lee but he’s not Bartolo Colon either.

      Then again, maybe this is a deal that works out way better for the Giants and I’m forcing the issue from the Yankees perspective. San Fran signed Jeff Suppan to a minor league deal and while Zito is arguably better than the former Cardinal, Suppan would be fine as a fifth starter (which is all the Giants would require him to be). If they could free themselves of at least a portion of Zito’s contract, then it doesn’t matter what they get back in a trade. It would be a win for them no matter what.

      The Yankees, on the other hand, would have to pick up some of the tab for a pitcher that has had major confidence issues since arriving in San Francisco. They already have A.J. Burnett on their roster – they don’t need another one.

      But a Zito/Yankees marriage is intriguing nonetheless.

      External Sports, MLB

      With Pettitte retiring, the Yankees’ rotation success rides on Burnett

      February 3, 2011 /

      Now that Andy Pettitte has decided to retire, the general consensuses is that the Yankees’ are screwed when it comes to their starting rotation. But that’s probably an overreaction.

      erunner Nelson Cruz circles the bases behind him in the top of the sixth inning of game four of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York, USA, 19 October 2010. The winner of the best-of-seven series will go on to face either Philadelphia Phillies or the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. EPA/JUSTIN LANE fotoglif765596

      Assuming he doesn’t get injured or suffer a case of bad luck, CC Sabathia is still the best pitcher in the American League. If he can stay healthy, Phil Hughes is a solid No. 3 on a championship team and even has the talent to be a good No. 2. Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are the unknowns, but the Yankees don’t need any of those guys to be Cliff Lee or even Pettitte. They could do much worse for their No. 4 and No. 5 starters.

      But with Pettitte retiring, the Bombers do need the 2009 version of A.J. Burnett to return and not the puss that took the mound in 2010. It’s not like the guy can’t pitch; he helped the Yankees win the World Series in ’09 by finishing with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. But those numbers rose in 2010 when he went 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.

      The key with Burnett has always been his mindset. If he’s healthy and his head is in the right place, then the Yankees’ rotation will be fine with Sabathia, Burnett and Hughes rounding out the top 3 spots. But if Burnett’s confidence starts to go, then so does his stuff and the wheels can come off rather quickly.

      Pitching in New York and the small dimensions at Yankee Stadium don’t help his cause either. Pitchers can’t get away with mistakes at Yankee Stadium like they can at Petco Park or AT&T. Leave one up to a lefty in the Bronx and the ball is likely to wind up in some fan’s office the next morning.

      But the early reports on Burnett have been good. He’s working with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who says Burnett has a new approach that should yield better results. He also thinks that Burnett’s “mind and heart are in the right place,” and that he wants to do well.

      For the Yankees’ sake, hopefully Rothschild is right. Losing Pettitte to retirement could be a minor blip or a catastrophe depending on Burnett.

      External Sports, MLB

      Derek Jeter move to the outfield? It would be unprecedented.

      January 25, 2011 /
      angers Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, Texas USA, 16 October 2010. This is the second game of the best of seven of the 2010 American League Championship Series. The New York Yankees lead the series 1-0. EPA/PAUL BUCK fotoglif764240

      On Monday, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman told the media that he could envision Derek Jeter moving from shortstop to the outfield before his new contract runs out in 2014. But as Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk writes, that kind of move would be unprecedented for a 37-year-old shortstop.

      * Exactly 16 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in left field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in center field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in right field. None of them did both after the age of 35.

      Maybe Jeter could be a utility guy who can cover the outfield from time to time, but there is no precedent whatsoever for a guy his age moving from the everyday shortstop position to an everyday position in the outfield. And no, Robin Yount — everyone’s favorite go-to guy on this subject — didn’t do it either. His last game at shortstop came when he was 28. Past the age of 30 he was an outfielder/DH with some occasional starts at first.

      And that’s before you factor in Jeter’s bat, which unless he bounces back to 2009 form and stays there for the next four years, will not be stout enough to justify a position in the outfield.

      I can’t see Jeter moving to the outfield either, although my reasoning is way more subjective than Calcaterra’s take.

      Jeter won’t move to the outfield because he’s Derek Jeter. He’s the New York Yankees shortstop and will be the New York Yankees shortstop until he finally gives way to a protégée. For as classy as Jeter is, he still has an ego and I highly doubt he would OK a move to the outfield – even as his defensive numbers continue to decline.

      I’m not suggesting that Jeter is too pompous to help his team, but for the life of me I can’t see him sauntering out to left field when his time is up at short. I could see him moving to third if the Yankees figure out what to do with Alex Rodriguez. But the outfield? Nah.

      External Sports, MLB

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