Via Jon Heyman:
The Yankees will make an offer to exceed Johan Santana’s $137.5 million contract to top target CC Sabathia and closely follow that bold first strike with proposals within the next day or two to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe, SI.com has learned.
The Yankees’ aggressive three-pronged free agent pitching approach puts them in position to dominate the free-agent market. The three offers together are expected to total in the $250 million range.
The Yankees are hoping to blow away the field for Sabathia, who prefers to play in California if all things are equal, then fashion the rest of their rotation from a very strong free-agent market for pitchers. The Yankees don’t expect immediate acceptances from all three pitchers, but one competing executive said, “I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Yankees sign all three guys.” (That’s probably a long shot, however.)
Here’s an interesting thought: Suppose the Yankees get Sabathia, Burnett and Lowe. You know the three of them will be under contract for the next four years, at the least. Add Joba Chamberlain to them. That’s four. Now add Chien-Ming Wang – that’s five.
In theory, if these five do what they’re supposed to do for the next four years, as a unit, in the Bronx, then when do Phil Hughes, Andrew Brackman, and Jeremy Bleich ever pitch for the Yankees – some time in 2012 or 2013? Hmm…
14 Responses to “Offers To Burnett & Lowe Coming From Yankees”
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November 17th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
[...] Steve Lombardi talks about what happens if the Yankees obtain C.C., Lowe, & Burnett.. Where does Hughes go if they get all 3? [...]
November 18th, 2008 at 12:07 am
These moves always work themselves out.
But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Burnett spend time on the DL, or Lowe get shelled. Joba’ll probably be your setup man.
But if the Yanks get Lowe and Burnett, especially Burnett, I’d be quite annoyed.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:36 am
There is 0 chance that they sign all three and there is 0 chance Joba becomes a set up man
November 18th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Hughes is trade bait for Peavy, when Kevin Towers gets back to Cashman.
Brackman, Bleich, Betances, etc, are still at least 2 years away from realistically contributing, in some capacity, to the big leagues.
but even if they were able to get Sabathia, Burnett, and Lowe on board (which they wont), its never hurt a team to have too many pitchers.
i really think its a bad idea to ink Burnett long term… Lowe is prob a better option, can you can throw in big $$ on a 3 year deal and prob get him to sign.
one thought: the issue the team had a couple seasons ago, and the conclusion i thought the organization came to, was that it wasnt worth it to overspend for veteran pitchers on the FA market…
so they decided to go in heavy on drafting/signing and developing high upside, young pitchers (whether it be the draft or international signings, etc), which i agree with.
but then why throw money at a guy like Burnett who was the problem just 2 seasons ago? he’s the veteran coming off a great year which was preceded by a couple of injury-filled, mediocre ones (which is why you avoided signing him when he was a FA a couple seasons ago).
the talent and ability is unquestionable, but the durability issues are certainly sitting there like the 2 ton gorilla in the room.
i have to think if Cashman and crew pull this off, they are going to sell off a lot of this young pitching they are currently developing now for high-ceiling positional players… a 1B, a CF, maybe a corner OF… long term pieces who can compliment the Jeter/ARod years ahead.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Wang isn’t really under a long term contract. He’s just going year to year and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees let him walk after his 6th year. It doesn’t seem they have any intentions of signing him long term.
I don’t think they get Lowe. I bet the only way he comes back to the AL East is to pitch for the Sox.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:07 am
“Hughes is trade bait for Peavy, when Kevin Towers gets back to Cashman.”
I’m sure Cashman really wants a 6 inning pitcher who had elbow problems last yr and wants nothing to do with pitching in the AL.
Also I’m sure he’ll cut ties with his prize pitcher one yr after not dealing him for a proven lefty ace who wanted to come to NY.
Face it. Hughes is not being traded.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:40 am
TurnTwo, I disagree with two of your points. First, I have a hard time believing Hughes is trade bait for Peavy, or anyone for that matter. If he wasn’t used as a package for Santana, a proven and dominant pitcher in the AL, than why would he be flipped to the Padres for an unproven, NL pitcher with elbow problems who pitches in the weakest division in a total pitcher’s park? Makes no sense.
Second, I think the Yankees conclusion was a little more than what you said. It wasn’t just them not overspending for veteran FA pitching, it was more of them doing that in a more intelligent manner. This year the Yankees get a good amount of draft picks for who signs their free agents, so they can afford to go after veteran FA pitchers and not lose out on their draft picks and minor league development. They also have a cushion of minor leaguers who can step in if an injury occurs, which is something they didn’t have when Pavano or Randy Johnson went down with injuries. With Hughes and Kennedy in AAA they have decent fillers for 2008.
Also, I agree with you when you say the Yanks shouldn’t sign Burnett but there needs to be some backup plan if they can’t land CC or Lowe. I think they learned last year, when there was no backup plan for if Hughes and Kennedy flop, that you need some kind of plan if everything doesn’t work out in your plan.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:19 am
For the life of me I can’t understand why Burnett and Lowe are being targeted over Teixeira.
Priority should’ve been Sabathia-Teixeira-whatever’s left of the free agent pitchers.
Cashman was retained but I can’t tell if he’s calling the shots or not. This desperate need to spend lavishly seems unlike him, given the past 3-4 years.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Brackman, Bleich, Betances, etc, are still at least 2 years away from realistically contributing, in some capacity, to the big leagues.
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why is Bleich 2 years away?
November 18th, 2008 at 11:49 am
why is Bleich 2 years away?
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Perhaps to give him a full season in the minors, with an eye on having him contribute in 2010.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I think they learned last year, when there was no backup plan for if Hughes and Kennedy flop
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Actually, there was.
Going into the season, you had a rotation of
Wang-Pettitte-Mussina-Hughes-Kennedy
Chamberlain was to transition into the rotation at some point during the season.
On the farm you had Kartsens, Rasner, Horne, Giese, among others, plus whatever was available on the scrap heap (Ponson). Even Aceves got a look.
Despite the troubles in 2008, the Yankee pitching performed better than they did last year (ERA+ of 104 to 2007’s 99)
November 18th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Honestly, if Burnett is signed the jig is up. Burnett has never pitched a big game in his life(he was injured back in 2003 when the Marlins won the WS) and he was fired by Jack McKeon at the end of the Marlins 2005 season because he was such an asshole.He was actually sent home! How does that happen to someone in a walk year? He also is never healthy except for last year. It shows that the inmates are running the asylum in the Bronx. Bring in CC and Lowe and Pettitte back BUT NO AJ!! The Yankees need an offensive upgrade NOT a pitching upgrade. Cash Man and their idiotic brain trust are putting the Yanks in 3rd or 4th place this year.
MJ, we finally agreed on something!CC and Teix need to be their 1a priorities instead they are dicking around with Burnett. Look Lowe is a very good postseason pitcher and I don’t mind him pitching for the Yanks because he’s a big game pitcher . BUT AJ? He doesn’t get along with the press in Toronto , what makes anyone think he will make it in NYC?
November 18th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
“I’m sure Cashman really wants a 6 inning pitcher who had elbow problems last yr and wants nothing to do with pitching in the AL.
Also I’m sure he’ll cut ties with his prize pitcher one yr after not dealing him for a proven lefty ace who wanted to come to NY.
Face it. Hughes is not being traded.”
i’m not trying to throw him out, i’m just saying if Cashman could do a Peavy for Hughes, plus trade, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
the game has changed, re: johan. now, cashman gets his prized lefty (Sabathia) w/o giving up any prospects, and can turn the prospects he has into another top-10 pitcher.
so thats 2 top-10 pitchers for the price of Hughes, not one. if anything, if it went down, itd be more saavy of Cashman then if he just traded Hughes for Johan last winter.
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“Perhaps to give him a full season in the minors, with an eye on having him contribute in 2010.”
re: Bleich… i just dont expect him to fly thru the minor leagues. he doesnt have dominant, overpowering stuff.
and the odds say he doesnt make it at all, let alone make it to the big leagues in less than 2 years.
he’s shown promise, but temper that enthusiasm until he gets a full season of pro ball in first.
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“For the life of me I can’t understand why Burnett and Lowe are being targeted over Teixeira.
Priority should’ve been Sabathia-Teixeira-whatever’s left of the free agent pitchers.”
agreed.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
The Yanks are barking up the wrong tree with Lowe, and offering $80 million for Burnett is throwing money down the drain. They should sign Andy and Manny and use some of there young pitching reserves and even Austin Jackson to pull in another starter.