Via Keith Olbermann –

What I am hearing is not very specific and not very highly-sourced, but it is consistent: I get the impression that the Yankees are not optimistic that they are going to sign him.

Even before Lee went into his self-imposed exile of no fixed length, the answers the Yankees were getting from him directly and indirectly, in Arkansas and merely from it, were not encouraging. Lee just isn’t a New York guy. This is not said insultingly, and is in fact part of the reason the vibe seems so strong: He just doesn’t seem capable of giving the generic incomplete truths required of a guy trying to leverage a team he doesn’t really want to play for.

The “Not A New York Guy” thing is an essential test. Ed Whitson didn’t listen to the voice telling him not to come here. Mike Hampton heard it from the Missus and got out after a year. It’s very possible A.J. Burnett just began to hear it in Year Two. It’s obvious that Greg Maddux heard it from the beginning and listened and will go to the Hall of Fame as a result. It just isn’t for everybody, and I say this having been born here lived all but about ten years of my life here or nearby. I still mutter under my breath at New Yorkers and contemplate evacuating to higher ground, on average about once a week.

Put all this together and it would seem this in fact might be a one-team race, and that the month might end the way it began, with the Yankees’ nominal third starter being a choice between Ivan Nova and Burnett…

Won’t it be nice if Lee makes his decision today so that we can all start moving on?

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Well played, Sandman.

Via Rob Bradford with a h/t to BBTF –

According to multiple major league sources, Mariano Rivera’s representatives were the ones to initiate contact with the Red Sox in an attempt to get the team interested in the closer. While the Red Sox would ultimately make a two-year offer to Rivera, according to sources the team’s expectation was that he would be returning to the Yankees. The 41-year-old ultimately re-signed with New York, securing a two-year, $30 million deal.

While there was some thought that because of the offer to Rivera the Red Sox were prepared to non-tender closer Jonathan Papelbon, separate sources suggest the Sox were never inclined to let Papelbon become a free agent this offseason. In the short-term, the team valued the reliever’s presence in the back-end of its bullpen, while long-term it coveted any draft picks that might come the Sox’ way if Papelbon were to sign elsewhere in free agency next year. The Sox’ closer is arbitration-eligible for a third time, and is heading into the final season of being controlled by the Sox.

Filed under Rivalry Snapshots ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Drew Silva:

We aren’t the only ones searching for clues as to where free agent left-hander Cliff Lee might sign.

ESPN.com’s Buster Olney has also been doing a bit of digging and wrote Sunday at ESPN Insider that a Yankees executive has put New York’s chances at only “50-50.”

Perhaps that’s because there are two teams left in the running — the Yanks and Rangers — and simple math would give each club a 1-in-2 shot. Or maybe this report Saturday from Jack Curry of the YES Network has some legs. Curry wrote that Yankees officials have expressed a “bit of skepticism” about signing Lee, even after out-doing the Rangers with a seven-year contract offer.

This is all speculation at the moment. Lee is not expected to make a decision until Monday, or even later in the week, and his agent has remained silent all weekend.

But it’s not unprecedented for a top tier free agent to turn down more guaranteed money from one club to stay in a place where he feels comfortable. Lee only spent a couple of months this year in Texas, but maybe he really enjoyed himself. It’s rare, but not unprecedented.

How long until we start to hear Brian Cashman say “I’m very comfortable having Sergio Mitre in our starting rotation”?

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Bones was something, wasn’t he?

It’s interesting how many of the guys on this list played for the Yankees at one time or another.

Filed under Stat Of The Day Blog ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via the good guys at the Daily News –

The Yankees are locked in a waiting game as Cliff Lee mulls his potential landing spot and the Bombers may have the Red Sox to blame for prolonging the process.

Boston was one of the teams to make the free-agent prize a seven-year offer during the winter meetings, a source with knowledge of the talks said Saturday. But the Red Sox’s bid, which they made on Tuesday, was a purposely low proposal designed mostly to keep the Yankees occupied with their Lee pursuit, so the Red Sox could concentrate on landing Carl Crawford, the player the Sox coveted, the source added.

The Yankees and Red Sox have clashed over free agents in the past, and gamesmanship is nothing new to a rivalry that extends beyond the field into each team’s boardroom. When the two teams were both pursuing Cuban defector Jose Contreras in the winter before the 2003 season, the Red Sox rented all the rooms at the Hotel Campo Real in Managua, Nicaragua, where Contreras was staying, to block the Yankees from staying there.

In this latest wrinkle to the rivalry, the Red Sox thought the Yankees were serious about pursuing Crawford, who had dinner with Yankee GM Brian Cashman on Tuesday, the source said. Boston’s brain trust believed the Yankees, fearing that Andy Pettitte may finally retire, were set to shell out the megabucks necessary to sign both Crawford and Lee, although Cashman has since said he was dining with Crawford only to try to drive up the speedy outfielder’s price for other teams.

The Red Sox made a seven-year offer to Lee that “wasn’t for the minimum, but it may as well have been,” the source said. The Red Sox hoped their offer would be reported by news media covering the winter meetings, adding intrigue to Lee’s situation. Then the Red Sox pounced on Crawford, beating out the Angels, another serious suitor, because they believed if Lee decided to sign with the Texas Rangers, the Yankees would try to sign Crawford.

It’s really too bad that Brian Cashman has allowed his starting rotation to get as bad as it is – where he’s now praying to sign Cliff Lee. Why? I would love to see the Yankees be able to grow a pair and call up Lee today and say “You’ve waited too long. Our offer is now off the table.” Now, that would be a story, eh?

Filed under Rivalry Snapshots ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via the Dallas Morning News –

Sometimes hesitation can be a good thing, especially when you’re in the middle of a head-to-head battle with the richest team in Major League Baseball.

After the Yankees reportedly raised their offer from a six-year deal to seven, midweek, Texas Rangers ownership decided it was necessary to make an emergency trip to Arkansas to visit with Cliff Lee and his wife, Kristen.

During the meeting, the Rangers laid out a a menu of contract options for Lee to consider, leaving the left-handed pitcher with a difficult decision to make.

“You have to adapt to changing circumstances and situations,” Greenberg said Thursday. “After the Carl Crawford signing, it didn’t take too much time for us to realize the situation had changed. Tactics change all the time. Early in the day [Wednesday] our outlook was based on one set of circumstances. Later in the day, circumstances had changed.”

Those changing circumstances, as well as the emergency meeting, have New York sports writers nervous. While many expect Lee to sign with the Yankees — who are willing to offer money money and years — Lee’s hesitation to accept the Yankees’ offer has led to rampant speculation amongst journalists in the New York area that the deal might not be a lock.

And, from ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth -

It’s Saturday afternoon and we still aren’t sure where Cliff Lee will pitch in 2011 (and for many seasons after that). We know he’s going to be a rich man, no matter what. But will he be unpacking his stuff in a locker in Arizona or one in Florida come February?

This is, of course, pure speculation on my part, but isn’t the fact that Lee hasn’t announced a decision good news for the Rangers? If, as we all assume, the Yankees have the highest offer on the table, Lee still hasn’t taken it. That could mean he is truly mulling over the offers the Rangers’ contingent presented in Little Rock, Ark., on Thursday night. Of course, he could think about his options and still head to New York. But the fact that he hasn’t yet, I think, is a positive sign for the Rangers. Maybe I’m just crazy.

Texas hopes the other factors, beyond the length of the contract, come into play for Lee. That includes the proximity to his home. The fact that Texas doesn’t have state taxes (we blogged this morning about taxes, but one thing to consider is that any more money the Yankees may be paying him will be taxed federally at 36 percent or so and then he’ll have to pay the highest state tax rate. So that could make a difference in the overall package) and Lee’s clear enjoyment in the Rangers’ clubhouse and playing with a group of teammates that he developed a bond with despite only staying with the Rangers 4 1/2 months.

Know who will be the second person in Yankeeland to know that Lee has decided to sign with the Rangers? That will be Andy Pettitte when he gets a phone call from Brian Cashman, begging the lefty to return to the Yankees for another season.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

For the last ten days or so, I’ve been thumbing through the Graphical Player 2011. From a fantasy baseball player/owner perspective, it has lots of cool stuff, including, but not limited to:

• A mega “Draft Pack” section for draft day assistance
• Four years of career stats for over 1,000 players – including splits and minor-league stats down to Single-A for each player for 2010
• Tables comparing each player to his competition at his position and a unique “mini-browser” showing five players with similar 2011 projections at the same position
• Projected and historical dollar values for single and mixed Roto leagues, as well as tallies for point-based leagues and four years of factors for Scoresheet Baseball
• Profiles of more than 100 top prospects with independent rankings from three experts
• Full player stats by team for 2010
• And, it has all kinds of new stats like Runs Scored % and RBI % for hitters and Lead and Disaster Starts for pitchers – to go along with some funky fantasy league stats like Caught Stealing, Complete Games, Blown Saves, Holds, Quality Starts, etc.

But, even if you’re not a fantasy baseball player, you’ll enjoy going through this one – just for the stats and player commentary.  Now, for some Yankees stuff via Graphical Player 2011:

• A-Rod’s “Hit %” and “Runs Scored %” have gone down each season from his MVP year in 2007
• Rob McQuown’s 2011 projection in the book has Robinson Cano topping out at 20 HR and a .297 BA
• David Robertson’s BB/9 rate has gone from 4.5 in 2008 to 4.7 in 2009 to 4.8 in 2010
• Rob McQuown’s 2011 projection in the book has A.J. Burnett winning 11 games with an ERA of 4.74

If you play fantasy baseball, you’ll want to have Graphical Player 2011 at your side on draft day and during the season. And, if you don’t play fantasy baseball, you’ll still enjoy this one, like I did, thumbing through it – feeding a baseball fix – waiting for the 2011 season to start.

Filed under Reviews ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Jon Heyman -

favored #yankees have offered more $, 1 more guaranteed yr than #rangers. but c. lee liked texas, has 3rd team in mix. story soon on si.com

Well, we’ll soon see what’s the most important thing for Mr. Lee, won’t we?

Update – here’s Heyman’s story:

In the race for free agent left-hander Cliff Lee, people familiar with the talks indicate that the the New York Yankees have a big advantage over the Texas Rangers in terms of total guaranteed dollars offered and also have one more guaranteed year currently on the table. But while it would still be a surprise to see Lee turn down the Yankees’ offer, several other factors beyond money are at play here as Lee considers what are said to be three viable options, including the Arkansas resident’s love of the Rangers, who play 4½ hours away from his Little Rock, Ark., home by car.

With all the considerations in mind, and Lee receiving latest Rangers and Yankees proposals in the past few days, the former AL Cy Young Award winner is not expected to make a decision Friday night. There is also thought to a third mystery team in the running, though the outside perception at least has been that the Yankees and Rangers are the main combatants. The Boston Red Sox admit they are not in the mix; a possibility could be the Los Angeles Angels, though that is unconfirmed.

Two executives who knew Lee dating back to his Cleveland days say he would not be the least bit averse to going to New York after competing in just about every corner of the country already; Lee has been with Cleveland, Philadelphia and Seattle as well as Texas in a much-traveled career. Sabathia held the advantage in his negotiations because the perception — incorrect as it was — was that he much preferred his home state of California and might shy away from New York.

Yet another intriguing caveat is that there is still believed to be a third mystery team in the race. The Red Sox are said by several sources to be understandably “out” of this race after their two big acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford — though they were in at one time, and offered a seven-year deal at one point, according to Foxsports.com. The Angels could be that third team, as sources familiar with their thinking say their No. 2 target after Crawford is Lee, despite a very strong rotation and obvious offensive needs. But the Angels aren’t viewed as an organization that wants to go toe-to-toe with the Yankees in terms of dollars, never mind that Lee really isn’t a need for them.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

This reminds me of an old joke:

Thor, the Norse God of Thunder, once spent a weekend with a stripper in Vegas, posing as a average man, doing the wild thing with her for 40 hours straight, just about non-stop.

Afterwards, he felt he should honor the mortal by letting her know who he was. “I’m Thor!” he proclaimed.

She answered: “You’re Thor?!? I’m so thor I can hardly pith!”

Filed under Random Thoughts ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via the AP –

Hank Steinbrenner looks to Andy Pettitte when evaluating the risk of offering a seven-year contract to Cliff Lee.

The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are waiting for a decision from the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is evaluating offers made by both teams before making a decision on where to sign.

“For somebody of that stature, it would certainly behoove him to be a Yankee, which would probably be for the rest of his career,” Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ co-chairman, said during a telephone interview Friday with The Associated Press. “I think that would be a great move for him but, of course I’m prejudiced.”

“Looking at how well Andy pitched up until this year and so forth, and he’s a lefty, the same kind of pitcher as Andy, I don’t really see a problem,” Steinbrenner said. “I think Cliff’s the kind of guy that can get it done and be effective for a long time. He’s a great pitcher.”

Then again, Hank was the one who thought it was a smart thing to sign A-Rod through the year 2587.

Filed under Hankie Says ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

To be candid, really not that much at all.

Filed under Stat Of The Day Blog ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Happy 30,000th, Slick.

Filed under Yankees History ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Scott Beaman –

One of the myriad of reasons that Texas may appeal more to Cliff Lee than New York is the tax scenario. Let’s take a closer look at that.

The Yankees’ initial offer to Cliff Lee was approximately six years and $140 million. While a seventh year has since been added, let’s use the original report to illustrate the following point, since we know the approximate dollars involved.

If Lee lived in New York City, he would pay 12.618 percent of his salary to state (8.97 percent) and city (3.648 percent) income taxes (based upon the 2010 tax rates). Presuming that held steady, that would amount to $17.67 million on his total contract.

Thus, a six-year/$123 million contract with the Rangers would be more valuable to Cliff Lee than a six-year/$140 million contract with the Yankees, since there are no state or city taxes in Texas.

And, this doesn’t factor in the cost of living difference between Texas and New York. According to one source, if you move from New York to Texas, groceries will cost 40% less, housing will cost 82% less, and utilities will cost 38% less.

Good luck, Mr. Cashman. I hope you’re working hard on your “Plan B.”

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Neil Keefe talks to Sweeny Murti on the state of the Yankees. It’s a good read – check it out.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Have you heard about the new exhibit they’re doing at Cooperstown? Click here for more. Pretty cool that you can make a donation towards it and have it recognized.

Filed under Random Thoughts ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via John Harper –

[Brian Cashman] was doing his best to give off a casual vibe, all right, indicating that he never had any intention of signing Crawford, even if he didn’t get Lee. Yet by then Cashman had already reacted to the Crawford signing by calling Cliff Lee’s agent to raise his offer from six to seven years.

And even though he wouldn’t comment on that or on word coming out of other factions of the Yankee organization that Andy Pettitte really does want to retire this time, Cashman claimed that such a development would not affect his pursuit of Lee.

In other words, the more Cashman talked, the harder it was to know what to believe.

Would he really take the time to meet with Crawford’s agent, even offer to fly to Houston to see the player, just to force the Red Sox to pay more for him?

Would he truly draw the line on his offer to Lee, as he insisted, now that he desperately needed to counter the Red Sox’s acquisitions of Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez?

A day later I’m starting to think Cashman wanted to be visible in the aftermath of the Sox’s maneuver so he could make it look as if he weren’t in full panic mode.

Because if he doesn’t get Lee, the Yankees are going to have to beg Pettitte not to retire just so they can have a respectable starting rotation in 2011.

Furthermore, if he doesn’t get Lee, Cashman is going to have to take the hit for allowing the pitcher’s agent, Derek Braunecker, to proceed so slowly that Crawford could no longer wait on the Yankees.

Maybe Cashman was confident that going to a seventh year on Lee, which he was dead against all along, would get a deal done. But any such confidence must have wavered Thursday when he heard Nolan Ryan and the Rangers were making a third trip to Arkansas to talk to Lee.

Here’s the deal, for those who haven’t figured it out yet: Cliff Lee doesn’t want to pitch for the Yankees. Or, maybe, better said, it’s not his first choice.

Think about it – Cashman has offered him seven years and more money than he could spend in the next three lifetimes to come pitch in New York. If it was Lee’s “#1″ desire to play for the Yankees, what more would be left to think about? Nada. You sign the deal. Instead, Lee is allowing the Rangers to still talk to him – and he knows that Texas will never match the Yankees dollars. So, why talk? Simple: He wants them to come as close as possible to the Yankees offer so that he can accept it and stay close to home, etc.

If this guy wanted to play for the Yankees, more than anything else, there’s no reason to delay in taking the offer. And, since he is still talking to Texas, it means that playing in New York is not his first preference.

Sure, he still may take the Yankees money in the end. But, it will be just money driven and not because he wants to be here.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via George King -

The Yankees have extended an offer to free agent Russell Martin and explained to his agent they view him as a starting catcher.

“They made an offer and have serious interest,’’ agent Matt Colleran said Thursday. “We are at the point where we are having serious discussions with the Yankees, Red Sox and Toronto.’’

Asked what role the Yankees have told the right-handed hitting Martin they want him for, Colleran said, “starting catcher.’’

Though the Yankees never guaranteed stud prospect Jesus Montero the starting job when they told Jorge Posada to be ready for extended DH duty, it was assumed Montero would get first crack at replacing Posada behind the plate. If Martin signs it could be an indication the Yankees aren’t convinced Montero is ready.

Martin, 27, was non-tendered by the Dodgers recently. They were wary of going to arbitration with him after me made $5 million last year when he batted .248 with five homers and 26 RBIs in 97 games. His season ended Aug. 3 when he broke his hip sliding into home plate.

Know the last time Martin had a slugging percentage above .400? That would be 2007. Know the last time Martin had an Offensive Winning Percentage above .446? That would be 2008. Yeah, back in 2007-2008, Russell Martin was a pretty good, albeit not great, offensive player for a catcher. However, the last two seasons? Think: Francisco Cervelli, last season. Or, maybe a tick better than that…say…Rod Barajas circa 2008-2009 or John Buck circa 2007-2008.

Sure, maybe Martin can bounce back to those 2007-2008 level? Then again, in Yankeeland, he could be this season’s version of last year’s Nick Johnson too.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

And, at this moment, the Yankees starting rotation is:

CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Phil Hughes
Sergio Mitre
Ivan Nova

I think Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Pettitte can go a little crazy with their X-mas shopping this year. There’s a ton of money waiting on both their husbands in Yankeeland.

Filed under Possible Bad News ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Look at what certain Yankees are sure to be paid in 2013:

.

What’s A-Rod going to be good for, come 2013 – maybe 130 games played, 25 homers and a .260 batting average? Almost everyone thinks Jeter will be toast by 2013. How about CC – will all those innings start to show up come 2013 – like the knee surgery he needed after last year? Teixeira will be 33-years old in 2013 and starting towards the back-end of his career. And, don’t even get me started about A.J. Burnett.

And, now, the Yankees want to add Cliff Lee to this mix – at huge dollars? Lee will be 34-years old in 2013.

Granted, sure, look at Andy Pettitte. He aged well. Ditto Mariano Rivera – and, to an extent, Jorge Posada. So, maybe this will all work out for the Yankees? But, for sure, I wouldn’t bet any money on it.

Filed under Possible Bad News ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Joel Sherman –

The Yankees have increased their offer to free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee to seven years.

In the aftermath of outfielder Jayson Werth getting seven years from the Nationals and — most especially — outfielder Carl Crawford receiving a seven-year deal from the Red Sox late Wednesday night, the Yankees caved in and did what as late as Wednesday evening they said they would not do, add that seventh year to their offer.

The offer to Lee came hours after the Red Sox jolted the Winter Meetings by outmaneuvering the cautious Angels to land Crawford on a seven-year, $142 million deal. That meant the Red Sox had obtained both first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (in a trade with the Padres) and Crawford at these Meetings and nothing motivates the Yankees quite like the build up of their rival.

So after insisting for weeks they would not climb above a six year offer for up to $150 million, the Yankees suddenly felt they had no choice. Boston had added two under-30, two-way stars to energize their fan base and electrify their roster. That pushed the Yankees.

But so did something else: They had no Plan B. There was no other starting pitcher in the trade or free agent market anywhere close to Lee’s talent. And without adding a high-end starter, the Yankees were putting their 2011 season in real peril.

Thus, the Yankees did what they so often do: They threw money at their problem. They decided not to worry about $25 million in 2017. They decided not to worry that Lee will pitch until he is 39 years old on a seven-year contract. Instead, they made sure to differentiate themselves totally from the field.

Ah, the ol’ Cashman play: Have monster holes/issues on your roster? Then, throw Steinbrenner dollars at it to make up for the problem you’ve created.

I’m guessing that Cashman figures he won’t be around in Yankeeland come 2013 – so, why worry about how old and over-paid the Yankees are going to be, down the line, now? The last two to three years on this Lee deal, plus the last few years on the deals for CC, Tex, and A-Rod, and the current remaining years on the Burnett deal, are ugly news for Yankees fans – beyond beer goggles ugly.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Ben Walker –

A night after Carl Crawford enjoyed a steak dinner with the New York Yankees, he served up a meaty surprise: He’s going to play for the rival Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox struck again at these winter meetings, reaching agreement with the star left fielder on a $142 million, seven-year contract.

A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press late Wednesday the agreement was subject to Crawford passing a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet finalized.

Crawford’s free-agent deal was first reported by The Boston Globe on its website.

On Monday, the Red Sox announced they had acquired slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in a trade with San Diego. Boston’s big deals came after they failed to make the playoffs and will certainly increase pressure on the Yankees to make a splash – that could mean Cliff Lee.

“It’s not going to change the way we allocate our money,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said past midnight.

Yet Crawford’s deal had to sting him. On Tuesday night, Cashman dined with the longtime Tampa Bay star. The Los Angeles Angels also pursued Crawford.

So, now, the Angels are in a pickle – because Crawford was their guy, by all reports. So, does this mean L.A. takes that money and goes hard after Cliff Lee? And, if the Yankees don’t get Cliff Lee, now they can’t sign Crawford and free up an outfielder to trade for a starting pitcher. This deal hurts the Yankees in more ways than just an impact batter going to the Red Sox…

Filed under Rivalry Snapshots ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via the AP –

How hungry are the New York Yankees to sign Cliff Lee?

Brian Cashman couldn’t have been more vivid in his description after finally making an offer Wednesday to the prized free-agent pitcher, a deal worth between $137 million and $140 million for six seasons. Every other possible big move by New York must wait until the 32-year-old left-hander decides.

“Hannibal Lecter in a straitjacket right now, waiting on this Cliff Lee thing,” the Yankees general manager said. “It’s kind of restricting my movements a little bit.”

While Cashman didn’t go into details, a person familiar with the offer said it was a six-year deal valued at more than Johan Santana’s contract with the New York Mets, which is for $137.5 million, and as much as $140 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposal was not made public.

Lee’s agent, Darek Braunecker, left the winter meetings and headed to Arkansas to meet with his client after receiving the offer from the Yankees. New York manager Joe Girardi even called Lee “the prize of this winter.”

Me? I think $100 million for five years is a fair offer to Lee, all things considered. So, this is one more year and a lot more money – forty million more. Then again, if the Yankees don’t sign Lee, they’re not making it to the World Series in 2011 – and may not even make the post-season. And, then, all that money spent on CC, Tex, Jeter, A-Rod, et al, is just overpaying for a 90-win season. Oh, well, at the least, New York won’t get shut down because they made a cheap offer. I do wonder, however, how much the lack of state income tax in Texas would allow the Rangers to make an offer that’s less money, but, the same net result? And, if Texas does offer that, will the Yankees increase their offer? Just how high would they go? Or, is this Cashman’s one and final offer?

What’s “Plan B” for Cashman? Sign Brandon Webb or Justin Duchscherer? Trade for Wandy Rodriguez or Tom Gorzelanny? Yikes.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via ESPN –

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had a long meeting Tuesday night with representatives of Carl Crawford, a source told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney.

The Yankees are planning to move in a different direction if they do not get Cliff Lee, and Crawford would be a big part of that.

Cashman is on the verge of making Lee a very lucrative offer but is waiting for the green light from the player’s agent.

“I’m willing to get serious,” said Cashman, who was scheduled to talk with agent Darek Braunecker on Tuesday night.

Cashman said Braunecker is setting the pace of the negotiations so the Yankees must go step for step with him.

However, Andy Pettitte could throw a wrinkle in the Yankees’ plans if he retires. A close friend of Pettitte told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark on Tuesday that if Pettitte had to make a decision today on whether to play in 2011, he would still lean toward retirement.

The Yankees haven’t pressured Pettitte in any way to make a decision. But they clearly would like to know his plans one way or the other. Pettitte earned $11.75 million this season, and if he isn’t coming back, it would both create greater urgency for the Yankees to sign Lee and provide more payroll flexibility that could motivate them to make a serious run at signing Lee and Crawford.

The Angels also are targeting Crawford’s services, and multiple sources who have been in contact with the Angels front office told Stark that Crawford remains the team’s No. 1 offseason priority — by far.

It does seem like the Angels are kicking the tires on Cliff Lee to drive up the price for the Yankees, and, in return the Yankees are doing the same with Carl Crawford to make the Angels have to through the nose for him. Perhaps it’s time for their G.M.’s to get together and work this out? You know, leave my guy alone and I’ll leave your guy alone…

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

…it’s his teammates, too.

With all the attention surrounding Jeter’s new deal I did a little checking on his career numbers and noticed that over the last 3 years had 69, 66, and 67 RBIs, and that if he collects 65 more rib-eyes in 2011 he’ll reach 1,200 for his career.  Now that might not seem like a lot to some of us but it’s more than Rocky Colavito or Joe Torre or Jack Clark—none of whom were slouches.  Heck, Chuck Klein, a Hall of Famer and a triple crown winner had a career total of 1,201 RBIs.  Or take George Foster.  He played 18 years in the majors, drove in 90 or more runs 7 times, even led the league 3 straight years, and retired with a career total of 1,239.  So, yeah, 1,200 career RBIs is rather significant.

   It’s even more significant when you realize that of Jeter’s thus far 9,322 career ABs only 509 (5.5%) have come while batting 3rd, 4th or 5th.   Just think of the great Yankee teams of 1996-2001.  Their 3rd, 4th and 5th batters were basically Paul O’Neill (1,269 RBIs), Bernie Williams (1,257) and Tino Martinez (1,271).  Good career totals all; but Jeter’s going to blow by them.

   So I got to wondering:  Who’s the big RBI man among hitters who didn’t bat 3rd, 4th or 5th for his career?   There’s Robin Yount.   1,406 career RBIs.   But he had over 3,200 ABs batting 3rd, 4th or 5th (about 35% of his career total).   Pudge Rodriguez has 1,313, but he’s had about 33.3% of his ABs from the middle of the order. Ditto Paul Molitor: 1,307 RBIs and 32.6% of his ABs from the RBI slots.  Now 33% or so might not seem like a heck of a lot at first blush, but it’s the equivalent in these cases of about 5 or 6 full seasons; and it is a heck of a lot more than Jeter who will be pushing  1,300 by the end of his current contract.  So that just leaves Pete Rose—unless I’m missing someone—with a career total of 1,314 RBIs while batting leadoff almost his entire career.   That’s 178 RBIs more than Jeter at this moment, and a possible target for him over the next 3 years. So will Jeter become the all time RBI leader for non-RBI men?   An oddish honor perhaps, but an honor nonetheless.

Filed under Jim TreshFan ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Via Ken Rosenthal -

The Yankees have refrained from making an offer to Lee at the request of his agent, Darek Braunecker, according to sources in contact with the club.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, anxious to close a deal, has privately expressed his frustration to others at the winter meetings about the team’s inability to move the negotiations along, sources say.

The Yankees’ position: When Lee is ready to make a deal, we’re here.

The difference might simply be semantics; it is possible the two sides have discussed the framework of a contract for the prized free-agent left-hander.

Lee’s side also might be trying to elevate the bidding from other clubs — in particular, the Rangers — before engaging seriously with the Yankees.

Lee is the Yankees’ top off-season target. The team, which also is trying to re-sign free-agent lefty Andy Pettitte, will be left scrambling to find more starting pitching if Lee chooses another club.

If Pettitte retires, which he may; and, if Lee turns his back on the Yankees dollars, which he may; then the Yankees are in deep dung. This leaves them with a rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Hughes and two TBDs. And, Burnett cannot be trusted. Further, it’s doubtful that Hughes will be as lucky as he was last season.

Let’s face it, the Yankees must sign Cliff Lee – and, it sounds like the pitcher and his agent know it.

Filed under Trap Door Items ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Derek Jeter at his press conference today:

“The thing that probably bothered me the most was how public this became…It was not an enjoyable experience…I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t angry about how some of this went. [But], I’m not going to point the finger at anyone. As you can see now, we’re one big happy family.”

How “P.C.” of Derek…but, did you expect anything else? Maybe, someday, we’ll hear who ticked him off, the most, during this whole thing?

Filed under Jeter's Free Agency ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Baseball America has completed its review of the top-10 prospects for each of the 14 teams in the American League and has now released a list of the 10 best players that just missed the cut.  However, it isn’t just a list of the 11th player for each team (regardless of position) but an actual, around-the-diamond look at the best 11 players* left off their team’s respective top-10 lists.

Of the 11 players on this list, eight came from the ultra-competitive AL East.  Here is the list, including the blurb for the lone Yankee selection, RHP Brett Marshall:

Luke Bailey, C, Tampa Bay Rays
Lars Anderson, 1B, Boston Red Sox
Oscar Tejada, 2B, Boston Red Sox
Chelsor Cuthbert, 3B, Kansas City Royals
Adeiny Hechavarria, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
Eric Thames, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Eddie Rosario, CF, Minnesota Twins
Kolbrin Vitek, OF, Boston Red Sox
Enny Romero, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Brett Marshall, RHP, New York Yankees
Tim Collins, RP, Kansas City Royals

Brett Marshall, rhp, Yankees: Marshall blew out his elbow in his first full pro season in 2009, but Tommy John surgery has restored his fastball. He has a very lively 89-94 mph two-seamer and a four-seamer that reaches 97. His slider and changeup are coming along nicely.

I have a bit of an issue with this list, considering, for example, that Kolbrin Vitek played all 68 of his minor league games at 3B last year.  It’s hard for me to see how Vitek is considered one of the best OF prospects in an AL organizaton when he’s never even played there.

*Subscription required.

Filed under MJ Recanati ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

I wonder if anyone will ask him about moving off shortstop before the end of this new contract?

Filed under Jeter's Free Agency ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

While waiting to hear the news announced live on the MLB Network, I saw this on the HOF site, posted already.

Amazing, it was announced on the MLB Network at least 9 minutes after the news was on the HOF site.

Gotta say, I am bummed that Big Stein didn’t get the call this year.  Perhaps they’ll let the Boss in 2013?

Filed under Big Stein Passes,Off The Field News,Yankees History ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post

Has another owner in baseball history – or sports history, for that matter – had a 34-year run like the one that Big Stein had, from the time he took over the Yankees until the last season where he was truly involved in the team’s operations? Check out this scorecard:

.

If you include the first half of 1981, his team finished in 1st place 16 times in 34 seasons. And, they finished in 2nd place another 6 times. In the end, his team made the post-season 17 times in 34 tries.

Oh, and, by the way, 10 times in 34 tries his team made the World Series – taking home 6 rings in the process.

If that’s not Hall-of-Fame material, what is?

Filed under Yankees History ·  Print This Post ·  Email This Post