Yanks Not Interested In Rafael Soriano?
Posted by Steve L. on January 7th, 2011 · Comments (15)
So tweets Buster -
Soriano would have to make himself absurdly cheap — on a very short-term (1-year or 2-year deal) — before NYY would even consider him.
Perhaps the Yankees are looking at Michael Wuertz’ 2010 season, or, looking at J.J. Putz’ 2008 season and thinking “not worth the long term commitment and the dollars”? And, if they are, I would totally understand why…
Pitcher YEAR BR/9 IP RSAA G GS 1 Joaquin Benoit 2010 6.12 16 63 0 2 J.J. Putz 2007 6.53 24 68 0 3 Rafael Soriano 2010 7.36 14 64 0 4 Michael Wuertz 2009 8.58 15 74 0
stats via Complete Baseball Encyclopedia.
Unless Soriano is signing for 2Y/$10M — and I’m sure he’s not — I really don’t have an interest in him. Irrational as it may be, I’d rather have two picks in the top 55 in this year’s draft. Losing the #31 overall pick for a reliever isn’t the worst trade-off in the world but since the way compensation picks and the amateur draft work will likely be revamped during the next labor negotiation (2012), this could be the Yankees’ last chance to maximize their financial power in the June draft under the current rules.
@ MJ Recanati:
Do you suggest the Yankees sign any relievers? Or just go with what they have? I’m just hesitant about the current players, especially assuming Joba or Robertson can handle the 8th. I like Robertson overall, but I don’t think he is consistent enough for that role yet. And Joba, well, I don’t know how anyone could have confidence in him manning the 8th inning role.
@ jrk:
Based on last year, yes, we have a right to be a bit concerned about Robertson/Joba in their bullpen roles. As a result, I don’t mind adding depth to the bullpen because one of the keys to a successful bullpen is having multiple pieces that you can move around.
For that reason, I’m fine with the Yankees inviting a bunch of arms to spring training, working the waiver wire, making low-cost/high-upside signings, etc. But in terms of front-end bullpen help, I don’t think the financial commitment ends up being worth it in the long run. As such, I don’t think there’s any guarantee that Rafael Soriano will be good in 2012 or 2013 to justify giving him the three or four year deal that the market dictates he should receive. I’d gamble on a two-year deal but I can’t see him settling for that. Thus, in the case of Soriano, I just don’t see it working out.
@ MJ Recanati:
Fair enough. I understand your assessment, but I think I’d roll the dice on three years, but who knows if he is even amenable to that. However, like you pointed out, there is always the risk that it could be the next Kyle Farnsworth deal.
With the question marks in our starting rotation, and seemingly no help in sight, it would be best to develop a shut-down bullpen if possible. We do not have that right now in Joba and Robertson. I think Soriano would be worth the risk of a three year deal as long as the price tag is reasonable.
If it was up to me, I’d take a serious run at Jon Rauch.
He’s not as good as Soriano when Soriano’s healthy, but:
1. He has some closing experience, just in case.
2. He’s reasonably durable, only 1 injury the last few years.
3. He did OK in the AL last year.
4. He can pitch 1+ innings when he needs to.
5. There’s no Boras factor.
6. There’s no Boras factor, so he won’t be anywhere near as expensive as Soriano.
7. He won’t cost a draft pick.
The only drawback I can reasonably see here is Rauch vs. lefties at the Stadium.
@ Evan3457:
i like that idea… i forgot he was still on the market
LMJ229 wrote:
The last part of your comment says it all. Why would we expect that Soriano would be signed to a reasonable deal? By all accounts, he can be a closer on most teams in baseball. As such, he’s entitled to earn around $8-10M per season. I can’t see him signing for less than $7M/season and, frankly, that’s an unreasonable cost for the Yankees to be paying a setup man, especially for three seasons.
@ Evan3457:
I’d have no problem with Rauch on a 1Y/$4M or 2Y/$8M like with Feliciano. Unlike Soriano, Rauch probably isn’t competing for the 9th inning role.
UPDATE: http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2011/01/07/cashman-i-will-not-lose-our-no-1-draft-pick/
Cashman basically saying no thanks to Soriano b/c of the same concern MJ had – losing draft pick. Obviously he could change his mind, but seems very unlikely.
@ jrk:
I agree with Cashman. For Cliff Lee (or Carl Crawford), losing a first-round draft pick is a no-brainer. For a relief pitcher? Not nearly as good an idea.
The Yankees closer is 41 years old. 41. At some point even the great Mariano, the greatest relief pitcher of all time, might start looking human. 42 year old Trevor Hoffman didn’t have it anymore. Dennis Eckersley at 38 started going downhill. I don’t know, it might be nice to have a plan B should Mariano start to decline. In all meaningful ways the Yankees are worse off now than at the end of last year when they staggered to the playoffs only to be crushed in the second round by the 90 win Texas Rangers.
Anyone who thinks this can be fixed during the season is dreaming, this time the cost of Cashman’s bungling may well be a team that is out of it by the end of July. Draft choices won’t help fill empty stadium seats, empty stadium restaurants and southward bound YES rating. The hole that’s being dug here may take years to get out of.
There’s no hole being dug.
The only loss from last season is Pettitte, who was missing almost the entire second half last year anyway.
Exactly what has Cashman bungled here? Lee didn’t want to come to NY? Too bad for the Yankees, and too bad for us. The Brewers didn’t have a plan B for Hoffman; nevertheless, Axford popped right up in the role, and did quite well. Let’s not pretend that anyone who follows Mariano will be as good. In addition, you don’t spend $12 million a year to back up a $15 million a year closer.
What is to be “fixed”? The Yanks need one decent starter, and one decent set-up type reliever. That can’t be done in season? The hell it can’t.
@ Evan3457:
“The only loss from last season was Petitte”. OK, why isn’t that a problem. He won 11 games and hasn’t been replaced in any way, shape or form.
The Lee thing was bungled. First, and I said this at the time, the Yanks never should have allowed him time to shop the offer. Lee wasn’t in a position to shop the offer. The nerve of this prick. This isn’t Sandy Koufax in his prime, or Roy Halladay for that matter. You tell his agent he has 24 hours to accept the offer or not. He doesn’t, you call a press conference and announce the Yanks are out of the bidding. You don’t sit on your hands, you then go after Crawford. Rather than making things happen, Cashman let things happen.
“You don’t spend $12 million a year to back up a $15 million a year closer” , says who, is that in the Bible or something. Back in 77 the Yankees closer won the Cy Young award, that winter the Yankees went out and signed the best closer in the National League, Goose Gossage. I think that overindulgence worked out, don’t you These are the Yankees, they play by different rules. Mariano is 41 years old, get real here, a good GM anticipates needs, that’s not happening here. As far as Milwaukee is concerned, sorry, I don’t see the Brewers as the organization that sets the standard I want to follow.
I think the Yankees have real issues here. Hughes might be a good third starter (and that’s fine)he hasn’t convinced me he’s more than that. AJ outside of the 18 win walk year is really a 12 or 13 game winner, maybe we have to start accepting that. Nova didn’t show much and Mitre well … .
If things break the wrong way this team could fall to .500 this season. I think we all should be prepared for that.
Joseph Maloney wrote:
Really? C’mon now. Setting ultimatums solve nothing, assembling a press conference accomplishes nothing. There was nothing stopping Cashman from making a bid on Crawford, if he so desired. I would hope the GM gig entails a little bit more than waiting around the phone hoping an agent would call, or calling the same agent every 5 minutes to see if the player is representing has changed his mind.
You missed the point, which was that if something happens to Rivera, someone else gets pushed into the role. Maybe it’s Joba, maybe it’s Hughes, maybe it’s someone who is acquired in a trade, maybe it’s someone from the farm.
Joseph Maloney wrote: