Via mlb.com –

Right-hander Chan Ho Park, who pitched for the National League champion Phillies in 2009, announced early Monday that he has reached a one-year agreement with the World Series champion Yankees, according to Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.

Park, 36, a native of Korea, made the announcement at Park 61, a fitness center he opened in Seoul after last season, when he went 3-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 45 games, including seven starts, for the Phillies.

The press conference occurred after 1 a.m. ET. The Yankees have not made a formal announcement. The contract is reported to be for $1.2 million, with incentives that could net an extra $300,000, provided Park passes a physical.

MLB Network analyst Jon Heyman had reported that the Cubs, Rays and Yankees were possible destinations for Park.

Park is expected to pitch out of the Yankees’ bullpen.

Park will be 37-years old this season and has been a below league average pitcher in 7 of the last 8 seasons. How and why the Yankees found room for this signing within their “budget” is beyond me. Really, I’m speechless on this one. The only thing I can guess is…that they couldn’t talk Rich Monteleone into coming out of retirement and this was their next best move?

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Here Come the (Spring Training) Citrines! Can you spot Terence Aloysius ‘Slip’ Mahoney and Horace Debussy ‘Sach’ Jones Jr.?

Well, actually, it’s Citrons…but some call them Citrines. And, in the end, it’s all just dried up bits added to the good filling. And, dunno ’bout you, but, Amaury Sanit and Kei Igawa look more like fried zeppole than creamy cannolis to me. In any event, here’s the lucky 20 to get a golden ticket to Tampa Camp this year:

 Yankees 2010 Spring Training Non-Roster Invitees

  Pitchers           B/T Ht  Wt  DOB
  -- Wilkins Arias   L/L 6-1 150 11/04/80
  -- Jeremy Bleich   L/L 6-2 195 06/18/87
  -- Grant Duff      R/R 6-6 210 12/19/82
  -- Jason Hirsh     R/R 6-8 250 02/20/82
  -- Kei Igawa       L/L 6-1 210 07/13/79
  -- Zach McAllister R/R 6-6 230 12/08/87
  -- Royce Ring      L/L 6-0 220 12/21/80
  -- Amaury Sanit    R/R 5-11 187 07/04/79
  -- Zack Segovia    R/R 6-2 245 04/11/83
  -- Kevin Whelan    R/R 6-0 200 01/08/84
  Catchers           B/T Ht  Wt  DOB
  -- Kyle Higashioka R/R 6-1 190 04/20/90
  -- Jesus Montero   R/R 6-4 225 11/28/89
  -- P.J. Pilittere  R/R 6-0 215 11/23/81
  -- Mike Rivera     R/R 6-1 235 09/08/76
  -- Austin Romine   R/R 6-2 210 11/22/88
  Outfielders        B/T Ht  Wt  DOB
  -- Colin Curtis    L/L 6-1 200 02/01/85
  -- Reid Gorecki    R/R 6-1 200 12/22/80
  -- Marcus Thames   R/R 6-2 220 03/06/77
  -- Jon Weber       L/L 5-10 190 01/20/78
  -- David Winfree   R/R 6-3 230 08/05/85

Oh, just yummy….

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Per Greg Cohen:

Joel Sherman is reporting that the Yankees have reached and one-year agreement with outfielder Randy Winn.

Four years ago, I would have been happy with this move. But, now, Winn is a 36-year old OF who posted an OPS+ of 75 last season. Yes, seventy-five.

I know what the Yankees are thinking here – that Winn, the last few seasons before 2009, has hit LHP pitching pretty well. But, can he rebound do it again in 2010? Time well tell…

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Via mlb.com –

The Yankees added to their outfield depth Tuesday, acquiring Greg Golson in a trade with the Texas Rangers.

New York, which gave up Minor League infielder Mitch Hilligoss in the deal, receives a 24-year-old who batted .258 with 40 RBIs in 123 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2009. Golson, who had 27 extra-base hits last year, is a .263 career hitter in the Minors with 48 homers and 265 RBIs in 634 combined games in the Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.

Golson, a first-round pick by the Phillies in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, has made it to the Major Leagues for seven games — six with Philadelphia in ‘08 and one with the Rangers last year. He is 0-for-7 with two runs scored in the big leagues.

Prior to the 2009 season, Baseball America magazine named Golson “Best Athlete,” “Fastest Baserunner” and “Best Outfield Arm” in the Texas organization. The acquisition of Golson puts the Yankees’ 40-man roster at 39.

Here’s a report on Golson from a year ago – when the Rangers picked him up – via Baseball America:

With the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster staring them in the face Thursday, the Phillies and Rangers arrived at an inspired decision as they contemplated the organizational futures of Greg Golson and John Mayberry Jr., their toolsy but slow-moving outfielders. They traded their prospects straight-up for one another.

Philadelphia sent Golson, its first-round pick (21st overall) in 2004, to Texas for Mayberry, the Rangers’ first-rounder (19th overall) in 2005. Both players are on their new clubs’ 40-man rosters, making them exempt from December’s Rule 5 draft.

Golson, 23, offers huge speed, arm strength and range in center field, but his hitting tools and pitch recognition remain unrefined. A product of Austin’s Connally High, he batted .282/.333/.434 for Double-A Reading in 2008, chipping in 13 home runs, 18 doubles and 23 stolen bases in 28 attempts. The righthanded batter struck out 130 times in 426 at-bats, a rate that was in line with career norms, while drawing 34 walks. Even with a low contact rate, Golson’s power plays as average, and Eastern League mangers named him the league’s most exciting player. He’s batted .265/.309/.406 in 2,101 minor league at-bats, and he went 0-fot-6 for the Phillies as a September callup.

Mitch Hilligoss is a long ways away from being useful at the major league level whereas Greg Golson could be a spare part off the bench at some point. Think “If Homer Bush was an outfielder.” Not a bad move by Cashman here…getting potentially something out of nothing.

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When it comes to the roster of the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, so far this off-season, we know the following:

Gone For Sure:
Brian Bruney
Hideki Matsui
Melky Cabrera
Phil Coke

More Than Likely Not Coming Back:
Chien-Ming Wang
Johnny Damon

Pretty Sure Not Coming Back:
Eric Hinske
Jerry Hairston
Jose Molina

(I know that Shelley Duncan, Xavier Nady, Michael Dunn and Ian Kennedy could be on these lists too – but, they barely played for the Yankees this season.)

Now, I know that the Yankees will still have, at least as of today, the following on their roster next season: A.J. Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Alfredo Aceves, Andy Pettitte, Brett Gardner, C.C. Sabathia, Damaso Marte, David Robertson, Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlain, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Philip Hughes and Robinson Cano.

And, they have added: Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson, Javy Vazquez, and, it appears, Mark DeRosa.

But, you have to wonder about how much Hideki Matsui, Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon will be missed – as they seemed to have that special “play maker” ability. Also, Phil Coke and Jose Molina, while not stars, filled special roles on the team. And, lastly, Eric Hinske, Jerry Hairston and Chien-Ming Wang seemed as if they were liked by their teammates – much the same as Godzilla, Leche and Damon.

Now, this is not to say that Granderson, Johnson, Vazquez, and, DeRosa are bad guys in the field or the clubhouse. And, I really want to stress that point.

It’s just more a matter of how much Matsui, Cabrera, Damon, Coke, Molina, and the others will be missed in terms of what they brought to the total team picture.

To be honest, I have no idea. It’s just that it is a question, in my mind, that we should not lose sight of…in Yankeeland…as we head into next season.

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Reports say that the Yankees have traded Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino to the Braves for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan.

I’ll have some commentary on this deal later this evening. In the meantime, feel free to leave your thoughts on this trade in the comments section here.

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If you would have asked me 800 days ago, what were the two things least likely to happen in the near future, I probably would have suggested that Tiger Woods would be caught having a ménage à trois with Jesus and Scooby Doo and that the Yankees would release Worm Killer Wang. But, we now have this on the latter:

Taiwanese pitcher Chien-ming Wang has become a free agent after the New York Yankees declined to offer him a 2010 contract.

“There’s no doubt that we had to make a tough decision,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said in a statement on Saturday.

“We are still hopeful that our relationship can continue but those decisions are yet to be made.”

Wang, a two-time 19-game winner who has struggled in recent years with injuries, will now pursue a contract with all 30 Major League Baseball clubs, his agent told MLB’s official website.

Under baseball labor rules, the Yankees would have had to pay the 29-year-old at least $4 million to keep him under contract.

New York could still sign the right-hander to a lesser, incentive-based deal, agent Alan Nero said Wang would take all other options into consideration.

“I think it’s difficult to rationalize a non-tender as further building a bridge with a team, but we’ll see,” Nero said.

Hey, if you see the Shroud of Turin and a set of golf clubs outside the Mystery Machine, and it’s a rockin’, then don’t come a knockin’…because anything is possible…

Or, as former Cardinal Joaquin Andujar said in 1984: “There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, ‘You never know.’ “

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The trade details, via Tyler Kepner -

Curtis Granderson is the Yankees’ new center fielder, coming over from the Detroit Tigers in a three-way deal that also included the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal, which is pending approval of medical records, will send outfielder Austin Jackson and reliever Phil Coke to Detroit and starter Ian Kennedy to Arizona.

The Diamondbacks will also receive starter Edwin Jackson from the Tigers, who will also get starter Max Scherzer and reliever Daniel Schlereth from Arizona.

I’m only going to comment on the Yankees end – since I really don’t care about the Tigers and D-backs.

What the Yankees gave up: Austin Jackson, Phil Coke and Ian Kennedy. And, what the Yankees got: Curtis Granderson.

Ian Kennedy is a AAAA-pitcher. Maybe he’ll be effective in the big leagues, at times? But, too much has to be perfect for him to excel at the major league level. Basically, he was expendable.

Phil Coke is a nice kid and has a bulldog attitude towards pitching. But, he’s probably never going to be better than he was this season and could be worse. He’s a “nice to have” pitcher – but, he’s not a “can’t do without pitcher.”

Basically, the thing the Yankees gave up here was Austin Jackson – their best position playing Triple-A prospect. Now, back in August, I asked this question about “A-Jax”:

Is he a true blue-chip prospect as the Yankees say, or, is he just a good athlete who will never be a solid, everyday, major league player?

And, today, we still don’t know the answer to that question. It may take another couple of years to get that answer – maybe more.

This brings us to Curtis Granderson. Last month, I had this to say about him:

In terms of “make-up,” Granderson is off-the-charts…probably Derek Jeter like, in that regard.

And, I still stand by that comment. But, what about his on-the-field production? Well, first off, he doesn’t hit LHP – at all. See his career splits in that regard:

I          Split   G   PA   H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA  OBP  SLG
    vs RHP as LH 618 2211 572 102 51 86 245 229 449 .292 .367 .528
    vs LHP as LH 305  685 130  23  6 16  54  45 169 .210 .270 .344

Further, as a center fielder, he leaves something to be desired. Note his 1.6 UZR/150 in CF in 2009 and his -9.4 UZR/150 in CF in 2008.

If the Yankees end up playing Curtis Granderson in left field next season and give him the day off when the likes of Jon Lester, John Danks, Mark Buehrle, Dallas Braden, David Price or Joe Saunders is starting for the other team, he should be a fine addition to their team – all things considered.

But, if the Yankees are going to play Curtis Granderson everday, against all pitching, he’s probably going to bat between .260 and .275 with an OBA around .350. And, if they play him in center, at best, he’ll match what Melky Cabrera did out there with the glove and will not be as good, defensively, as Brett Gardner.

So, is this a smart trade by Brian Cashman? It sort of depends on how the Yankees use Granderson and how Austin Jackson develops. Let’s just hope it turns out better than the last three-team deal that Cashman brokered with the Tigers being involved.

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According to reports, #99 on the Yankees is now available for anyone who wants it.

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Via the Ledger –

The Yankees announced in a statement Tuesday that they will not be offering arbitration to any of their eligible free agents.

The team has seven arbitration-eligible players: OF Johnny Damon, INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr., INF/OF Eric Hinske, DH Hideki Matsui, C Jose Molina, OF Xavier Nady and LHP Andy Pettitte.

This only matters on Damon, Pettitte and Nady, as Rhett Bollinger points it out:

The Yankees announced Tuesday that they will not offer arbitration to any of their eligible players by Tuesday night’s deadline, meaning the club will not receive Draft pick compensation if any of the players sign elsewhere.

Outfielder Johnny Damon is the lone Type A player in the group, while left-hander Andy Pettitte and outfielder Xavier Nady rank as Type B players. Designated hitter Hideki Matsui, catcher Jose Molina and utility men Jerry Hairston and Eric Hinske were unranked and therefore arbitration doesn’t apply.

If they would’ve offered Damon arbitration and he signed elsewhere, the Yankees would have been in line to receive a first-round Draft pick from the signing team if that club selects in the second half of the first round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft or a second-round pick from the signing team if that club selects in the first 15 picks of the first round, plus a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds in either case.

And in Pettitte and Nady’s case, the Yankees would’ve received a Draft pick in the supplemental round if they chose to sign elsewhere.

My guess is that that feared Johnny Damon not getting a decent offer as a free agent and then accepting arbitration and possibly getting a one-year deal through the process worth more than $13 million bucks. But, then again, had that happened, would that have been the worst thing in the world for the Yankees?

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Via Tyler Kepner -

The Southern California Trojans came to town Saturday, but that had been scheduled long in advance. The appearance of another U.S.C. man, Ian Kennedy, was far less certain. But there he was in the Yankees’ clubhouse, with a No. 38 jersey, back in the major leagues.

“It’s been a blessing just to be here,” said Kennedy, a former first-round pick who pitched well down the stretch in 2007. “To line something like this up, only God can do.”

Kennedy has reason to frame his ordeal in spiritual terms. While pitching for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in April, he was diagnosed with a vasospasm in his right middle ringer. A follow-up magnetic resonance imaging test showed an aneurysm near his right shoulder, which was surgically removed May 12.

“When it happened, they assured me it was not career threatening,” Kennedy said. “I’d rather have this than have a shoulder problem or Tommy John surgery. But when I first heard ‘aneurysm,’ I was kind of scared.”

Kennedy said his doctor told him not to worry about a recurrence. The operation – “he sewed my vein into my artery,” Kennedy said – had been a success. David Cone, who had aneurysm surgery in 1996 and returned to the Yankees late that season, assured Kennedy he could feel normal again on the mound.

When he started throwing, though, Kennedy said he “didn’t have any feel at all” for pitching. But it came back after a week, just as Cone had promised, and on Sept. 12 he started for Class A Tampa in the Florida State League playoffs, tossing two scoreless innings. Four days later, he threw three perfect innings for Scranton, with nine strikeouts.

Hey, at his worst, Alfred E. Kennedy was just as “good” as Sergio Mitre…so, why not use him over the final few weeks…if there’s a chance to do it?

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Via George King -

Reliever Damaso Marte, out since April with an injured left shoulder, is expected to rejoin the Yankees bullpen tonight for the series opener with the Red Sox.

It’s possible the Yankees could go with 13 pitchers and send down a position player, who then would be recalled when rosters expand Sept. 1.

Marte, who signed a three-year, $12 million deal this offseason, has pitched in seven games with a 15.19 ERA.

Kei Igawa wants to know if this means the Yankees are instituting a “No Lefty Left Behind” program…

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The Yankees have acquired starting pitcher Chad Gaudin from the Padres for a player to be named later.

Gaudin, 26, is a little righty who has been around. Before joining the Yankees, he’s pitched in the majors for the Rays, Blue Jays, A’s, Cubs, and Padres. He’s much more effective against RH-batters than LH-batters, to date, in his career – as the latter have fashioned a .388 OBA against him.

In his last 11 starts this season for the Padres, Gaudin has gone 2-6 with an ERA of 5.22 in 58.2 innings pitched.

You can probably expect the same from him when he pitches for the Yankees this season.

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George King has the story.

Every time I hear “Anthony Clagget,” I think “Jed Clampett.” Why is that?

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Via Joel Sherman.

Now, if the Yankees can only trade for Scott Hairston, then we can start having flashbacks to 1973 when the Yankees had Felipe and Matty Alou…

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Via the Daily News -

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada will come off the disabled list before Friday night’s game at Cleveland.

The All-Star played six innings Thursday in an extended spring training game, then said he was scheduled to fly to Cleveland to meet up with his team.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Posada will be activated but he did not yet have a corresponding roster move.

Posada has been sidelined since straining his right hamstring May 4. The Yankees open a four-game series with the Indians on Friday night.

“The hamstring is feeling good,” Posada said. “I’m happy with everything. The most important thing was just running, seeing some pitches and getting the timing down.”

Wow. This is four weeks faster than I thought.

Who goes to make room? Kevin Cash, Angel Berroa or Brett Tomko – with the latter being a long-shot. When you consider that Berroa has not faced a pitcher since May 4th, Cash might be safe for a little while longer…

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Via wire services -

Former Texas A&M pitcher Casey Fossum signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Saturday, then was the starting pitcher in the team’s Triple-A club that afternoon.

The 31-year-old left-hander pitched 3 2/3 innings in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 5-1 victory over Norfolk. Fossum allowed two hits, one run, striking out four and walking two.

The New York Mets designated Fossum for assignment Sunday after clearing waivers, but he elected for free agency.

Fossum opened the season with Triple-A Buffalo, making two starts. The Mets called him up on April 19. He didn’t have a decision in three games, pitching four innings with a 2.25 earned run average.

Fossum has pitched in 237 major league games, 120 of them as a starter. He has a career record of 40-53 with a 5.45 ERA.

When I think of Casey Fossum, I think of two things:

1. The sound of his name, “Casey Fossum,” rings in my head with the sound of Michael Kay’s annoying usage of the words “flotsam and jetsam.” Say it to yourself a few times…Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam……Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam……Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam…see?

2. The fact that the Arizona Diamondbacks were stupid enough to trade Curt Schilling for this guy and a bunch of other bushers. And, that the Yankees could not manage to better of the offer of Fossum, Michael Goss, Brandon Lyon and Jorge de la Rosa for Curt Schilling.

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Via Marc Carig -

With the starting pitchers struggling to get deeper into games, the Yankees called up reliever Anthony Claggett to bolster a bullpen that’s quickly become depleted. First baseman Juan Miranda, called up on Friday, was sent down.

I guess this Miranda has no rights. He gets one day in the Bronx and then has his ticket punched for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Funicular the next morning…

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Good guy Chase Wright is Brewer bound.

In sending Wright packing, the Yankees picked up Eric Fryer.

Fryer is not a terrible prospect. It looks like he can hit a bit. And, if he can catch, maybe he’ll turn into a Jim Leyritz type?

The fact that the Yankees were able to get someone like Fryer for Wright tells you something about Wright. In most cases, when you DFA a player, like the Yanks did with Chase, you have zero leverage in trying to deal him. Getting a somewhat prospect like Fryer says there was a market for Wright…even as a DFA guy.

I hope Wright makes the Brewers this season and wins 20 games this year. To me, that would be cool – in so many ways.

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In case you missed it, the Yankees have designated Chase Wright for assignment. Now, you may recall, back in 2007, I was a fan of Wright. And, while this is just a hunch, if Wright is picked up by another team, with a decent roster, and given 30 starts at the big league level in 2009, it would not shock me to see him win between 10 and 15 games in the majors this season.

Lefties like John Tudor, Jamie Moyer, Larry Gura and Bob Ojeda were late bloomers. Wright could be one too.

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Via the AP –

Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees agreed Monday to a $5.5 million, one-year contract that brings the left-hander back to New York.

Pettitte can make an additional $6.5 million on performance bonuses and bonuses based on time on the active roster.

“There was never another team brought up,” Pettitte said during a conference call. “I wanted to come back to the Yankees.”

Didn’t I say, if the Yankees offered Pettitte somewhere around $12 to $13 million, this would get done?

Looks like $12 million was the magic number.

A rotation of Sabathia, Wang, Pettitte, Burnett and Chamberlain. Now, that’s pretty darn impressive. No excuses this year, huh?

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Via the Yankees site -

The New York Yankees obliged Darrell Rasner’s wishes by selling his contract to a team in Japan’s Central League for $1 million, according to a Saturday night report by ESPN.com.

Rasner, a 27-year-old right-hander who spent much of the 2008 season in the Yankees’ rotation but wasn’t perceived to be in the team’s 2009 plans, was sold to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, with whom he is expected to soon sign a two-year contract.

Rasner’s agent, Matt Sosnick, told ESPN.com that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman “really bent over backwards to make this work for Darrell and his family.”

Cashman should have offered to throw in Kei Igawa if the Golden Eagles would have been willing to send over a few of those famous Eagles Bras as holiday presents for Jean Afterman and Jennifer Steinbrenner:

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Via mlb.com:

The Yankees dipped into Joe Girardi’s managerial past to produce an option for their future pitching staff on Monday, agreeing to a Minor League contract with right-hander Sergio Mitre.

Mitre, who turns 28 in February, is recovering from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in July and was a member of Girardi’s stable in 2006, when both were in Florida Marlins uniforms.

“We’ve agreed in principle to a Minor League contract,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “He’s rehabbing from Tommy John and he’s on a Minor League contract, so it doesn’t really affect anything on the Major League side. We hope someday it could.”

The Major League portion of Mitre’s contract is for $1.25 million, and there is a team option for 2010.

Due to the severe surgery on his right elbow, Mitre may not be ready to pitch until midseason, according to his agent, Matt Sosnick. Normal recovery time from Tommy John surgery is 12-18 months.

I’m not certain, but, I think Sergio Mitre is Latin for “Jay Witasick.”

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Via George King -

Add Damaso Marte to Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano as players the Yankees aren’t likely to exercise options on – which will make them free agents.

Giambi has a $22 million option with a $5 million buyout and Pavano has a $15 million option with a $1.95 million buyout.

Declining Marte’s $6 million option isn’t an indication the club doesn’t want the lefty reliever back. It means the Yankees don’t want to pick up the option ($250,000 buyout) that trailed Marte from Pittsburgh when he was acquired with Xavier Nady for Jose Tabata, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutcheon on July 26.

I’m shocked at this move.

Sure, $6 million is not chump-change. But, the Yankees can afford it.

Plus, as crazy as this may seem, Marte is one of the Yankees better bets in the pen after Mo.

The Save/Hold rates for Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez last season were terrible. Can you trust Brian Bruney and his wild spells? Everyone else is green – including Phil Coke, the other lefty out there now.

Sure, no question, Marte will be hard pressed to get $6 million on the open market. But, some team (like the Mets?) might give him something close to that. So, for the few bucks that you might save, is it worth the risk to allow Marte to talk to other teams?

Seems silly to me…but, of course, Brian Cashman knows what he’s doing when it comes to making pitching moves…right?

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Now that Scranton’s post-season season is done, the Yankees have called up Juan Miranda. I’ve seen Miranda play – most recently as the game on ESPN2 last night. As I mentioned back in July, he cannot touch a left-handed pitcher. In many ways, “Juan Miranda” is Spanish for “Kevin Maas.” I suppose that Miranda could go on to have a Mike Epstein-type career or something…but that’s probably the high-end for him on the projection-side.

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Peter Abraham is reporting that Dave Robertson was sent to Triple-A and Alfredo Aceves has been added to the big league team.

Aceves had an ERA of 4.12 in 10 games at Scranton-Wilkes Barre. However, he only allowed 6 ER in his last three starts there – covering 18 IP. Lefties were hitting only .213 against him in Triple-A…and right-handed batters averaged .291 against him.

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Via Joel Sherman -

In a move designed to boost the Yankees’ sagging offense, the team today will demote Melky Cabrera to the minors, waive Richie Sexson, and promote Brett Gardner and Cody Ransom from Triple-A, The Post has learned.

Not sure I see the need to send Melky down to bring up Gardner.

If Gardner is going to be a bench player/defensive sub/pinch runner, why not use Melky in that role? Then again, maybe the Yankees are trying to send a message to Cabrera by sending him down?

The Ransom for Sexson move makes sense – when you consider that Derek Jeter is banged up. You need a back-up infielder who can catch the ball, unlike Wilson Betemit, more than you need a RH-batting 1B/DH type…now that Nady is here and Matsu may be returning.

Back to Cabrera, it will be interesting to see if this move has any impact, good or bad, on Robinson Cano now – since they’re so tight.

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Via Ed Price -

Ian Kennedy, hammered Friday for five runs on nine hits in two-plus innings, was optioned to Triple A. No word yet on a replacement starter for Wednesday.

Kennedy was more contrite today that after his start and said some veterans, particularly Andy Pettitte, counseled him on choosing his words better.

The team told Kennedy to work on his offspeed pitches while in the minors. He has a tendency while in the majors to go to his fastball too often — many times because he is behind in the count — and his fastball isn’t very hard and is straight.

I agree with this move. Kennedy has a lot to learn. But, in some respects, I blame the Yankees for this as well…

…they made him a first-round pick…they rushed him through the minors last season…and they gave him the golden ticket to be one of their starters this season…

…and all this has caused a “too much, too soon, leading to a big head” case (in Kennedy). So, maybe the Yankees can learn from all this too?

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Several reports out there now suggest that the Yankees and Richie Sexson have come to agreement where he will join New York’s big league team. One week ago, I called for this move – in terms of the Yankees going after Sexson – so, obviously, I agree with the call here (by Brian Cashman).

Now, the trick is to use Sexson in a correct manner. This means its an automatic that he starts at first base when a left-handed starter faces the Yankees – with no ifs, ands, or, buts…

And, you have to get him into some blow-out games, as early as possible, to allow him to keep his batting-eye for those games where he would start against a lefty. Lastly, there’s no way – barring an injury to Giambi – that Sexson should be allowed to start (at either 1B or DH) when the Yankees are facing a quality right-handed pitcher.

If you use Sexson in a manner contrary to this…he’s probably going to hurt the team more than he will help it.

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Peter Abraham is reporting that Gardner has been called up to the big team. I recommended this move two days ago.

Thank you, Yankees, for listening.

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