MLB Daily Rumors | Devan Fink: The Yankees were among the finalists for outfielder Yasmany Tomas, who signed with the Diamondbacks last week. Does this mean that team is still willing to spend big on other free agents this offseason?
MLB.com | Paul Hagen: In 8,000 tests for performance enhancing drugs last season, 12 tests came back positive and resulted in discipline. Eight such tests were positive for Adderall.
The non-tender deadline is tonight, and it looks like two 2014 Yankees might be let go. Yay? Nay? Shrug?
As the long off-season trudges on, Major League Baseball hits certain deadlines that each of the 30 teams must act on. One such important date is tonight, as the Yankees have until midnight to offer arbitration to their six eligible players: Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Shawn Kelley, David Phelps, David Huff, and Esmil Rogers. Yesterday, Mark Feinsand provided an update about the Yankees' most likely strategy:
Non-tender deadline is tomorrow night. Yankees expected to offer arbitration to Pineda, Nova, Kelley and Phelps. Huff and Rogers uncertain.
This news should not be very surprising. As two young, cost-controlled starters with high potential despite injuries, Pineda and Nova were going to be brought back regardless. Nova made $3.3 million in his first year of eligibility last season, but that price tag is unlikely to change much following a season plagued by Tommy John surgery. Although by rule, it will go up a little bit, it won't be by much. Pineda on the other hand is facing arbitration for the first time; the Yankees won't be able to get away with paying him league minimum anymore. A raise to Nova's 2014 contract value seems likely.
Phelps will also be receiving arbitration for the first time in 2015, but since he is in more of a "swingman"-type role and he's kind of mediocre (85 ERA+ the past two seasons), he won't exactly be making Clayton Kershaw money. Since the Yankees gave Kelley a $1,765,000 deal last year in his second year of eligibility, that has to be Phelps's peak value for 2015 and it will probably be a little lower, perhaps $1.5 million. Kelley is in final year of arbitration eligibility and will be a free agent following the 2015 campaign. Although he can definitely be frustrating at times, his high strikeout potential (11.7 K/9) and strand rate (17%) are still enough for him to keep a spot in the bullpen, especially with David Robertson's future unclear. The Yankees gave D-Rob a $5.2 million contract in his final year, and being not nearly as good as him, Kelley figures to receive a contract at about half the value. That's just fine.
The news about Rogers and Huff's fates is not a shocker, either. While Feinsand didn't explicitly say that they would not receive contracts, it appears damning that he heard positive news on the other four players and nothing on them. Both Chad Jennings and Marc Carig were skeptical that the Yankees would offer Rogers and Huff arbitration as well. Rogers's mid-90s fastball will offer intrigue as long as he has it, but he's just far too inconsistent. He pitched better for the Yankees this year than he did with the Blue Jays, but a 4.68 ERA and 4.17 FIP aren't much to write home about, particularly since his overall season numbers (5.72 ERA, 4.73 FIP) were dismal. After making $1.8 million in first year of eligibility this season, Rogers isn't good enough to merit a higher value contract.
The same goes for Huff, whose 1.85 ERA in 39 innings with the Yankees belies his actual abilities. This is the same pitcher who was crushed to a 6.30 ERA in his earlier stint in 2014 with the Giants. Considering the fact that he's 30, that his career was in such dire straits before coming to the Yankees, and that he's just not a particularly impressive pitcher, giving him a raise would be a little weird. Since Huff has come back to the Yankees once before, a spring training invitation would make sense, but if he chooses to go somewhere else, so be it. Huff and Rogers will clear up a couple 40-man roster spots anyway, ones which could be used by new free agents or minor leaguers worthy of a promotion.
Update
#Yankees, Esmil Rogers avoid arbitration with pre-deadline deal per source
Rumors. Rumors everywhere. The Yankees aren't re-signing D-Rob. The Yankees are offering Nick Markakis a five year deal. The offseason at its finest, ladies and gentlemen. Pitchers and catchers report in 79 days.
So let's recap the latest batch of rumors. The Yankees might go after Andrew Miller over David Robertson. Swell. Also, the Yankees might have offered a five year deal to Nick Markakis, who doesn't seem like he's going to re-sign with the Orioles. Jolly good. The Yankees really need to do something soon, cause things are just starting to get weird.
Comments of the Day
A plethora of Blue'd comments opens up our COTD section today. From warm-up music to the Jets Jets'ing it up, it's always a fun day at Pinstripe Alley
NoMahbles expresses his tasteful, well thought out dislike of Curt Schilling, regarding his Hall of Fame eligibility.
Ms. Waffles agrees with Mr. Mahbles views on Curt Schilling's "[expletive deleted]facery."
dominicdave reminds us that the Hall of Fame is already filled with [expletive deleted]faced individuals throughout the annals of baseball history.
Finally, in regards to Matt Freedom's question about which Yankee we'd like to have with us during a snowstorm, Andrew provides an embed tweet with the correct answer.
GIF of the Day
Again, PSA's got jokes. We've also got GIFs that deal with jokes.
Honorable Mod Mention
Jason earns the HMM for bringing up a Star Wars related reference. May the Force be with him.
Fun Questions
Nick Markakis: Would you want him? If you answer yes, what would be your highest offer?
Although the Yankees love David Robertson and want him back in their bullpen for 2015, it may be his success as closer that sends him to another team. Jon Heyman writes that the Yankees seem to currently prefer Andrew Miller over Robertson at the present time. Both Robertson and Miller are looking at contracts in the four year range this winter, and Robertson could be poised to break the record for reliever contracts with money that ends up somewhere in the Jonathan Papelbon range. He's proven himself effective in the ninth inning, which still means something to some teams. Miller hasn't gotten the closer label, possibly keeping his cost down a bit more than Robertson.
The other benefit the Yankees may see to signing Miller over Robertson is the fact that Miller doesn't cost them a draft pick after he was traded from the Red Sox to the Orioles ahead of the trade deadline last season. Once Robertson signs elsewhere, they'd receive a pick because they offered Robertson a qualifying offer that he later refused. The team lost three picks last season in order to sign Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carlos Beltran, so they might want to recoup a bit of that by keeping the extra draft pick if they can.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says that the Yankees still haven't ruled out that they might sign both Miller and Robertson to increase an already-strong bullpen. The Astros and Blue Jays haven't ruled out their interest in Robertson and Miller, and Miller's former team, the Red Sox, have also had contact with the left-hander. The rest of the free agent relievers are basically in a holding pattern until the two top ones, Robertson and Miller, sign new deals.
Do you think the Yankees are making the right decision in preferring Miller to Robertson at this stage? Is it totally crazy to think they could end up with both?
As we continue to look for the next, next, next best thing on the free agent market, we look toward starting pitching. Of course, the Yankees are likely to target Brandon McCarthy, Jon Lester, and Max Scherzer before many of these guys, but seriously, what if everything all goes wrong and someone swoops in and signs them all? They seem to be very determined to take the players they want only under the terms of their choosing, so it could happen. Get to know these names, just in case:
LHP Brett Anderson– 43.1 IP, 2.91 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 6.02 K/9, 2.70 BB/9, 61 GB%, 1.1 WAR There are two things we know about Brett Anderson; one, he'll be good, and two, he'll get hurt. It's going to happen. So while it will likely keep his contract down to an affordable rate, the Yankees can't expect him to be a staple in the rotation all year. Perhaps if they go with Anderson to start the year they can hope he makes it through the second half of the season in time for Ivan Nova to return from the disabled list.
RHP Aaron Harang– 204.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 7.09 K/9, 3.13 BB/9, 39.4 GB%, 2.5 WAR If there was an award for biggest surprise season, Aaron Harang probably would have won it. He's always been a useful innings eater, but this season he reached back to his younger days when he passed the 200-inning plateau for the first time in seven years. The Yankees can't expect to get that kind of production from him again at 37, but in a rotation consisting of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and CC Sabathia, a healthy arm could go a long way.
LHP Paul Maholm–70.2 IP, 4.84 ERA, 4.96 FIP, 4.33 K/9 3.57 BB/9, 54.4 GB%, -0.8 WAR Maholm has quietly been a very useful starting pitcher for a while now, however when the Dodgers decided to try him as a swingman out of the bullpen last year, it didn't work out too well. If the Yankees bring him on, he should be pitching out of the rotation, and if CC Sabathia is too terrible to be useful, he'll be their sole lefty. With a career ground ball rate of over 50%, Maholm fits perfectly into what the Yankees are trying to build, especially in Yankee Stadium.
RHP Carlos Villanueva–77.2 IP, 4.64 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 8.34 K/9, 2.20 BB/9, 41.3 GB%, 1.1 WAR Villanueva is the quintessential fifth starter-type. He can give you innings, decent peripherals with plenty of ground balls, and will maintain a sub-5.00 ERA. The Yankees could probably fill that in with someone like David Phelps or Bryan Mitchell, but if they trade someone or Sabathia, Tanaka, and Pineda all end up on the DL, it will be useful to have Villanueva around.
It's unlikely that any of these guys will find their way onto the Yankees, but there actually is a greater than 0% chance of it actually happening. Anderson wouldn't be too bad of a signing, as long as they don't expect him to be healthy, but it's pretty clear that the Yankees need to get someone on their wish list so it doesn't come to this.
As the AL East continues to muck around this offseason, the Yankees are still dipping their toes into the free agent pool. They have discussed several possible targets, but have yet to make any kind of move one way or the other. One such free agent is Chase Headley, who at one point was considered to be the team's no. 1 priority. Now it appears that the Yankees could move on from him and look to fill the infield with internal options instead.
According to a source, Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York is reporting that the Yankees could be backing away from Headley now that Pablo Sandoval has signed his five-year, $95 million contract. With that deal now out, Headley is hoping to take advantage of the suddenly open market in order to score a lucrative contract of his own. The source, however, says that the Yankees are not interested in that long of a deal likely because of "his age (31 in May), so-so offensive production the past two seasons, and lingering lower back problems, which could lead to surgery at some point over the length of a five-year contract."
If the Yankees ultimately decide to part ways with Headley, they would then use Martin Prado at third base and give Rob Refsnyder a chance to win the second base job in spring training. For those wanting to see Refsnyder get a chance in the majors, the source told Marchand that "there are a lot of people in [the Yankees'] organization who want to give Refsnyder a shot. They think he's the best hitter in the [bleeping] organization." Regardless of whether or not Chase Headley returns to the Yankees, it would make sense to give Refsnyder a chance no matter what. Even if they use Prado at second, Refsnyder could grab a bench role to start the year and, if he succeeds, Prado's versatility would make it easy for the prospect to eventually take over the position full time.
Headley's demands shouldn't be a surprise as he was never going to sign before Sandoval. Now, as the best third baseman on the market, he can up his price and either wait for someone to meet his demands or work out a compromise that will still end up being in his favor. The Yankees really need another third baseman, but the problem with going with Prado is that it means Refsyder has to pan out, otherwise it will look like a big mistake to let a known quantity walk away.
A look back at a glittering career and how it intersected with the New York Yankees.
Career Statistics: 4135.1 IP, 603 GS, 10.61 K/9, 3.26 BB/9, 3.19 FIP, 111.7 fWAR (5th among pitchers all-time)
Years Active: 1988 - 2009
Position: Left-handed starting pitcher
Time on the Ballot: First
Hall of Fame ballots are, of course, filled with exceptional players, but even by that measure the 2015 edition is special. A combination of a strong rookie class and a backlog of talented resumes has left a list so distinguished that many reasonable voters will struggle to pare down their ballots to just the maximum ten names. This series will take a look at some of the more notable players on the ballot this year and their connections to the New York Yankees. We start with Randy Johnson, who will be making his first appearance on the ballot this year.
For over two decades the 6'10 Randy Johnson towered over major league mounds as one of the tallest players in league history. With a blazing fastball that topped out over 100 mph (and a slider that carried into the 90s), he intimidated batters–and birds–from 1988 as a young and wild Montreal Expo, all the way to 2009 when he closed out his career with the Giants. It was the years in between though, that earned 'the Big Unit' his spot on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Traded by the Expos to the Seattle Mariners in 1989, Johnson continued to struggle with control, leading the American League in walks three times and hit batsmen twice in his first four full seasons after the trade. His talent earned him the time to figure himself out at the big league level however, and by 1995 he was an American League Cy Young winner. Johnson had firmly established himself as one of the league's best starting pitchers by the middle of the 1998 season where the combination of an expiring contract and a Mariner team, clearly out of contention, led to him being traded to the Houston Astros. His second half with the Astros was good enough to get him a top-10 place in the National League Cy Young race despite spending just two months in the NL. Johnson parleyed his strong finish into a four-year, 52.4 million dollar contract with the second-year franchise Arizona Diamondbacks, making it look like an incredible bargain when he then proceeded to win the NL Cy Young award in each of those four years. Not to mention being a part of some postseason success in 2001.
"Here comes the big fella"
Brett Musberger, ABC broadcasting crew - 1995 ALDS Game 5
Through the '90s and into the aughts, the Yankees had become far more acquainted with the Big Unit then any player or fan might have liked. First there was the 1995 AL Division Series, where the Yankees took a 2-0 lead at Yankee Stadium before running into Johnson in Seattle. The Mariners had home advantage but in 1995, the division series was played in the 2–3 format as opposed to the more familiar 2–2–1. It wasn't a vintage performance from the Cy Young winner, but it was good enough for a 7–4 victory. The Mariners then went on to win game four and in the decider game five, Randy Johnson came out of the bullpen in extra innings on only two days of rest. He threw a scoreless ninth and 10th before he allowed a run in the 11th. He would have taken the loss, but Edgar Martinez, another member of the 2015 ballot, came through with a dramatic walk-off double to win the series and hand Johnson his second win in three games.
The Yankees recovered well from the '95 ALDS heartbreaker though, winning four of the next five World Series before running into Randy Johnson again in game seven of the 2001 World Series. After Alfonso Soriano hit his would-be series-winning home run, Johnson came in for the ninth to shut the Yankees down. He kept Arizona in the game after pitching the night before and gave the Diamondbacks their chance to make a comeback against Mariano Rivera.
By 2005, the Yankees had enough and decided to trade Javier Vazquez, Brad Halsey and Dioner Navarro to the Diamondbacks to acquire the man that had burned them many times in the past. Randy Johnson was a Yankee for two seasons, winning 34 games behind historically high-powered lineups. However, he seemed to struggle with the media attention in New York and didn't pitch to the admittedly high expectations during either postseason. His struggles with his back, especially in 2006 when his ERA ballooned to an unsightly 5.00, didn't help and, ultimately, the Yankees traded Randy Johnson back to the Diamonbacks ahead of the 2007 season. Johnson pitched a final two years in Arizona before seeing out his career with San Francisco, where he earned his 300th career win.
As underwhelming as Randy Johnson was with the Yankees, his overall body of work was legendary. That strikeouts per-nine innings number of 10.61 would indicate an impressive season for a reliever in the strikeout-crazed MLB of today. For a starting pitcher, whose 21-year career dates back into the 1980s, that is an astonishing career statistic and an incredible testament to Johnson's dominance on the mound. Randy Johnson was a pitcher without peer in the National League from the second half of 1998 right through the early 2000s. He should be a unanimous selection, if only because it is impossible that any reasonable baseball writer could look at his body of work and choose to not elect him. Now, of course, he won't be unanimous, but he will easily be admitted to the Hall in his first go-around.
Congratulations on an incredible career Randy Johnson.
Nothing more than a tweet, but it's yet another link to trade discussion following Houston's center fielder
It appears the Astros are dangling Dexter Fowler in trades pretty heavily. Or, at least, other teams are inquiring about him. Early today, we saw that the Braves wanted a package centered around Fowler in a deal for Evan Gattis.
Now, Jon Morosi tweets that the Blue Jays have checked in on him:
Blue Jays have had trade discussions with Astros on Dexter Fowler. He is a switch-hitter; Jays would like to get more left-handed.
His column expanding on the rumor doesn't do much to flesh out what the Astros could get in return. Given Fowler's scant years of control, it will not likely be a huge deal. But, the Astros should at least ask for Daniel Norris. Morosi opines that Dalton Pompey, Toronto's expected starter in center field, could be in a deal for Fowler, but gives no specifics.
But, if the Astros trade Fowler, it's going to be for other MLB pieces. They want to improve on their finish next season, not backslide. The Jays don't have a lot of MLB pieces they might deal. Unless the return is specifically Pompey and Norris for Fowler (a highly unlikely scenario), the match doesn't make a ton of sense.
This all makes sense. If Robertson wants a four-year deal, he needs a three-year offer from someone that a team must beat. Houston may have provided that with their rumored three-year, $39 million offer. Now, Robertson can take that back to the Yankees or whoever and market himself as being worth the extra year.
It's understandable that the Astros are frustrated. They've feared this happening before, with free agents using them as leverage instead of an actual destination. The writer of this article, however, doesn't show a grasp of Houston's situation with paragraphs like this:
They don't have a bullpen in front of the ninth, are very erratic defensively and play in a small ballpark. What is he worth to them, five or six more wins?
Of all the ridiculous statements in that two-sentence paragraph, this one is the worst. If David Robertson is worth five or six wins, he's definitely worth $13 million a season. Heck, he'd be a bargain at that price.
He is not worth five or six wins.
Another day sitting by the hot stove, in other words. At least we have the Hank Conger deal to keep us warm. You want to talk more about pitch framing and how a backup catcher makes this team better?
LoHud | Chad Jennings: The Yankees avoided arbitration with Esmil Rogers, agreeing to a deal worth potentially $1.48 million with $750,000 guaranteed for next season. This means that he will likely be among the top contenders for a bullpen spot in spring training.
New York Post | Joel Sherman: Yankees fans complain about the team being inactive so far this offseason, but all of last season's top spenders missed the playoffs. The Winter Meetings are still yet to come, but it's possible that the front office just doesn't see a point in continuing to throw money at an uninspiring roster.
ESPN | Paul Swydan: Without any moves this offseason, the Yankees are currently looking like a team that could end up last in the AL East.
SI Live | Charlie De Blase Jr.: Finding a new shortstop just doesn't seem to be at the top of the Yankees' priority list right now.
New York Daily News | John Harper: Signing Andrew Miller and Max Scherzer while letting David Robertson walk would allow the Yankees to keep a similar draft pick to the one they currently have. Is it also possible that the team's sudden interest in Miller is just a way to put pressure on Robertson?
Last night was the non-tender deadline, where teams can choose whether or not to offer contracts to their players. This usually happens with arbitration-eligible players because it saves the team from having to hand out a new contract, but it can also be used as a way of simply clearing roster spots, and that's exactly what the Yankees did this year.
With six players on the 40-man roster eligible for arbitration, the Yankees decided to renew the contracts of Michael Pineda, David Phelps, Ivan Nova, Shawn Kelley, and, surprisingly, Esmil Rogers. The 29-year-old right-hander pitched to a 4.68 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 25.0 innings and didn't seem too impressive when he joined the Yankees. He was likely spared the axe due to his new team-friendly deal of only $750,000 in guaranteed money. If he reaches certain milestones he could make up to $1.48 million. As much as the Yankees like him, for whatever reason, it's unlikely that he'll be good enough to reach those incentives.
On the other side of things, the Yankees non-tendered David Huff, Jose Campos, and Slade Heathcott, taking them off the 40-man roster. Even though all three are now free agents and are eligible to sign with whoever they want, it doesn't mean that they won't return on minor league deals. They seem to like David Huff as a lefty specialist, so bringing him back for a third tour in pinstripes is not out of the question. Jose Campos and Slade Heathcott had to go to make room on the 40, but it's extremely likely that the Yankees will try to keep them in the organization. Maybe neither amount to anything, but it's still far too early to completely give up on either of them.
All-in-all nothing too crazy here. Rogers was unexpected, but they got him on such a cheap deal that you can't fault the Yankees for giving it a try. The two prospects are key though as it frees up a 40-man roster bogged down by useless prospects after Mason Williams was added earlier this month.The team's 40-man roster now stands at 36 with one week to go before the Rule 5 Draft. It looks like, barring several free agent signings in the next few days, that the Yankees will be taking a player or two in the draft, which should be somewhat exciting.
How do you feel about the team's decisions? Did they make a mistake? Was this the right call?
Miller is reportedly going to end up setting a record for a non-closer relief contract, but that isn't keeping the Red Sox away.
Andrew Miller is pretty great at pitching, but you knew that. Everyone seems to know that, especially teams looking for relief help, as it's been said time and again that Miller is going to end up setting a contract record for non-closer relievers regardless of where he signs. One of the teams still considering him in spite of this price is his former team, the Red Sox, who, along with the Yankees and Astros, are still showing "strong interest" according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
The Sox don't need a closer -- at least not right now -- because they have Koji Uehara signed for the next two years. They could end up needing one when that deal is over, though, and Miller will still be relatively young heading into 2017, as he's just heading into his age-30 season now. Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2012, Miller has thrown 133 innings with a 2.57 ERA and 13.6 strikeouts per nine. While his walk rate was still a bit of a problem in 2012 and 2013, further refinement this past season cut it in half and made him an unstoppable force on the mound.
As much as it might pain any Sox fans reading this to do so, you should credit Bobby Valentine for that one. He's the one who got Miller to ditch the wind-up and smooth out his mechanics so his command would be a positive instead of the reason for his demise.
Miller has wonderful velocity, the long limbs to make his pitches seem even faster than they are, and a killer breaking ball to complement it all. He's one of the top relievers in baseball and deserves to be paid as such. Whether the Red Sox will take that last step to bring back the trio of Miller, Uehara, and Junichi Tazawa at the back-end of their bullpen is still up for debate, however, in spite of this reported interest.
The Sox are still working through negotiations with Jon Lester, who is expected to make a decision by the end of this week. One wonders if Miller is part of the Plan B where the Sox don't get Lester, but need to try to make up for the production they were hoping for out of other parts of the roster. Part of that replacement production for hypothetical Lester could come from whatever trade returns they get over the next couple of months, but the ability to lock down leads in the last three innings games for the next two years is also a tempting plan, especially when the Sox might not have the rotation necessary to prop up the bullpen. Jon Heyman's most recent report on Miller backs up the idea of Miller as Plan B for Boston, as he writes that they're currently out while they're focused on the Lester negotiations.
The plan there would be to have an expensive but reliable back-end of the pen with Miller, Koji, and Tazawa supplemented by the kids on the 40-man who likely aren't starters. Those three plus the relief (read: likely superior) versions of Brandon Workman, Anthony Ranaudo, and Allen Webster -- and don't forget Edward Mujica -- is a pretty good-looking bullpen. It's also a pretty good-looking bullpen if the Sox have to look somewhere besides Lester for rotation help. You can move things around a bit, too, inserting Eduardo Escobar or Heath Hembree or Matt Barnes or whoever. The point is the Sox have inexpensive kids to toss in at the back-end who could all be helpful relief pieces behind the big three.
It's unclear what the final price for Miller will be, if he's going to end up making $8 million or $10 million or $12 million or whatever per year, but it'll probably be for four seasons. The Astros have money to spend and a real desire to make that team look more attractive, and the Yankees are a threat to skip over David Robertson completely in order to get Miller. A very rich threat.
Could Tony Franklin be the Yankees next hitting coach?
It's been over a month since the Yankees decided not to bring back longtime members of it's coaching staff, including hitting coach Kevin Long and first base coach Mick Kelleher. Kevin Long immediately found a new position with the Mets, but the Yankees are taking their time. Although they've interviewed numerous candidates for the position of hitting coach, they still haven't filled either role. Now, thanks to some minor league staff decisions, it sounds as though Tony Franklin could be under consideration.
Franklin spent eight years as the manager of the Yankees' Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder. The team has decided that he will not return to that role in 2015, and sources say that he will be reassigned to another position in the Yankees' organization. He led the Thunder to three Eastern League titles during his time as manager, and they made the postseason five times. Franklin has expressed that he likes working in the organization and was hopeful they would bring him back. It seems unlikely that he would be reassigned to a lesser role, unless they want to promote someone else currently coaching in the system, and have Franklin take that spot.
There's no way of knowing exactly what the Yankees are looking for in their next hitting coach, but Brian Cashman has said that he wants "a guy who will use every tool in the toolbox," and he referred to wanting a someone who is going to help the team work against the shift. He has also said that the team is interested in the possibility of creating an assistant hitting coach role, though he said he would only create such a position based on the new hitting coach's feedback.
As of last week, none of the candidates who have interviewed had been asked back for a second interview. The Yankees were interested in Raul Ibanez, who decided he was not interested in the position, though he's somehow ended up as one of the final three candidates being considered to be the Rays' new manager. Eric Hinske turned them down, Chili Davis signed with the Red Sox, and they decided they weren't interested in Dave Magadan. They also interviewed Marcus Thames and James Rowson, who both currently hold coaching positions in the farm system. Cashman supposedly interviewed someone new last week, but didn't disclose a name.
If nothing else, we know that they certainly aren't rushing into a decision. Who would you like to see as the Yankees next hitting coach?
Despite claims earlier in the offseason that the Yankees were not interested in the big free agent names on the market, the team could be making a late run at starting pitcher Jon Lester. The lefty starter is expected to make a decision on where he will pitch next season sometime this week before the Winter Meetings get underway on Monday, and it's possible that New York has decided to throw their hat into the ring before such a decision is made.
Signing Lester over, say, Max Scherzer, would allow the Yankees to keep their first round draft pick intact since Lester was traded from the Red Sox to the Athletics in the middle of the season. It seems like the lack of draft compensation is pushing them toward free agent reliever Andrew Miller as well, so it's possible that they might feel the same in choosing to pursue Lester over Scherzer at this stage.
Rumors over the weekend had them preparing an offer for Scherzer, but nothing has come of that to this point. After seeing other AL East teams make significant upgrades so far this winter, it's obvious that the Yankees need to do something. Bringing in a frontline starter like Lester would certainly go a long way in making a question-filled rotation seem a little more stable.
Yankees in on Lester with a late and large offer...
Keep in mind that the person responsible for this rumor so far is not one of the mainstream sports writers. It could very well end up being nothing when it's all said and done, but maybe there is some validity here. It certainly makes sense for them to at least make a competitive offer. Other interested teams include the Giants, Cubs, and Red Sox.
Do you believe this rumor that the Yankees are suddenly all in on Lester? Do you prefer them to bring in Lester or Scherzer if they are going after one of the two biggest names on the market?
Sure, this is the time of year for giving. But admit it: everybody loves to pick themselves up something as well. The Yankees are looking over their list as we speak.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but like a nuclear fallout the holiday shopping season has an effect long after the initial boom. At just about the same exact time, the baseball shopping season is set to ramp up. Everyone will be looking for that bargain or great deal, but not unlike that time when you were five and got a dictionary instead of that elephant you wanted not all will get the gift they most desired. There's not a team in baseball that wouldn't want Max Scherzer and Jon Lester, but some can't afford to put as much under the tree as others. Somebody gets a Roberto Hernandez. In the spirit of this, I compared some of the free agents of this year to their gift equivalents.
Like those obnoxious luxury car commercials like to show us, some people do actually get brand new cars as gifts this time of year. But while those are lovely I'm sure, Scherzer is much more of a supercar. Newer, more dynamic and able to top 98 MPH with ease. Scherzer has the sort of stuff that would make fans thrilled to have him at the top of their rotation. And like the $400,000 Lamborghini, Scherzer is not coming cheap and you might be regretting that impulse buy a few years down the line.
Ah, Legos. Familiar and reliable, the sort of gift that any kid can enjoy as long as they don't eat the pieces. Robertson has similarly been a source of steady enjoyment for Yankees fans, both as a setup man and closer. Problem with both is that they can get extremely pricey in their own right. That crazy set I linked above is 300 dollars! If Robertson gets to the dreaded five-year mark, "familiar and reliable" might not be enough for such a hefty price tag.
McCarthy is fun and unpredictable. Just like Slinky! McCarthy has had injuries and inconsistency through parts his career, but when he's been right he can be very good. Not unlike a friend tangling poor Slinky by not using it properly, the Diamondbacks had McCarthy abandon his effective cutter and his performance suffered for it. There's a high ceiling with McCarthy, but there's still risk involved. Even if you did it just right Slinky would stop going down the stairs like it was supposed too. We'll see of McCarthy suffers a similar fate.
It's not exactly what you wanted, but a good globe is useful if not terribly exciting. Markakis isn't going to wow you with his production or flashy play, but he would be a solid pickup with a relatively low bust factor. You know what you're getting in a guy like Markakis. Similarly a globe isn't going to burst into flames or brick the first time you try it.
Grandma heard you like video games, so she got you this one. The one with the blue thing on the front. Like Drew, Sonic games were pretty good a while back. Whether it's desperation or financial restraints, you hope for a return to form against your better judgment. Basically this game is the equivalent of a - 2 fWAR season, so maybe Drew will bounce back better.
D-Robs playing the Astros, Yankees are copying the Royals style, Jon Lester may be on the pinstriped radar, and Max Scherzer is not a risky investment.
New York Post | George A. King: The Yankees' free agent closer may be using the Astros to negotiate a better deal somewhere else and the Houston organization is none too happy about that.
New York Post | Joel Sherman: With the strong interest in Andrew Miller as well as the rumored desire to bring back Robertson, the Yankees appear to be copying the Royals method of shortening games to six inning affairs.
NJ.com | Brendan Kuty:Jon Lester is one of the two best pitchers on the market by a fairly significant margin. He has drawn interest from several teams, but reports are conflicting as to whether the Yankees are one of them.
ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: Some may consider Max Scherzer a risk for a the long term since he is a 30-year-old pitcher. The right-hander's age does not tell the whole tale as his award-winning arm has seen less work than the Yankees Japanese ace, Masahiro Tanaka.
GUYS, the painfully slow reveal of which team a reliever will go to might be complete soon. Woo?
If it seems like the Yankees have been just ever-so-gradually inching toward signing lefty reliever Andrew Miller, then last night's news on Miller brought the two parties closer than ever. After starring for Orioles down the stretch in a 2014 AL East division title run that lasted into the ALCS, the 6'7" southpaw is geared to receive the biggest payday ever for a reliever with no closing experience. A series of tweets and stories regarding the teams interested in Miller appeared to leave the Yankees as the last team standing in the Miller sweepstakes. (Try telling someone just two years ago that "Miller sweepstakes" is a real phrase in the year 2014.)
andrew miller decision expected in next day or 2: yanks in mix, dodgers seem less likely, red sox no http://t.co/f5dL3FHEcO
Within half of an hour late on Monday night, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports revealed recent developments on Miller, primarily that two of Miller's primary suitors might be out of the hunt for him. The Red Sox of course still had interest in Miller after dealing him away at the Trade Deadline in a lost season, though he was excellent out of the bullpen for them since his conversion to relief from the rotation in 2012. The Dodgers have deep pockets and a shaky bullpen outside of Kenley Jansen, so the link there was obvious as well. However, Miller's cost might have deterred them from continuing their pursuit, though with the unpredictability of baseball's off-season, it's hard to rule them out for sure.
About an hour later, Heyman acknowledged another nugget that could push Miller toward the Yankees:
yankees may be willing to give miller the 4th year as they try to stave off upstart astros & others. http://t.co/f5dL3FHEcO
It's been believed for awhile that Miller's goal is a four-year contract, and if the Yankees want to give him that, then it could be the deciding factor. The continued inclusion of the Astros in both this race for Miller and the one for current Yankees closer David Robertson, another free agent, is a little odd considering how far the young team appears to be from playoff contention, but while they have shed a ton of payroll in recent years, owner Jim Crane certainly has the capacity to spend if he so desires. They have barely $25 million committed to the 2015 payroll at the moment; adding even a $13 million per year reliever isn't going to break the bank.
Regardless, Astros beat writer Evan Drellich followed up on Heyman's tweet another hour later with insider information of his own:
...okay, so maybe Crane doesn't want to spend money. What a bizarre team.
So if the reports have said the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Astros are all likely out on Miller, does that leave the Yankees as the clear frontrunners for the lefty? Perhaps, but never forget the meme to end all off-season memes: the #MysteryTeam. Remember, Heyman noted "maybe a third team" when detailing how the "field of 22" had been narrowed down, and in his article, he also said "the latest word is that the Yankees are battling another team or two, including the surprising Astros." The "Mystery Team" could of course be a fabrication by Frontline (Miller's agency) to drive up his market, but if some other team swooped in to sign him, it would be far from the first time a team came out of seemingly nowhere to make a splash.
Although Miller would unquestionably be a boost to the Yankees' bullpen, it would be tough to assess this move so early in the off-season. Signing Miller and remaining stagnant until pitchers and catchers report would really do nothing to address the team's issues, like the sputtering offense and a rotation full of question marks. Signing a solid reliever is the type of move made to push a contending team over the top. The Yankees might dream of a Miller/Dellin Betances combination at the end of games similar to Wade Davis and Greg Holland starring for the AL champion Royals this year. (Man, "AL champion Royals" is a real thing, isn't it? I miss the days of Carlos Febles and Runelvys Hernandez.) Hell, the team has said that even if they signed Miller, that wouldn't necessarily mean that D-Rob is a goner, either.
I just don't buy that the Yankees are actually interested in spending that much money on relievers though. They'll probably choose one of Miller or D-Rob, and that will be that. Again: If they sign Miller or Robertson, it has to be only the first step because this team needs improvement in several areas. It would be nice to fortify the bullpen so that the shaky Shawn Kelley and Adam Warren are somewhat less pivotal to the team's success, but they need to score the runs to get the leads, too.
Hopefully, Heyman is correct in that Miller will make up his mind during the next day or two. Even the best free agent relievers aren't that exciting, and Miller seems to be taking his sweet time. Kindly decide so we can track news on more intriguing additions, sir.
The Yankees are apparently trying hard for Andrew Miller. There was also a rumor they might be going after Jon Lester as well. Still no word on bats or a hitting coach. Pitchers and catchers report in 77 days.
You might want to start getting your best Miller GIFs and puns prepared, because it seems that the Yankees really want Andrew Miller. There has been no official conformation yet, but the Astros are supposedly out of the race for him. That could push the Yankees to the top of the list. This does not mean that they plan to let David Robertson walk. One has to imagine that they salivate at the thought of a Miller/Betances/Robertson bullpen just as much as we do. If the Yankees do anything right, it's make us fans happy...
Comments of the Day
Shaun nominates Derby for the Yankees' hitting coach position. Those who do not approve of his choice may be IP banned from Pinstripe Alley.
LTL throws us a bone regarding how that conversation would go.
Apparently, LTL shares why he would prefer Jon Lester over Max Scherzer. Shockingly, he doesn't mention that he would change his name to long time lesterner.
Andrew points out that the leak might be a ploy by the Cubs. Could Clark be behind this?
Here's what Lester would look like in pinstripes. Not a terrible look for him.
Sadly, it looks like this may not be happening. We should find out soon enough.
Onto more pressing matters. Harlan flawlessly points out why we now need BOTH Yoan Moncada and Yoan Lopez on the team.
GIF of the Day
This kid seems kind of like a front runner. Broke College Kid may know more.
Honorable Mod Mention
Shaun promises to mold his nephew into not just a Yankee fan, but a future Yankee outfielder. There is no more honorable cause.
Fun Questions
Name a fictional character you'd like to be the Yankees' hitting coach.
No really, sign both Miller and Robertson. Combine the two of them with Betances and the potential of Lindgren. That would probably be the most dominant bullpen in the majors. Now if you'll excuse me, I must wipe the drool up off the floor.
It's time to clear up the confusion in the Twitter news breaking industry.
There’s been a lot of talk and controversy surrounding breaking news in the baseball world recently. Although social media is a great way to connect with people, the downside is that it allows anyone to start rumors and create stories without a regard to accuracy. While others are concerned with getting the story first, all of us at Pinstripe Alley care about posting news with integrity. With that in mind, I have decided to put together a list of trusted sources, so that you can cut through the nonsense to get all of your baseball news.
Pinstripe Alley Staff
With Pinstripe Alley being your number one source for all things Yankees, I’ve compiled a list that contains all of our current PSA writers with Twitter accounts. Feel free to follow all of us on Twitter for breaking news and the latest updates.
Name
Twitter Handle
Pinstripe Alley
@pinstripealley
Tanya Bondurant
@TanyaBondurant
Jason Cohen
@Jason00Cohen
Andrew Mearns
@MearnsPSA
Matt Ferenchick
@MattF15
Greg Kirkland
@ImNotAHRHitter
Michael Brown
@ChuckBurly
Jim Griffin
@gorillapresslam
Doug Hall
@DougHall_NY
Scott Davis
@Scott_C_Davis
John Beck
@jscape2000
Chris Mitchell
@_chris_mitchell
Matt Provenzano
@mattprov94
Official Team Sites
For press releases and other official team info, check these Twitter handles from the New York Yankees all the way down to their Short-Season Pulaski affiliate, they’ve got you covered.
Name
Twitter Handle
Charleston
@ChasRiverDogs
New York
@Yankees
Pulaski
@pulaskiyanks
Scranton-WB
@swbrailriders
Staten Island
@SIYanks
Tampa
@TampaYankees
Trenton
@TrentonThunder
Yankees Beat Writers
Listed below are the guys that follow the team on a daily basis and have their fingers on the pulse of things in the Bronx. From injury reports to roster moves these are the people closest to the action.
Name
Twitter Handle
Daniel Barbarisi
@DanBarbarisi
Erik Boland
@eboland11
Jack Curry
@JackCurryYES
Mark Feinsand
@FeinsandNYDN
Bryan Hoch
@BryanHoch
Chad Jennings
@LoHudYankees
George A. King III
@GeorgeAKingIII
Brendan Kuty
@BrendanKutyNJ
Meredith Marakovits
@M_Marakovits
Wallace Matthews
@ESPNNYYankees
Sweeny Murti
@YankeesWFAN
David Waldstein
@DavidWaldstein
Yankees Minor League Writers
For those looking for news concerning the Baby Bombers, look no further than these fine folks.
Name
Twitter Handle
Donnie Collins
@RailRidersTT
Matt Kardos
@mattkardos
Dan Pfeiffer
@danpfeiffer74
Nick Peruffo
@nickperuffo
Jed Weisberger
@jedleyq
Robert Pimpsner
@RPimpsner
National Baseball Writers
Looking for news and stories on a more national scale? Great, below you’ll find some of the top national baseball writers throughout the U.S.
Name
Twitter Handle
Grant Brisbee
@mccoveychron
Tim Brown
@TBrownYahoo
Nick Cafardo
@nickcafardo
Craig Calcaterra
@craigcalcaterra
Peter Gammons
@pgammo
Jon Heyman
@JonHeymanCBS
Jay Jaffe
@jay_jaffe
Tyler Kepner
@TylerKepner
Jonah Keri
@jonahkeri
Ben Lindbergh
@BenLindbergh
Sam Miller
@SamMillerBP
Jon Morosi
@jonmorosi
Bob Nightengale
@Bnightengale
Buster Olney
@Buster_ESPN
Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
Joel Sherman
@Joelsherman1
Jesse Spector
@jessespector
Jayson Stark
@jaystonst
Jeff Sullivan
@based_ball
Scouting and Amateurs
Whether you’re looking at international free agents or college and high school draft prospects, these guys are at the forefront of the industry.
Name
Twitter Handle
Ben Badler
@BenBadler
Jim Callis
@jimcallisMLB
JJ Cooper
@jjcoop36
Aaron Fitt
@aaronfitt
Marc Hulet
@marchulet
Vince Lara-Cinismo
@vincelara
Keith Law
@keithlaw
John Manuel
@johnmanuelba
Jonathan Mayo
@JonathanMayoB3
Kiley McDaniel
@kileymcd
Chris Mellen
@ChrisMellen
Josh Norris
@jnorris427
Kendall Rogers
@KendallRogersD1
Jesse Sanchez
@JesseSanchezMLB
John Sickels
@MinorLeagueBall
Whether you’re new to Twitter or are already an avid user, I hope that this information will enhance your fan experience. As always stay tuned to Pinstripe Alley for all your Yankees news, updates and insights.
Would you vote Fred McGriff into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
This is the Crime Dog's 6th time on the ballot, his high mark was 23.9%, last year he dropped to just 11.7%. I'm biased, but I don't know why Fred McGriff doesn't get more support for the Hall. 493 home runs, 1305 RBI, a 1550 RBI and 1305 walks with a.284/.377/.509 slash line. Fangraphs has him at a 50.5 career WAR.
I really liked him when he was a Jay. When they traded him, and Tony Fernandez to the Padres for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter, I told my friend that we were trading away a future Hall of Famer. 30+ homers, 100 walks a year seemed like a guy that should make the Hall to me.
We got him in a very lopsided trade with the Yankees. We got him, Dave Colins (who was a pretty good left fielder for us) and Mike Morgan (who wasn't good for us but went on to be a pretty good pitcher) for Dale Murray (who had a 4.73 ERA in 632 relief appearances for the Yankees) and Tom Dodd (who never played in the majors for the Yankees, he would go on to play 8 games with the Orioles, 4 years later).
Fred made 5 All-Star teams and had 3 Silver Sluggers. He was always close to the top of the league in OBP and Slugging. The top 4 players on his Similarity Score list are Willie McCovery, Willie Stargell, Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas.
His problem is that he played in an era where there a number of good first basemen and, of course, when steroids were all around. I don't remember Fred being accused of using PED,
The Miami Marlins have joined the race for free agent third baseman Chase Headley, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, who notes that Headley could represent a solution to Miami's currently dismal first base situation. Per Heyman, the Marlins may be ready to "make a significant offer" to the 30-year-old.
Headley would seemingly immediately bolster Miami's lineup, as the former Gold Glover would force incumbent Casey McGehee to first base, where he could potentially form a platoon with Garrett Jones, assuming neither is traded. Miami has been looking to upgrade its first base situation all offseason, making a serious run at Adam LaRoche, who spurned the club for the White Sox. The Marlins have also shown interest in trade targets such as Brandon Moss and Allen Craig.
Per Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan, Headley's camp has told clubs that he has a four-year offer worth approximately $65 million in hand. The offering team is unknown at this point, though it seems that the fourth year will ultimately be the deciding factor in landing Headley. If Miami is indeed willing to go four years, that may be enough for him to spurn the other clubs that have shown interest in him, such as the Indians, Giants, and Yankees. New York, where Headley spent the latter half of the 2014 season after a mid-season trade from San Diego, has long seemed to be a logical destination, though they are reportedly unwilling to offer more than three years.
Since breaking out with an MVP-caliber 2012 season, Headley has seen his offensive numbers decline, though he is still an above-average contributor, with a combined 109 OPS+ over the past two years, including a 119 mark in 224 plate appearances with the Yankees over the second half of last season. Still, an above-average offensive player coupled with Headley's elite defensive skills (he has a 35.2 UZR over the past three years) is essentially a solid 3-4 WAR player.
