If you've been wondering what exactly the Yankees have been doing regarding their open coaching staff positions, it seems the search might be coming to a close. It's been a little concerning that the Yankees have done basically nothing all offseason, and their lack of a hitting coach seemed to make it look even worse.

The New York Daily News is reporting that current Double-A Trenton hitting coach Marcus Thames will be hired as the assistant hitting coach for the major league team. Many organizations are starting to make the hitting coach position a two-person job, presumably to give their players different perspectives, and it's good to see the Yankees keep up with this trend. Despite only a short time in the organization and as a coach, Thames has been well-liked by both the organization and players, and with prospects like Rob Refsnyder, Aaron Judge, and Greg Bird coming through the system, it makes sense to have their former coach up with them to watch over them.

As for the hitting coach position, James Rowson, who previously interviewed for the position, is currently considered to be the favorite to land the job. He previously served as minor league hitting coordinator with the Yankees before taking a job as major league hitting coach with the Cubs through the 2013 season. For the first base coaching job, last year's minor league field coordinator Jody Reed is the leading candidate. The Yankees have also interviewed Willie Randolph, though it's unknown how serious of a candidate he is. It would be nice to see him get another shot on a major league coaching staff, but we'll see what ultimately happens.

What do you all think about the dual-hitting coach position? Do you support the hiring of Thames? Do you want Willie Randolph back?

In deciding whether to pay Chase Headley a large sum in the free agent market, the Yankees should consider his replacements.

Note: This article was written before today's trade.

Chase Headley has a mystery offer of $65 million in front of him. Well, mysterious to the baseball world, but hopefully not to Headley himself. Nonetheless, the 30 year-old third baseman has a lot of money coming his way from some team. The question is whether that team should be the New York Yankees.

One way to evaluate a contract is to look at the cost of purchasing a win, given the current market. This method has been popularized by Dave Cameron over at FanGraphs. And depending on how you fine-tune the model, the cost of a win in recent markets has been around $7 million. This year, early into the free agent process, that value has inflated closer to $8-10 million per win, but will likely regress once more lower-level free agents find homes.

So when Yankees fans — who are used to their team extending contracts to superstars such as Giancarlo Stanton— see that Chase Headley could make $65 million over four years, they should consider his market value instead of reacting with shock and dismay. With Steamer projecting Headley at 3.9 wins next season, and assuming decline from a 30+ year-old player of about a half of a win per season over the following three years, he could be worth as much as 12.6 wins above replacement. At $7 million per win, and being conservative in assuming no inflation, that values out to $88.2 million. All of a sudden, $65 million looks like a bargain.

But here is the tricky part: WAR — wins above replacement— measures the value of a player compared to a replacement-level player. It doesn't take into account the actual replacement player that a team would plug into the roster in place of the player in question. The Yankees have options at third base if they don't sign Headley, which is why they can't simply look at the value of Headley's contract in a vacuum of the current free agent market, but should instead consider the value he brings over their own replacement players.

The Yankees have a few options at third base if they don't sign Headley. The Bleacher Creatures would enjoy (tongue-in-cheekly) making roll call to an old favorite, Alex Rodriguez, but that seems unlikely due to his health. The most obvious choice to man the hot corner would be Martin Prado, who is signed through the next two seasons at $11 million per year. Steamer projects the 31 year-old to produce 2.3 wins next season. That's pretty good value for Prado, and only 1.6 wins less than Headley's projection.

Of course, if Headley were resigned, Prado could man second base, which is the preferred spot for him. That means that by losing Headley, it is more about who plays second base, and for New York, the options there are pretty slim. The conversation is no longer about Headley's value compared to Prado's, it is about Headley's value compared to the likes of Robert Refsnyder and Jose Pirela.

As the table above outlines, using Steamer's projections in 2015, and adjusting for 2016, both Refsnyder and Pirela add about the same value, with either choice to play second base probably worth close to 1.5 wins over the next two seasons, while Headley and Prado are worth 7.3 and 4.1 wins, respectively.

In short, by signing Headley and playing Prado at second, the Yankees could expect about 11.4 wins in value between 2015 and 2016. By losing Headley, and playing Prado at the hot corner and one of the kids at second, they can expect about 5.6 wins in value.

The true "wins above replacement" for Headley on the Yankees would be 5.8 wins, which at a cost of $7 million per win, equates into $40.6 million in value, and that is just over the next two seasons. We can use average annual value of $16.25 million on a four-year $65 million contract to conclude that Headley's projected value compared to the Yankees' current alternatives in the first two years of that deal would be greater than his actual pay of $32.5 million. At that point, if age starts to catch up to him, as the aging curve suggests it would, any decline in his production in the back-end of a four-year deal could potentially be offset by the front two years.

These are the Yankees we are talking about, so it is hard to imagine that they would go two seasons with unknowns at second base. The equation changes if we consider the potential for them to add a stronger replacement level player than either Refsynder or Pirela to play second. And then, at that point, the cost of acquiring that improvement would have to be evaluated against the cost of just keeping Headley.

What we are finding is that Chase Headley is a relatively good deal, even at a sticker shocker price of $65 million, both in terms of his current market value when considering the price of a win, and also compared to who the Yankees have to replace him. It seems like New York will let him walk, but that probably isn't wise.

. . .

All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

Jeffrey Bellone is an editor and featured writer at Beyond The Box Score. You can follow and interact with him on Twitter @OverWhitestone.

Not only will the Orioles be losing Andrew Miller, but a division rival gains him. He's signed a contract with the Yankees.

The Orioles were never going to get to keep Andrew Miller, but it still sucks to see him head to a division rival. Friday afternoon brought some bad news on that front as Jack Curry from the YES Network reported that Miller has agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract with the Yankees.

That's going to be a heck of a back end of the bullpen between Miller and Dellin Betances. No matter which is deployed in what role, two pitchers who had simply outstanding 2014 seasons will be available for Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

Dan Duquette told fans at an event just last night that signing a reliever to that contract would not make sense for this market. Committing to a reliever for four years at $9 million per year on average is a lot. As great as Miller was in 2014, it's the only season in his career where he has ever done so well. He was just so good and so many teams with money needed a reliever that the O's were priced out almost before they even started.

Now, we're left hoping that Eduardo Rodriguez, whom was traded to Boston for Miller, doesn't become a four-time Cy Young winner for the Red Sox.

And here it is.

There had been pretty much no movement from the Yankees since the offseason began, and now we get two deals on one day that we can mull over for a little while. We had been hearing about murmurs of the Yankees signing left-handed reliever Andrew Miller; some claimed that the deal would be done by today. And, that was correct:

Andrew Miller has agreed to a 4-year, $36 million deal with the Yankees, according to source involved in negotiations.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) December 5, 2014

Miller had stated that he ideally wanted to sign a four-year deal, and the Yankees gave him just that. Miller was drafted by the Detroit Tigers way back in 2006 (6th overall), and he was part of the blockbuster Miguel Cabrera trade as he was sent to the Marlins. As recently as two years ago he was a failed starter, and then the Red Sox put him in the bullpen in 2012. He pitched well in both 2012 and 2013, but he really established himself as a "lefty-ace" in 2014 as he put up a 2.02 ERA and 1.51 FIP with 14.87 K/9 and 2.3 fWAR. He was very, very good.

This deal is an interesting one, to say the least. We still don't know what the Yankees will do with David Robertson given this move, and that could play a huge role in how we perceive this. Nonetheless, Miller is 29 years old and has no draft pick attached to his signing, so the Yankees could theoretically have a similarly performing bullpen next year for a lesser amount, and they'll still be able to either save the draft pick or use it for another big-ticket free agent signing. $36 million is also not a huge sum of money objectively for the Yankees, and they're definitely able to assume the risk of the possibility of yet another "relief ace" falling apart.

There will plenty of analysis and discussion coming, for sure. Stay tuned.

The Yankees continued to be busy Friday afternoon, signing left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to a four-year contract after swinging a three-team trade to get shortstop Didi Gregorius earlier in the day. It has felt like Miller to the Yankees has been nearly imminent over the last few days after reports were that the team might be preferring him to David Robertson and that other suitors had withdrawn from the race. Adding Miller to their bullpen gives the Yankees more strength in a spot where they were already strong. That is, even if David Robertson doesn't return, they have a pretty formidable one-two punch with Miller and Dellin Betances holding down the later innings.

Reports have surfaced that signing Miller wouldn't necessarily preclude the Yankees from inking Robertson to a new deal, but you have to wonder how likely that is. After dealing away Shane Greene earlier today the team needs at least two starters. They've been connected to Max Scherzer and have already expressed their desire for Brandon McCarthy to return. If they are going to dish out the necessary money to bring in a name like Scherzer, they might not want to hand out another four-year deal to a reliever in their bullpen. If they do, however, it would give them one of the best bullpens in the majors. A Miller-Betances-Robertson trio would easily compete with the best three relievers on any team, including the bullpen that helped the Kansas City Royals make it all the way to the World Series.

Some strange claims have been made recently about New York no longer being a top destination for free agents, but apparently Miller turned down a bigger offer in order to play for the Yankees. It is unclear which team made the offer, which could obviously have a lot to do with it. Miller's deal doesn't include insane opt out clauses like the ones given to Rafael Soriano to be Mariano Rivera's setup man. The Yankees also didn't hand out a no-trade clause, for whatever that's worth.

The best thing about Miller is that he is a left-hander that isn't tied to only getting out lefties. Miller pitched to a 2.34 ERA with the Red Sox before being dealt to the Orioles for their playoff run. He held lefties to a .161 average and righties to an even more ridiculous .142 average. That is an asset that any team would like to have in their bullpen, and should allow for Joe Girardi to continue to make the most of his relievers.

Miller not costing a draft pick would also soften the blow of the Yankees deciding to sign, say, Scherzer. They were able to fill their need at shortstop without going into the free agent market and they were able to add a strong piece to their bullpen without giving up their first round pick. If Robertson leaves, they'll receive draft compensation for him which would nearly make losing a pick for Scherzer a wash. Maybe they don't care about that, but it is certainly something to consider. I'll be a little sad if this means that Robertson's time in the Bronx is over, but adding Miller is definitely good news for the bullpen in 2015. Maybe that means it'll be Betances' time to shine as the next Yankees closer. Either way, it seems like there are definitely more moves to come and that's exciting.

There had been pretty much no movement from the Yankees since the offseason began, and now we get two deals on one day that we can mull over for a little while. We had been hearing about murmurs of the Yankees signing left-handed reliever Andrew Miller; some claimed that the deal would be done by today. And, that was correct:

Andrew Miller has agreed to a 4-year, $36 million deal with the Yankees, according to source involved in negotiations.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) December 5, 2014

Miller had stated that he ideally wanted to sign a four-year deal, and the Yankees gave him just that. Miller was drafted by the Detroit Tigers way back in 2006 (6th overall), and he was part of the blockbuster Miguel Cabrera trade as he was sent to the Marlins. As recently as two years ago he was a failed starter, and then the Red Sox put him in the bullpen in 2012. He pitched well in both 2012 and 2013, but he really established himself as a "lefty-ace" in 2014 as he put up a 2.02 ERA and 1.51 FIP with 14.87 K/9 and 2.3 fWAR. He was very, very good.

This deal is an interesting one, to say the least. We still don't know what the Yankees will do with David Robertson given this move, and that could play a huge role in how we perceive this. Nonetheless, Miller is 29 years old and has no draft pick attached to his signing, so the Yankees could theoretically have a similarly performing bullpen next year for a lesser amount, and they'll still be able to either save the draft pick or use it for another big-ticket free agent signing. $36 million is also not a huge sum of money objectively for the Yankees, and they're definitely able to assume the risk of the possibility of yet another "relief ace" falling apart.

There will plenty of analysis and discussion coming, for sure. Stay tuned.

Even after signing Andrew Miller to a four-year deal this afternoon, the Yankees haven't ruled out a reunion with free agent closer David Robertson. Buster Olney reports that the Yankees are still interested in bringing Robertson back if his price comes down from the current Papelbonesque levels. Signing Miller means that they have leverage to use against Robertson and aren't required to break the bank for him if another team offers a huge contract.

Adding Miller to the bullpen alongside Dellin Betances gives the Yankees a similar one-two punch in the later innings like they had last year with Betances and Robertson. Bringing Robertson back would give them one of the best bullpens in baseball, if not the best, but it would also require likely handing out another four-year deal to a reliever when there are many other pressing concerns like starting pitching and third base. It seems that the team is not closing the door on Robertson as much as they are just limiting their desperation for him. If he comes back, great. If he doesn't, they'll move on with the group they have which is still pretty strong. That seems to be their stance, at least.

If Yanks can sign Robertson, pen of he, Betances, Miller, Kelley, Wilson, Warren (if he doesn't start) and maybe Lindgren will be imposing.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) December 5, 2014

Yes, please. That sounds like a dream.

Source just said that yes, Miller signing makes Robertson return less likely, but if Robertson's price comes down, Yankees intrigued.

— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) December 5, 2014

It will be very sad to see Robertson go, if it indeed comes to that. However, at least the Yankees weren't left with nothing because they put too many eggs in one basket. At least for now we can dream of having a bullpen that can match up against any in the majors if the two sides can figure out a way to work out a deal.

Last year eight baseball players made their debut with the Yankees. Those names include Bryan Mitchell, Jose Pirela, Chase Whitley, Shane Greene, Jose Ramirez, Dean Anna, Zelous Wheeler, and Yangervis Solarte. Going into 2015, there are quite a few more potential rookies in the Yankees system. Despite the team's reputation, it would seem there could be a steady inflow of youth coming up the line:

Tyler Austin– Capable of playing both first base and right field, if injuries befall either Carlos Beltran or Mark Teixeira, the Yankees may have no other choice but to give Austin a shot. In the early goings of the season they'll likely try to get by with who they have in the majors, but if Austin continues to hit, he could end up as their first choice by mid-season.

Manny Banuelos– Finally healthy, Banuelos will get another shot in Triple-A and depending on the team's needs, he could find himself in the majors. It's possible he could end up pitching out of the bullpen, but don't be surprised if he gets thrown into a Shane Greene line of work.

Danny Burawa– It's completely possible that Burawa could make the major league bullpen out of spring training. The Yankees had high hopes for him last spring, but if he pitches better this time around, showing better control, he could be the first on this list to make the majors.

Taylor Dugas– Admittedly a bit of a long shot, Dugas has displayed great control over the strikezone and relies on his contact abilities at the plate. He likely profiles as a fourth or fifth outfielder, so he might get a few days as an injury fill-in, but should most likely be expected in September, if at all.

Ramon Flores– Flores has been a bit of an enigma for awhile now. He's shown talent, but without consistent power or plus-defense it's hard to see where he will end up. He could be an injury replacement or he might have to wait until September, however, given his prospect status, if he's performing well there'll be talk of him moving up.

Jacob Lindgren – The ace lefty reliever the Yankees drafted in 2014 was supposed to be in the majors already, so if all goes right in 2015, we should be seeing him soon. His status all depends on who they bring in as a lefty specialist as last year the Yankees displayed their willingness to let just about every left-hander they could find pitch. They probably won't take him out of spring training just to give him more innings in the upper minors, but if the Strikeout Factory continues to roll along, it'll be hard for them to hold him back

Jaron Long – As the surprise of the season, Long built up a lot of goodwill in 2014. What he lacks in pure stuff, he makes up for with his ability to generate ground balls. Last season a scout said the 23-year-old could already be in the majors, but let's see how serious they take him now that his father is out of the organization. If he continues to impress through the upper levels, he could get a shot in a number of different roles.

James Pazos– As a left-handed reliever who can strike hitters out, the Yankees would obviously have serious interest in Pazos. He's likely to compete for the LOOGY role in the spring and could always be called up mid-season when needed. He's not much of a top prospect, but he still has plenty of talent that could play up against MLB competition.

Branden Pinder– The Yankees demoted Pinder in 2013 and it looked like that would be the end of his prospect status, but he came back stronger in 2014 and the team noticed. He might not end up as much, perhaps something similar to Preston Claiborne, though hopefully his fortunes are brighter.

Rob Refsnyder– We'll be seeing Rob Refsnyder in 2015 as long as he isn't traded and nothing goes seriously wrong for him. The biggest question though is when; does he come North with the team in April or do they keep him down for a few months, delay his arbitration clock, and allowing him to get going before clearing a spot for him at second base. His fate could depend entirely on who they bring in this offseason.

Kyle Roller– In his first taste of Triple-A and at the age of 26, Kyle Roller might have had his best professional season of his career. With Mark Teixeira an injury hazard and no real backup first baseman on the roster to speak of, Roller could find his way onto the team at some point if there's an emergency. In all likelihood we might never see him, but this could be his year.

Nick Rumbelow – In 2014, Rumbelow jumped four levels to Triple-A and is now on the cusp of a call-up for the 2015 season. There's a chance he could break camp with the team this spring, but there's a better chance he'll be allowed to get a few more innings in at the upper minors before they bring him up.

Rob Segedin– Segedin might never end up making it, but with third base completely in the air for the Yankees and him now 26 years old after a strong season, this could be his last, best chance. He won't be a regular, but maybe he could end up as an interesting role player for a time.

Tyler Webb – Perhaps the lefty in the system most close to major league-ready, Webb could end up breaking camp with the team if they don't sign anyone in free agency and Lindgren needs a bit more seasoning. He has the potential to be a late-inning reliever at the MLB level and that could come to fruition this year.

Who do you want to see in the majors this year?

The lefty reliever spent last season with New York's rivals in Boston and Baltimore.

One of the best parts about the Mets' bullpen is that it's young, talented and affordable. The team doesn't need to go out on the free agent market and spend a lot of money on a player who is only going to pitch around 70 innings per season.

Enter the Yankees, who have fewer young arms and more money to spend than our beloved Mets. Even if spending $9 million per year on a middle relief pitcher doesn't seem especially prudent, when that cash is spent on a player who was as effective last season as Andrew Miller was, it could turn out well.

Andrew Miller has agreed to a 4-year, $36 million deal with the Yankees, according to source involved in negotiations.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) December 5, 2014

Miller is a former prospect in the Detroit system who was traded to Florida along with Cameron Maybin in the blockbuster trade of 2007 involving Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. Since then, Miller has flamed out as a starter, be he's also reinvented himself as a relief pitcher.

Last season, Miller pitched excellently for both the Red Sox and Orioles, accumulating a 2.02 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 62.1 innings. Those aren't LOOGY numbers either. Although Miller is left-handed, he threw 36.1 innings against right-handers in 2014 while holding them to a .208 wOBA.

Considering how dominant he was last season as well as the price the Yankees are paying, look for Miller to be a key part of the Bronx bullpen in 2015.

What does this mean for the rest of the Yankees offseason plans?

I see three schools of thought on the Andrew Miller deal:

1) You like it.

He's another former starter turned lights out reliever. He's signed for his age 30-33 years, and he's a lefty. In a division filled with short porches and lefty sluggers, that's an asset. We just saw what a force a monster bullpen can be in the postseason. You just have to be in it to win it, and with a Miller in the bullpen to shorten the game, the Yankees should expect to win virtually every time they take a lead into the late innings. As another plus, Miller will have to shave that ridiculous facial hair, so his signing with the Yankees is a win for fashion and good taste.

Even better, the Yankees added a player without surrendering a draft pick. There are very few times a team gets to keep their draft lineup intact while also adding free agent talent, and the Yankees might have overpaid, but they managed to protect their draft position with the one advantage they hold over all of MLB: just plain cash money.

2) You hate it.

$9M per year for four years is a lot of money to commit to a reliever. Steve Karsay and Kyle Farnsworth remain reminders to Yankee fans of just how wrong a deal for a reliever can go. And, to remind yourself how much money baseball is awash in, Tom Gordon worked his magic for the Yankees for one third that price, and Mariano Rivera already had four World Series rings before he started making that much money.

Or you're sure that this marks the end of the Yankees' spending. They've already made noise about being out on Headley, and won't similar word come about Robertson soon too? You've got to acknowledge that even the Yankees have (self-imposed) financial limits, and $9M per year for a guy who has never closed and who's soon to turn 30 is just a misallocation of resources.

3) You're undecided

You want to love the move, but you can only love the move if this isn't the end. The Yankees need something else to close the 12-game gap between themselves and the Orioles. Nick Markakis heading to Atlanta makes the Orioles weaker, and the Yankees adding Didi Gregorius and Andrew Miller makes them better. But there's still a gap to close, and the Yankees need to do something - add a middle starter like Brandon McCarthy, or add an ace like Max Scherzer, or add a stronger infielder like Chase Headley, or add another bullpen ace like David Robertson.

If this is the start of the sleeping giant finally waking up, if the Yankees took note when the Red Sox signed the two best hitters on the market and said, "We can do better" then you're ready to hop on the bandwagon. But if this is the end, and the Yankees go quiet between now and spring training, you'll view the offseason with disappointment.

So tell me what it is Yankee fans? Love it? Hate it?

Did the Yankees make the right move? Or should they have held on to Shane Greene?

The Yankees made their first splash of the offseason this morning, trading for Didi Gregorius in a three-team deal that included Detroit and Arizona.  Detroit landed Shane Greene, while Arizona received Robbie Ray from the Tigers.

While the Yankees certainly needed a new shortstop now that Derek Jeter has retired (and with a lackluster free agent market, a trade was always a likely possibility), they certainly gave up a promising and cheap young arm in Shane Greene.  Greene memorably stepped up last season as the rotation crumbled to pieces, pitching to the tune of a 3.78 ERA and a 3.73 FIP in almost 79 innings.  He did a lot to stabilize the Yankee rotation and gave them plenty of good starts down the stretch, helping to keep them in the playoff hunt until the last week of the season.  The Yankees, with all the question marks in their rotation heading into next year, just might miss him.

Still, they needed a shortstop, and the idea that the Yankees might be an ideal landing spot for Gregorius has been floated many times before.  Gregorius's main calling card is his defense, as he's long been thought of as a plus defensive shortstop.  His bat certainly leaves something to be desired, though: Gregorius hit just .226/.290/.363 for a 76 wRC+ last season, and was almost always below average offensively in the minors.  Still, if he can play great defense while improving slightly at the plate, he should be quite a serviceable shortstop for the next few seasons.

What are your thoughts about the Gregorius trade?  Is this the shortstop you've been waiting for?  Are you sad that Greene is gone?  Overall, do you think the Yankees made the right move?

What kind of hot takes did the people of Twitter bring to the news of the tall lefty signing in New York?

So... it's been a bit of a busy day in Yankeeland. This morning, the Yankees made news by officially acquiring a new shortstop, Didi Gregorius, in a three-team trade that sent young starter Shane Greene to the Tigers. That would have made for a big day regardless, but they weren't done. There have been rumors for days connecting the Yankees to setup man extraordinaire Andrew Miller, and the two sides made their pact official, as the Yanks inked Miller to a four-year, $36 million contract. Although it was an exciting move to bring in an arm from 2014 so dominant that the Orioles dealt a top prospect in exchange for half a season of him, it did cast serious doubt over the Yankees' intentions to bring back popular homegrown closer David Robertson. All things considered, how did Twitter react?

If Robertson goes elsewhere, I'd like to see neither Betances nor Miller as the Closer™. Go with matchups etc. Don't see it happening though

— James Smyth (@JamesSmyth621) December 5, 2014

That would be pretty ideal, though it'd still be fun to have D-Rob back. One figures that the Yankees will pick one of Miller or Dellin to close if he doesn't return though, despite this nice idea.

I'm a big believer in not investing heavily in a bullpen, but Andrew Miller for four years and $36 million actually seems reasonable to me.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) December 5, 2014

It's a risky business giving multi-year, high-value contracts to relievers, but Miller has been excellent enough over the past few years that $9 million per year really doesn't seem that bad.

@mimbro1 it's not that i am like oh miller bad it's just that drob is better. give me both.

— Mazinger L (@leokitty) December 5, 2014

As intriguing as Miller is, I would not complain about bringing D-Rob back as well. Imagine how devastating that bullpen could be! Unfortunately, I don't know that the Yankees will get both. Sigh. Gonna miss D-Rob.

To: Yankees CC: Andrew Miller I have an interview in two hours. I'm going to need you to just sit tight until that's done, okay? Thanks.

— Tanya Bondurant (@TanyaBondurant) December 5, 2014

One knock against Miller--he didn't respect Tanya's time. What a rascal!

Over the life of this deal, Miller will lose 3 mph of velo & 4+ strikeouts per nine if he follows the aging curve http://t.co/ye4694P27W

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) December 5, 2014

As Eno notes, the deal could certainly carry some risk, too, but here's hoping Miller stays consistent.

So sometime next year the back of the Yanks' bullpen could be Jacob Lindgren, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. Not bad at all.

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) December 5, 2014

Spoke to miller. Egoless. Happy to close, or set up for betances. "I have no problem handing the ball off to the next guy."

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 5, 2014

What a swell guy! Even if D-Rob doesn't come back, the prospect of both Miller and Dellin Betances back-to-back in some order is... just a bit intimidating. Also, the fact that "Strikeout Factory" Jacob Lindgren could join the fray in short order only makes matters worse for them, especially lefties. Oh, those poor lefties.

The @Yankees already have @DBetances50’s curve. Now for Andrew Miller’s slider … #HotStovepic.twitter.com/cuCZOpybhq

— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) December 5, 2014

Tasty.

Andrew Miller to the Yankees means he gets to face Chris Davis somewhat regularly! Davis' career vs. Miller thus far: pic.twitter.com/7OzGPkmceH

— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) December 5, 2014

I think Chris Davis preferred it when Miller was on his side. Womp womp.

Opponents vs Andrew Miller with man on 3rd & 2 outs last yr: 0-11, BB, 7 K.

— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) December 5, 2014

Well those numbers are okay, too.

Andrew Miller is a great prospect case study. Not every prospect has to reach their ceiling to make bank and be extremely useful.

— Ryan Parker (@RA_Parker) December 5, 2014

Some people might forget that Miller was once a prospect centerpiece of a trade that brought Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers from the Marlins. He didn't pan out in the rotation, but like Dellin, he's found his niche as a reliever. Always good to see players who work so hard for a very long time finally get their due!

Source confirms the Astros made a four-year, $40-million offer to Miller, who chose Yanks over Astros today. Those were 2 finalists.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) December 6, 2014

lawl Astros

***

So what did you think of the Miller signing?

How trading for Didi Gregorius and signing Andrew Miller impacts the Yankee payroll and roster construction.

After a quiet start to the offseason, the New York Yankees have made a pair of major moves in quick succession. They have now likely ended their first search for a starting shortstop in 20 seasons while also adding a valuable late-inning arm to the bullpen. Lets take a deeper look at the financial and roster implications of these acquisitions.

Current Roster

The first move was a three-team trade involving the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks, but from the perspective of the New York Yankees it was essentially a one-for-one swap. The Yankees essentially traded Shane Greene for Didi Gregorius. The second move was the free-agent signing of Andrew Miller. These moves take the Yankees 40-man roster to 37 which still leaves the front office with flexibility to sign free agents, participate in further trades or make selections in the Rule 5 draft.

Gregorius has almost certainly been acquired to be the starting shortstop, with Brendan Ryan moving down the depth chart to backup (or possibly platoon partner if Cashman is to be believed) which was where he was always likely to open the 2015 season. Meanwhile, Miller currently projects to replace David Robertson in pitching late-game high-leverage innings alongside Dellin Betances, although it is not yet clear who would close in this scenario.

Before this trade, Shane Greene appeared a favorite to open the 2015 season as a member of the starting rotation. As presently constructed, the opening day pitching staff will likely feature Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia as three of the five starters. With Ivan Nova unlikely to be fully healthy until midseason, David Phelps, Adam Warren, Bryan Mitchell and Chase Whitley would all compete to fill those two remaining spots, though Brian Cashman still has plenty of time to add starting pitching through further moves.

Contracts, Payroll and Luxury Tax

At 36 million over 4 years, Andrew Miller will be making $9 million a year over the course of his contract and will be signed through the end of the 2018 season. The Greene-for-Gregorius swap was essentially payroll-neutral for 2015, with both players currently pre-arbitration and expected to make around $500,000 next season. Didi Gregorius currently projects as a Super-Two player, which would make 2015 his final pre-arbitration season, but he will remain under team control through four arbitration seasons which would go up to and include the 2019 season.

Before the Miller signing, the Yankees had around $170 million guaranteed for twelve players, with a further four players due arbitration. Baseball Reference, after estimating arbitration results and nine pre-arbitration salaries to round out the roster, had estimated the Yankee payroll to be $185 million, or just $4 million below the luxury tax line. Miller will push that estimate to around $194 million, and this is before accounting for player benefits which will tack on an extra $12 million or so. Essentially, the Yankees will go well past the tax line. Expect the 2015 payroll to remain well north of $200 million.

Approach to Free Agency

The Yankees were rumored to be actively pursuing starting pitching in free agency even before the Greene-for-Gregorius swap, so this might well be the next shoe to drop. A factor influencing the front office in making this trade might have been the quality of starters available, including Max Scherzer, Jon Lester, James Shields and Brandon McCarthy. There are several credible back-of-the-rotation options as well, so the Yankees might not stop with just one free agent addition to the rotation.

The market for shortstops was comparatively dry, but by acquiring Gregorius the Yankees are now likely no longer looking to add a free agent shortstop. It remains to be seen if this trades affects a Yankee pursuit of Yoan Moncada, although considering Moncada was never likely to break camp with a major league team in 2015, and may not remain at shortstop anyway, the fact that New York now has a starter at shortstop for next season may not deter their interest. In any case, this trade may well not stop Cashman from signing additional infield help as both second and third base could potentially use additional depth. Martin Prado currently projects as the starting third baseman, but a key part of his value is his defensive versatility which will be limited should he be rooted to a position without credible depth behind him. As for second base, currently it projects to be a competition between prospects Robert Refsnyder and Jose Pirela although the Yankees might choose to add a veteran into the mix.

The signing of Andrew Miller does not necessarily take the Yankees out of the market for David Robertson, but now the front office would be able to walk away if his price remains beyond their comfort levels. Considering the depth the Yankees already have in the major league bullpen and in the minors, it is likely that relief pitching will not be seen as a major need at this point.

Impact to the Farm

While the addition of Gregorius has no effect on the farm system, the signing of Miller does push some of the Yankees' relief talent out of the way. It doesn't necessarily block Jacob Lindgren, but it will make it more difficult for him to fit in as another lefty in the bullpen. Expect Lindgren and possibly Jose Ramirez to be given an opportunity to break camp with the major league squad, and even if he starts the year in Triple-A, he should be near the top of the call-up list for short relief help when the inevitable injuries strike the pitching staff.

Trading Greene has opened up another rotation spot, at least as long as the Yankees haven't signed a free agent starter. In addition to Phelps, Mitchell, Warren and Whitley, the Yankees could give Manny Banuelos a chance to win a spot with the major league rotation. Once a top prospect in the system, Banuelos has lost momentum since Tommy John surgery in 2012, which also cost him the 2013 season. However he is still only 23, so the clock probably isn't running out on him just yet and a chance to win a big-league job should help him going forward.

The Yankees have not traded any prospects or given up a draft pick with these two moves, however, if Robertson signs elsewhere, they will gain a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

With the Winter Meetings drawing close, the Yankees have joined Boston and St. Louis in upgrading their rosters this off-season yesterday.

On the eve of the Winter Meetings, the Yankees have joined Boston and St. Louis in upgrading their rosters this off-season yesterday.  Meanwhile, the Rockies signed...a minor league lefty reliever that had an ERA over four for the Angels in 2013?!  Here are the articles:

Yankees sign reliever Miller, trade for Gregorius - mlb.com

Yankees seem to have their shortstop of the future now and Rockies fans who want Tulo to stay are breathing easier. They also signed a top of the line reliever as they wait for their own closer to figure out what free agent offer he likes best. Here are individual articles on the deals from ESPN: Miller, Gregorius

Yankees get help, Tigers get help, D-backs get prospects - fangraphs.com

Jeff Sullivan gives his analysis of the trade and it makes me happy when Arizona gets weaker, even if it may help them in the long term.

Rockies sign lefty Boshers to minor league deal - mlb.com

So this is the Rockies' first big foray into the off-season. I am happy we have new leadership but the off-season was always a bit more fun with dealin' Dan around.

Annual Rockies fest slated for Jan. 24 - mlb.com

Mark your calendars Rockies' fans in the Denver area for this opportunity to think about baseball as the rest of the country is getting prepared for the Super Bowl.

The 10 busiest at the Winter Meetings - mlb.com

No one from Colorado is on this list from Jim Duquette which can be a good or a bad thing depending on your view.

2014 Trade Value: an offseason update - fangraphs.com

It is always interesting to see the differences people have in lists like this.  Dave Cameron's is quite a bit different than the one on ESPN by he who will not be named by me.

Get to know the new Yankees who are going to be a big part of their 2015 plans.

I know, because you're all so wonderfully knowledgeable, that you are all well aware of who these two individuals are on the surface, but let's delve a little further. It's going to be a long 2015 season if they aren't any good.

Didi Gregorius

Gregorius (birth name Mariekson Julius Gregorius) is a 24-year-old native of the Netherlands, having been signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 2007. He spent five years in the Cincinnati organization, debuting in the majors on September 5th, 2012 and becoming one of their top prospects. At that point the Reds shipped Gregorius out to Arizona as part of a three-team trade that was headlined by Shin-Soo Choo heading to Cincinnati and Trevor Bauer to Cleveland. There, he got his first chance to replace a legendary former Yankees shortstop in Stephen Drew, but a 1.4 fWAR campaign wasn't enough to secure him a starting spot over hard-charging prospect Chris Owings. As a result, Gregorius languished, splitting his time between the majors and Triple-A in 2014.

Since a team doesn't need two starting shortstops, Gregorius has been traded here. His profile as a light-hitting, defense-first shortstop seems quite similar to incumbent Brendan Ryan, but since Ryan seemingly can't even hit like the younger version of himself, there's certainly the chance of Gregorius being a big upgrade. He's also played all infield positions besides first base, so he does possess some versatility. The Yankees will have him under team control until 2020. Welcome aboard Didi! Follow him @didiG18

Andrew Miller

While Gregorius is a familiar name because the Yankees were desperately seeking out any shortstop with a pulse, Miller will be familiar because he's been in the American League East for the last four seasons. Miller is a 29-year-old native of Gainesville, Florida and attended some school called North Carolina before being drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the sixth overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft. He flew through the Tigers system and made his debut on August 30th of that same year. While that sounds impressive, there was the slight problem of Miller having awful control. In his 15 starts in 2007, he walked over five batters per nine innings. Still, he was promising enough to be included as a prominent piece in the Miguel Cabrera heist. He fared little better for the Marlins, and was traded to Boston for something called a Dustin Richardson in 2010.

Miller continued to be a crummy starter in Boston, but a transition to the bullpen in the latter part of 2011 was clearly his panacea. He had good 2012 and 2013 campaigns as more of a lefty specialist, but exploded as maybe the best reliever this side of Dellin Betances and Wade Davis in 2014. A 14/2 K/BB ratio speaks for itself. Thanks to Boston trading Miller to the rival Orioles at the deadline last year, the Yankees get to have his services free of draft pick compensation. A natural hard-thrower with a wipeout slider, Miller has the sort of stuff to rival any reliever in the league. Whether his control issues resurface remains to be seen, but if they're waving at it they can't walk. Welcome aboard Andrew!

Now that these two are in pinstripes, I look forward to the various memes and nicknames we attach to them here at PSA. And obviously the World Series victory they help provide.

Succeeding Derek Jeter in the minds of Yankees fans will be hard, but Didi is already well-prepared to improve upon the Captain's 2014 performance.

The Yankees had to make a move to acquire a new shortstop for 2015. (Their previous shortstop retired, you might not have heard about it.) Once J.J. Hardy was prematurely plucked off the market thanks to a late extension by the Orioles, it didn't leave the Yankees with many appealing options. Hanley Ramirez? Not even considered a shortstop anymore and signed by the Red Sox. Jed Lowrie, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Everth Cabrera? Underwhelming. Stephen Drew? Ugh, not that experience again. Enter GM Brian Cashman, another Yankees- Tigers - Diamondbacks three-team swing, and soon-to-be 25-year-old Didi Gregorius.*

*That's Gregorius, not Gregorious or Gregarious. It's surely a name destined for spelling doom, like Mark Teixeira and Andy Pettitte.

With the trade for Gregorius, the Yankees' shortstop situation has finally been addressed for the immediate future, so now all fans can do until Opening Day on April 6th is think about the potential the young shortstop has to offer. The 13th Netherlands-born player in baseball history, Gregorius, whose real name is Mariekson Julius Gregorius, was signed by the Reds as a 17-year-old in 2007. He came from a baseball family, as his father, also known as Didi despite not actually being named Didi (nicknames are weird), played in the Netherlands' top league for several years, as did Gregorius's older brother, Johnny. The younger Didi was the first to sign with an American team though, as Reds scout Jim Stoeckel, who had previously coached Dutch national teams, was impressed enough by Gregorius's play in his home of Curacao to sign him for $50,000.

It did not take long for Gregorius to rise through the Reds' system, as both his defense and his bat proved to be superior to most of his shortstop competition. This success culminated in a terrific 2012 campaign split with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville, where he combined to hit .264/.324/.393 with 21 doubles, 11 triples, and seven homers in 129 games. The Reds decided to reward him with a call-up in September, when he made his major league debut and notched his first career hit. After the season, MLB.com dubbed him the 63rd-ranked prospect in baseball, and Baseball America put him at #80 on their list and fifth on the Reds' Top 10 Prospects. BA also noted that Gregorius had "has smooth actions, plus range and a sniper rifle of an arm," and was the best defensive infielder in the Reds' system.

With Gregorius's stock rising, he was no secret anymore, and the Diamondbacks made a play to get him during the off-season. On December 11, 2012, Gregorius was involved in the first three-team trade of his career, as in a nine-player swap, he went to the Diamondbacks, Shin-Soo Choo went to the Reds, and Trevor Bauer went to the Indians (among others). Arizona GM Kevin Towers said that Gregorius reminded him of a young Jeter, which was just an embarrassing quote on his part. Nonetheless, Gregorius recovered from an early-season elbow sprain to hit .252/.332/.373 with 16 doubles, seven homers, and a 92 wRC+ in 103 games, a fine rookie showing for a 23-year-old shortstop. (He also hit his first career homer in Yankees Stadium, a fun bonus to this trade. Warning: Clip contains Phil Hughes meatball.]) Although publicly available defensive metrics haven't been quite as impressed with him as scouts, Gregorius has demonstrated his skill on several plays:

Whoa. Range at shortstop is probably a foreign concept to many Yankees fans at this point, but from these plays, it sure seems like Gregorius will provide some serious ability there that fans haven't seen in quite some time. Again, while the publicly available metrics don't like him as much, the Yankees' internal analysts are getting paid to research this kind of advanced stuff with technology beyond the capabilities of UZR, FRAA, and DRS. If they like his defense, then that's good enough for me to have confidence in Gregorius's skills with the glove.

Unfortunately for Gregorius in 2014, the Diamondbacks were lucky enough to have a second shortstop prospect rise to the majors and ultimately usurp Gregorius on the depth chart. A year and half younger than Gregorius, Chris Owings took the job and hit .261/.300/.406 with a 92 wRC+ in 91 games, numbers that were actually quite similar to Gregorius's 2013, but Gregorius did not hit quite as well, slumping to a .226/.290/.363 triple slash and a 76 wRC+. Keeping both shortstops became superfluous, especially since neither hit well enough to really be used much at another position. Thus, the Diamondbacks were actively shopping Gregorius, and they found a way to use him to improve themselves through yesterday's three-team trade.

Now, the Yankees have a new shortstop. It's early on and not all the projection systems are out, but FanGraphs Steamer says that Gregorius will hit about .248/.310/.366 with 12 doubles, six homers, and an 88 wRC+ in 146 games. That would be just fine for his first year in pinstripes. Even a replication of his 2013 performance would be a big improvement on Jeter's sluggish finale in 2014. Hell, Gregorius's .363 slugging percentage in 2014 was 50 points higher than Jeter, and he contributed far better defense. As much as some Yankees fans might be reluctant to admit it, the 25-year-old Gregorius will be a step up for the Bronx Bombers. This chart from ESPN's Mark Simon offers some reason for hope as well:

Didi Gregorius was one of 34 players to have hard-hit rate of at least 20% in 2014 And look who he ranks between! pic.twitter.com/n0ws710eNz

— Mark Simon (@msimonespn) December 5, 2014

As Cashman said yesterday in a conference call, Didi is not a finished product, and they are hoping he will develop further with the bat. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Gregorius is obviously nowhere near the defensive other-worldliness of Ozzie Smith, but it's worth noting that in Smith's first full season, he hit just .258/.311/.312 with an 84 wRC+. In his sophomore season, he got even worse, far more ugly than Gregorius in 2014: .211/.260/.262 with a 47 (!) wRC+ in 1979. Remarkable, even for the lower offensive standards of '79. However, eventually his bat slowly improved enough to reach solid levels eight times in nine years from 1984-92 (.278/.360/.348 with a 99 OPS+ overall in that period).

The Yankees are hopeful that it won't take Gregorius that long to reach respectability levels with the bat, and there's certainly reason to believe that will not be the case. Here's hoping for a fun debut season from Didi--I'm certainly looking forward to it.

This hot stove cares NOT for your weekend.

A very strange thing happened during Nelson Cruz' press conference last Thursday afternoon. Someone asked Cruz why he chose to sign with the Mariners, and his response was "Because they offered to back up a semi truck filled with hundred dollar bills into my driveway and feed me grapes while massaging my feet." Actually, no. It was this:

Nelson Cruz answers "Why Seattle" question with "I want to win." I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS FEELING

— Scott Weber (@LookoutLanding) December 4, 2014

Yes, a very strange development. And one that seems to be more fact than fiction: for if Jon Heyman's most recent piece has any legs, it looks like Melky Cabrera joining the Mariners could be a legitimate possibility during the Winter Meetings. That's right: the Mariners are on players' "win" lists. Take it or leave it.

The Melky-to-Seattle link was first noted by the Tacoma News Tribune's Bob Dutton, who noted that Jack Zduriencik had answered questions of potential right-fielder acquisitions handedness with a fantasy of acquiring a switch-hitter. Cabrera is the best remaining switch-hitting outfielder left on the market, and according to both writers, he has made it known he is willing to move out West for the right offer despite making it previously known he would prefer to remain in the East.

Despite being given a $15.3 million dollar qualifying offer by the Blue Jays, Cabrera decided to enter free agency seeking a five-year contract, turning down Toronto's apparently three-year deal that was also floating around in the process. As a result, he would cost the Mariners another draft pick, and according to Heyman, will probably end up costing close to $60 million over four or five years, similar to the four-year $57 million contract Cruz just signed.

Cabrera, 30, is a career .286/.339/.415 hitter over his ten seasons, coming up through the Yankees farm system in the mid-2000's with Robinson Cano, who remains a very close friend. Unlike Cruz, he doesn't offer the Mariners titanic power from the right side of the plate, owning a career isolated slugging percentage of only .129, weighed down by early seasons of scrub-level ineptitude that counter his previous few years as an efficient contact hitter who somehow developed a bit of power:

Yeah...that near red-line discrepancy is exactly why Cabrera is such an interesting target during the offseason. It's no secret that Cabrera was suspended for 50 games in 2012 after testing positive for testosterone (and the best part of that story is that he made a phony website in the aftermath to try and beat the suspension, sending MLB investigators all the way to the Dominican Republic to try and figure out what the hell was going on), and many have wondered if that uptick in power is a direct result. Two years later, questions remain, and like Cruz, the biggest test seemed to be what would happen in the years following their PED suspensions. Would either return to form? Would the power uptick continue, or at least hang around levels of passable competency?

As you can see, Cabrera had a harder time getting back on the horse than Mr. 40-Home-Run-137-wRC+-Nelson-Cruz did. In addition, he developed knee tendinitis during the 2013 season (which gave the Jays more Munenori Kawasaki, so you decide who really lost here), and only played in 88 games before getting surgery to make a comeback in 2014. And then, clearly, he had a much more palatable season to save his free agency hopes for 2015.

It seems at the very least that Cabrera isn't as sure of a shot as Cruz, and will probably end up costing about the same amount of money. But he remains the best free-agent outfield bat left unsigned, and doesn't cost the talent it would take to get just a year of Justin Upton. Or the behemoth return the Dodgers would probably want for Matt Kemp, who Dutton notes wouldn't fit well in the #2 slot that Lloyd is apparently trying to fill right now. Then again, Cabrera, typically a cleanup guyEdit 4:33pm: NOT a cleanup guy because apparently I like typing before looking things up, might not either. Also defense.

Still, just think of all those games started by Endy Chavez last year. And the fact that Michael Saunders is gone. And that outfield depth at the moment is....um...Willie Bloomquist. Not to jump to the not-my-money bit, but...Melky Cabrera would make the Mariners a much better team, and you can't deny that.

Yikes. If you want to cleanse your palette after that burst of spicy food, Heyman also has this for us:

word is, mariners, royals and indians are among teams to check in on alex rios

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 5, 2014

Rios' 2015 option was declined by the Rangers on Wednesday, and although he put up a puzzling 0.2 fWAR season after somehow losing all of his power, he was worth three wins as recently as 2013. Rios rates as a better defender than both Cruz and Cabrera, though he has certainly been on the decline as he edges deeper on the wrong side of 30, apparently starting to break down like we all will someday, the ever-forward march of time turning us all to dust. Ah, baseball. Oh, and he just called up Scott Boras to be his agent, so yes, nothing is ever quite as perfect as it seems.

Rios will cost much less than Cabrera, both in money and years, as he's almost certain to sign for a one or two-year deal with his health and power concerns. But he's almost certainly Plan D, or G, for the Mariners, maybe even something lower down on the list--Rios is a riskier dice throw than Cabrera, and if we are to take any one of Jack or Lloyd at their words, the days of buy-low dice-throw guys have come and gone after a successful 2014 season.

The Winter Meetings will start on Monday, and truth be told, something entirely different could end up happening. Maybe we'll get another .gif of Jack Zduriencik learning that Prince Fielder cares not for our Space Needle and artisan coffeehouses. Then again, go to the top of this article and read the first few sentences again if you really think that. Buckle up, because it's about to get crazy.

The Yankees might go all in on pitching in order to compete with the tough lineups in the AL East.

Unless the Yankees acquire a big impact bat through trade, it seems like they will shore up their bullpen and rotation in order to compete in a division that seems to be getting more and more competitive with each passing day.

Now that the Yankees have signed Miller, they should probably move their focus away from the bullpen and focus on the rotation and infield instead.

After being linked to Andrew Miller for several days, the Yankees finally made it official yesterday by signing him to a four-year deal worth $36 million. What does that mean for the team as they proceed through the offseason?

Miller's deal makes it less likely that David Robertson will return to the team. The Yankees have said that they're still interested in re-signing D-Rob if his price comes down, but does anyone really think that he'll take less money after seeing Miller's contract? If anything, it seems to solidify that he will get a deal worth quite a bit more, since he successfully took over the closer role from Mariano Rivera, and has pitched well for the Yankees for years. Miller has been a good reliever for a few years since moving from the rotation to the 'pen, but he doesn't have closer experience. Now that Robertson's a "proven closer," and after a postseason where the bullpen was everything, there's bound to be a team out there that will pay him the "Papelbon money" that he supposedly wants. It could be the Astros, since they had been linked to Miller (and he supposedly turned down their offer of 4-years/$40 million) and have been linked to Robertson. Now that the Yankees have Miller, the Astros might be willing to throw D-Rob all the money.

Obviously a bullpen featuring Dellin Betances, Miller and Robertson would be ideal. Just imagine Joe Girardi using Betances and Robertson back-to-back one night, Miller and D-Rob another. All three back-to-back would pretty much guarantee a win. With that being said, the Yankees should probably focus away from the bullpen at this point. It's all well and good to have a knockout bullpen, but this team has seriously struggled to produce runs over the past two seasons, and the Shane Greene trade just added another question mark to the starting rotation. The rotation now consists of CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka who will be returning from injuries, and Michael Pineda. Ivan Nova won't be ready to return from rehabbing his elbow until midway through the season. Of the pitchers on the 40-man roster, Bryan Mitchell and David Phelps would now be in consideration to start. Interestingly, Brian Cashman has also been making comments about Adam Warren, indicating that he may not stay in the pen. It was just last year that Phelps and Warren were part of the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation, but a rotation of Pineda, CC, Tanaka, Phelps/Mitchell and Warren is more than a little unsettling. I would much rather see the team take the money that they could spend on Robertson and use it to pursue Max Scherzer or Jon Lester, and re-sign Brandon McCarthy.

Not to mention the fact that the infield also has holes to fill. Martin Prado can play second or third, but if he's the starting second baseman, the starting third baseman would currently be Alex Rodriguez. If Prado gets the nod to start at third, then the Yankees could roll the dice with Rob Refsnyder or Jose Pirela at second, and A-Rod could be the backup first baseman. That plan sounds shaky at best. The Yankees have sounded less and less interested in signing Chase Headley, but they're going to need to do something to improve the infield.

Do you think the Yankees should try to bring back Robertson, or should they shift their focus to filling the holes in the rotation and infield? Is it feasible that they re-sign D-Rob AND still go after Scherzer/Lester, McCarthy, plus another infielder?

Andrew Mearns of Pinstripe Alley provided us with a breakdown of what to expect from Shane Greene.

Trades are always fun, but particularly when they involve lesser known players. Most fans knew what the Tigers were getting when they picked up Ian Kinsler in 2013, or David Price earlier this year. But when they traded Devon Travis for Anthony Gose, not many people knew what to expect. Luckily, the folks at Bluebird Banter were able to help us out.

This time, Pinstripe Alley is the one doing the legwork. I asked editor Andrew Mearns if he had anything to say about Greene. Like the awesome people he and the rest of the Pinstripe Alley staff are, he responded within minutes. You can follow Andrew on Twitter for more Yankees news and analysis.

First, he directed me to their prospect profile of Greene, written prior to the 2014 season:

"Greene's four-seam fastball that sits mostly between 92-94 mph, but he can get it up to as high as 97 mph. He also possesses a two-seam fastball, which helped him record a 47% ground-ball rate last year, that sits more in the low-90's. As for breaking and off-speed stuff, Greene uses a slider as his main out-pitch and also has a change up that is improving."

Then, they reviewed Greene's 2014 performance, awarding him a 'B' grade for the season.

"Making a total of 14 starts, he struck out an impressive 81 batters in 78.2 innings pitched while playing well against tough competition, especially in his best start of the season: eight innings of shutout ball against the always-dangerous Tigers. The fact that his home park was Yankee Stadium made it important for him to keep the ball on the ground, which he did at a 50.2% rate. He was also able to induce an above-average swinging strike rate of 9.9%, strikeout percentage of 23.5%, and an average walk percentage of 8.4%."

Brandon McCarthy -- who is not actually a staff writer at Pinstripe Alley -- had a couple of nice things to say as well.

It's a close race this week for @sagreeney between scoreless innings and words said.

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) August 7, 2014

Hey Tigers fans @sagreeney has stupid electric stuff and you should feel lucky to get to watch him now. Terrible at fantasy football though.

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) December 5, 2014

Andrew summed up his thoughts in the best way possible; acknowledging that the Yankees gave up something of value, and hinting at the potential that the team may regret this trade down the road.

I really liked him, and even though his MLB success was small sample size and seemed to go in the face of lesser minor league numbers, I could totally see him lasting in the majors for some time as a back-end rotation starter despite being a late bloomer. I'm fine with giving him up for Gregorius since the Yankees badly need a shortstop and Didi has potential, but the fact that many Yankees fans are reluctant to see him go should tell you something about how much of an impression he made in just about half a season.

Sounds like a pretty solid return for the Tigers.