Free agents still an option for Yanks

January 30, 2009 by Benjamin Kabak 44 Comments

While we had a fun debate in this morning’s post on the news that the Yanks may be out of free agent options, Barry Bloom has since corrected himself. The Yankees and every other team, reports the MLB.com scribe, can sign eight Type A or B free agents this year. Since the Yanks have already signed five — Teixeira, Sabathia, Burnett, Marte, Pettitte — they could still sign Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Ben Sheets or Juan Cruz. Get on the phone, Cash!

Jake K.

I’m not greedy, one of Manny or Dunn plus Sheets and Cruz will suffice.
- History Teacher
  
  I know Manny is amazing, but I seriously don’t want him. Dunn has a lot of upside (providing we can move 2 of Matsui/Swisher/Nady), but then again he doesn’t even like the game of baseball. Sheets… I’ve wanted all along! Cruz would be a great bullpen addition. I’d say Geise would probably get bumped out, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Veras taking a hike. He single-handedly blew the last game I went to at Yankee Stadium.
  
  I’D FORGET THEM ALL IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO TRADE FOR NATE MCCLOUTH! Our corner outfield is fine, CF is where we are weak. Trade Melky and Kennedy. We will not be upset, I promise.
  - DP
    
    You both must be new (or joking)
  - http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
    
    was the mclouth thing sarcasm? its hard to tell sometimes
    
    and i like veras, he was underappreciated last year… the only negative to him as a middle reliever is his walk total… if he fixes that, hes a perfectly fine 7th inning guy
    - whozat
      
      if he fixes that, hes a perfectly fine 7th inning guy
      
      If he fixes that, he’s pretty much a top-tier setup guy. He K’s almost a batter per inning. That said…he probably won’t stop walking people.
      - http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
        
        allow me to rephrase:
        
        if he fixes that, he will be a DOMINANT 7th inning guy… i suppose he already is a perfectly fine 7th inning guy even with the walks
        
        a man can dream cant he?
    - History Teacher
      
      I wasn’t being sarcastic about Mcclouth, that guy is a 5-tool player. Do you think the possibility of getting him is unreal?
      - steve (different one)
        
        yes. please stop suggesting it.
      - http://and-that-happened.blogspot.com Evan
        
        Is that you, Mike Francesa?
  - http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
    
    i forgot to address this in the post i just made… but where does all the “adam dunn doesnt like baseball stuff” come from? did i miss an interview he did where he said this? does anyone have a link??
    - whozat
      
      J.P. Riccardi (Jays GM) said it on a radio interview he did last season. No one had any idea where it came from, but Dunn was pretty pissed about it.
      - http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
        
        not sure i follow….
        
        he didnt play for the blue jays, so unless it was said by dunn himself im not sure how/why riccardi got this info…. nevertheless it seems like information thats either 1. incorrect 2. meaningless ((look at the guys numbers))
        
        but whatever… before they signed tex i was a dunn advocate, now it just seems like a luxury over necessity
        
        DP
        
        It’s because he doesn’t have Kevin Youkilis-like roid rage. It’s similar to people criticizing Abreu the same way.
        
        Craig
        
        The Blue Jays G.M. made those comments in reference to a fan calling into a radio show and wondering why they didn’t trade for Dunn or asking if they would look to sign him in the off season. I can’t remember exactly which, but it was a situation like that. That is why the comments came up.
    - History Teacher
      
      Riccardi said it.
  - christopher
    
    The biggest benefit that I could see in getting Dunn is that they may be able to get him at a discount added to the fact that there are very few free agent outfielders next year. you know that if holliday has a typical year Boras is going to go after a Tex like contract.
    
    It comes down to supply and demand. this year the supply of outfielders outweigh the demand and next year, unfortunatly for the yanks, that will be reversed.
    
    That being said, I dont think that they need Dunn this year and he would be more of an investment for 2010 and 2011. I also think there is no way the yankees sign him.
    
    Cruz on the other hand is a no brainer in my opinion. Bullpens are so volatile that I dont think they can expect a repeat performance from many of these guys especially since the league knows them now.
- vs
  
  We should sign Cruz…he would be perfect st up man for Mo and backup if Mo or veras or one of the other bullpen guys get hurt…i think we can get him at 2yr/7 mill…and we dont have to lose a first rd pick…
http://nyfaninboston.blogspot.com/ Manimal

I don’t understand what the dilemma is! It’s common sense to me.
- http://nyfaninboston.blogspot.com/ Manimal
  
  ( I meant Cruz)
Reggie C.

Questions:

What’s the corresponding move should the Yankees sign Juan Cruz? Don’t we have to jettison somebody? Is the extraneous person a relief pitcher – Veras?
- That guy
  
  Probably Giese seeing as most thought he’d go over Chase.
  - whozat
    
    Could be, but does it make sense to dump a swingman/long reliever candidate for a short reliever?
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
      
      It makes sense to dump a worse pitcher for a better one. So to answer your question, yes. You’re completely overvaluing Dan Giese if you don’t make that move.
      - whozat
        
        Veras has better stuff, and K’s more guys per nine at the big league level. He also walks a lot more. Both pitchers have similar K:BB over their careers. Giese can throw a lot more innings…I dunno. I don’t think it’s clear that Veras has more value than Giese. Stuff? Sure, but I’m skeptical of Veras. I think he’s the same guy he’s always been…too prone to walks to really be a good late-innings guy, and not really able to eat enough innings to be useful when the starter gets knocked out early.
    - Craig
      
      I’m just speaking hypothetically without regards to the specific workings of the current 25-man roster, but if we let Giese go, we can let Hughes, Kennedy or (just pick someone) replace him get some MLB innings and develop in a relatively low pressure (might have to just settle for LOWER pressure in NY since there is no such thing as low pressure) situation. Especially since we want to keep Joba’s innings down this year, it could be an ideal way for the Yankees to keep Joba fresh while getting another one of the kids some MLB innings. Of course, at this point, it may be more beneficial for them to get consistent work in AAA, but my point is, we don’t have to fret about filling a hole left by Giese.
Jay CT

Why waste the chance to sign them all! We need Manny! Cashman SUCKS!!!
- christopher
  
  he could come off the bench and pinch hit in clutch situations when the game is on the line. what a weapon he would be
  - Ryan
    
    Manny on the bench to pinch hit @ 20+ Million a year?? As much as people seem to think ti the Yankees do NOT grow money on trees.
- Craig
  
  The Yankees don’t really need Manny. If they got him, it’d most likely be a wrap (if we could find a way for him to DH) and I would welcome him but I like the way things are looking right now. Imagine how much people are going to hate us when we are making more money than multiple teams combined AND developing top 5-7 farm systems annually.
  
  Manny doesn’t necessarily change that but we definitely gotta find a way to move Matsui if we get Manny. I think that, more than anything, is what will/has keep/kept Manny out of pinstripes.
Paulie

What’s Steven Jackson’s value? Does he have potential? Would the Yankees consider dropping him off the 40-man roster?
Angel

SIGN MANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
  
  SIGN ANGEL BERROA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  oh wait…
yankeefan91 Arod fan

i agree sign manny hell be perfect in dat number 5 spot we all noe how clutch he is and dat 3 4 5 will be one of the best ever
Paulie

Who cares about Manny, Dunn and Cruz…we need Bobby…(wait for it)…Kielty. The Mets just signed him, probably for an 8 year 200 million contract (less than he is worth). He is the reason the Red Sox won the world series in 2007, forget the fact that he batted .231 in 51 AB during the regular season, that does not matter. What matters is that he went 1 for 1 in the world series with a HOMERUN (4 TOTAL BASES, THATS JUST INSANE)!!! The fact that Cashman let Mr. Kielty ,and his beautiful orange hair, slip through his hands is proof that he a terrible GM.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090129&content_id=3784104&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym)
- http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_postseason.jsp?c_id=nyy&playerID=121250&statType=2 Slugger27 Back From Hiatus
  
  well… that would be a 4000 slugging percentage….
  
  very hard to ignore
  - Paulie
    
    How could I forget that…and also he never failed to reach base during that world series, a 1.000 OBP!
http://amonthoffundays.blogspot.com Phil in LA

They should really get Dunn. He would rake in the new park.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=43434432275 Ace

Did anyone see Rosenthal’s column this morning suggesting that Sheets, Manny, Hudson etc should wait til mid-season to sign? How do you feel about that from a Yanks perspective and a baseball perspective?

Yanks – I feel if they do it could be a huge advantage for us. We have the cash to throw at Manny if Matusi blows out a knee in May. Also, Sheets if Burnett’s arm goes flying into the stand mid-pitch, knocking over a beer vendor and spilling beer all over someone in the Legends Suites.

Baseball – Hypothetically, if these guys did this and it worked out for a team, I could see more and more players holding out and waiting til mid-season to sign; This might not be the best thing for the game.
The lodge

I read somewhere (probably MLBTR synopsis from somewhere else) that Andy and Marte don’t count towards the eight b/c they are re-signs. So we can sign two more…
- History Teacher
  
  Dunn and Cruz.
Baseballnation

Dunn for two years and 8 million per with the the contract being incentive laden.
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history teacher farted and eats poop
- History Teacher
  
  What is the point of you writing that? Are you 4? What did I say to anger you?