Yankees offer Martin one-year deal

December 11, 2010 by Michael Axisa 142 Comments

Via Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have offered Russell Martin a one-year contract, though the money is unknown. Any team that signs the free agent backstop will be able to retain his services in 2012 as an arbitration-eligible player, so just about every team interested will offer him that one year. Yesterday we heard that they were taking an “aggressive approach” in these talks, so the Yanks are clearly looking for a little insurance should Jesus Montero have a difficult time adjusting to the big leagues.

I’m really interested in seeing what happens here, because signing Martin would create quite a few options for the Yankees as far as trades go. Not necessarily Montero either, it could be Frankie Cervelli or Austin Romine as well.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:_kiqlcWTTZDd3M:http://static.funnyjunk.com/pictures/44c94946_8621_3dc0.jpg&t=1 Do Not Feed the Trolls!

Its always good to be overstocked than under
Monteroisdinero

As long as Jesus is up and mashing by late May (see Posey) I can live with this. Yogi Berra didn’t assume the starting role until age 23 and he was pretty good I am told.
- mustang
  
  “Martin as a potential starting catcher which speaks volumes of the club’s assessment of Jesus Montero’s defensive capabilities”
  
  Lets slow down the Posey and Berra comparisons.
  - mustang
    
    “According to previous reports, the Yanks view Martin as a potential starting catcher which speaks volumes of the club’s assessment of Jesus Montero’s defensive capabilities”
    - Sweet Dick Willie
      
      Or, it could mean that they understand that many 21 year old rookies struggle, both offensively and defensively, and they are prudently looking at potential back-up plans.
      - http://Twitter.com/marcos_aguirre Marcos
        
        Or it could be a ploy to get Martin to sign, he’s said he doesn’t want a backup role so they could be saying this to make him think that he’d be the starter.
  - CP
    
    I would expect Montero’s bat to be basically equal to Posey’s. Defense is another matter, though.
    - http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
      
      Those shouldn’t be your expectations
    - Sayid J.
      
      Please lower your expectations, you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment
      - CP
        
        Why? Look at his track record and look at how players with similar track records performed in their rookie seasons. Posey isn’t the exception, he performed at the expected level.
        
        http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
        
        His expected level was being a top 5 catcher as a rookie?
        
        http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
        
        I feel bad for O’s fans who believed Wieters would be a HOF player as a rookie.
        
        He had an OPS over 1.000 in the minors (100 points higher than Montero with a better BB:K) and was rated #1 by BA.
        
        CP
        
        Wieters is more of an exception, who was clearly overhyped (at least in terms of early performance). He had one great year in A and AA that led to all of the hype. In his partial AAA season in 2009, he had a .890 OPS – only slightly better than Montero’s and that includes Montero’s slow start.
        
        CP
        
        On a slightly related note, Wieters (despite struggling) has been worth basically the same number of wins as Russel Martin over the last two years when you account for time missed (Weiters in the minors and Martin on the DL).
        
        http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
        
        Wieters is the exception to what? That every top prospect succeeds as a rookie?
        
        What about Wieters was overhyped? He had contact skills, had power, had a good eye, had the defense – but because it hasn’t translated yet it means he was overhyped?
        
        CP
        
        Wieters is the exception to what? That every top prospect succeeds as a rookie?
        
        They tend to be successful, yes. That’s why they’re top prospects.
        
        What about Wieters was overhyped? He had contact skills, had power, had a good eye, had the defense – but because it hasn’t translated yet it means he was overhyped?
        
        The projections for him in his rookie year were ridiculous. That’s what I mean by overhyped. He could still develop into a great catcher but he’s not there yet and the early projections were that he would be.
        
        CP
        
        Here are hitters ranked in BA’s top 10 prospects going into 2010 and their 2010 MLB performance:
        
        1. Heyward – .849 OPS
        3. Stanton – .833 OPS
        4. Montero – still in AAA
        6. Jennings – .625 OPS in 24 PA
        7. Posey – .862 OPS
        8. Alvarez – .788 OPS
        10. Santana – .868 OPS
        
        So I don’t think expecting a mid .800’s OPS from Jesus is ridiculous – especially since the reports rate him as a better hitter than most of those other guys.
The Three Amigos

Martin would be a great fit, with his potential to rebound or at least be an average back up. He could start the season with Montero in AAA for two months and Romine back at AA, to start strong after his weak finish. Then when Montero comes up with 100 or so games left they split time at catcher to break Montero in to one of the most difficult positions on the field. Even better is next year when Montero could catch and DH even easier 81/81 and that would give martin plenty of playing time and enough of an open DH spot for Jeter, Arod, Tex, etc.

His bat may be ready, but for a 21 year old catcher in the AL East, the yankees should and are erring on the side of caution, which is the smart play here.
YankeesJunkie

Martin is an upgrade over Cervelli and will give Montero a chance to hit more in AAA(don’t really think he needs it) and Montero will then get callled up in May or early June. The flexibility is ideal for the Yankees.
Sal

The Red Sox better not get him because we are going need someone who could throw out Crawford, Ellsbury, Cameron and Kalish.
- CP
  
  Don’t worry, none of them will get on base much.
http://yankeesseeds.wordpress.com dennis

he turned down 4.5 million from the dodgers, what do you think the offer could be?
- Jay
  
  Part of turning it down could have been that he wants to be on the East Coast. And if he’s going to make 4.5, he might as well do it closer to home. I would guess 5 million.
  
  If they signed him, could they offer arbitration to him next year and get a pick if he leaves?
  - Sweet Dick Willie
    
    According to B-Ref, the earliest he can become a free agent is 2013, so the answer is no.
- Ted Nelson
  
  I have no idea what the offer is, but didn’t he turn that down while he was still Dodger property? i.e. He would have made more in arbitration and didn’t expect the Dodgers to just let him walk or if they did let him walk he could hit the open market… Which he has, and again I have no idea how much money he’ll get.
kosmo

It took Yogi some tutelage from Bill Dickey HOF catcher to be taught the “tools of ignorance“.

If the Yanks sign Martin it opens up possibilities.Posada retires after 2011 NY then slides Montero over to fulltime DH while serving as a part-time catcher .Martin and Romine serve as catchers with J.R. Murphy and Sanchez waiting in the wings.It allows NY to see what they have with Romine and Montero without any undo pressure.
Or they can flip Romine and or Cervelli .
- Brian in NH
  
  with A-rod and jeter playing until their early 40’s do you really see the yanks locking down the DH spot full time after posada is done? I think they have to at least that DH spot rotating for the next 3-4 years
  - http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig
    
    Those are the days you let Montero slide behind the plate. The aging vets will need more time off over the next few seasons, there is no doubt about that. They will be getting a few more full days off throughout the season though and Montero could remain in the DH slot in those instances. There will be plenty of PT for Montero without jamming up the lineup. It will be a little bit of a juggling act, but Joe Girardi is paid well to handle these sorts of things.
    - Brian in NH
      
      Kosmo wanted him to be a full-time DH. If he’s taking 2-3 days off a week to catch, he’s not a full-time DH. Posada is the full time dh now, and even though is contract is up, he could still be after this season. Plus A-Rod and Jeter, 1/2 days for Tex also…i think with these big contracts for aging players they kind of need the rotating DH for a lot of those guys. Let the kid prove himself first before saying he’s a Full Time DH
      - kosmo
        
        I amend my above statement Montero would assume MOST of the DH role with occasional time spent behind the plate.
        I doubt the Yanks offer Posada a contract after 2011.It would create too much of a logjam.
- MikeD
  
  Unrelated, but there seems to be an assumption that Posada is retiring after 2011. Not sure why. I’m guessing it’s because his contract is up and his full-time catching days are done, yet his bat is still effective. He can still turn on a fastball, and had a 116 OPS+ last year, with 18 HRs in only 383 ABs. He accomplished numbers even with a lot of nagging injuries, including a lousy September, during which he suffered a concussion. The chances for those injuries pretty go away as a DH, and since he’s a switch hitter, he could easily pull down 135 games. (He could probably play even more, but I’m guessing they’ll want A-Rod to DH at least 20 games, etc.) If he hits .270/.365/.475 with 22 HRs, all reachable stats for Jorge, why would he retire?
  
  Perhaps the Yankees may opt to not bring him back to free up the DH spot for the aging vets and some ABs by Montero, but he’d certainly would get interest from other teams. A productive DH who is a switch hitter and could also serve as a back-up catcher does have value. And from Jorge’s side, he’s a borderline HOFer, so any and all additional counting stats he can add to his resume will increase his chances.
  
  I say Jorge is playing somewhere in MLB in 2012.
Brian in NH

Definitely interesting…i see this more as a pre-cursor to possibly dealing montero in a package for greinke or some other top flight starter. perhaps they aren’t as confident in the lee signing as we all are.
- MikeD
  
  I’m not all that confident in the Lee signing. I think the odds are on the Yankees side, but the fact he’s had all the offers and has still not accepted one tells me he really must be considering all options.
  
  I can live with dealing Montero is it’s for a top-flight pitcher. My fear is if they lose out on Lee and feel great pressure to add a pitcher, they’ll deal Montero for a lower-level pitcher. That would be bad.
mustang

If they get Martin we can start the Montero Trade Watch ( see Mr. Greinke or Mr. Upton.)
Ban Bud

You won’t get much in return for trading Montero or Romine. AA pitchers with 5+ ERA’s are the new market inefficiency.
- Pasqua
  
  Do you mean Cervelli or Romine? ‘Cuz Montero is mos definitely worth more than AA pitchers with 5+ ERA’s.
  - CP
    
    See: Casey Kelly for Adrian Gonzalez
    - Gonzo
      
      Former AA pitchers with 2+ ERA’s equal Kearns.
- http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:_kiqlcWTTZDd3M:http://static.funnyjunk.com/pictures/44c94946_8621_3dc0.jpg&t=1 Do Not Feed the Trolls!
  
  If Montero were on the Red Sox he could have gotten Hanley + Josh John and the marlins would pitch in 100mm
- Mike
  
  With the luck the Red Sox are having with their young pitching (Lester + Buchholz), the Padres might actually be getting a good one.
Pasqua

I ask this in all sincerity: What return on Cervelli could this Yankees possibly expect? Gets on base at a decent clip, but his catching game was exposed this year. Am I missing something?
- Ted Nelson
  
  It was one year… He’s only been catching a few years and will be 25 next season… I don’t know what his trade value is, but he could certainly become a solid back-up. It’s not like the Yankees have many holes. A relief pitcher might be an ideal return.
  - MikeD
    
    Totally agreed. This meme that Cervelli’s skills were exposed is extreme. He was a very good defensive catcher throughout the minors and was his first year with the Yankees. So he has an off year and he’s exposed?
    
    Cervelli was meant to be a back-up. He ended up catching the most games and innings this year, which means he was our primary catcher. That was the problem.
    
    Getting back to the original point, though, not sure what he’ll bring. He still has limitations, but every team can use an experienced back-up, and after two years in the majors, he is now in that category. Plus he’s young, he’s cheap, and he can get on base better than the majority of back-up. So he does have value. Just not sure how much.
http://www.retire21.org Mike R.- Retire 21

Romine, Cervelli and Jose Gil for Grienke.
- tomaconda
  
  Im sure if you threw in Melky and Ian Kennedy you would have a deal.
  - Gonzo
    
    Tim Reddings or no deal.
    - Monteroisdinero
      
      Montero caught him in a 2-1 victory. I’m sure Tim would praise him as would Nova who pitched to him with success. Scranton won the division this year with Montero catching.
      - Gonzo
        
        I think you missed the point of this thread.
Gonzo

Handing out starting jobs to unproven players is not a wise thing. Smart move.
- Mike HC
  
  We handed SS to Jeter. That worked out ok. We also gave second to Cano and even kept him there when he was hitting like below .200 for a month. We kept Melky in center for what seemed like a decade and he was never good.
  - James
    
    They didn’t hand Jeter the starting job in 1996…Tony Fernandez got hurt in spring training and they had to turn to Jeter earlier than they wanted to.
    - Mike HC
      
      How he got the job is not the point. My point was that those were unproven guys who were handed the job for one reason or another and the team succeeded with them.
  - Gonzo
    
    Did I miss something? Did Montero win the job in ST already? More like IPK and Phil given the job before ST.
  - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
    
    The Yankees didn’t just give Cano the 2B job.
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    Uh, neither Jeter or Cano were handed their jobs. Jeter got the job because Tony Fernandez got hurt in ST, and Cano got his job because Tony Womack was predictably awful.
    - CP
      
      Wouldn’t it have been better to give Cano the job in ST instead of playing Womack and having him be as crappy as expected?
      - Ted Nelson
        
        Yeah. Womack ended up being somewhat of a utility guy on that team… And a 35 year old Tony Womack is sort of like saying: “hey, Jesus wasn’t handed a roster spot, he beat out Chad Moeller fair and square!”
        
        CP
        
        Actually, it would be like signing Moeller and having him start right out of ST. Then in May when he’s costing the team games, they decide to bring up Montero.
        
        It just seems like a waste to not have him in the majors during that time.
  - Mike HC
    
    They still gave minor league, unproven guys the starting job and didn’t look to trade for someone else, or get a guy like Martin to play mediocre for one year. I was not saying those guys were literally in the same situation as Montero. Only that the Yanks do give young, unproven players a legitimate chance to start when the opportunity is there.
- Ted Nelson
  
  I’m all for Martin, but giving one of the top prospects in the game a spot is not exactly the worst move… Not many other teams can afford a $5 mill insurance policy in case their best prospect in a decade doesn’t work out.
  - Gonzo
    
    No worries. I am of the camp that being a top prospect guarantees you nothing in the bigs.
bonestock94

Trade Cervelli for a LOOGY or longman if this happens.
viridiana

Yanks should be loading up on lefties as Red Sox now seem vulnerable to southpaws. Gonzalez, Crawford, Ortiz all markedly worse against lefties. Beyond top targets of Lee and Pet, good idea to stock pen and sytems with lefties. Also should help contain Sox running game.

And unless the likes of Koufax or Carlton are available, I don’t see any reason to trade the Yanks’ best power prospect in 60 years. Just think about the cost of replacing Montero’s hitting skills on the open market in 2 0r 3 years.
- I Voted for Kodos
  
  While I see your point, the Yankees will play teams other than the Red Sox next year.
- Sweet Dick Willie
  
  Yanks’ best power prospect in 60 years.
  
  Ron Bloomberg, Steve Balboni, Hensley Muelens, Fred McGriff, and to a lesser extent, Jay Buhner, were all highly touted power prospects, some at least or more so than The Jesus.
  - Icebird753
    
    REPENT! REPENT I SAY!
    - Sweet Dick Willie
      
      It’s not a sin if it’s the truth. No need to repent.
  - viridiana
    
    Are you serious? None of the above had close to the combination of hitting skills that Montero has. McGriff comes closest, but he barey made it to Class A in the Yankee system. Muelens had horrible minor league strikeout totals. Balboni also whiffed a great deal and did not hit for average. Bloomberg hit for average but did not project as a great power hitter — and he wasn’t. Nobody– that’s right nobody– has had the overall bat skills of Montero since Mantle
    - Sweet Dick Willie
      
      Except he didn’t say batting skills, he said The Jesus is the best power prospect in 60 years. And that simply isn’t true.
      
      All of the above people were touted as power prospects.
      - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        We could probably settle this by saying that Jesus Montero is the best offensive prospect that most of us have seen come through the Yankees system in a long time. That, alone, is enough to warrant the Yankees holding on to him.
        
        Sweet Dick Willie
        
        Oh, I absolutely want them to hang on to him.
        
        I was in the group of fans that was happy that the Lee trade didn’t happen.
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        I was definitely thrilled about that as well.
    - pete
      
      I would say that Derek Jeter had the “overall bat skills”. As did Nick Johnson. Neither of them had his power, but the other guys mentioned did. Maybe his specific set of skills is unique, but he’s neither the best offensive prospect over the last 60 years nor the best power prospect.
      - MikeD
        
        Agreed. Jeter as an overall prospect was superior to Montero. (I can only imagine the amount of hype that would be ongoing around Jeter if he was coming up today.)
        
        The Yankees never have the opportunity to get a Jeter-type player in the amateur draft because players of his skill level are recognized and taken in the top ten. It’s not just first roung picks, but the upper end of the first round. Jeter was a #1, but also the #6 pick in the entire country, and could have easily been the #1 pick in the nation. The bad news is the Yankees rarely get that type of player because they win so consistently they never have lower picks; the good news is the Yankees never have that type of pick because the win so consistently. It took some mighty dark days just to have the opportunity to draft a Jeter-level player.
        
        Now Montero didn’t go through the amateur draft, but if he did he would have been a high pick, but not in Jeter’s class. And Jeter is a HOFer. Montero is a guy in AAA.
    - MikeD
      
      The problem viridiana is your making extreme statements, while you’re also shifting your qualifier between “power prospect” to “overall bat skills.” As posted below, Montero has more power than Jeter, but his overall bat skills are not superior, and can’t be viewed as as a superior prospect, although I do view them as the best prospects the Yankees have had over the past twenty years. Let’s hope Montero fulfills his as Jeter did.
      
      The problem with even your initial statement is you would have to have seen every Yankee prospect since the 1950s, and understand how they were viewed. One name I can think of right off the top of my head is Rueben Rivera. A five-tool prospect who could hit and field. And, oh, he was rated the #2 prospect in all of MLB in 1995.
      
      The Yankees have had many prospects over the years, and not all live up to their potential for variour reasons, and are to forget. RAB had a link to a story about Gil Patterson a month or so back when he was being considered for the pitching coach. I had forgoten that Patterson was considered one of the best pitching prospects the Yankees had drafted in a generation. He blew his arm out. Well, actually the Yankees did. Yet if you asked me to name the best pitching prospects of the Yankees for the past 40 years, I wouldn’t have mentioned him, because I forgot about him. The hype was less big back then, which is why people question your statement. It’s a bit overboard.
  - Ted Nelson
    
    Fred McGriff never played above rookie ball for the Yankees and hit a grand total of 9 HRs in their system…
    
    Balboni was 24 by the time he saw AAA.
    
    Muelens had one good season in the minors.
    
    Buhner I guess I would take and Nick Johnson as well: at 19 and 20 Johnson posted SLG% of .538 and .548… Lowell mashed at AAA.
    
    It’s sort of nitpicking, though, as Montero is a heck of a prospect any way you slice it.
- mustang
  
  ” Just think about the cost of replacing Montero’s hitting skills on the open market in 2 0r 3 years.”
  
  Key word “hitting skills”
  
  If Montero can’t catch where is going to play on the Yankees? And don’t give me DH because the Yankees roster is full of DH types.
  
  The Yankees speak one way about Montero, but their actions really tell the story, which is TRADE BAIT.
  - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
    
    Trying to trade for Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee does not signal trade bait. C’mon.
    - mustang
      
      I will give you Halladay, but for a half year rental of Lee?
      
      They were willing to trade a young prize “starting catcher” for half a year of a guy that they could get as free agent 3 month later?
      
      You C’mon and start looking at the writing on the wall.
      - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        You’re putting too much stock into the half year. Yea, that was definitely one of the reasons people were against it at the time, but they figured adding Lee would be the closest thing to guaranteeing another trip to the World Series. Plus, the thinking was the Yankees would be able to extend him without having to go through the type of bidding war they are currently locked into. Forget the “writing on the wall” and look at the whole picture.
        
        mustang
        
        The ” whole picture” is:
        
        1- roster full of DH’s types
        
        2- the Lee rental thing
        
        3- Not even sending him to winter ball to work on D.
        
        4- going after Martin
        
        What does this say about what they think of Montero?
        
        mustang
        
        delete #3
        
        Sweet Dick Willie
        
        It doesn’t necessarily “say” anything.
        
        But we certainly know how you’re interpreting it.
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        1. I’ll give you the roster full of DHs. That is just something that Girardi is going to have to juggle.
        
        2. I’ve already explained why Cliff Lee wasn’t simply a rental – not in the Yankees’ eyes at least.
        
        3. Deleted.
        
        4. Going after Martin says more about Cervilli than Montero. I know the Yankees have said that Martin would start but we’ve learned that athletes and organizations lie and change their minds.
      - http://www.blogs.thetenthinningstretch.com the tenth inning stretch
        
        Yankees thinking was that if they get him and win the WS with him, he’d want to stay.
  - viridiana
    
    In three or four years (or sooner), Montero will be a far superior option at Dh than any of these aging players, including A-Rod.And he’s good enough to catch part-time. Putting A-Rod or Jeter at DH when they’re 40 is not going to be real helpful to this team.
    - MikeD
      
      If Montero lives up to his potential, he doesn’t have to be the DH at that point. He can play first base. While we don’t know if he has the skills to catch longterm as a MLB player, I have to figure moving from the most extreme and difficult position on the defensive spectrum to the easiest should work out.
      
      Jeter does not project well as a DH, that’s why I think he will play SS until the Yankees decide he is hurting them and then he’ll retire. A-Rod does project well as a DH, although at age 40, who knows.
- http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
  
  Thank you! People keep complaining about the short-sightedness of giving Cliff Lee a big deal, but these same people are the ones who are ready to ship off the best offensive player in Minor League Baseball (plus more) for a lesser talent.
  
  Yes, Montero is unproven, but the kid has mashed at every level in the Minors and his track record suggests that he will be successful at some point at the MLB level. If he reaches his full potential, or even just 70-80% of it, he will be a very important part of the Yankees lineup with his talent and low cost.
  - mustang
    
    “but these same people ( CASHMAN AND THE YANKEES) are the ones who are ready to ship off the best offensive player in Minor League Baseball (plus more) for a lesser talent.”
    
    Just had to add that in there.
    - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
      
      They were ready to trade him for Halladay and Lee – far superior to Zack Greinke. The only people wanting to trade the best offensive player in MiLB for Greinke (a suspect top of rotation option in NY) are ppl on these blogs.
      - mustang
        
        For a HALF YEAR OF LEE?
        
        Doesn’t that tell you something?
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        This HALF YEAR OF LEE was supposed to equal a SECOND CONSECUTIVE WORLD SERIES. On top of that, they expected to already have Lee in the fold for 2011 at this point.
        
        Another slightly less significant plus was that they wouldn’t have to surrender their No. 1 pick.
        
        Ted Nelson
        
        And… they didn’t actually make the trade. So, clearly they were not in too much of a rush. They pulled out over the great Eduardo Nunez.
        
        mustang
        
        By most accounts that trade was a done deal until Seattle fuck them.
        
        mustang
        
        “This HALF YEAR OF LEE was supposed to equal a SECOND CONSECUTIVE WORLD SERIES”
        
        Key word: supposed
        
        Getting Lee doesn’t guarantee anything.
        
        I just don’t see how they trade a Posey/Mike Piazza type catching prospect for a half year of guy they could get later.
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        Well, yea, if we want to get into stating the obvious we certainly can. In a previous comment I said getting Lee was “as close to guaranteeing another trip to the World Series as you could get”.
        
        Everybody knows you have to play the games and that a World Series wouldn’t be given to the Yanks. I think its safe to say that a rotation with Sabathia and Lee at the top would have gotten the Yankees past Game 6 of the ALCS though.
      - mustang
        
        “best offensive player in MiLB for Greinke (a suspect top of rotation option in NY) are ppl on these blogs.”
        
        We will see how fast that changes if:
        
        1- they don’t sign Lee.
        
        2- Andy retires
        
        mustang
        
        Or nightmare both 1 and 2.
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        If the worst-case scenario happens, they need to just stand pat and make a play for the Wild Card. There is no way they can make up for the expected production of Lee and Pettitte and they will only ruin the farm system trying.
        
        mustang
        
        Tell this to the fans that they just rise tickets price on and after what the Red Sox have done this winter.
        
        I DON”T THINK SO.
        
        http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        I’d have a tougher time defending this stance, but I still think it would be the best thing for the Yanks in the mid-long term.
        
        http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        Think about it though. In this worst case scenario, the pitchers that the Yankees trade for are likely to be worse options than Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte. Not only that, but now think about all the prospects that would be lost. They’d be mortgaging their future for a present day team that still may need to rely on the Wild Card to make the playoffs.
    - MikeD
      
      Halladay and Lee are not “lesser” talents. We have no evidence they intend to ship Montero for players of less ability than those two, if that’s what you mean.
      
      BTW If the Yankees don’t land Lee, then the Yankees intention of sending Montero for Lee makes greater sense. Without his Texas connection, it basically would come down to the Yankees and the Yankees for signing him to a long-term contract, and I’m guessing they’d pay less than they’re going to have to pay him now, if they do indeed get them.
      
      So perhaps the trading of Montero for Lee wasn’t so crazy afterall. Maybe the Yankees anticipated this possibility.
      - http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig
        
        I’m not exactly who you’re referring to, but I meant that Greinke is a lesser talent than Lee and Halladay.
        
        OR
        
        I meant that the players that the Yankees would trade for as backups to Lee and Pettitte will be lesser talents than Lee and Pettitte. I’m too tired to go back to and see what my exact comment was, but hopefully that clears it up.
Poopy Pants

Why would anyone want Cervelli if he’s one of the worst players in the history of the game? I also read on RAB that he’s a piece of shit for pumping his fists.
- Craig
  
  LOL just LOL nothing more to say
  - http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
    
    Just so everyone is aware, there are two Craigs on here. I can be a little bit of an asshole from time to time. The other Craig shouldn’t be called out for any of my comments.
Jd

I can’t believe the hatred of cervelli. He may suck but he also may improve to a good backup
- Sweet Dick Willie
  
  He is a decent back-up.
  
  He just got exposed this year when he was thrust into the starting role.
mustang

Just question:

If the Yankees really plan to have Montero be a starting catcher next year knowing his lack defensive ability why didn’t they send him to winter baseball to work on this defense?
- pat
  
  He had a lower leg surgery at the end of the season. He was on a winterball roster in Venezuela, but I don’t think he was healthy enough to play.
- The Three Amigos
  
  He had leg surgery for an infection.
  - The Three Amigos
    
    Beat me to the punch.
- http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
  
  Winter baseball are not developmental leagues, they play to win. If a player is 0-10 managers bench him and play no-name guys who are producing, regardless of their prospect ratings.
  
  Montero also had surgery in September, and he also been catching since March, he doubled his games caught from 2009. Do you really want your best prospect playing the most grueling position from March through Nov/Dec?
- mustang
  
  Forgot the surgery.
  
  Good point.
Matt

I miss Jose Molina, at least Burnett was good with him and he threw out base runners.
Mike

Monetero will be a fine DH once Posada leaves.
Monteroisdinero

The Yanks have won alot these last 15 years without gold glove catchers (well-we had Ivan Rodriguez for a cup of coffee but). I have seen Montero catch as a 20 year old and I tell you the guy will be fine. He will outhit Posada easily with good health. A few sb’s and maybe a few pass balls early on is not going to be the end of the world-especially when he starts crushing the ball.
- pete
  
  “He will outhit Posada easily with good health.”
  
  C’mon. It’s expectations like these that cause people to wind up bitching when a young guy isn’t producing early in his career. If Montero hits .255/.315/.425 next year, that’s perfectly fine. Please stop assuming that he’ll be better than one of the greatest offensive catchers of all time. If he is, that’s fantastic, but it’s an absurd expectation at this point.
  - CP
    
    I don’t think it’s absurd to think Montero will outhit Posada. Saying he’ll do it ‘easily’ is probably absurd, but it’s not absurd to assume that Montero will post a better OPS than Posada next year.
Monteroisdinero

The Yanks have won alot these last 15 years without gold glove catchers (well-we had Ivan Rodriguez for a cup of coffee but). I have seen Montero catch as a 20 year old and I tell you the guy will be fine. He will outhit Posada easily with good health. A few sb’s and maybe a few pass balls early on is not going to be the end of the world-especially when he starts crushing the ball.
- Monteroisdinero
  
  sorry-computer/reply fail
Chris

What makes Martin any better than Cervelli? Over the last 2 years and more than 800 ABs, Martin has a sub .700 OPS.
- http://bronxbombersreport.com Craig
  
  I’m not a Russell Martin fan, but he dealt with some injuries and overuse. I think the Yankees – or any team interested for that matter – like his potential to bounce back, provide a solid bat and dependable defense.
  - Chris
    
    I sure hope so because with Crawford, Pedroia and Ellsbury, the Red Sox are gonna have a field day if the Yankees are as pitiful behind the plate as they were last year.
    - Hughesus Christo
      
      Pedroia?
    - MikeD
      
      I think people forget that the biggest issue with all the Yankee stolen bases was with the pitchers, with the exception of Pettitte. As a group, they’re pretty bad at holding on runners. Even CC. AJ is the worst. No catcher will have a good SB% when catching AJ the way he held (or didn’t) runners last year.
      - http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
        
        He had 9 last year in 75 games and 40 over the previous two years. (Though 8 CS in 09, but that seems like an outlier)
        
        http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
        
        Crap, this was suppose to reply to Hughesus Christo
http://www.facebook.com/cecala Joseph Cecala

I really don’t think Martin has much to do with Montero, I feel like they want him to get rid of Cervelli.
- Jd
  
  Martin versus cervelli last two years is not much different except for sbs
- cranky
  
  i don’t think it’s about the yanks “wanting” to get rid of Cervelli.
  Martin would provide insurance at C, decent back-up at 3B, as well.
  If he signs, they will, very likely, trade Romine.
  Romine would make VERY attractive trade bait.
Camilo

ay, no cambia el Jesus, por favor
Tank the Frank

I would absolutely LOVE this signing. This would be a big win for the Yankees. A big upside move that gives depth and insurance at catcher PLUS the fact that it keeps those same advantages away from the Red Sox; whose obvious weakness is at catcher.
- pat
  
  My thoughts exactly.
Mike HC

Our best line up last year was still with Posada as the catcher. If for some reason Montero does not work out, watching Cervelli or Martin hit like crap is going to get annoying. Just put Posada behind the plate again at that point in my opinion.
Chucky P

I know it’s gonna hurt but……. If we compare Montero to a young Mikey Piazza with a better arm would you say I am shooting too high?
Monteroisdinero

“The ball sounded different off the bat of Mantle.” Someday this will be said of Montero. Seeing him hit at Scranton this August/Sept was special.
- dalelama
  
  Easy Cowboy I think comparing Montero to arguably the best all around ball player in the last 60 years is a bit much.
  - pete
    
    not sure I’d make that claim about mantle, but I definitely agree with the don’t-compare-montero-to-mantle premise.
    
    Also, they say that about, like, everyone.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com bexarama
    
    I don’t like it when I agree with dalelama
Dave

Ugh. Does anyone else feel like this offseason sucks? If the Yanks get Lee, I’ll be pissed. If the Yanks miss on Lee, I’ll be pissed. If the Yanks grab Martin, i’ll be pissed. If they let Martin go, I’ll be pissed. Am I the only one that feels like no matter what we do, we won’t get better?

Honestly, if we could somehow convince KWood to stay & then find some #3 starter via trade without trading Montero, I’d be happy. Absent that, anything Cashman does at this poibt is gonna suck on some level (we need another lefty in the pen too, btw).

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