Mar

Colon & Garcia’s Opt-Out Dates

We’ve known for a while that both Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon have the ability to become free agents if they don’t make the Yankees out of Spring Training, but now we have some actual dates thanks to Ken Rosenthal. Garcia can opt out of his minor league deal on March 29th (next Tuesday) while Colon can do so on Opening Day, March 31st (next Thursday). If the Yankees plan on releasing Sergio Mitre, they’ll have to do it before March 28th (next Monday) to avoid paying him his full season salary ($900,000). In that case they’d only owe him 45 days termination pay.

I suspect the opt-outs won’t be that big of a deal, the Yankees are going to need to make a decision about the fourth and fifth starters very soon, by the end of the weekend at the latest simply because there are only so many games left in Spring Training. They need to start lining guys up and stretching everyone out to maximum capacity.

Categories : Asides

6 Comments»

Ryan says:

March 22, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Colon AL Cy Young?

But on a serious note, they were talking during the game that one reason Colon is looking so good is because of winterball, but will those innings pitched in winterball have an impact on him? Like is it just as if his season started a few months earlier?

kenthadley says:

March 22, 2011 at 7:11 pm

The fact that he pitched in winter ball was no secret….if they wanted to see what he had in the tank, they knew he’d be in better pitching shape so they’d see his best, and that’s what he’s shown….we should keep both Colon and Garcia, put Nova in AAA as the #6….there’s no doubt one of these guys will either blow up or get hurt, and you have a ready Nova to bring in….this is the best of all worlds…keep Mitre in the pen as the meatball guy, used for whenever…..in the first month you don’t need 5 starters every trip anyway, due to off days and weather.

Reply

IB6 UB9 says:

March 22, 2011 at 7:41 pm

I think Nova has earned a spot in the rotation and the team needs to send a message to the young guys that they have the ability to earn a spot. Garcia is not worth the negative vibe to Nova. Even if winter ball has used up some of Colon’s usefulness, they only need a bridge to June/July when Cashman can make a move.

Benjamin Kabak says:

March 22, 2011 at 10:32 pm

Adios, Sergio.

Plank says:

March 23, 2011 at 7:14 am

Rosenthal is amazing in terms of how much volume he produces and the quality of the info he gets. No wonder they call him Robothal.

Yank the Frank says:

March 23, 2011 at 8:51 am

Nova & Colon in the rotation, Garcia as the long man. We have seen very little good, mostly bad and ugly from Sergio.