I think all of the MSM is enjoying some time with their families before the hell of the Winter Meetings, hence the slow news day. It’s okay, things will start getting rather psychotic tomorrow, so rest up and use this thread to talk about whatever you want. The Rangers are in Buffalo, plus there’s a zillion college football games on. You know what’s up, so enjoy the thread.
Rumor du jour: Yanks interested in various agent starters
Via MLBTR, the Yankees have expressed interest in some free agent starters. Like a whole lot of them. John Lackey, Rich Harden, Joel Pineiro, and maybe even Randy Wolf too. Of course, their first priority is retaining Andy Pettitte, and surely they’re stay in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes until the bitter end. The point is, the Yankees are clearly on the prowl for someone to shore up the middle of the rotation.
I’m not a fan of Lackey given his recent elbow issues and presumed exorbitant contract demands, and both Pineiro and Wolf should be nothing more than last resort options for the Yanks given their complete inability to miss bats in recent years. Harden’s a fine candidate as long as he comes on a short (one or two year) contract. That said, I’d rather have Ben Sheets on a one or two year deal than any of them.
Scenes from a stadium dismantling
Earlier this week, Tom Kaminski took Chopper 88 for a whirl over Yankee Stadium and returned to Earth with another photo gallery from the dismantling of Yankee Stadium. As the above shot shows, the old bleachers are nearly gone, and the destruction of the House that Ruth Built is continuing.
Kaminski zoomed in on the right field seats and captured the Yanks’ dugout amidst the rubble. The sections behind home plate are nearly gone as well. While we have these glimpses inside the House that Ruth Built, the demolition of the stadium won’t hit home until the outside walls start coming down.
After the jump, a look inside the old Stadium. [Read more…]
Yanks plans don’t include Jason Bay or Matt Holliday
Buster Olney notes this morning that the Yankees sifted through their outfield options during their organizational meetings, and two names that aren’t options (for whatever reasons) are Matt Holliday and Jason Bay. I’m guessing it’s the combination of lots of dollars and lots of years. Olney says that Johnny Damon remains their top target for left field, but only if he comes down to $7-8M for a year or two. Plan B is Mike Cameron, who we’re very much a fan of.
Of course, we heard last year that the team didn’t have enough cash to bring in Mark Teixeira after landing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, so don’t take this too literally. Cashman is a ninja, he attacks with great stealth.
Yanks order of operations starts with Pettitte
This isn’t too much of a surprise, but as word gets out about the Yanks’ off-season plans, the team is going to focus first on Andy Pettitte. According to a Mark Feinsand report, “getting Andy Pettitte back in the fold” is “the team’s first order of business” this winter. After securing Pettitte’s services, the Yanks will turn their attention to Johnny Damon and the left field vacancy. Hideki Matsui, meanwhile, seems to be the odd free agent out.
As far as strategies go, this is a sound one. If Damon heads elsewhere, he won’t sign until after Jason Bay and Matt Holliday have their deals. The Yanks have some calendar leeway in that regard. By focusing on Pettitte first, the team will know what pitcher cards they hold heading into 2010. If Andy opts to go home, the Bombers brass can turn its attention to John Lackey, Roy Halladay or a plethora of other pitchers. If Andy sticks around the Bronx for another season, the team doesn’t have to worry about securing a mid-rotation starter in a market low on good pitching.
Where I disagree with this approach though is in the hunt for a designated hitter. Numerous comments by team officials over the last few days suggest that Joe Girardi will use a rotating DH to rest his regulars. Thus, a utility player will have to be in the lineup everyday. Unless the Yanks sign a versatile Mark DeRosa-type who can also hit, their offensive production, as I explored last month, will suffer. Still the winter is young, and there are still many, many moves to make.
Budget? The Yanks don’t need no stinking budget
Breaking news: Yanks will have a limit on payroll this season. Buster Olney even tries to peg it at between $190 and $200 million. “Of course,” he adds, “it’s not a hard ceiling.” Damn right it’s not a hard ceiling. The Yankees have some important spots to fill, and they’re not going to cheap out on them. No, they’re going to hit the free agent and trade markets hard. At least, that’s what Yahoo!’s Tim Brown1 tells us in his AL East hot stove primer.
Holes to fill: In spite of their World Series championship, the Yankees could use help in places, but nothing they can’t throw a few dollars at. The obvious issues are in the rotation, in left field, in the bullpen ahead of Mariano Rivera(assuming Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are going to the rotation) and at DH. Yankees problems, however, aren’t often like other people’s problems. They’ll have Andy Pettitte back, or jump in hard on John Lackey and/or Roy Halladay (or all of the above). They’ll have Johnny Damon back, and/or add Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. They’ll have Hideki Matsui back, or run the DH at-bats through the guys they already have.
Yes, there will be a hard cap on the Yankees’ payroll this season. It’ll be somewhere around $260 million, but it’ll be there. Somewhere.
Exclusive photo taken outside the Yankees organizational meetings.2 Photo credit: Tim Brown3
Don’t think that’s it. Oh, no. Brown wants to make sure you know that the Yankees are prepared to pick up salary in trades, too.
They’ll be in on Halladay. And they’ll talk to the Tigers about Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson.4 They’ll talk to the Reds and Braves about pitching.5 In some cases, they’ll have to be prepared to part with Hughes or Chamberlain and outfielder Austin Jackson.6
Projected 2010 Yankees lineup:
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Alex Rodriguez
LF: Matt Holliday
CF: Curtis Granderson
RF: Nick Swisher
DH: Johnny Damon
SP: CC Sabathia
SP: Roy Halladay
SP: A.J. Burnett
SP: John Lackey
SP: Aaron Harang
RP: Edwin Jackson
RP: Javier Vazquez
RP: Andy Pettitte7
RP: Bronson Arroyo
RP: Phil Hughes
RP Damaso Marte
The 8th: Joba, where he rightfully belongs because he’s a bull in a china shop
CL: Mo
World Series on a budget, folks.
1Clearly, Tim Brown is mryankee. (Up)
2Not really (Up)
3Not really (Up)
4Who will cost money (Up)
5Who will cost money (Up)
6Who will not cost much money (Up)
7Even though he’s a starting pitchah (Up)
Open Thread: Eye candy
Pat sent this to me earlier. I guess it’s some Japanese video game. Really, it doesn’t matter what it is. Enjoy, and watch for when one of the pitchers pulls a Wynona Rider.
In local sports, the Devils host the Lightning, the Knicks are in Atlanta, and the Nets try to fend off further embarrassment at the hands of the Bobcats. We should probably start a pool or something.