Archive for Derek Lowe
Braves lock up Lowe for four years
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves and Derek Lowe have come to terms on a four-year, $60-million deal. It’s a nice contract for Lowe and a solid signing by the Braves.
Meanwhile, this is a deal that echoes through New York for a few reasons. First off, when the Yanks opted to go for A.J. Burnett instead of Lowe, I never expected the former Dodger hurler to land himself a $15-million AAV deal. It seems that I was wrong, and it seems that the market for starting pitching is a bit more robust than the market for corner outfielders.
From that four-year deal, we probably have to reevaluate the Yanks’ one-year offer to Andy Pettitte. You could very easily make the argument now than $10 million for one year of Pettitte is indeed to low. It shouldn’t take Derek Lowe money to lock up Andy, but it may take $12-$13 million guaranteed.
Second, the Mets are looking at an off-season of futility. They low-balled Lowe and never had a real chance to up their offer. Instead, one of their top divisional competitors lands one of the bigger free agent pitchers left. Now, Omar Minaya will have to dole out the bucks for Oliver Perez and probably take a good, long look at Ben Sheets’ medical reports as well.
Lowe bound for New York
Posted by: | CommentsDerek Lowe is most likely New York-bound, according to numerous reports. Only this time, the other New York team gets to make a free agent splash as they sign another potential Red Sox target. While Ben Shipgel of The Times figured that Boston and the Mets would duke it out over Derek Lowe, the Boston.com staff reports that Lowe and the Mets are nearing a deal. Omar Minaya will net himself another starting pitcher for four years at around $14-$16 million a year. That’s not a bad deal for a team sorely in need of starting pitching.
Saturday night open thread: No Lowe
Posted by: | CommentsSo based on this post at the Central Maine Sports Blog, ESPN reporter Jerry Crasnick no longer considers the Yanks in the running for Derek Lowe. What a shock.
Interestingly enough, with the Yanks out of the picture, rumors about the Red Sox’s interest have dried up as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lowe wind up in Boston, but I don’t think the Red Sox are as concerned with Lowe as they were with the Yanks in on him. After all, Theo is the one who let him go in the first place. Crasnick sees Queens as the likely destination for Lowe.
Anyway, that’s about it for Yankee news tonight. Use this thread as your Saturday night open thread. Anything goes; just play nice.
Lunch time rumors: Teixeira, Burnett and Lowe
Posted by: | CommentsMike’s about to start his Rule V live-blog, but let’s sum up some Yankee rumors. The mill never stops around here.
- According to Ken Rosenthal, the Yanks are the frontrunners for the services of A.J. Burnett. If no team is willing to top a five-year, $85-million offer the Bombers have outstanding, A.J. is theirs for the taking. At the very least, the Yanks will not be outbid by any other team.
- Derek Lowe likes the Yanks’ signing of Sabathia, and while common sense would dictate that Lowe wouldn’t sign if A.J. does, Jayson Stark says that’s not true.
- The Yanks are keeping a close eye on Mark Teixeira. You have to figure at this point the Yanks will land a bat and that the bat will either by Teixeira or Manny Ramirez. But that’s just my idle speculation.
Heyman: Yanks all in for top three pitchers
Posted by: | CommentsTaking the old maxim that you can never have too much pitching, the Yankees, according to Jon Heyman, are making a play for all three top free agent hurlers. While we await word from the third meeting between CC and the Yanks, Heyman reports that the Yanks are willing to top the Braves’ four-year, $60-million offer for A.J. Burnett by adding more dollars and either a guaranteed fifth year or a vesting option. Heyman also feels the Yanks have “a good chance” at landing Derek Lowe as they are willing to go at least four years at $64 million. That’s a lotta pitching.
Update 12:19 a.m.: For those of you bemoaning Derek Lowe, Tyler Kepner has word of a different pitcher. The Times writer says that the Yanks are closing in on Ben Sheets. He doesn’t confirm or deny the Derek Lowe report, for what that’s worth.
Update 12:52 a.m.: One last update via the same Graziano piece from earlier. The NJ.com reporter says the Yanks may have floated the idea of an opt-out to Sabathia in case he truly doesn’t like New York. It’s an interesting idea, but after A-Rod burned them last year, I highly doubt the Yanks would go that route again. This may just be a sign of good faith on the part Cashman and Co.
Yankee rumors: Cano, Sabathia, Lowe, Teixeira
Posted by: | CommentsFollowing up on everything…
- While watching the O.J. Simpson sentencing, my eyes wandered to the ESPN crawl, and I saw some news that Yankee fans will both bemoan and appreciate. As part of the free agent transaction chain, we should now be rooting for Mark Teixeira to sign sooner rather than later. Peter Gammons reports that CC Sabathia is waiting to see what happens between Teixeira and the Angels, and Derek Lowe is waiting to see what happens with Sabathia. From a business perspective, that all makes perfect sense. Those of you impatient for no reason with the seemingly slow pace of the Hot Stove League won’t like it.
- This news will of course rekindle the misguided line of reasoning that Sabathia hates New York and wants to pitch only for a West Coast team closer to his home. To combat that, check out Tyler Kepner’s latest. He writes:
“It’s not that he doesn’t want to be a Yankee; that’s not it at all,” said a friend of Sabathia’s, who was granted anonymity because Sabathia had not authorized him to speak on his behalf. “It’s just the aspect of being out there, his family, that kind of stuff.”
That’s all it is. Sabathia would prefer to be on the West Coast and is waiting to see what shakes down. If the Yanks’ offer emerges as the best, he’ll come to the Bronx with open arms. Just because he is waiting, smartly, doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be here.
- Finally, Robinson Cano’s name keeps popping up in various rumors. The Yanks have committed a lot of resources and time to Cano this off-season, and I doubt they would move him. If they’re so inclined, however, Buster Olney has word of the asking price. The Yanks would first ask the Dodgers for Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley. When they can’t get one of those two pitching studs, they’d turn their attention to Matt Kemp. In other words, Cano ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Cash, Boras talk Tex, Lowe
Posted by: | CommentsAs we noted, Scott Boras and Brian Cashman met yesterday to discuss some of the über-agent’s free agents. According to Tyler Kepner, Cashman met with Mark Teixeira as well, and this finally seems to confirm the Yankee interest in the man who would be, to channel Buster Olney, a great fit. No word there on an offer.
But on the Derek Lowe front, Mark Feinsand has somet developments. According to the Daily News scribe, the Yanks may be gearing up to make Lowe an offer. While Boston has also expressed interest in Lowe, I’d rather see the Yanks pursue Teixeira. Lowe doesn’t do much for me, but some of that might just be my personal reaction to him.
Unconfirmed Report: Cash to meet with Boras today
Posted by: | CommentsIn what sounds like it could be pure speculation, Tony Massarotti says that Brian Cashman is traveling to California today to meet with Scott Boras in advance of the Winter Meetings, presumably about free agent hurler Derek Lowe. Boras has already indicated that he wants a Zito-esque contract for Lowe, but that’s just typical Boras. Still, the sinkerballer could command $15-16M per year over three or four years. Boras also represents Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez and Oliver Perez, but those players do not appear to address the Yanks’ immediate needs. (I’ll give at h/t to Tim even though I found this before he had it on his site)
Yanks, Sox battling it out over free agent pitcher
Posted by: | CommentsI expected the Yanks and Red Sox to battle it out monetarily over a few free agent pitchers this off-season, but Derek Lowe? Really? I realize Lowe is a workhorse coming off a season with a 3.24 ERA. But his home-road splits are fairly dramatic, and this guy was jettisoned by Boston a few years ago because they didn’t like his focus or mentality. He’s going to be 36 in April, and he’s not getting any younger. What’s all the fuss about anyway?
When Jon Heyman’s headline says one thing and his piece says another
Posted by: | CommentsToward the end of the day yesterday, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman wrote a piece with the headline, “Yankees not in ballpark for Lowe, Burnett.” The article wasn’t quite as accurate as that though:
The Yankees intended to make four-year offers on A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe for about $14-15 million annually (in other words, close to $60 million each). However, Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, is telling teams he’s only considering five-year proposals, and Lowe’s agent, Scott Boras, apparently also suggested the Yankees aren’t in the ballpark.
Well, maybe metaphorically, the Yanks “aren’t in the ballpark” these players’ agents want them to be. However, the Yankees are set to make opening offers to two of their free agent targets. As is custom in a negotiation, the agents will then counteroffer.
It’s fun to dump on the Yankees. They’re the big bad rich guys who want to buy up everyone. But it’s less fun to stretch the truth about a contract negotiation. Don’t let Heyman’s piece scare you. The Yanks and Burnett or Lowe are simply involved in a business deal, and that’s how these play out, bad baseball metaphors or not.
