Next years Yankee bullpen and lineup. Lack of offense? I don’t think so.

     Yankee fans have gotten to the point where they don’t realize how good the lineup is. The lineup is filled with all-stars & MVP caliber players but it’s “not enough.” Giambi & Abreu are on there way out..but that doesn’t mean the lineup is terrible. If you go back to the days of the 1996 Yankees..they didn’t have one player with over 30HR’s. Its not all about hitting HR’s. The Yankees don’t need to sign a superstar player at every position to contend for a World Series. They had guys like Girardi, Duncan, G Williams, Leyritz on the team, who weren’t All-Star/HOF players, but they got the job done and played hard. The 2008 Yankees had all-stars at almost every position. Jeter, Damon, Cano, Giambi, Rodriguez, Abreu, Posada, and Matsui can all be considered All-Stars. Do they need Teixeira? No, they don’t. Would he be helpful? Yes. Is it worth dropping $200 million on Tex? ehhh..I don’t think so.

     Could Swisher/Nady..be the next O’Neill/Brosius? Now don’t bash me for saying that. Nobody knows what the future holds. They were both beloved in pinstripes so I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but give them time..see what happens.

     The Yankees just acquired Nick Swisher and everyone is going nuts. “He Sucks!” etc. Nice Swisher isn’t a great player, but he has some pop in his bat, and if he can get his batting average back up..he could be even more useful. The Yankees had role players like Chad Curtis and Scott Brosius, who got a hit when they needed one and brought it up a notch when it really mattered. They didn’t have the best career numbers either. I’m just trying to say..don’t be mad if they don’t bring a guy like Tex in. The Yankees lineup is cluttered enough already. The big reason why the offensive production was down last year was because of injury. I expect big things out of the lineup in 2009.

Now onto the bullpen….

     The Yankees recently acquired Damaso Marte on a 3 year/$12 million contract. In my opinion it was a good move. Having two left-handers…like Coke & Marte is a big plus. The Yankees have struggled to find lefty pitchers over the years and I think they finally found a duo that might work. I expect huge things from the pen next year. They got rid of the bums: Farnsworth/Hawkins/Ohlendorf/Traber. Those were very important steps in making this team better. Cashman held onto them until the bitter end..and they lost a lot of games because of it. Now they have a rush of youngsters like Aceves, Giese, Robertson, Sanchez, and Albaladejo, who can be very helpful in the rebuilding of this bullpen. Rivera at the back end of the bullpen..makes it the best in baseball.

Yankees news, notes, updates and rumors

Here is some of the latest stuff on the Yankees:

River Avenue Blues:

Teixeira still a target for the Yankees?  / Mariano>K-Rod in 2008

CBS Sportsline:

–C Jorge Posada told reporters there were no setbacks in his recovery from surgery on his right shoulder. He expects to throw in the second week of December. “I’m really looking forward to getting ready before spring training, too,” said Posada, who missed much of last year and underwent surgery July 30. “But when it comes to March 1, I think I’m going to be 100 percent.” Posada again repeated his mantra that “I want to be a catcher” when asked if he would take some practice time at first base.

–LHP Kei Igawa may be one of the Yankees’ biggest big-budget busts at the major league level, but he earned some acclaim in the minors. Topps recently named Igawa to its Class AAA All-Star team after he set a club record for wins (14) with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Of course, he might not have reached such a lofty mark had he not been quickly chased off the mound in his brief return to the majors for the Yankees last season. Igawa pitched in two games, yielding six runs and 13 hits in four innings.

Rotoworld reports:

JAKE PEAVY:

General manager Frank Wren said Friday that the Braves “have moved on” and are no longer in the running for Jake Peavy.”We had our last discussion with San Diego yesterday and let them know that if the final names we were discussing wouldn’t get it done, we would move on to other opportunities, other possibilities,” Wren said. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Braves will now turn their attention to free agents A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster and Derek Lowe, leaving the Padres to either trade Peavy to the Cubs or find a new potential landing spot such as the Angels or Yankees.

DEREK LOWE:

SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Yankees will follow up their pitch to CC Sabathia with offers to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe in the next day or two. Obviously, Burnett and Lowe won’t be offered the same kind of money as Sabathia, who is expected to receive a proposal that eclipses $140 million in total value, but the Yankees are prepared to sign two or the three if they can.

MARK TEIXEIRA:

The New York Post reports that Thursday’s trade for Nick Swisher makes the Yankees unlikely to heavily pursue Mark Teixeira. According to the newspaper, Teixeira is “a backburner issue” while the Yankees “concentrate on starting pitching” with an eye on CC Sabathia.

—————————————

The Record: Villone on the free agent market again

The New York Times: The Red Sox won’t be raising ticket prices in 2009

The new Yankee Stadium has come a long way.

     Images of the new Yankee Stadium..courtesy of The LoHud Yankees Blog & Sliding Into Home. The Yankees have come a long way in the construction of the new Yankee Stadium. The construction workers are mainly working on the interior of the stadium, as most is done outside. The clubhouse, Great Hall, stadium seats, etc. are still being worked on. Feb. 17, 2009 is said to be the day when the stadium will be  “substantially complete.” This new stadium will change the technology and advances in stadiums everywhere. It will be as state of the art as you can get.

From Peter Abraham:

-It’s an impressive place. The scope of the building is what you notice first. There is more than twice as much room as there was at the old Stadium in terms of the concourses. The seats are a little further away from the field but they’re not as steep as the old park. The area closer to the field is wider if that makes sense.

-There are 32 lockers for the players with four of them wide enough to split into two for when the rosters expand. Everybody on the staff has their own office. And I mean everybody. There is a locker room and office for the coaches. The manager, team doctor, traveling secretary, clubhouse manager and trainers all have their own offices. The trainers room is literally three times larger than what they have now and that doesn’t include a huge room where there are two pools.

• Not hot tubs, pools. This is what they have, the Swim Ex. It’s a therapy pool that will have a treadmill on the bottom so you can run without putting stress on your joints.
• The players also have a huge lounge and a bathroom that looks big enough for a football team.
• The press box is great, too. Lots of space, stairs that go right down to the clubhouse level, etc. It’s a huge step up from what we have now. We even get our own lockers to store stuff.
• The area around the dugout has two full-sized batting cages and a room with video. It’s a few steps from the field.
• We didn’t get a chance to walk the concourses because of the construction. But the process of leaving your seat to go to the concession stands will be a lot easier and faster.

Feb. 17, 2009. That’s the day they expect the building to be “substantially complete.”

Yankees make historic offer to Sabathia. They have Burnett and Lowe on radar

     This was expected to come today..and it has already started. The Yankees have offered a deal “slightly more” than $137.5 million. It will be above Johan Santana’s contract, and it will be the largest offer to a pitcher in MLB history. Go get ‘em Cashmoney!

from The LoHud Yankees Blog:

Here is the message the Yankees are sending the rest of baseball:

Don’t. Even. Try.

The Yankees have offered CC Sabathia a six-year deal worth $140 million. The record for a pitcher is six years and $137.5 million for Johan Santana. Don’t be surprised if CC ends up with $150 million, or an average of $25 million a year.

from NY Post:

The Yankees officially began the work today to assemble their dream rotation of CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte.

As the Post reported Thursday, the Yanks skipped the appetizers and moved straight to the main course with Sabathia and offered the largest pitching package in history as an opening strike to land their No. 1 target.

No Yankees official would firmly define the bid, but sources said it was for more than the $137.5 million over six years that the Mets gave last year to Johan Santana.

The Yanks made the proposal on the first day offers officially could be extended to outside free agents, and the plan was to make offers either today or in the coming days to Lowe and Burnett.

from ESPN.com:

As expected Friday, the New York Yankees officially tendered an offer to free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia.

The offer is expected to be six years in length and have a total value of slightly more than the record $137.5 million deal that pitcher Johan Santana signed with the Mets before last season.

Santana’s deal had been the largest ever for a pitcher.

Friday represented the first day that free agents can be signed. The Yankees also are expected to make offers to free-agent right-handers A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.

Burnett has a four-year, $54 million offer from Toronto, while Lowe is looking for a five-year contract.

Phil Hughes making his case. Looking to earn his spot in the rotation.

    Hughes is making his case for ‘09 a whole lot better this fall. He pitched a great game today. He had one really bad start this fall, but besides that..he has been pretty darn good. Phil is ahead of the game when you think about it. He is still considered “one of the younger guys” in camp. Phil was rushed to the majors to be honest. I know I wanted to see him as much as you guys did, but maybe he wasn’t ready. He went through growing pains..and that’s what you need to see. He never got into any trouble in the minors, because he simply dominated down there. Maybe this time around..he will be ready to carry the load. Cashman and Girardi stated that he will need to earn the job, and I think they would be pretty happy with his success so far. Of course the Yankees are going after FA starters this off-season, but you can never have enough pitching. You never know what might happen. I’m sure Hughes will get some MLB action this season. It also depends on…if they bring back Pettitte/Mussina..or neither one.

Phil’s Previous AFL Starts:

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	W	L	ERA	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO
Oct 07	SUR	1	0	0.00	0	5.0	1	0	5	7
Oct 13	@PDD	0	0	1.80	0	5.0	4	1	1	3
Oct 18	SCO	0	0	23.62	0	2.2	7	7	2	1
Nov 03	SUR	0	0	0.00	0	5.0	1	0	0	8
Nov 08	@SUR	0	0	7.71	0	2.1	4	2	4	3
Totals		1	0	4.50	0	20.0	17	10	12	22

Today’s line:

Peo Javelinas
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Hughes, P	5.0	2	0	0	1	6	0	3.60

Hughes, P 80 Pitches, 52 for Strikes

Phil Hughes thoughts:

“Everything feels good right now,” he said. “I feel stronger with every outing.”

“Every time you go out, you work on things, but the big thing for me is to work on innings,” said Hughes, who logged only 69 2/3 frames in the regular season. “But that’s not to say I’m not going to work on my changeup or cutter. There’s been a few bumps with some outings, but overall I’ve felt good. There’s been quite a few good outings out there this year.”

“It’s been where I expected it, if not better,” he said. “I really haven’t felt this strong in quite a while, and I don’t know what that’s attributed to. But my velocity is right around where it normally is.”

“I’m going to take the same attitude I take every year, but obviously the Yankees are going to make moves to put the best team out there they can,” said Hughes. “I’ll go into Spring Training in the best possible shape, ready to make the team. I’ll keep working hard and doing what I need to do.

Mussina decision due next week. Ramiro Mendoza making a comeback?

Mike Mussina is still ‘up in the air’  on whether or not he wants to return in 2009. I have come to the conclusion that he will retire, but anything can happen. At this point..I don’t know if I want him back. Not that he doesn’t deserve it, but the Yankees say they are looking for two FA pitchers, so where does everyone go? Not that I wouldn’t welcome him back, but you can’t expect another year like he had in 2008. It was a career year for him, and I just think he is better off leaving the game on a high note, rather than coming back..and possibly struggling. Pettitte has already stated he wants to come back, so it makes the situation even more complicated. What should they do? Besides that..they have young guys like Hughes and Aceves who deserve a shot. Where will Hughes go if both Pettitte and Mussina want to come back? There are so many “ifs” …nobody really knows what is going to happen.

“I’m still kind of up in the air,” Mussina told the Daily News on Wednesday, in his first public comments since the regular season ended. “I’m enjoying my time off, but then again, I always enjoy my time off.”

“Moose told me after the season that he was probably going to retire,” Girardi said outside of Joe Torre’s Safe at Home Foundation gala last week. “I’ve said all along you’ve got to give a month or two to decide.”

[Overall, Mussina was 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA last season. He has won 123 games over eight seasons with the Yankees.]

rotoworld.com:

Free agent Ramiro Mendoza pitched two perfect innings Wednesday for Lara of the VWL.

Mendoza never resurfaced in the majors after failing to make the Yankees in 2006 and has spent the last two seasons out of baseball, but the 36-year-old currently has a 1.46 ERA in 12 1/3 innings in Venezuela. Perhaps we’ll see him in a major league camp next spring.

———————————————–

Video: Catching up with Phil Hughes down in Arizona. [Phil Hughes picked up some innings in Arizona after his injury-plagued '08 season; Austin Jackson and other Yank prospects continue progress]

Rivera, Mussina garner Cy Young votes & Jeter, A-Rod win Silver Slugger Awards

     Baseball Writers’ Association of America released the AL CY Young Award today. Cliff Lee was the most deserving and he won it by a landslide. (24 first-place votes and 132 points overall) Mariano Rivera finished fifth on the ballot with three points and Mike Mussina tied for sixth place with two points.

Mariano Rivera, 38, turned in one of his finest seasons, saving 39 games in 40 chances with a 1.40 ERA.

Mussina, 39, enjoyed something of a renaissance in his 18th big league season, winning 20 games for the first time in his career and posting a 3.37 ERA, his lowest since 2001.

Jeter, A-Rod win Silver Slugger Awards

Rodriguez hit .302 with 35 home runs and 103 RBIs. For 11 consecutive seasons now, Rodriguez has hit at least 35 home runs and driven in more than 100 runs. He has hit higher than .300 in three of the past four years

In his 14th season with the Yankees, Jeter hit .300 — getting to the plateau for his fourth consecutive year — while adding 11 homers, driving in 69 runs and appearing in 150 games.

————————————————-

Girardi raises funds to fight Alzheimer’s The Yankee manager will be a guest of honor and a keynote speaker at Wednesday’s “Remember When, Remember Now” event in Manhattan’s Grand Central Oyster Bar, with proceeds benefiting Alzheimer’s research and care. A portion of those proceeds will go directly to the Central Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, based out of Girardi’s native Peoria, Ill.

“You’re pretty focused on your job and what you’re doing,” Girardi said. “But there are always constant reminders. You think, ‘Oh, I wish my father could have seen that.’”

“We live with this disease every day, and we can’t enjoy my father the way we would like to enjoy him,” Girardi said. “It’s important that the word is put out, how devastating a disease this is.”

Yankees finalize 2009 coaching staff

2009 New York Yankees Coaching Staff:

Joe Girardi-Manager
Mick Kelleher-first-base coach,
Rob Thomson-third-base coach
Tony Pena- bench coach
Dave Eiland-pitching coach
Kevin Long-hitting coach
Mike Harkey- Bullpen coach

     I wanted Kevin Long to go, but it looks like he is well liked around the league and highly regarded within the Yankees organization. Maybe he can turn them around next year. I can’t blame A-Rod’s failures on him, but the overall performance of last years lineup wasn’t very good. The Yankees had tons of injuries, which also makes the situation worse, but all that aside..it was still a down year for the offense. The new first base coach is Mick Kelleher. I don’t know much about him besides that he is a retired MLB player, and he has been a minor league coach and scout. Rob Thompson has taken over third base, where Meachem used to wave home runners when they shouldn’t have been running. Hopefully that won’t be the case this year. Tony Pena has been promoted to bench coach which is fine with me as he seems to be a very intelligent baseball man.

Yankees acquire Swisher and Texeira from White Sox for Betemit, Marquez and Nunez

     The Yankees acquired Swisher and Texeira from White Sox for Betemit, Marquez and Nunez. I really like this deal. As of now..it looks like Swisher will be the Yankees 1B for next year. It makes more sense to me than dropping a 10 year/$200 million dollar contract on Mark Teixeira. I liked Marquez, but he never really got his act together so he ain’t a big loss. Nunez was a decent prospect for the Yankees, but his future wasn’t very bright as he was at best a middle reliever. As for Betemit..he hit the occasional HR, but he was a terrible hitter. It was either hit or miss with him, and I am happy to see him go. Swisher has pop in his bat, but his average isn’t very good. He hit .219 last year, but I could definitely see him lifting that up..considering his career average is .244. Texeira is a 22 year-old middle reliever from the White Sox organization who dominated in the minors. His career minor league numbers look like this:

144.1IP  (W-L) 12-7  40SV  2.25ERA  118H  49BB  149K  9.31K/9  1.16WHIP

  I could definitely see him in the Yankees bullpen down the road…

Girardi’s thoughts:

“We’re excited with the addition of Nick Swisher,” said Yankees Manager Joe Girardi. “We feel he has a ton of upside. He’s a patient switch-hitter, adds versatility at a number of defensive positions, including first base and the outfield, and will be a positive presence inside the clubhouse.”

from rotoworld:

Swisher

Yankees acquired first baseman-outfielder Nick Swisher and RHP Kanekoa Texeira from the White Sox for infielder Wilson Betemit, RHP Jeff Marquez and RHP Jhonny Nunez. We still think Betemit can be an adequate regular, but this is a great trade for the Yankees. Three pieces they had little use for in return for a possible 30-homer guy still in his prime. Swisher was quite a disappointment while hitting .219 for the White Sox last season, but he still had 24 homers and 82 walks in 497 at-bats. If he bounces back to .260 or so, he’s a well above average regular. Plus, he gives the Yankees plenty of flexibility. He should be penciled in at first base for now, but he can shifted to right or center if the Yankees go and get that other Teixeira fellow.

Texeira

RHP Kaneoka Texeira was sent from the White Sox to the Yankees in a five-player trade. It’s pretty bad that the White Sox actually had to throw in a minor league reliever just to come up with Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. The 22-year-old Texeira had a 1.33 ERA and 21 saves between Single-A Winson-Salem and Double-A Birmingham last season. His stuff is unexceptional, but he could surface as a middle reliever.

From Peter Abraham (The LoHud Yankees Blog):

UPDATE, 4:39 p.m.: Cashman just said that if the season started today, Swisher is the 1B. … The more I think about this deal, the more it makes sense. Swisher has three years remaining on his deal – right about the time the Yankees could need first base as an option for Jeter and/or Posada.

Carl Pavano is exhausted from his time with the Yankees. He might return to Florida…

“I look back at those four years with the Yankees, it was exhausting,” he said. “But if I was healthy, no doubt about it, the team would have benefited and I would have benefited.”

hahaha

Yankees will offer a six-year, $150 million contract to Sabathia tomorrow?

     According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees will “aggressively extend a proposal” to C.C. Sabathia tomorrow.  He believes the Yankees will go to “a financial region that no other franchise would even consider” to lure the ace.  Sherman’s guess is an initial bid in the six-year, $150MM range (and that may not be the final offer).

from rotoworld.com:

The New York Post speculates that the Yankees will offer CC Sabathia a six-year, $150 million contract.

And that just may be where the bidding starts. The newspaper quotes “one Yankee executive” as saying that “we have to separate ourselves” and notes that “unless Sabathia really will reject the largest pitching package ever, the Yankees have the inside track.” If the Yankees fail to land Sabathia the newspaper reports that Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett are “their next choices.”

    A proposal already? I guess so. After 12:00AM tonight..all these FA players will hit the open market and any team has the right to negotiate with them. The Yankees are expected to be extremely aggressive and blow everyone out of the water, so they can make him a pitch that he can’t refuse. I want C.C. at any cost. He is the ace they have been missing for a long time now. Santana would have been great to have, but why trade Hughes when you can just give C.C. money. $150 million (for 6 years) is a ton of money..so I don’t think Sabathia can pass that up. I highly doubt any other team would match that offer.

[If the Yankees are successful in signing Sabathia, they hope to add A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe next.]