Saturday's Rumors

Here are some rumors from around the league relating to the Yankees and/or players the Yankees are interested in.

- Ken Rosenthal is reporting this morning that during the general managers' meetings Cashman and Padres' GM Kevin Towers discussed a potential Peavy to Yankees deal.

"Right now, I need to stay focused with National League clubs," Towers told Cashman. "If I'm not able to get close with any of them, I'll circle back to you."

Now that the Cubs and Braves talks have started to fall apart, as Rosenthal puts it, "Towers is officially circling, and the Yankees remain interested." He also says that there have been numerous discussions between Cashman and Towers about Peavy.

- Rosenthal also believes that the Angels will be players in the Peavy sweepstakes, and that they will also wait "wait another 7 to 10 days before they make "a knockout offer" to Mark Teixeira "and give Boras a firm deadline for accepting it".

-But Buster Olney thinks the Braves are still the best fit for Jake Peavy.

The Padres' best fit for a trade is with Atlanta. The Braves have an excellent stable of prospects, and they have Yunel Escobar to anchor the deal. Peavy controls the process with his no-trade clause, and the Cubs simply don't have the caliber of prospects needed to get a deal done.

- Atlanta also has interest in A.J. Burnett and have had some preliminary discussions with A.J. Burnett's agent. ... The Orioles, Jays and Red Sox are also interested in Burnett.

- Hank Steinbrenner says the Yanks are ready to make offers to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.

"We're prepared to make offers to Burnett and Lowe," Steinbrenner said. "I'm starting to become very optimistic. I think it’s going to be mutually beneficial to us and for these particular players that we’re after for them to join the Yankees."

- The Mets will not bid on CC.... Neither will the Braves. Maybe that huge offer from the Yankees has scared some teams away.

- Brewers' GM Doug Melvin is baffled by the Yankees 6 year $140 million offer to Sabathia.

"It sounds like they're overbidding," Melvin said. "If the speculation is true that we've offered CC $100 million, why would you offer $140 million? Why wouldn't you offer $110 million?"

- Kat O'Brien adds her 2 cents to the Jake Peavy talk:

Don't get too excited about that one, as it's highly unlikely to happen. The Yankees are so far down on Peavy's list the only way he'd agree to come is if the Yankees added years and multi-millions to his contract. They're not enthused about giving up prospects and lots of years/dollars. That's why they backed off on Johan Santana last year.

More rumors as they come...