Soriano To Yankees A Done Deal

From ESPN:

The trade of Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano to the New York Yankees was finalized Friday after he officially waived his no-trade clause, sources told ESPN.

Of the estimated $24.5 million Soriano is owed through the end of next season, the Cubs are going to pick up about $17.7 million and the Yankees will cover the remaining $6.8 million, sources said. Soriano is scheduled to make $18 million next season, $5 million of which will be paid by the Yankees, the sources said.

Major League Baseball had to approve the dollar exchange for the trade to go through. The Cubs also will get a lower-tier pitching prospect in the trade, sources told ESPN.

Considering all they have to pay is $6.8 million and that they only gave up a lower-tier pitching prospect (rumored to be right-hander Corey Black), the deal was a no-brainer.

Here's what Soriano had to say about his return to The Bronx:

"It was great when I used to be with the Yankees," Soriano said. "My best friend with the team is [Derek] Jeter and he's still there. Mariano [Rivera] is still there too. And me and [Robinson] Cano are good friends, too, because we're from the same town. I could feel very good with the Yankees because I've been part of the family before with them."

Welcome back, Soriano!

Jeter Update

From Mark Feinsand:

Derek Jeter did hitting drills in the batting cage and fielded grounders Monday, moving one step closer to a return from the disabled list.

Jeter was unsure whether he would be activated when he’s eligible Saturday, and while the Yankees seem skeptical that he’ll be ready by then, that remains the shortstop’s goal. “I’m going day-to-day, man,” Jeter said. “I want to play as soon as possible. Saturday is the first day I can play, so I want to play on Saturday. But I get it.”

Jeter said he will take batting practice and run on Tuesday, checking off another box on his rehab list.

While it may not be Saturday, Jeter will be back in Pinstripes pretty soon. If you want to see Jeter and the Yankees in person, you can always get your New York Yankees tickets right here, from SIH tickets.

King: Yankees on Verge of Trading For Alfonso Soriano

From George King:

In dire need of a bat with thump and an indication the Yankees may believe that Alex Rodriguez isn’t going to play this season, the toothless Bombers are close to acquiring Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs, The Post has learned.

According to a person familiar with the talks, the Cubs will pay the bulk of what is left on Soriano’s contract. He makes $18 million this year and the same for next season.

Like they did in the Vernon Wells deal, whatever the Yankees pay will be laid out for the little more than the $6 million remaining Soriano’s contract this season. That way the Yankees aren’t on the hook for money next year when they want to get the payroll to $189 million. Soriano has a no-trade clause, but he would not block a deal to put him back in Pinstripes.

In return the Cubs will get a mid-level prospect.

The 37-year-old former Yankees is hitting .259/.289/.476 with 17 HR and 51 RBI in 374 at-bats with the Cubs this year.

It's painfully obviously that they need hitting. Soriano won't solve all their hitting woes, but I guess it's a start.

Major League Baseball Expected To Suspend A-Rod, Many Others

From Jon Heyman:

Alex Rodriguez, who once appeared on his way to breaking baseball's all-time home run record, is all but assured of a Biogenesis-related MLB ban being levied against him -- quite possibly more than the usual 50 games for first-time offenders -- people familiar with the case say.

Rodriguez is expected to be one of up to 15 or so players to receive suspensions by MLB when they are announced, possibly within a couple weeks. All the suspensions could be announced simultaneously.

Rodriguez declined to answer the questions of MLB investigators when they interviewed him, sources told CBSSports.com, as did perhaps most of the other players linked to the PED case. The players union believes baseball's Jenkins Rule allows players not to answer MLB investigators' questions, and players are being advised that their answers could be used against them in a possible appeals process or additional legal matter.

A-Rod, Brewers star Ryan Braun -- the other high-profile player linked to the case -- and most other players involved publicly denied they received performance-enhancing drugs from now-defunct Biogenesis or its proprietor, Tony Bosch, who became a witness for MLB in the case.

Any Biogenesis-related suspension based on so-called "non-analytic positives" (not triggered by a positive test) is subject to appeal -- though the likelihood now is that suspension announcements would be made before any appeals. Players union chief Michael Weiner told the New York Daily News, speaking generally and not necessarily about A-Rod, that appeals aren't necessarily automatic, explaining that in cases where the evidence is overwhelming the player might simply accept a suspension.

...

'I don't think he's going to beat the suspension back to the field,' one person connected to Rodriguez said...

...Sources who have spoken to Rodriguez say the Yankees third baseman is expecting a suspension, though he hasn't said that publicly.

MLB people declined to comment, except to say its investigators are going where the evidence takes them.

MLB appears to be readying bans which likely will be based on the drug-test failure standard:

•First offense: 50 games
•Second offense: 100 games
•Third offense: Lifetime ban

...

"MLB has receipts, checks, the whole nine yards," a person with ties to an investigated player said.

"He's looking at a lengthy suspension," another player-connected source said about A-Rod.

I know people have been saying this was going to happen for months, and then nothing would happen, but this time I think the shit is finally about to hit the fan for A-Rod and the rest of his merry band of cheaters. And I can honestly say I don't care. If this idiot cheated again, he deserves whatever he gets, and probably should just retire and save us all the future head aches.

UPDATE: Bruan has been suspended for the remainder of the 2013 season.

Series Preview: Yankees @ Red Sox

The best rivalry in baseball resumes tonight as the Yankees head to Fenway Park to take on the first-place Red Sox. Both teams have won 5 out of their last 10 games, with the Red Sox trying to hold on to first place in the American League while their hated rivals try to catch Texas for the second wild-card spot and have a little more work to do when it comes to the east. With the biggest rivalry being played on the biggest stage (2 of the 3 games are nationally televised), Yankees vs Red Sox tickets will be more expensive than usual this weekend. Overall, the series average is $207, which is 92% higher than the Red Sox home average and 69% higher than the usual price paid for Yankees tickets on the road.

The average ticket for Friday is a hefty $213, which is nearly twice as much as the usual average price for Red Sox tickets at home $108) or for a Yankees tickets on the road ($123). However, fans can get into the ball park for only 21% of that figure, as a fan looking for cheaper seats will only have to pay $45 per ticket to see Andy Pettitte battle Felix Doubront at 7:10 PM.

Saturday’s game is more costly, with the average price being $240 and the cheapest ticket being $70 (29% of the average price). The game will be nationally televised on FOX at 4:05 PM, with all eyes on pitchers Hiroki Kuroda and John Lackey.

The biggest names will do battle on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball on July 21, as CC Sabathia takes on Jon Lester at 8:05 PM. Surprisingly, this is the cheapest game of the series, with the average being a very reasonable $180 and the cheapest seats listed at $42 per ticket (23% of the average).


The Red Sox and Yankees appear poised for another exciting stretch run as they prepare to battle for the division title during the final 3 months of the season. The world stops to watch when the Red Sox play the Yankees, and if you happen to be in the Boston area this weekend, you have the opportunity to witness 2 great teams face off with playoff implications—and bragging rights—on the line.

By Tommy Rothman