My Take On Johnny Damon

Well, it's pretty obvious now - Johnny Damon isn't coming back to the Yankees. The Bombers tried as hard as they thought they could to get Damon back, but Johnny was just too greedy and wouldn't even accept a $6 million offer from them (see post below).

JD was one of my favorite Yankees the past four years. When he first signed in December of 2005, I hated him just as much as every other New York fan did. He hit that grand-slam in the '04 ALCS that sealed the deal for the collapse, and pretty much just didn't seem like a good fit in the Bronx. But then thanks to his 24 home-run campaign and his great clubhouse attitude, my entire family was embracing him with open arms come 2007. If there was one player I wanted to see when I went to Yankee games, it was Derek Jeter. But Johnny Damon was a strong second.

The biggest moment I remember of Damon's 2007 season was his clutch 3-run home run in Game 3 of the ALDS which kept the Yanks alive at least for another day. Since I was only 9 and didn't remember much of the late 90's dynasty, it was amazing to me to see the Yanks win a playoff game at the legendary Yankee Stadium (I wasn't there, I watched it on TV). So Damon was pretty much responsible for my first playoff memories as a Yankee fan.

2008 wasn't a great year for the Yankees, but Johnny Damon did once again deliver for me. I was at the game when he went 5 for 5 against the Royals, including a walkoff double in the 11th inning. Not only did Johnny come up big in the clutch, but it was my final game at the old Yankee Stadium, so leaving the House That Ruth Built for the final time with "New York, New York" blasting from the sterios in winning fashion was just great.

I don't need to go into specifics about last year because we all know how successful he and the Yankees were. But what I do want to point out is how JD constantly said he wanted to return to New York and didn't plan on signing elsewhere. Red Sox fans, does this remind you of anything? Let me refresh you guys if you forgot:

In the middle of the 2005 season, Damon, still the Geico caveman, said that he would never play for the Yankees after rumors came up that he may want to sign with New York. He also said that he "loved Boston" and wouldn't leave it for the world. But I'm pretty sure he signed with the Yankees and took the biggest deal possible.

Now, move ahead to 2009. Johnny constantly said that he wanted to stay with the Yanks, and that New York is a great place to play. The Yankees even said they wanted Damon back, and clearly stated that throughout the offseason. But sure enough Damon got greedy and thought he was worth $11 million per year (he said that on WFAN today), and the Yanks refused to give him more than $6 mill.

Do I hate Johnny Damon for his selfishness? No. Do I think his "loving New York" talk was garbage? Not neccissarily. But in the end, Damon will always be remembered to Yankee and Red Sox fans as a player who was well-liked, but ended up being just another player who wants nothing but the $.

Heyman Ranks The Offseason Performances

Jon Heyman posted his list of the teams who had the best offseason so far on SI.com today. With the additions of Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, and Casey Kotchman, the Mariners came in at number 1 on Heyman's list. The hated Red Sox came in second with their additions of John Lackey, Mike Cameron, and Marco Scutaro. Third was the Phillies, who traded for Roy Halladay. Baltimore, who brought in Kevin Millwood, Mike Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins, came in fourth. Fifth were the DBacks with their additions of Kelly Johnson, Adam LaRoche, Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy. The Yankees came in sixth on his list, here's what he had to say:

6. Yankees. Javier Vazquez brings back some bad memories for Yankees fans, but he provides the rotation just the sort of solid, innings-eating No. 4 pitcher they needed, at little cost (Melky Cabrera plus a prospect). Defensively, they are should be better with Curtis Granderson in for Johnny Damon (though Damon's return remains a possibility, and if he does come back, Brett Gardner would go to the bench). For now, though, the Yankees are down two very clutch hitters (Damon and Hideki Matsui) and up one injury-prone on-base machine (Nick Johnson, who had a .426 OBP last year but has averaged 94 games a season in his career).

The Rangers (7), Brewers (8), Cardinals (9) and Nationals (10) finished off his list.

I can't really argue with anything he said about the Yanks, although I'm not so sure about the other rankings. What do you think?

Is It Too Early To Start Thinking About #28?

If you're a baseball fan, January is the worst month of the year. Normally there is never any big Hot Stove news, and everybody in the Sports world is tuned in to College Basketball and the NFL Playoffs. I'm a football fan, but still, baseball is no where to be seen in the first month of the year. So, do you think we should start looking ahead to when baseball returns and the Yankees begin their pursuit of back-to-back championships? I think so.

During the offseason, the Yankees lost both Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon (so it seems) to free agency. Many were upset with the moves, and personally, so was I. But of course the Yanks had something up their sleeve, and sure enough they acquired Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez via trades. They also re-signed Andy Pettitte and brought back Nick Johnson on a 1-year deal. These three guys aren't CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixiera, but they were all very nice pickups for the Yankees.

As for that other team down in Beantown, they signed John Lackey, Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron, and Marco Scutaro to try and get on par with the Yanks. While those are all nice moves, you still have the aging Jason Varitek, the sluggish slugger David Ortiz, and except for J.D. Drew, you wouldn't really want that outfield on your team. Am I saying they can't win the AL East? Of course they can, but like all teams, they have some weaknesses that may separate them from the Yankees.

Now let's go back to New York. When you mix the newest Yankees in with the Core Four and the likes of Nick Swisher, it’s a match made in heaven. Granderson will hit around .270 and may smash 40 out of the park. Javier Vazquez finished fourth in the NL CY Young voting last season and has thrown 200+ innings the past five years. And we can't forget about Nick Johnson; he's an OBP machine, and while he may not hit for power or average, he'll get on base most of the time.

Right now I say the Yanks will win the AL East again. All in all they are still the best team in the American League and maybe the best team in baseball. Am I going to jump the gun and say the Yankees will win their 28th World Championship this season? No, but I think there's a good chance.

2010 Yankees- Red Sox Comparsion: Right Field

Yankees- Nick Swisher- In 2009, the Yankees replaced the big bat of Bobby Abreu with the less impressive name of Nick Swisher. Some wanted him traded before the season even started and when he made some noise about losing the starting job to Xavier Nady in Spring Training their was also some concern that we might be stuck with another disgruntled, overpaid, hitter. However, Nick found a home in pinstripes and carried the team in April with a red hot start to the season. His playful attitude made him an instant fan favorite and when Nady went down with an injury their was no longer any question about where Swisher would finish the season.

Nick got a lot of credit for the new atmosphere around the clubhouse but he also produced on the field. He came back from a disastrous 2008 to put up a line of .249/.371/.498. That was good for a career best .375 wOBA and it really should have come as no surprise. A quick glance at the stat sheet will show that 2008 was an aberration. The past four years he has always posted of at least .371. In 2008 it was down to .332. His power was down and his average was a meager .219, Swisher's not an average guy but that's bad for even him. Besides that his BABIP was only .251.

I think that its pretty fair to throw 2008 out the window when we're projecting Nick Swisher and besides that he's been a very steadily productive player who will get on base, offer some power, and play solid defense. Besides that, he's a great guy to have in the clubhouse, he's pretty young, he's relatively cheap, and is just a really easy guy to root for. He was a hugely underrated acquisition for the Yanks last year and should be able to hold down right field for the next few years for them.



Red Sox- J. D. Drew- Boston's rightfielder arrived as a controversial free agent signing in the winter of 2007. The Sox gambled on the often injured star with a five year contract worth 70 million and really can't have been all that surprised with the results so far. His 2007 debut in Boston was dissapointing for fans but since then he's been pretty much what they expected when they brought him in. He's bound to get hurt at some point in the year but when he's healthy he makes up for lost time by playing fantastic defense and offering up a nice combination of power and on base percentage at the plate.

He won a championship in first year in Boston but Drew himself did not play up to his normally excellent level. He missed some time of course, playing only 140 games and had troubles both at the plate in the field. He posted career lows in stats across the board and its a good thing for him that he came back strong the next two years. He missed a lot of time in 2008 and only got into 109 games. However, had he stayed healthy he could have been a legitimate MVP candidate. His wOBA was an even .400 and he probably won his team a game or two with his defense. In 2009, he saw some more action but wasn't quite as good and still only played 137 games. He put up a line of .279/.392/.522 and saved his team 10.5 runs over the course of the season according to UZR.

Drew's talent is tantalizing. The only one of the five tools he lacks is speed and you can see why Boston fans seem to get frustrated with him and his injuries. He's good enough that he can make up for it though and Boston usually has a strong enough bench to support him. Their is some reason to be concerned though. He's 35 years old and and his already fragile body could start breaking down. I'm sure its something that Boston's front office guys are keeping in the back of their minds as he plays out the final two years of his big contract.

Advantage- Red Sox- I love Nick Swisher just as much as everybody else in New York, if not a little more, but Drew is just such a talented player that he can't be ignored. He can play gold glove level defense and hit with the best of them. If he could ever stay healthy for full year, he could win an MVP. Luckily for us, the chances of that are pretty low but even in limited time he can produce more than Nick Swisher.

Looking At The Yanks' Remaining Choices For LF

As the first day of 2010 comes to a close, the Yankees have watched outfielder after outfielder after outfielder get plucked off the market. So, if the Yankees want another left fielder rather than Brett Gardner, who should the Yanks get? Here’s some options:

Johnny Damon, 36 - Well, obviously. He’s still on the market, and no teams what so ever have shown interest in him. That’s probably because he thinks he’s worth 2 years, $20+ million. But he’ll probably realize he’s asking for too much and will lower his price. Then, and only then, will I see some teams [other than the Yanks] show possible interest.

Reed Johnson, 33 - The former Blue Jay batted only .255 with 4 home runs and 22 RBIs for the Cubs in 2009, but only because he fractured his foot in late July and played in only 65 games. He would probably come very cheap, and according to the Yankees they’re going for “cheap” outfielders, so Reed would fit the Yankees criteria perfectly.

Jonny Gomes, 29 - Gomes had a strong year for the Reds in 2009, as he batted .267 with 20 home runs and 51 RBIs. He was non tendered by Cincinatti on December 12th, making him a free-agent. He would probably come cheap too, and getting a cheap, young, 20 home run outfielder is always a nice addition for any team.

Jack Cust, 31 - The slugger put up nice numbers for the A’s last season, hitting 25 home runs and driving in 70 RBIs for Oakland. He also knocked out 33 dingers in 2008, and he would be a nice addition as far as power goes for New York. He played most of the year as the DH for the Athletics, but he’s 31 and can play the outfield.

Out of these four, I think the Yankees are going to re-sign Johnny Damon. Cust, Gomes, and Reed Johnson are all nice players, but I think in the end Damon is just going to have to accept the fact that he’s not going to get a $20 million contract. And as soon as that happens, the Yanks will jump and bring him back. But it probably won’t be until the tail end of January when he does.

That’s just my thinking. What do you guys think?

Now What?

With Mark DeRosa signing with the Giants today and Jason Bay and Matt Holliday not likely to be in pinstripes, what will the Yanks be planning to do with left field?

Now don’t get me wrong, Brett Gardner is a good player and the Yanks don’t need a superstar at every position, but will the Yanks really go into the season with the 40 RBI man manning left? I personally don’t think so.

Their options are dwindling though, and right now Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady, both Yankees last year, seem as the only remaining free-agent choices for the Bombers, so they tell us. They’re not interested in Dye, not interested in guys like Bay or Holliday, and probably aren’t going after Reed Johnson as some reports have stated in the past couple days.

Yet, with Damon and Nady still on the market with relatively cheap contract requests, GM Brian Cashman has stated both of the players are too expensive for the Yankees to sign. Umm…what?

Nady isn’t going over $5 million after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season, and Damon probably would take a $16 or $18 million offer from the Yankees. So, why are the Yanks sounding like they went bankrupt and can’t afford these low-priced players? I tell ya why – strategy!

While typing this, an idea just popped into my mind. Cash is only saying this because he wants to see if the players will react to his statement and lower their asking price. So he’s wanting Damon to go down to around $14 million, and have Nady go down even lower. That’s when he’ll make his move.

If I could see the future, I’d say I would see Johnny Damon back with the Yankees. He’s just using Andy Pettitte’s old strategy of waiting it out as long as possible, until finally taking a deal with much less $ in it then he first asked for.

Javy's Back, Now What? UPDATED

Updates (5:45 PM): From the Ledger, via Twitter:

Cashman: "Left field is an evolving situation. Stay tuned." But he says it won't be a big piece.

Also, regarding the starting LF's spot as of now:

Cashman: "Brett Gardner is now in a position to be an every day player for us."

Is Johnny Damon considered a big piece? I know that Bay and Holliday are, and I am not set with Gardner starting everyday. How about you?
BTW, it's also said that Granderson is the CF as of now, but that could very well change at anytime.

Original post: This trade has split Yankee fans seemingly down the middle, on whether or not it's a good trade. I, personally, like the trade. Sure, I'll miss Melky, and Javy's a guy who everyone remembers for that one disastrous game, but I like it. Now, there's a hole in left field that I'd rather not be filled by Brett Gardner. I would LOVE it if the Yanks brought back Johnny Damon. One of my favorite Yankees, there's now an opening for him. There's also Mark DeRosa, and the usual names (the more expensive ones)- Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. I hope they just sign Damon, maybe add a bullpen arm or two, and call it a winter. What do you guys think?

Grading The Yanks' Offseason (So Far)

We all know the Yanks haven't dug deep into their pockets so far this winter, but that doesn't mean the Yankees aren't having a good offseason. So, I'm gonna add in my two cents and look back on what (to me) has been a pretty successful winter so far for the World Champs.

Now I'm not going to say loosing Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are smart moves, but acquiring Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson aren't bad moves either. I love Godzilla and Damon, don't get me wrong, but Matsui is 35, and one little knee injury may spell the end for the Angels' new DH. Damon, on the other hand, is 36, and would probably get a scarce amount of starts in the outfield. And I know both players bring a lot of upside to the table as well, but I don't see them duplicating the success they had this past season in 2010.

So, let's get to the people the Yankees got to replace them - Curtis Granderson, and Nick Johnson. Granderson is a great player, as he hits for power, has great speed, drives in a lot of runs, and is really just a great guy. Still only 28, Granderson will be a solid player in the Yanks' lineup for many years to come, and to me, Granderson will do just as well, if not better, than Johnny Damon next season.

Johnson, who the Yanks signed today, also brings a lot of talent to the Bronx. He's been injury prone most of his career, but when healthy, he's a very good player. High on-base-percentage, a possible 20 home run hitter, and would probably get 400-450 ABs as the Yanks' new DH. He can also give Mark Teixeira a day off when he needs one, as Johnson also plays first base. I know it's a big "if", but if Johnson stays healthy he can be a solid replacment for Matsui this upcoming season.

All in all, I give the Yanks a solid B+. They got younger by letting Matsui and Damon, but managed to keep the talent with new players in Johnson and Granderson. It's still not over, and the Yanks still may sign a pitcher like Ben Sheets or maybe an infielder like Mark DeRosa. Not big superstar names like last season, but they're still making good moves. They'll get back to their spending ways next season with names like Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, and possibly Joe Mauer on the market.

So, what do you think of the Yanks' offseason so far?

Next Move

With Nick Johnson coming back to the Bronx (pending physical), what will the Yanks do next. It's said that they're discussing signing Ben Sheets or Justin Duchsherer, and Aroldis Chapman. I believe they need to do that, plus a guy like Rick Ankiel or Vlad Guerrero as an extra bat. What do you guys think?

Moving Forward

Another hole for the Yankees has been solved. They've got the two hitters they need at the beginning of year with Nick Johnson signing and the Curtis Granderson trade. Although, I would never count the Yankees out of anything, a Jason Bay or Matt Holliday signing seems pretty unlikely right now. Now, its time to turn our focus back to pitching.

As it stands now, these are the Yankees internal rotation options:

1) C.C. Sabathia
2) A.J. Burnett
3) Andy Pettitte
4) Joba Chamberlain
5) Phil Hughes
6) Chad Gaudin

Its not bad but it doesn't exactly scream championship caliber rotation. Especially with Boston having just added John Lackey to an already formidable rotation. Their's been rumblings about adding another starter, one of the many high-risk, high reward guys. Ben Sheets is the most attractive of those names and with the Yankees relatively cheap answers to other positions, I think he will end up in pinstripes. If not Sheets, Justin Duscherer and Erik Bedard have also been linked to the Yankees on a few occasions.

The other big prize this offseason will be the Cuban pitcher Aldroldis Chapman. All indications have been that his guy is going to be a really good major league pitcher in a year or two. He's impressed at all of his workouts and the Yankees have been after him since day one. It looks like this is going to be another Yankees-Red Sox bidding war and its one that it would be great to see the Yankees win. The farm is looking a little weak right now after the trade of Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy and the two disastrous first round picks of Andrew Brackman and Gerritt Cole. They're lacking in high upside pitchers right now and Chapman would go a long way to solving this problem.

After these two, the only thing the Yankees really have left to do is to thin out their left-field situation. Gardner, Hoffman, and Melky will all be fighting for playing time its going to be tough to figure out that situation. They might as well save a couple million dollars and trade Melky away for some relief help. Really any live arm would do.

If they can do this and stay away from giving Mark DeRosa a big contract, they should be fine and ready to repeat in 2010.

The Case for Johnson over Damon

Before the offseason is over, the Yankees are going to need to pick up at least one more hitter. It looks like they're going to shy away from making a huge commitment to Matt Holliday or the overrated Jason Bay. Mike Cameron and Hideki Matsui are both off the table now as well. Their are several other options out there but the most attractive players, and the only ones linked to the Yankees, are Nick Johnson and Johnny Damon.

Today we learned from Joel Sherman that the Yankees prefer Damon to Johnson. However, Damon's demands have been a little high and have forced them to consider Johnson as an option. I've made my love for the homegrown Yankee known before and I think this should be the year that the Yanks welcome him back into the fold.

The most obvious reason to choose Johnson over Damon is their contract demands. It looks like Nick the Stick could be had for a one year deal worth around six or seven million dollars. The highest currently rumored bid is the 5.5 million dollar offer the Giant have reportedly made. I have to suspect he'd be willing to take a discount to go to the World Champions, as well. On the other hand, Damon is still looking for a multiyear and it looks like he'll get at least two. In addition, his average annual salary would probably be around twice that of Johnson. For an aging Damon, I'm not completely sure its worth it.

Then their's the fact that Johnson is such a ridiculously good offensive player when healthy. The injuries have hampered him but his rate stats are excellent. In 2009 Damon had a huge contract year offensively and used that short right field porch to hit .282/.365/.489. Spending most of his year in Washington, Nick Johnson had a pretty typical year for him and hit .291/.426/.405. It should be noted that Johnson's power suffered from an injury that he should be recovered from by 2010. Despite this their wOBA's were seperated by only a couple points and when you consider their ages, Damon's is a lot more likely to go down.

Their's also another major point that has been largely ignored in this debate. A Nick Johnson signing would probably put the rest of the team in a better situation as well. If they slide Johnson in at DH it means they have an easy answer in left field with Gardner, Melky, and Jamie Hoffman all as viable options. I'm not so sure about Hoffman but I know that the other two have a good chunk of their value tied up in their defense and none of them seem like answers at DH. So, if Damon comes back it means we're going to have to deal with a mediocre to bad bat in the lineup that doesn't produce anything defensively on a regular basis.

I'll have no complaints if Damon comes back on a one or two year deal and I have some fond memories of him in pinstripes. However, Nick Johnson would be a more than suitable replacement. If he can stay healthy, which he may just be able to as the full-time DH with the Yankees medical staff, then the Yankees might find the steal of the winter in Nick Johnson this year.

Remembering Hideki Matsui

As you know, the Angels reached an agreement on a one-year contract with Hideki Matsui worth $6.5 million yesterday to replace Vladimir Guerrero at the DH role. So now, let's take a look back at Godzilla's career in pinstripes.

The Japanese import spent 7 great years with the Yankees, and he certainly went out with a bang in what was his last season in pinstripes. He batted .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs in the regular season, and then had a legendary performance in Game 6 of the World Series, driving in 6 runs and eventually capturing the World Series MVP. In his entire career, Matsui is a .292 hitter with 140 homers and 597 RBIs.

Matsui started his professional career in Japan as the superstar outfielder of the Yomiuri Giants. A three-time MVP in the Japanese Central League (1996, 2000, and 2002), Matsui led his team into four Japan Series and winning three titles (1994, 2000 and 2002). He also made nine consecutive all-star games and led the league in home runs and RBIs three times (1998, 2000, and 2002). His single season mark for home runs was 50 in 2002, his final season in Japan. In the ten seasons he played in Japan, Matsui totalled 1268 games played, 4572 AB, 1390 hits, 901 runs, 332 home runs, 889 RBIs, a .304 batting average, and a .582 slugging percentage.

After signing a big deal with the Yanks in December of 2002, Matsui put up big numbers in his rookie season in ‘03, finishing 2nd in the Rookie Of The Year balloting to Angel Berroa. He had an even bigger year in 2004, crushing 31 home runs and posting a .298 average. 2005 was just as good, but 2006 was when things suffered a setback. Matsui broke his wrist in May and played in only 51 games that year, and the Yanks missed him dearly.

2007 was a bounce back of sorts for Godzilla, as he blasted 25 dingers and drove in 103 runs. That proved to the Yanks that he can still be productive, but knee surgery in the offseason forced them to limit his outfield starts and make him the primary DH in 2008. But yet another knee injury, which required another surgery, forced him to miss most of the 2nd half in ‘08.

But as I said, Matsui bounced back strong in 2009, playing in 142 games and finally getting his first World Series ring, plus an MVP to go along with it.

I don’t know about you, but to me, Matsui was one of my favorite Yankees in the past decade. He hit for average, slugged at least 25 homers almost every season, and was just a classy guy. And if it weren’t for him, we may not have won Game 6 and may not have won the Fall Classic at all. I’ll miss ya Godzilla. Good luck in LA.

Yankee Options

With Hideki Matsui nearing a deal in LA, Halladay going to Philly, and Lackey in Beantown, the Yanks options are dwindling for them to make another big signing. They need to fill the DH spot, even if it's with a part time player. Here are options I've seen that make some sense.

Strictly DHs: Jim Thome, Vlad Guerrero, Jason Giambi (interesting...)

Can play elsewhere: Adam LaRoche, Nick Johnson, Mike Jacobs, Russell Branyan, Ryan Garko, Troy Glaus, Garrett Atkins

I know most of these guys go against the "Get younger and more athletic" philosophy of the Yankees, but these are just ideas, but they are options, and I think the Yanks should look at all of them. They could sign a guy to a one year deal and wait for Mauer- and then Posada at DH, or sign another DH next offseason. As I said there are a lot of options, and the Yanks need to look at all possibilities. As for pitchers...
Aroldis Chapman, Duchsherer, Kelvim Escobar, Jon Garland, Ben Sheets (even though they don't want to pay his pricetag), Todd Wellemeyer, Erik Bedard (??? maybe ???), Jarrod Washburn (he's listed on the FA List on MLB.com- does anyone have notes on him?).

Let's hope the Yanks can get at least one guy for both of these postions.

Kelvim Escobar

From Carig, via Twitter:

Source tells me Yanks have interest in Kelvim Escobar. Cash has said he'd be open to high-risk, high reward type pitchers. --Carig

I've heard the Yanks mentioned with Escobar before, and I don't know about it. They'd definitely still need another arm, even if they decided to go after Kelvim.

BTW, I recommend setting up a twitter account, just to follow all these people. You can follow all the journalists and reporters and get up to the second info on all the biggest stuff going on.

More Halladay

Jon Heyman tweeted a few minutes ago about Halladay:

hearing #redsox wont give up either buchholz or casey kelly for halladay. can you say "market crash?"

I never thought the Jays were asking too much, but now someone, even if it is the Sox, are standing up and saying- you're not getting this from us. Maybe it'll lower the price for the Yanks.

On another note, I guess I'm alright with the Grandy trade. It'll all depend on how he does- as it always does in NY.

Welcome To Colts Country

Well, I’m sure no one associated with the 30 MLB teams is talking about Peyton Manning and the 12-0 Colts this week, but tomorrow the Winter Meetings will begin in Indianapolis, where the Hot Stove really heats up.

Teams have barely made a dent in the free-agent market, with Billy Wagner and Marco Scutaro the only relatively-big names to be sporting new unis next season. But that should change over the next 72 hours or so, as the Winter Meetings always seem to have numerous signings, huge and small.

Last year saw both New York teams come away with superstars, as the Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez and acquired J.J. Putz from the Mariners, and the Yankees signed $161 million man CC Sabathia to a record deal. That was last year though, and I don’t think niether the Mets or Yanks will be making splashes while in Indy this winter.

I do think there’s a good chance the Yanks will re-sign Andy Pettitte or Johnny Damon though. Both obviously want to return, and the Yankees are anxious to bring them back. To me, I see a 1-2 year deal worth $15-18 million for Damon, and posssbly a 1-year deal worth at least $5 million for the 14-year veteran pitcher. I’m not saying one of them will defenitely ink a new deal this week, but do look foward to negotiations progressing – positively.

The Winter Meetings always seem to include big signings and trades, and well, that’s what they’re for basically, but don’t look for the Yankees to dig deep into their pockets this time around. But hey, ya never know...

What The Yankees Should Do

About 2 to 3 weeks ago Mike posted his thoughts on the Yankees' possible offseason plans. Today, since there's nothing really big to talk about, I'll cash in my 2 cents on what the Yankees should do this winter.

First, I really think the Yanks need to bring back Andy Pettitte. It's very likely that he will return, so its nothing really to worry about, but I think the Yankees, if they were to start their offseason spending with one move, it should be bringing back Andy. A 1 year deal with at least $5 million gaurnteed seems likely.

Next, I think the Yankees should keep close tabs on the John Lackey situation and try to sign him, even if Pettitte comes back. Most likely the Yankees may want to keep their prospects and hold back on trading for Roy Halladay, so signing Lackey is the next best thing. A rotation of CC, Lackey, Burnett, Pettitte, and a guy like Phil Hughes or Joba will be tough to match for any team in the AL. Plus, they may not even need to offer him over $80 million.

Also, I do think the Yanks should make a run for Curtis Granderson, BUT only if Damon doesn't return. Yes, he stinks against lefties (.192), but he has a lot of up-side. He's got speed, power, a great arm, and if for some reason Damon doesn't return, having an outfield of Melky in left, Granderson in center, and Swish in right, that's not too bad. Plus a package for him may not even need to include Jesus Montero.

Speaking of the outfield, I think the Yankees should re-sign Johnny Damon, meening no Granderson, of course. He's still a good player, and obviously he can still hit. His legs may not allow him to play left field everyday, but he can also produce as a DH. He'll hit you 15-20 homers, and drive in around 70 RBIs, and that shouldn't change in 2010. If he returns, I think it would be a 1 year deal worth around $15-18 million with an option for a 2nd. I think he will return too.

Finally, I think the Yankees should sign Mark DeRosa. The Yankees were previously interested in the 3rd baseman back in May before he was traded to the Cardinals, and for a very good reason. He can play the outfield and infield, and can also be an emergency catcher when needed. Also, he can give guys like A-Rod, Jeter, and Teix a day-off when they need one. They probably won't sign him, but he would be a very nice fit in pinstripes.

I'd also like the Yankees to trade for Roy Halladay, but as I said, the Yankees are hesitant when it comes to trading their prospects, especially one like Jesus Montero. They still might acquire him, but I'm just not totally positive that it's gonna happen.

What do you think? What should the Yankees do this offseason to try and bring back-to-back titles to the Bronx?

Organizational Meetings Underway

From the AP via the NY Post:

George Steinbrenner was not on hand when the Yankees started their organizational meetings with an afternoon session Wednesday at the team’s spring training complex in Tampa, Fla.

Team president Randy Levine and chief operating officer Lonn Trost were among the officials at George M. Steinbrenner Field with managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner.

The full-scale meetings begin tomorrow.

The team will discuss whether the should ymake a bid to acquire ace Roy Halladay, re-signing Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, and taking a look at the rest of the FA market. They'll also probably discuss whether they should sign Aroldis Chapman.

Yanks, Pettitte, Not Close To Deal

Since the World Series ended almost 3 weeks ago, there has been very little news regarding talks with free-agents Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, or Andy Pettitte on potential new deals. And today, GM Brian Cashman said that he does not expect to hear from Pettitte regarding his future anytime soon.

Andy had a great season this year, going 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 32 starts with the Bombers in his 14th MLB season. But the way the process of negotiations have gone so far, it may be possible that Pettitte is leaning towards hanging 'em up and going out in style.

"I thought Andy was real important to our success," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Monday. "Any time you lose a starting pitcher that gives you 200 innings, that's a hole."

Re-signing Andy Pettitte for next season is key, because then if he does retire, that forces you to go out and sign another pitcher like John Lackey or trade for Roy Halladay. And god for bid the Yanks are unable to get either of them, that would leave just CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett as the only returning pitchers from the rotation that brought a 27th World Championship to the Bronx this fall.

Then you would also have to put either Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain in the rotation, plus a guy like Sergio Mitre or Chad Gaudin. And I know I'm kinda putting the worst-case scenario out there, but simply put - they really need to try to bring back Andy Pettitte.

Olney: Yanks Looking To Land Two Relievers

In his most recent blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney says that besides their outfield needs their main focus will be their bullpen and in all likelihood will look to land two relievers. Olney also said that "it's unclear whether New York GM Brian Cashman is going to be willing to give up his first-round pick in the draft for a set-up man."

Names Olney mentions as possible targets were Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, Jose Valverde and Brandon Lyon.

To me getting the starting rotation in order should be the main priority, with the bullpen being issue number 3 behind the rotation and the outfield. Joe Girardi said yesterday that their main focus would be the starting rotation so I guess you can take this Olney article with a grain of salt. Especially when you consider their pen was a strength last year and they have a lot of good arms in their farm system.

Putting Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain in next year's rotation would changes things a lot, and the pen would then definitely need an addition or two, but like I said last week, that all depends on how much Cashman trusts Joba and Hughes. Peter Gammons wrote today that that is in fact their plan, at least as of now.

The Yankees are planning to go to spring training with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain being programmed to start. "They can always go from starting to the bullpen, but it's tough going the other way," says Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Cashman feels David Robertson and Damaso Marte can pitch the seventh and eighth innings in front of Mariano Rivera, but a Yankee run at Lackey, Ben Sheets or another starter hasn't been ruled out. The feeling inside the Yankees' offices is that there will be some payroll cutback, but how much is not known.

I don't know about you, but I'm not comfortable with David Robertson and Damaso Marte being the main setup men. Maybe they will need two relievers after all.