Scout: I Don't Think Andy is Done

From Nick Cafardo:

Said a scout, “I get the feeling his career isn’t over. For one, he can still pitch at a high level. Secondly, he didn’t retire with any conviction. The stuff about going back and forth on whether or not to pitch leads me to believe he’ll decide to pitch again.’’

I understand and agree with what the scout is saying about Andy's talent and his potential ability to pitch into his 40's. That said, Andy has been considering retirement for years now, and it seems that he's finally committed to retirement and being with his family. I also don't think he's the type of person to go through the press conference and all of that only to change his mind a few months later. He's not Brett Favre or Roger Clemens.

Don't get me wrong, if he does decide to come back at some point that would be great, and the sooner the better, but I highly doubt that's going to happen.

A Good Laugh from the Chicago Tribune

A brief tip of the hat to the Replacement Level Yankees Weblog, and a wag of the finger to the Chicago Tribune:

For Danks, Carlos Quentin (or Juan Pierre, if the Yankees preferred a veteran table-setter) and Mark Teahen, the Sox could seek a couple of top-tier prospects such as catcher Jesus Montero and pitcher Dellin Betances, either Curtis Granderson or Brett Gardner (more available than you would think after he hit .185 last October), Chamberlain, Mitre and one or two lesser prospects.

Perhaps it would be prudent to look at this objectively ... before pointing and laughing derisively.

John Danks is a solid pitcher. He posts league-average strikeout, walk, and groundball rates, tosses about 200 IP per season, and maintains slightly above average run prevention numbers (both in terms of traditional and fielding-independent metrics). He's under team control for 2011 and 2012.

Carlos Quentin had a very good 2008, but has struggled with injuries throughout his career - he may not have been completely healthy in either 2009 or 2010, but he was mediocre nonetheless. He's under team control for 2011 and 2012.

Juan Pierre is ... Juan Pierre. He won't walk or strikeout much, he'll steal a ton of bases at a decent rate when he manages his way on base, and he won't hurt the team in leftfield. He's a free agent after 2011.

Mark Teahen is a staggeringly mediocre four-corners player. He won't hit much, he won't field terribly well, and he'll earn $10.25 MM over the next two seasons.

Overall, it's not a terribly appealing deal. Danks is a fine pitcher, a capable number two starter and a tremendous third starter, but that's about it. Quentin is incredibly brittle and Pierre and Teahen just aren't very good. Let's break down the sort of return the author expects for this package.

In his top-hundred prospects list, Keith Law ranked Jesus Montero 4th and Dellin Betances 73rd. That in and of itself is at least on-par with the return for Shaun Marcum - and Montero alone is far more valuable than any piece brought back in the Zack Greinke deal. The White Sox would have both Montero and Betances under team control for six seasons.

Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner are fine everyday centerfielders. All things considered, I would prefer either over Quentin and Pierre, though I suppose a healthy Quentin may be the best of all (as a leprechaun riding unicorn would be a wondrous discovery). Granderson is signed through 2013 and Gardner is under team control through 2014.

Joba Chamberlain is under team control through 2013 and serves as a fine high-risk, high-reward type. It's tough to compare him to Teahen ... but it would be even tougher to find a less worthwhile player making over $10 MM over the next two seasons. I suppose at the most basic level, we're comparing three years of a middle reliever and two years of a bench player.

Do I really need to point out the hilarity in the author expecting more? Sergio Mitre is essentially a replacement level player, but he's a decent long relief type. On top of that, another 'lesser prospect' or two? Seriously?

Okay - it's time to point and laugh derisively.

Bernie Williams Semi-Ready to Call it Quits

As per MLB.com:

It's become a neat footnote in Yankees history that Andy Pettitte was already thinking about retirement back when Bernie Williams was insisting he could still play center field.

Who would have guessed that Pettitte would hold his farewell news conference before Williams made it to the podium? Not Pettitte, who incredulously asked on Friday, "Bernie never retired?"

More than four years after his last at-bat in a Major League game, the 42-year-old Williams finally sounds ready to acknowledge that his playing career is complete.

"I think one of these days I'm going to make it official," Williams said. "It's redundant, but after five years, I think I'm pretty much done."

It was 17 minutes and 30 seconds after Pettitte began speaking to a packed room of reporters at Yankee Stadium when Williams took his assigned seat two rows from the stage, drawing laughter as Pettitte acknowledged him in mid-sentence.

"Always strolling in a little late," Pettitte said.

As Williams listened to his former teammate expound on the reasons why he won't be wearing a big league uniform in 2011, Williams said he didn't regret not having a day like this one to say goodbye.

"I think I still have an opportunity to do it, and I think I probably will do it at some point, probably this year, just to get it out of the way," Williams said.

"It's more than that -- I think once you have that introspective look, it doesn't really have to be in front of everybody. You can have it in your house. You can have it with your family, you can have it with your friends."

When Williams does finally take the opportunity to make his retirement official, he said that the circumstances will be much different than Pettitte's, because so much time has passed.

As much as I can appreciate the business aspect of baseball, it was difficult to see Williams all but forced out of the picture. I realize that he was a shell of his former self for the last four or so years of his career, and I wouldn't want the Yankees to designate a roster spot for a player too stubborn to give it up - I suppose I just want to see a player call it a career on his own terms.

I expect that Williams, like Pettitte, will one day have his number retired by the Yankees - an honor that both deserve ... though it will be comical to see Yankees players wearing triple digits sometime in the 2030s or so.

Yankees Sign Eric Chavez to Minor League Deal

This is probably my favorite low-risk, high-reward move that the Yankees have made this season. While the past four years of Chavez's career have been spent in traction, it's difficult to forget his fantastic defense at the corner, line-drive stroke, and power to right-field. It may not be terribly likely that he recaptures his All-Star form - it's fairly improbable, at that - but it's worth the minor risk of a minor league deal. And, for what it's worth, he's kicking off his Yankees career by saying the right thing...

Yankees Sign Ronnie Belliard

As per Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes:

Source: Ron Belliard and #Yankees agree minor league contract. Belliard will earn $825K plus incentives if make MLB club.

This is the very definition of a 'meh' sort of move. Belliard produced decent numbers as a utility player for the better part of this past decade, but he offers little positional flexibility (with only 72 abominable innings at short for his career) and, at nearly 36, is coming off of the second worst season of his career. A bounce back is certainly possible, and his bat is likely an upgrade over Ramiro Pena or Eduardo Nunez - but they can play a passable shortstop, should the need arise. Regardless, I can't bash the move, though I will say that I would have preferred Willy Aybar as he offers a stronger bat with the same defensive profile.

Robinson Cano Signs on with Scott Boras

As per ESPN:

New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has hired Scott Boras as his agent, a source told ESPNdeportes.com.

The All-Star second baseman and Boras had a meeting Friday in San Pedro de Macoris, Cano's hometown, and they even played some ball before a crowd of onlookers.

Cano, who finished third in AL MVP voting for 2010, was previously represented by agent Bobby Barad.

In 2011 he will play the last year of his $30 million contract signed in 2008. New York has options for $10 million and $14 million in 2012 and 2013.

This doesn't strike me as horrific news, considering Cano's favorable contract, but it's worth noting nonetheless.

Is #46 Heading to Monument Park?

This isn't even a debate. Andy should, and most likely will, have his number retired.

Yanks Looking At Some Lefties

I hope Saunders and Kazmir remain just ideas, but the other three names on the list are pretty interesting.

Wade LeBlanc is 26, and is coming off his first full season as a big leaguer. In 26 games (25 starts) for San Diego, he went 8-12, with a 4.25 ERA. Gio Gonzalez, 25, is coming off of a very solid year for the A's. He went 15-9 with a 3.23 ERA in 33 games. Clayton Richard is 27, and went 14-9 with a 3.75 ERA for the Padres in 2010.

Like Rosenthal says, these are just ideas, so don't expect a deal any time soon. 

 Another name being thrown around is Joe Blanton, but you can add him to the list of pitchers I want the Yankees to avoid.