What Now Yankees?

[A.E]

Utter disappointment in being spurned by Cliff Lee & even worse, the pressure to put a dent into Boston's offseason momentum. As of right now...Projected Rotation: Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett, Nova, Mitre. Garbage.

First priority has to be talking Andy Pettitte into 1 more season, a task I feel is more unlikely to happen w/o Cliff Lee. Zack Greinke has been pegged as a contigiency plan to Lee; however, Zack apparently has too much of an anxiety issue to survive the New York market/media. Carl Pavano is out there...but no f'ing way.

I'm thinking Brandon Webb is a good low risk/high reward option. He'd come in at about $80-$10M per, former Cy Young winner, coming off injuries, and if he can regain form...nasty. One final & more attractive idea...

*ring, ring, ring*

"Hello"

"High Sandy, this is Brian."

"What's up Cash?"

"Not much, that some sh*t with Cliff huh?"

"Tell me about it. Its all good though, we're gonna rebuild our farm system, the Phillies will pay."

"Well seeing how you're in no position to beat them within the next couple seasons..."

"I'm listening..."

"How about you send us Johan Santana?"

"Interesting..."

"Its better to watch a New York them stomp them, rather than let them run away with this...right?"

 

[Elite]

We need to stay away from Johan, who knows how long that shoulder is going to hold up. He can still be a dominant pitcher but that shoulder is a bit too iffy for my liking. Realistically, there's no one out there but Webb that's potentially available that would make a lot of sense for us.

 

[A.E]

I really, really want Rafael Soriano and Kerry Wood. Yankees are promising patience, will most likely bulk up the bullpen, and this process starts with creating the sickest bullpen possible. I say f**k it...let's just build a bullpen with a half a dozen closers and set-up men.

Yankees strike back, sign Mark Prior to minor league deal

According to Tom Krasovic of AOL Fanhouse, Prior’s deal with the Yankees is worth $750,000 if he makes the team. He is also willing to go to the minor leagues if he doesn’t make the club during spring training.

-HBT

Take that Theo.

 

[Mexi]

3 cubs = no title

Wood, Rothschild, Prior

 

[uwp]

I really, really want Rafael Soriano and Kerry Wood. Yankees are promising patience, will most likely bulk up the bullpen, and this process starts with creating the sickest bullpen possible. I say f**k it...let's just build a bullpen with a half a dozen closers and set-up men.


Take that Theo.

:lol:

Honestly, this should be a very interesting season in the AL East. Anyways, theres no chance Greinke will play in NY next season. I've read that he will not accept a trade to the yanks.

 

[A.E]

:lol:

Honestly, this should be a very interesting season in the AL East. Anyways, theres no chance Greinke will play in NY next season. I've read that he will not accept a trade to the yanks.

All the respectable baseball analysts have already said that there's no chance the Yankees even attempt to deal for Greinke. His anxiety issues make him a horrible fit for NY and they won't risk that chance.

I really like how Michael Kay put this Cliff Lee thing in perspective. "...not good for the Yankees right now but in the long term, this is the best thing for them."

 

[Mexi]

i said what Kay said the other day as well

 

[Phil The Thrill]

I really like how Michael Kay put this Cliff Lee thing in perspective. "...not good for the Yankees right now but in the long term, this is the best thing for them."

This is exactly what I been saying, Lee is not worth it down the stretch

 

[MapleLeaf]

It's not just his anxiety issues. The Yankees don't have the prospects for Greinke either.

 

[Elite]

You're nutty if you think we don't have the prospects for him. The Yankees actually have a pretty good minor league system at the moment, as Montero is enough to get talks started for nearly any player in the MLB. The majority of our talent is in the lower minors though, which is why the perception around baseball is that we don't have a good farm.

 

[Mexi]

i dont think the royals want those guys though
i think they want close to major league ready

 

[bosoxlover12]

The only problem with the Yanks farm:

they have 3 players in the top 100.... ALL ARE CATCHERS!

 

[Barcode]

It's not just his anxiety issues. The Yankees don't have the prospects for Greinke either.

I think they do, or could work a third team into discussions. IMO, Grienke's anxiety stuff is a card that you can play, but you'll get worked. He still has 2 more years on his current deal, so there is zero pressure to sign him to an extension.

 

[cruzg24]

I wouldnt trade Johan Santana to the Yankees because we have a small pitching staff as it is in terms of depth and we just need arms right now as we try to shed all this payroll off after 2010 to start signing some big free agents for next year.

 

[Elite]

The Mets won't be signing any big free agents any time soon. That's not Sandy Alderson's MO, you guys are going to be building from the farm.

 

[cruzg24]

Your wrong. We will sign big free agents next year, I can guarantee that. Sandy Alderson has said so himself:

"There's been an understanding on my part from the very beginning that there is going to be somewhat less flexibility this year than will probably be the case in future years," he said. "I not only understand that, I support the idea."

“I stand by what I said before about our free-agent activity,” he explained. ”We’re going to be active in the market, but we’re not going to be active in the top end. We have to be judicious and surgical in our free-agent participation. Next year, and the year after, we’re going to be in a position – and we want to be in the position every year – to be active in the top end if we desire.”

 

[A.E]

Brian Cashman admits that he may be stuck with the rotation he has

Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York reports that the Yankees may be going into the 2011 season with the rotation they currently have: Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett and … filler. -HBT

The more I think about it, the more I realize that we will be more than 'okay' with the rotation that we have. Cliff Lee would've been a nice addition but what we have now is just as good on paper as it was the offseason we signed CC & AJ.

CC is an ace, he's big game, and he's silenced all those people who talk sh.t about him not being a postseason pitcher. Outside of Roy Halladay, there's nobody else I'd rather have on the mound in a game 7.

Phil Hughes finally got comfortable in the starting role and was one of the best pitchers in the 2nd half of 2010. I can't remember the last time I've seen such a nasty break on a curve. The more experience Phil has, the better he's become, and I'm not sure what stops that moving forward. I've read reports that AJ Burnett was dealing with some personal sh.t throught last season and this most likely played into his horrible performance. Do I believe it? Well...when the guy shows up to work with a random blackeye, yes, I do believe it.

AJ will always be a .500 pitcher but we brought him in b/c of his track record of completely shutting down AL East teams. The success of our rotation largely depends on how good he is and I'm hearing he's in a good place once again. A happy and less distracted AJ means a better performing AJ...and I think he has an incredible bounce back season in 2011.

Andy Pettite is coming back...at least that's what the Yankees' clubhouse and fans have been lead to believe. Missing out on Cliff means more to Andy than anyone. I guarantee Cashman is making it even more worth Pettite's while to go 1 more. A hell of a guy to have the backed of a rotation, still posting an ERA under 3.3, and always leaving the Yanks in a position to win.

That 5th and final spot in our roto will be tough to get a beat on. A majority of the teams in this league have garbage in the 5-spot and to be honest...I'm not all too thrilled with the Red Sox and the Phillies have/will field at the tail end of their roto's either. Sergio Mitre was surprisingly reliable after we brought him in, Ivan Nova looks to have nice potential, and I still think we bring in a few vets for ST & acquire another via trade.

Either way, what we didn't do this offseason only makes us more of a threat during the trade deadline. Mark my words, the minute the Mets dangle Johan Santana...Cashman is racing to the telephone.

Edit: Cash continuing to explore every option at strengthening the bullpen...

Source: Yankees signed reliever Luis Vizcaino to a minor league deal. He'll make 750K if he makes the roster.

-@Ledger_Yankees

 

[Elite]

Hughes had a bad 2nd half, his first half was good. Then we skipped one of his starts and he pitched like complete asshole the rest of the way. The <Censored>ing SAME EXACT thing happened last year with Joba. He was pitching well, then we skipped one of his starts to limit his innings, and he pitched poorly the rest of the season. The Yankees simply can't develop pitching. I certainly hope Hughes reaches his potential but I've lost all hope in Joba. He'll never be anything more than a middle reliever.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

As much as people will hate me for this, I never really saw much in Joba as much as others did. Sucks he couldn't reach his full potential though.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Your wrong. We will sign big free agents next year, I can guarantee that. Sandy Alderson has said so himself:

we'll sign good free agents, not necessarily big free agents. If we spend all of our money on superstars and long-term contracts, we'll be right in the same <Censored> hole as we are in right now.

They're fortunate because they have close to $40M coming off payroll in 2011 offseason and they'll start from there in spending money but still having wiggle room to allow them to make moves at the deadline if need be, as well as have the flexibility each and every year. They'll spread the money out amongst 2nd tier players rather than all of the money on one or two big players.