Heyman's Latest: Yankees Offseason Plans

I think you can forget about Peavy, it doesn't even matter if they want to do it or not, best fit for PEavy is still Housten, L.A. and maybe Atlanta

I agree, trading Hughes would be too much

if you trade for peavy its just gunna drain the farm so forget him, he wants to be in the national leauge anyways. so just sign cc and keep growing the farm. what do ou guys think?

I think we get Teixeira and Manny. Tex obviously fills 1b, and Manny can be DH or LF. Damon can play CF. Matsui might be ready for LF. Putting Damon, Nady, Manny/Matsui in the field isn't really that great of defense, but the offense is outrageous. I think Damon is still fast enough to track balls down, his arm just sucks. Our problem was consistent hitting...those 2 add a lot of benefit to the lineup. As far as budget, offset the payments. Low at first and then bigger at the end of the deals.

"I agree, trading Hughes would be too much"

It would take a *LOT* more than Hughes to get Peavy, might as well set sights on FA's like Sabathis, Burnett, Lowe, Sheets etc. if looking for pitching unless are going to drain the system of a ton of talent, cause Peavy is going to cost dearly.

If the Yankees go after Manny, I hope that they realize they won't be getting the Dodgers version of Manny-playing-for-a-contract. They'll be getting the Red Sox version of Manny-pouting-about-media-fishbowls.

Yes, he's the best right handed hitter of a generation and maybe more. Paying for him to come to New York is just begging for him to dog it to first base, come up with phantom injuries for days he's just not feeling it, etc.

No Manny. No need to get older, no need to lock up the DH spot when there are plenty of guys that need to be rotated through during the season.

Just throwing this out there if there are any Milwaukee fans; what is the current status of Weeks? Still valuable but available or has he dipped into a sort of challenge trade option of my young guy who's lose his luster for yours? I'd love to see NY pick him up (he fits the good walk rate philosophy) and give him a try in CF. The middle IF to CF conversion seems to work out well more often than not and I'm still a lover of all things Rickie.

We need to sign 1 solid top of the rotation starters and team them with Wang and Joba and maybe Mussina/Pettite and give Hughes, Kennedy, Sanchez, etc every chance to work throw their kinks. Do we really want to relive another off-season like 04 where we were rebounding from a tough loss to the Bosux and went big game hunting and came back with ducks?

04 Top FA Pitchers

Paul Byrd
04: 8-7, 3.94 (coming off of major arm surgery)
05: 12-11, 3.74 (signed by Angels)

Matt Clement
04: 9-13, 3.68
05: 13-6, 4.57 (signed by Bosox)
06: Injured (only 12 starts)
07: DNP
08: DNP

Orlando Hernandez
04: 8-2, 3.30 (w/ Yanks)
05: 9-9, 5.12 (signed by ChiSox)

Jon Leiber
04: 14-8, 4.33 (w/ Yanks)
05: 17-13, 4.20 (signed by Phillies)
06: 9-11, 4.93
07: 3-6, 4.73

Yanks wanted to sign him to a short term deal but they were blow out the water by Phills multi-year offer.

Estaban Loaiza
04: 1-2, 8.50 (pitched 10 games w/ Yanks)
05: 11-9, 4.89 (signed with Nationals)
07 & 08: Only pitched 10 games

Derek Lowe
04: 14-12, 5.42 (w/ Bosox)
05: 12-15, 3.61 (w/ Dodgers)

Pedro Martinez
04: 16-9, 3.90
05: 15-8, 2.82 (w/ Mets)
06, 07 and 08: 17-15 in only 48 starts

Kevin Milwood
04: 9-6, 4.85 (coming off of injury)
05: 9-11, 2.86 (signed 1 yr deal with Indians)
06, 07 and 08: 35-36 with an era over 5.00

Carl Pavano
04: 18-8, 3.00 in 221 innings
05: 4-6, 4.77 in only 100 inning
06: DNP
07 and 08: Only 6 starts

Odalis Perez
04: 7-6, 3.25
7-8, 4.56 in only 108 innings (resigned w/ Dodgers)

Brad Radke
04: 11-8, 3.48
05: 9-12, 4.04 (resigned w/ Twins)

Wanted to retire as a Twin.

David Wells
04: 12-8, 3.73 @ age 41 (Padres)
05: 15-7, 4.45 (w/ Bosox)

Jared Wright
04: 15-8, 3.28 (Atlanta)
05: 5-5, 6.08 in only 13 starts (signed by Yanks)
06: 11-7, 4.49 in only 140 innings

Stat wise Pavano and Wright were two of the top guys available. I dont blame Cash for Pavano but Wright was obviously too injury prone, which is why we should stay away from Sheets.

The 2010 list of FA pitchers will suck:

Starting pitchers
Josh Beckett - $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Rich Harden
Tim Hudson - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
John Lackey
Cliff Lee - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Brett Myers
Brandon Webb - $8.5MM club option with a $500K+ buyout
Todd Wellemeyer

Most of the better guys like beckett, Lackey, Webb and Lee will probably not be available due to their team options. This means that we need to go hard after 1 or 2 FA's this year (preferably CC, Burnett or Oliver Perez) and continue to develop OUR young guys so that we don't have to rely on FA's as much next year.

Lackey as a #3 or 4? Are you serious?

LMAO @ the Yankees fans who think that trading Hughes in a Peavy deal is too much. I can't see a Peavy deal without both Joba and Austin Jackson in it. At the minimum, AT LEAST one of them.

The Yankees rotation will never be good enough to be calling Lackey a #3-4. NO rotation will be good enough to be considering Lackey the #3-4. Sorry. That guy is straight up sick.

The Yankees have to give up Hughes and Austin Jackson in a Peavy deal. Chamberlain would be too much though. I wouldnt go for the trade anyway with CC as a free agent.

And if Manny is going to New york its going to be the Mets but it wont happen, hes going to stay in LA.

With a realistic approach, I would like to see the following roster on opening day:
SP - Wang
SP - Mussina
SP - Burnett
SP - Pettitte
SP - Chamberlain
CL - Rivera
RP - Ramirez
RP - Coke
RP - Bruney
RP - Veras
RP - Hughes (spot starter)
RP - Robertson
C - Posada
C - Molina
1B - Texeira
2B - Cano
SS - Jeter
3B - Rodriguez
IF - Ransom
IF / OF - Duncan
LF - Damon
CF - Gardner
RF - Nady
OF / DH - Matsui
OF - Cabrera

Waiting in the wings:
P - Aceves
P - Giese
1B - Miranda
OF - Jackson

follow-up ...
If Texeira doesn't go to NY and Giambi has already signed elsewhere, I would make a fantastic offer to the Orioles for Huff. If that stalls, consider Ibanez let him, Damon, and Nady each get some time at 1st during spring training.

"The Yankees have to give up Hughes and Austin Jackson in a Peavy deal."

Keep adding, still haven't gotten enough yet for Peavy yet.
This is Kevin Towers being dealt with, not Neal Huntington and it is doubtful that he will be fleeced as he was with Xaviar Nady, Jason Bay and Damasco Marte this past season.

"Just because he might throw 2 or 3 innings doesn't mean he can't stretch it out in the bullpen. Girardi will know how to manage this"

the same way he did with Joba?

"I also think that there was a lot of learning what NOT to do this year"

Exactly. you dont get a guy from the pen and then ask him to start. you add too much stress to his arm after he was used to a much smaller workload. Hughes shouldnt be anywhere near a pen. either hes your 5th starter or hes in the minors.

"Chamberlain is not Kershaw or Price"

Thats because theyre left handed

The most realistic possibilities here would be to sign A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. Both of them want to play on the East Coast and gain the biggest buck for their bang, and the Yankees can provide them with both aspirations. If they give arbitration to Abreu and Marte (and both of them would be expected to decline), signing Burnett and Tex would be the best case scenario, since they would be keeping their first round picks while filling in large gaps on their roster.

With Wang, Burnett, and Pettitte in the rotation, I'm interested in seeing how "creative" they'll be in handling Joba's starts. He'll be in the rotation next season, and one way they can possibly keep his innings down would be to skip him when an off day comes around and give the ball to Hughes on regular rest. They'll also be careful with Hughes workload, so they can also skip Hughes when the NEXT off day comes and give the ball to Chamberlain on regular rest. This alternation can keep their innings to a comfortable level while allowing them to relieve each other if one gets roughed up.

They don't need two free agent starters if they can allow Hughes and Chamberlain to grow in the Major League level. Youth is as important as ever in a new era of a long-standing franchise.

If the Yanks can get Teixiera then the OF should be Damon-Gardner-Nady. They could get away with Gardner's offense if he plays a great CF. The last month of the season he was actually pretty solid offensively though. That would be a solid defensive OF all around.

Obviously the ideal situation would be Sabathia and Teixiera. I doubt they get both.

If they somehow are able to get both they can fill in the rotation with Pettitte/Mussina/Hughes. I don't think they necessarily need two out of the big pitchers. I'd rather stay away from Burnett anyway.

yanksfan said:

"BTW. When is Harden, Myers, Duchscherer bad pitchers. Id rather take Harden than Burnett or Lowe. Harden is going to be 27 next year, that'll be nuts".

_______________________

Never said that they were bad but none of them are studs and in a market that would be considered thin that year you would be forced to over pay. Duchs' has only been a starter this year and would be 32 when he's a FA but Brett Myers is a good #3 or #4.

Oh yeah and Harden is GREAT, HE'S FABOLOUS....when his arm is still attached to his shoulder...lol. He is young but in 6 seasons he's yet to win more than 11 games, yet to pitch more than 189 innings and has been on the DL so much he makes Pavano look like the Cal RIpken of the "bump". He only pitched 128 inn in '05, 46 inn in '06, 25 inn in '07 and a combined 148 inn in '08. Hardly the kind of guy you want to lock up in a multi-year deal. And isn't he hurt now as well?

I agree with 78. Getting Rowand isnt a good idea. if im the yanks id make Gardner be Damons shadow.

run producer I mean

yankfan:

I could agree but Lackey isnt available until after the 09 season.

But who, other than the media, says that they are considering trading Hughes for ROwand? Do you know how stupid they would look if they passed on getting Santana for Hughes but then turned around and traded him for Rowand? And I've never heard anyone other than the NY media suggest that the Yanks felt Melky/Gardner couldnt hold CF down. And of late Cash HAS seen the value of keeping the young players.

Random thought, what about shane victorino? with his post-seaason hes most likely out of the question but he and AJax would be a nice combo in Left and Center.

Shane Victorino isn't happening. I like the Rowand idea, also I read somewhere else that possible Andruw Jones. Yes, he has been crap lately. But, low risk high reward. If he can put up power numbers again or something remotely close, it would be good until Austin Jackson is ready.

The Yanks should not want any part of Andru Jones.

The yankees offseason plans are they will need to focus on there pitching and go out and sign Sabathia, Burnett, after you take care of that I think you can worry about the first base situation. Tex would be nice but if you sign Two free agent starting pitchers that may be tough but all Yankee fans we dont need to worry about offense as much as pitching all the years we won those championships in the late 90's we had great pitching not so much great offense. Ever since we have been adding names of Giambi, Rodriguez, Matsui, Damon, Abreu we have had a top 5 offense but where has that goten us a couple of 1st round exits in the playoffs and no championships Offense doesnt mean anything when are pitching lets up 6 runs a game our offense isnt going to bail the pitching out of everytime.

Starting pitching rotation if all goes well

1.C.C. Sabathia
2.Chien-Ming Wang
3.A.J. Burnett
4.Joba Chamberlain
5.Andy Pettite/Mike Mussina/Phil Hughes

yanksfan:

Why pass on CC or Burnett this year w/ hopes that Lackey will still be available next year?

i thought i read somewhere that Lowe doesnt want any part of new york...

"Peavy will cost Chamberlain. Hughes + AJax isn't nearly enough". Melonis rex you must be crazy. Jajajaja. No one in here knows what is being talk or wow GMs think about Hughes. All I kknow is, that Hughes being injueres, they still were asking for him in trades.

I think too many people are reading into CC going to the west coast. I dont think the market is their for them.

The Angels have good pitching already and will probably spend money on keep or replacing Texiera, Krod and Garrett Anderson. Their offense is severly weekend if they dont resign Tex and I think Vlad is going into his last option year.

The Dodgers have a lot on their minds as well with Man-NY and Derek Lowe being FA. They also have some horrible contracts their burdened with already (Pierre, Schmidt, Jones). They might be interested in CC but a #1 pitcher wouldnt be their priority if they resign Lowe.

The San Francisco Giants are shopping Matt Cain for a bat which means they're not intereste in spending money, or else they would keep Cain and just go after a FA bat. Plus with the Zito experience fresh on their minds would they be willing to sign another big FA pitcher.

The Mariners and Padres are not really contenders so I doubt they would be in the hunt for CC.

The Rockies and D'backs are not a good look for a guy who's 280 lbs. Between the heat of Arizona and the thin air of Denver I dont think CC will want to pitch in either of those places on the regular. So who does that leave him for the west coast?

Oh the A's are not spending a dime on a big contract player like CC.

The Rangers could be a good choice but it would be an obvious cash grab for CC as the Rangers would need a lot more pitching than him to contend.

I think the Brewers, Yanks, Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Whitesox, Houston, St. Louis, Bosox and Tampa are the best bets w/ Dodgers being a long shot.

"or is it because he wilters in the big games"

seriously? so that games that he pitched at the end of season to get his team into the playoffs dont count as big games?

"Boston belong to me. you are stupid if you think the Yankees do not get Sabathia Or Burnett if not get both who says the Yankees want an ageing pitcher in Derek Boston Red Suks"

Thats funny you say Boston Red Sux but if they suck so much why are they in the playoffs while the Yankees are sitting at home?

"Well one of the things that CC didn't have in Cleveland, OH his entire career was a closer like Mariano."

Didn't Borowski lead the AL in saves last year?

In fact I think the Indians had one of the top bullpens in the majors last year.

On the comment I made about the Yankees not making the playoffs that wasn't so much a shot at the Yanks as it was a shot at the guy that posted that specific commment.

Borowski went out to the bump soaked in gasoline waiting for a match. He had 5 losses, 8 blow saves and era of 5.00. VEry seldom did he ever come in and just retire the side. There was usually a couple of walks or base hits mixed in with most of those saves. Trust me. I live in Cleveland.

Hey BUCSOX. where were the RED Sucks when the Yankees made the playoffs 13 straight seasons I dont think the Red sox were there every year

Why shouldnt sign either of the pitchers mention except for lowe. Burnett is Carl Pavano all over again. He has a big contract year (like he did with the Marlins), then sucks up the team's money (like he did with the Jays). Sheets is ALWAYS hurt, and never has a season of 30+ starts, making it useless to sign either of them to a contract worth 50+ mil. I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Sabathia never pitches well when the spotlight shines brightest. Look at his postseason record. He couldnt even get a quality start against the cubs (that is, when the Cubs actually needed to win the game). How do you expect him to do in pinstripes, where the pressure is greatest, at Fenway, in the middle of the pennant race, or in game 7 of the NLCS, when the Yankees need a win. What they need is depth in the rotation and guys who can get a big hit. Sign Lowe, who won't give much in the reg. season in the AL East, but thrives the under pressure. Damon/Melky/Gardner can serve as a bandage for when Jackson comes up. Sign Manny so he could get the clutch hit when A-Rod doesn't, and Texiera for consistency. That will more than replace the loss of Giambi and Abreu. They will more than get by with a rotation of Wang (who people forgot won 19 games 2 years in a row, and was on his way to a 3rd until he broke his foot), Pettitte, Mussina Maybe, Lowe, Chamberlain, and Hughes. A veterain middle reliever in the pen won't hurt either.

you need to sign Sabathia. before you worry about how hell do in the ALCS, you have to get into the playoffs. and with the rotations of the other teams in the division you need to have the front line bull. simply getting by wont get it done. Lowe is too old, and they need good performances all year long.

I really like Wang but the Yanks absolutely need one lights out, dominat starter like a CC or Burnett. Bottom line "he" would make the entire staff better and deeper. Going after Lowe is making the staff redundant with a bunch of aged, soft throwing #3 guys. And please remember, I dont care how well he pitched in the AL playoffs 4 years ago. He had a 5.00 era in his last 2 years in the AL and is now 4 years older than he was the last time. NL pitchers never fare as well when they come to the AL. Lowe would be good for a back of the rotation guy but we need at least 1 stud #1. And btw I'd rather go with Hughes or Kennedy as my back end guys rather than Lowe. At some point these guys, if healthy, need to get their inning in so we can see what we really have.

"People forget that he had the same kind of season in his contract year with the Marlins before he signed that big deal with the Jays. Even in Florida he was never really a "stud". Sure he strikes a lot of guys out, but he walks too many (i.e. his no-no with 9 walks) and never gets through a season without missing around 5 starts. He's also 31 years old and not getting any younger, which some people tend to miss."

Can understand holding injuries and the contract year as concerns, look no further than Pavano as a worry and that would be worrisome and Cashman may be thinking of that when it comes down to it, only don't hold walks to such a high negative.. I grew up when Nolan Ryan was striking out 300+ and walking 150+ every year and winning with the lowly California Angels and Dice K pitched 165 innings this year, walked 95 and still went 18-3. Walks are not everything when a pitcher has guts and talent like Burnett shows most of the time when healthy.

CC's career postseason stats: 2-3, 7.92, letting up 33 hits and 22 walks in 25 innings. Also, look what he did in 2 starts against the cubs when the Brewers were only 3 or 4 games in back of the Cubs: 0-1, 4.61, giving up 8 total runs on 18 hits over 13.2 innings. People overlook those stats because of his dominating regular season stats. There's no doubt that he'll get a lot of wins and get us into the postseason which we need. But what worries me is what the pressure of the New York media will do to him if he doesn't pitch well in a big spot, which will most likely happen. He's used to being in a small market like Cleveland and Milwalkee. Sign him to go 20-6 in the regular season , expect half of those losses against Boston, and don't count on him carrying the Yanks through the playoffs.

I feel Burnett would be Pavano 2: Pavano Harder. I mean he might have a better arsenal than Pavano, but what's the difference if he doesn't make his starts? I'd actually rather Lowe than Burnett.

Don't see the Yankees getting Peavy as they'd likely need to give up Joba AND Hughes, etc. and the Padres would have every right to ask for that. Go the money route in the FA pool instead.

I don't want Manny at all. Manny plus Hank is a disaster waiting to happen. The only people that would win would be the media. No one has ever questioned his ability, it's his arrogance and commitment. He's basically the Anakin Skywalker of baseball.

So, for me the two guys to target would be CC and Lowe. Maybe go for Teixeira if we don't get CC, but otherwise, I say keep letting the farm build. Offer arbitration to our type A free agents and look forward to a big 2009 draft.

My take..

I am not a CC fan, just seems like a David Wells bad back waiting to happen. Go after Burnett.
As for Peavy..why not trade Hughes for him? Hughes is going to be a good MLB pitcher, but I can't see him becoming the #1 he was projected to be. Right now he is Peavy..2 years from now. So we get the same type pitcher, 2 years sooner.
Go after Tex..he is the best 1B out there, we need a 1b..makes sense. All it would cost is $$, which is what the Yanks have the most of.
For those that are pro Manny, can I ask you this? After all he did for the Sox, the front office didn't want him, his team mates didn't want him and a large segment of the Sox fanbase didn't want him..WHY THE HECK SHOULD WE??? Heck, the Sox paid his salary to get rid of him. Yes, he is a great hitter, one of the best we have seen in our lifetimes, WHEN he wants to be. Whats to say he doesnt get his money and halfway thru the season, decides he doesn't like it and turns it off. No thanks..you can keep a guy who makes millions to play a kids game and then quits on his team for selfish reasons. I'd rather finish last without him, then wonder each day which Manny we will be seeing.