Mike Mussina Rumors

Yankees Decline To Offer Arb To Pettitte, Abreu, Mussina

8:04pm: One of Abreu's agents, Chris Leible, spoke to Peter Abraham.  Though Cashman said he was still engaged with Abreu, Leible says he hasn't heard from the Yankees once since the end of the season.

4:48pm: According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, the Yankees declined to offer arbitration to Type A free agents Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, and Mike Mussina (and all other free agents). Peter Abraham and Ed Price may have had this on the web earlier; it was close. 

The Abreu decision comes as a surprise; until this morning most believed the Yankees were willing to risk a one-year deal with him to have a chance at the two draft picks.  Abreu is certainly more attractive to potential suitors now.  Abraham has Brian Cashman saying the Yanks remain engaged with Abreu and Pettitte.

Another note from Heyman: the Yankees have not ruled out signing Manny Ramirez.

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Mike Mussina Retires

THURSDAY: Mussina's retirement is official.  Peter Abraham and Tyler Kepner give insight into Moose's personality.

WEDNESDAY: According to Ken Rosenthal, Mike Mussina is retiring to spend more time with his family.  He goes on out top, with a 20 win season in 2008.  The Yankees were already operating under the assumption he would retire.

Moose finishes with 270 wins and a 3.68 career ERA.  Is he Hall of Fame material?

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Yankees Rumors: Abreu, Burnett, Teixeira

George King of the New York Post and Kat O'Brien of Newsday have the latest on the Yankees, who are in hot pursuit of free agent starting pitching.

• The Yankees will offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu, according to Jon Heyman.  No surprise there.
• King says the Yankees are preparing an offer for A.J. Burnett, "perhaps a five-year deal worth about $80 million."  Burnett's agent says they're just discussing parameters.  It would be a strong offer, dwarfing the Blue Jays' four years, $54MM.  ESPN's Buster Olney believes a fifth guaranteed year will ultimately result in the winning bid for Burnett.
• The Yankees may make an offer to Derek Lowe soon; they've reached out to Scott Boras regarding him.  Other Lowe suitors: the Dodgers, Red Sox, Mets, and Rangers.  O'Brien adds that the Yanks expressed interest in Mark Teixeira to Boras (despite the Nick Swisher acquisition).  The Orioles are also in on in Tex.
• King talked to a "baseball exec" who sees the Cubs re-signing Ryan Dempster at four years, $52MM.
• Andy Pettitte's agent doesn't want a pay cut from this year's $16MM.
• The expectation is still for Mike Mussina to retire; we may know this week.
• The Yankees aren't in on Jake Peavy, as evidenced by Kevin Towers' comments last night.  Rick Sutcliffe and Mark Grace have been pitching the Cubs to Peavy, though the hangup seems more about which players the Chicago would send to San Diego.
• The Yanks have an offer of about six years, $140MM on the table for C.C. Sabathia, and he's mulling it over (somewhere).

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Odds and Ends: Mussina, Proefrock, Cuban

Links for Monday...

• Pitcher Kelvin Jimenez was claimed off waivers by the White Sox.  The Blue Jays had claimed him from the Cardinals previously.
• The Yankees hope Mike Mussina decides whether he's retiring soon. He says it might be this week.
• Aaron Gleeman runs through the more affordable middle relief options.
• Roch Kubatko had the scoop yesterday - Scott Proefrock, formerly of the Orioles, is the new assistant GM for the Phillies.
• Trey Hillman is familiar with Kenshin Kawakami, but it's not known whether the Royals are interested.
• Peter Abraham is wary of five free agents the Yankees might consider.
• Mark Cuban is in hot water for alleged insider trading.
• Ben Davis is apparently pitching these days, and he'll try to crack the Reds' Double A rotation.

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Odds and Ends: Ankiel, Hoffman, Mussina

Linkage for Thursday...

• Viva El Birdos tries to put a price on Rick Ankiel, and decides now is the time to trade him.  Ankiel, a Scott Boras client, is eligible for free agency after the '09 season.
• Derrick Goold runs through the lefty reliever options for St. Louis on his blog.  It doesn't seem like Trevor Hoffman is on the Cardinals' radar.  Hoffman wants to remain a closer, so he won't be going to San Francisco either.
• Brian Cashman explains that $6MM for one year of Damaso Marte was too much, but $12MM over three years works.  Ken Davidoff still doesn't get it.
• Mike Mussina will make his decision early next week.
• Tony Massarotti runs through best and worst case scenarios for the Yankees and Red Sox.
• Jeff Zrebiec names ten possible free agent targets for the Orioles.
• Omar Minaya spilled the beans to WFAN's Mike Francesa.  He's not interested in Ben Sheets, but will make an offer to Pedro Martinez.
• The Twins seem more likely to make trades than sign free agents, according to Joe Christensen.
• Could Ted Turner buy back the Braves?

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Perrotto's Latest: Free Agent Predictions

John Perrotto has his Every Given Sunday column up over at Baseball Prospectus. Perrotto offers a list of some educated guesses as to where some of the top free agents in baseball will land, with some surprises here and there. Let's take a look:

• Perrotto lists the Yankees loading up on starting pitching, landing C.C. Sabathia and Derek Lowe, while the Dodgers land Manny Ramirez after doubling their initial offer to four years, $100MM.
• Perrotto says the Nationals will land Mark Teixeira, as they could be prepared to offer Teixeira - a Maryland native - ten years, $200MM. Turning down that kind of money would certainly be difficult.
• Perrotto has Adam Dunn landing on the North Side of Chicago and having an adventurous time in right field for the Cubs. According to these predictions, he'll be joined by Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood - neither of whom are going anywhere.
• Perrotto feel Andy Pettitte won't be back with the Yankees, and feels that he will either take a below-market contract from his hometown Astros or retire. He also pegs Mike Mussina to likely retire, but agrees he'll be back with the Yankees if he does indeed make a run at 300 wins.
• Other predictions from Perrotto: Raul Ibanez  and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, Milton Bradley to Toronto, Orlando Cabrera to Minnesota, Casey Blake back to Cleveland, A.J. Burnett to the Orioles, Brian Fuentes to the Angels, Nick Punto to St. Louis, Randy Johnson to the Angels, Jason Giambi to Oakland, and Orlando Hudson to the Mets.
• The list of players who will end up back with their current teams: Ben Sheets, Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Jamie Moyer, and Jason Varitek, on a two-year $20MM contract, courtesy of Scott Boras.

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Yankees Rumors: Sabathia, Pettitte, Mussina

Some new Yankees rumors surfaced at Joe Torre's charity event in New York last night.

• Derek Jeter talked to C.C. Sabathia about what it's like to play for the Yankees but says he's not "trying to sell anyone on New York."
• According to Newsday's Kat O'Brien, Andy Pettitte isn't looking for a long-term deal. He's waiting to hear from the Yankees, who know that "one year's fine" for Pettitte. Brian Cashman said this week he's looking to bring Pettitte back, and that was before Pettitte said he was looking for a one-year deal.
• Peter Abraham has news on Mike Mussina. Mussina told Joe Girardi at the end of the season that he expected to retire.

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Yankees Rumors: Teixeira, Igawa, Sabathia

The Yankees chatter died down a bit today, but here's what we've got.

• Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes buzz about Robinson Cano going to the Dodgers amid Yankee interest in Russell Martin and Matt Kemp.  He admits it's unlikely.
• Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News talked to one big league exec about whether Mark Teixeira could handle the pressures of New York.
• Brian Cashman says nobody has asked him about Kei Igawa, who has three years and $12MM left on his contract.
• Cashman would not rule out the possibility of bringing back both Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte.
• Mark Hale of the New York Post talked to Mariano Rivera, who would definitely like the Yankees to sign C.C. Sabathia.  Why wouldn't he?

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Yankees Rumors: Cameron, Melky, Pettitte, Lowe

5:06pm: More on the Cameron situation: Ken Davidoff says Cabrera and Ian Kennedy have been discussed.  However, the Brewers will probably wait to see if they can sign Sabathia, since he's good friends with Cameron.

10:26am: The latest Yankees hot stove buzz...

• According to Joel Sherman and George King of the New York Post, the Yankees inquired with the Brewers on Mike Cameron.  The Yanks would be willing to send Melky Cabrera and pitching to Milwaukee.  The Yankees are also talking to other teams about Wilson Betemit.
• The Yankees are only willing to do a one-year deal for Andy Pettitte, who has said he wants to return.  The Yanks plan to see what Mike Mussina wants to do first.  It seems they'll bring back one of Mussina/Pettitte and sign two free agent starters out of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe.
• For Lowe, the Yankees might have to butt heads with the Mets.  Scott Boras has already discussed Lowe with both clubs.  Peter Abraham thinks the Yankees and Mets could also compete for Oliver Perez or Burnett if Sabathia signs elsewhere.
• Ken Davidoff is not buying the Hideki Matsui three-team trade scenario.

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Yankees Rumors: Sabathia, Marte, Mussina

11:09pm: Brian Cashman sums up the Yankees' plan: "We're going to show a lot of love."

12:15pm: It's about time we check in with Yankees links.

• The Yankees will make their record-breaking pitch to C.C. Sabathia.  If it fails, they'll move on to A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe, and Oliver Perez.
• Joel Sherman says the Yankees could get involved on Manny Ramirez, but only if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira and manage to trade Hideki Matsui.
• Sherman says the Yanks are in on the catching market just to be safe, engaging the Rangers about Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  They'll also "keep tabs" on Ivan Rodriguez.  If the Yanks find another club that values Robinson Cano highly and offers pitching, he could be traded and Orlando Hudson signed.  None of this stuff seems likely.
• Peter Abraham believes the Yanks are working on an extension with Damaso Marte.
• Buster Olney says some of Mike Mussina's friends believe that the longer it takes for him to decide on 2009, the more likely it is he pitches. 
• Peter Abraham believes Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy will be traded before next season, but Brian Cashman has not lost faith in Hughes.

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