Yanks Want Lowell For First Base

UPDATE, 11-15-07: A reporter from WBZ TV out of Boston is saying Lowell has a four-year offer from the Yankees in the $56-60MM range.

UPDATE, 11-14-07: Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch kills the Lowell-Cardinals rumor.

FROM 11-13-07:

A new twist!  Dan Graziano reports that an Alex Rodriguez signing wouldn’t stop the Yankees from pursuing Mike Lowell.  They’d like Lowell to play first base for them.  A big part of it would be to take Lowell away from the Red Sox, it appears.  Of course the Red Sox would get the Yankees’ 28th overall pick next June as a consolation prize. 

Graziano admits signing Lowell to switch positions would be tough, as teams like the Angels and Dodgers will be after him.  According to a Boston television station, Lowell has already received offers from the Braves, Angels, Cardinals, and Yankees.  Each is supposedly a four-year offer between $55-60MM.  Color me skeptical of that particular rumor, but you never know.

Anyway, the Yankees dropping $50MM+ on Lowell just to thwart the Red Sox seems kind of irresponsible to me.  Here’s what they’d have:

C – Jorge Posada – $13.1MM
1B – Mike Lowell – $14MM
2B – Robinson Cano – $0.5MM
SS – Derek Jeter – $20MM
3B – Alex Rodriguez – $28MM
LF – Hideki Matsui – $13MM/Johnny Damon – $13MM
CF – Melky Cabrera – $0.5MM
RF – Bobby Abreu – $16MM
DH – Jason Giambi – $21MM

That’s a $139MM starting lineup, and one of those guys would be on the bench.  I imagine a Lowell signing would compel Brian Cashman to shop someone.