Hiroki Kuroda gave the Yankees "top priority" this offseason after he decided to pitch another year, the hurler tells Sponichi (via an article by Mike Axisa of River Avenue Blues). Kuroda says the Yankees approached him about an extension as early as August. As Axisa notes, the episode is another indication that the Yankees have abandoned their "no extensions" policy. Here's more Yankees notes, with a heavy emphasis on Alex Rodriguez, who will be suspended for the entire 2014 season:
- The A-Rod suspension gives the Yanks a much better chance of getting under the $189MM luxury tax threshold, but they'll also need to find someone to play third base, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News writes. While the Yankees have Kelly Johnson in the fold, he's played just 16 games at third in his Major League career.
- Other potential fits include Mark Reynolds and Michael Young. Reynolds, you may remember, played 36 games in pinstripes last season. There's also Dustin Ackley and Nick Franklin of the Mariners, whom another source says the Yankees expressed interest in at the Winter Meetings. A trade may not be in the cards, however, McCarron says.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick examines the fallout from the suspension, noting that cases such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro indicate A-Rod has little chance of entering the Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Commissioner Bud Selig can now argue that he's left the game "in a better place."
- While Rodriguez plans to take his case to federal court, Ian O'Connor of ESPN New York opines that such a bid is also unlikely to succeed. "Federal judges historically have little interest in hearing cases already settled in collectively bargained arbitration," O'Connor writes.
- Daniel Lazaroff, a professor at the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, says A-Rod winning an injunction that would allow him to play in 2014 "is about as likely as the 'steroid-era' players being elected to the Hall of Fame." Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times has more from Lazaroff in his column on the suspension.
- Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun expects a long court battle, which might be A-Rod's "only chance to preserve any semblance of a legacy."
I would love to trade one of our catchers(Murphy,Romine, or Cervelli) for Ackley or Franklin
Franklin’s value is probably still too high for thatbut ackley would be nice.
Ackley would still be better than Nunez
Trading a catcher to the Mariners might not work since they have Mike Zunino already, but I definitely want Ackley.
A plastic doll without arms Is better than Nunez, what’s your point?
steinbrenner would never let you do that.
Why? The yankees have too many catchers
Mariners don’t need a catcher.
Huh? They certainly do. They’ve only got ML quality one, and he’s in his second year (Zunino).
gonna take more then a back up catcher to land Ackley or Franklin I’m afraid
Depending on which “steroid-era” players he’s talking about, that means little. Bonds and Clemens will probably get in eventually. A-Rod would’ve had a pretty good shot even after the 2003 steroid stuff but he threw that away with Biogenesis.
Petit will probably make it also.
It’s a pity when extremely talented players such as A-rod find the necessity to cheat and take roids. I’m not a fan of his attitude or shinanogins, but he was one of the best of his generation and didnt need the help of steroids to be a superstar. A true fall from grace.
Same could be said for Bonds and Clemens. Both are legendary players without steroids. And that’s where it will make it difficult for the HOF.
Selig will (or at least should) always take part of the blame, along with all team executives, for letting this mess start in the first place.
As Sosa, McGwire, Bonds and others grew to superhero comic proportions and started launching home runs at historically alarming rates, all that Selig and all 30 owners saw were dollar signs.
I am not sure why Selig and the Owners saw dollar signs.
I never liked A-Rod. I still remember my reaction when he signed that 225 Million dollar contract to become a Ranger. I was like no player deserves that kind of money! No one! In fact, I was talking to a Yankees fan last week and he said he goes to the minor league games because the cost of going to a game is much more reasonable! McGwire should have never taken steroids, he was always a big kid, he didn’t need them! Bonds lost his athleticism meaning too bulky! Besides, what would have been wrong with a 40/40 person. Sosa after his big year became even bigger! He was on the buffet/talk circuit. He couldn’t have had time to get to the gym with all that traveling and he became bigger. That was then I knew he was on something. Personally, if you fail a drug test and it’s steroids, you’re out of the league for good! I really feel strongly about cheating! I don’t like it one bit!
McGuire couldn’t stay on the field without steroids. He was a tall and skinny kid without the ligaments and bone mass to withstand the forces baseball put on his body. He had a lot of foot problems in Oakland. They, what do you know? He stays healthy. He gets off the Andro and can’t stay on the field.
Keeping guys on the field is a bigger affect of the PEDs than production. If you can’t stay healthy, you can’t play. Artificially prolonging careers is the biggest affect, that and pushing back decline.
Makes you wonder about Cal Ripken Jr.
However, there is also evidence steroids can shorten careers. They do a number on ligaments, and I would not be surprised if steroids/HGH were part of Arods problem with his hips.
steroids don’t make you bigger. it’s not how it works. sosa still needed to get exercise to get the benefits of them.
Steroids make you retain water.
The do make you bigger automatically.
Also, they help you recover faster among other things.
So doesn’t cortisone help you recover. Toradol masks pain, DHEA and Creatine make you bigger too. All of them are permitted,
Greenes helped players stay strong the entire season, now they are banned, but they were a big part of the game for 40 years
Actually, you are wrong. There was a study done where guys were separated into 4 groups. One was given PEDs and exercised, one was given PEDs and didn’t exercise, one was given nothing and exercised and one didn’t get PEDs OR exercise. The fascinating thing is that the PED/nonexercising group added more muscle in 10 weeks than the nonPED/exercisers. It wasn’t even close either. The PED group added almost double the muscle mass even tho they weren’t exercising to get bigger.
Minor league games are fun. They’re in cities that are small enough that driving to them and parking there aren’t impossible, the people tend to be nicer, you can afford to actually buy food there. There are big upsides. 2 years ago, I went to an independent league game on the Fourth of July. John Halama, whose claim to fame was being part of the 3 prospect deal that went from the Astros to the Mariners in exchange for Randy Johnson, started. It was a fun game, on a beautiful day and of course, there were fireworks after the game.
I hope A-Rod wins.
I think if someone is caught doing steroids they should immediately be banned for life. That would get the players to stop. Also A-Rod just needs to go. The yankees don’t want him and neither does the mlb.
The Yankees should sign Jeff Baker to play 3B and platoon with lefty Johnson. The righty Baker hits great against lefthanders. That’s something the Yankees always need.
No, that makes way too much sense.
That would be fine. Johnson’s better than people think, and Baker mashes lefties. Only problem: Worst defensive third base in baseball, playing right next to the worst defensive shortstop.
I’ll take the trade if it produces a wRC+ higher than 69 which was Dead Last in MLB last year (among 3B)
I like how they keep out the “steroid people” from the HoF but allow 2 manager’s (LaRussa, Torre) that benefited greatly having “steroid people” in their line-ups into the HoF.. I may not agree with what they did but they still deserve (along with Rose and Joe Jackson) to be in the HoF..
The Hall of Fame will never be complete without Rose.
The Hall will never be complete.
I get the hypocrisy in general about the HOF, but LaRussa and Torre are two high profile managers who had names from players on their teams exposed because of two specific investigations. I guess what my point is, is every manager who managed in that era and is also HOF caliber will likely have greatly benefited from roid users on their team, those two managers just happen to have those player’s names been made public.
“Meanwhile, Commissioner Bud Selig can now argue that he’s left the game “in a better place.”
How so? Selig has known about steroids since the 90’s, he’s making a martyr of Alex Rodriguez. If Bonds and Clemens get in then so should A-Rod, because he’s probably the best shortstop we’ll see in our lifetimes.
None of them should get in. However, Bonds and Clemens have a stronger case of getting in the HOF because they were there during the “wild wild west” while A-Rod got caught when there is real testing and a clear condoning of them.
Condemning, not condoning.
Trying to figure out why A-Rod would be considered to be a better SS than Jeter, other than through his offensive stats (which are bloated due to A-Rod’s steroid use).
Trying to figure out why either of them would be considered a better SS than Ripken.
Ripken’s offensive prime probably doesn’t hold up to either of them, but he was so dramatically better in the field that it makes up for the differences at the plate.
I’m trying to figure out why any of them would be considered better SS than Munenori Kawasaki.
Kawasaki’s prime doesn’t hold up to any of them, but
he was so dramatically better in the dugout that it makes up for the differences in the field and at the plate.
WAR tells a different story.
Perhaps because Jeter is one of the worst defensive SS in his era
i dont like that they can change their own rules whenver they feel like it. A-rod should get the 100 games as should ryan braun
The Yankees are now less likely to sign anyone good so as to stay under 189. Makes no sense to me, but that’s how it seems to be.
They should be all over Drew for 3B until Jeter shows he can no longer play SS, and then they can move him to SS. Makes them a bit too left handed, but RHP’ers pitch 70% of the time.
Is Drew at all effective at 3B?
Hard to say, he’s never played there (maybe one or two games).
Why are you obsessed about the Yankees going after Drew? He is the least of their needs. They need at least 1 rotation spot along with more bullpen work over a 3rd SS. No thanks. Drew is very overrated, but with Boras as his client, some team will surely give him what Boras wants him to get.
Ichiro back to the Mariners?
Why would they want him?
So the fans can relive the glory days and the team can sucker them into buying a few more tickets and overpriced merchandise.
Glad you Yankees fans are happy with the Arod suspension. Now you get to enjoy a Mark Reynolds, Brendan Ryan, and Brian Roberts infield lol
Don’t forget Jeff Baker and Kelly Johnson!
I mean seriously you hit the nail on the head. Some “fans” are delusional
Losing Cano, Arod, and Granderson from the Lineup.
Having absolutely no pitching in the Bullpen or behind CC.
The Yankees are on the verge of being very bad.
Granderson put up a .319 wOBA in 61 games last year, while Arod only played in 44 (with a .342 wOBA) so there’s not exactly a lot of production to lose with those two not in the lineup for 2014. Cano is a huge loss, hopefully the increased production from McCann, Ellsbury and Beltran will help offset that.
Last year’s line-up:
CF Gardner
2B Cano
LF Wells
DH Hafner
1B Overbay
RF Ichiro
3B Nunez
SS Nix
C Stewart
This season’s projected line-up:
CF Ellsbury
LF Gardner
RF Beltran
C McCann
1B Teixeira
DH Soriano
2B Johnson
SS Jeter
3B Sizemore/Anna
Yeah, we’re CRAZY to think this year could be better. Plus, Kuroda +Tanaka >>>>>>>>Kuroda+Pettitte. Hiroki Kuroda was good enough in the first half of the season to be in the conversation for Cy Young (unfortunately, he got tired later in the season). Ivan Nova was one of the best starting pitchers in the A.L. post-All Star break last season. David Robertson has been one of the best set-up men (maybe THE best) the past 3 seasons. Matt Thornton is a fine LOOGY and the Yankees got fine seasons out of Claiborne, Kelley and Warren last year.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not the Clemens–Mussina–Pettitte–Wells rotation of the late dynasty and no one can replace the greatest closer of all-time. But to say there’s “nothing” there isn’t true either.
I don’t feel the least bit bad for Arod and think he deserves everything coming to him however I think it’s a joke that the Yankees receive this $30M gift from MLB
It’s definitely a gift the Yankees went all offseason not knowing if their starting 3B and near-middle of the order bat was going to play or not. I suppose you also wanted to violate MLB policy and have payroll count against them as well while their player is not allowed to play? Because it’s the Yankees?
Trevor Plouffe of the Twins could be had for a moderate return in prospects. I believe he needs a change in scenery, and he would benefit greatly from the short porches in Yankee Stadium. He’d be an excellent stop-gap at 3B for the Yankees for a year.